Has anybody hunted sheep with a heavy rifle?

[MBN]

My rifle is over 10 and hasn't changed the outcome in a negative way. A lighter one would be nice sometimes but I would bring what you shoot the best and are comfortable with. In my opinion it is easier to a 10 pound rifle than a compound bow.

 

[TW907]

Best sheep rifle is the one you choot the best!

 

[GotDraw?]

Whole lot of animals killed with wood stocks/steel barrels in the last 50 yrs.

JL

 

[mod7rem]

It depends on the total weight you’re going to have to carry on your back based on the style of hunt. Are there horses involved, guides and packers, or a completely DIY hunt with everything you need in your backpack from the very beginning to the very end of the hunt? Packing into an area and mostly day hunting from there, or carrying everything you brought every day to different locations?

Total pack weight matters and the difference 5 pounds makes on your performance is big once you get into carrying everything you need for a 10-15 day hunt. It’s not a linear thing. It’s easy for unnecessary pounds to add up and have a big impact on how you can perform.

I’ve DIY hunted Stone sheep for a long time and we’ve only needed to shoot a little past 400yds a couple times to kill rams. That’s probably about 20 rams. You have to be comfortable with whatever rifle you take, but also have to remember that unnecessary pounds add up and make a big difference. That’s why experienced sheep hunters get a little nutty about weight ha ha.

 

[Steve O]

I was 34 on my first sheep hunt. The rifle I had the most confidence in was 12#. I had read all the “take the lightest rifle you can” stuff. It was not an issue but I came home and built a 7# all up 300 WSM as soon as I could. Ended the lightweight phase of my life with a semi custom 700 Ti in .270 that was 5 3/4# ready to roll. Still have it as it is just about perfection but I’ve settled in the 7-8# range for sheep and anything else rifles.

 

[alexanderg23]

Bring whatever rifle you want. Just make the packer carry it lol. 10 is heavy though. Plenty of light rifles that shoot great.

 

[S-3 ranch]

My pet M70 .300wm with scope is 9+ lbs , it’s been above 3000 meters a couple of times, and on many aoudad hunts.
It’s all relative to what you’re willing to give on the mountain
a ultra light rifle isn’t my cup of tea though

 

[Blockcaver]

I wouldn't carry a heavy rifle. You ultimately can get close enough to Stones (or Dalls, Bighorns, Desert Rams) to shoot them with any light weight rifle based on my experience bowhunting them.

I quit carrying heavy bows as well after a single two week backpack trip with one a long time ago.

 

[tam9492]

I was 34 on my first sheep hunt. The rifle I had the most confidence in was 12#. I had read all the “take the lightest rifle you can” stuff. It was not an issue but I came home and built a 7# all up 300 WSM as soon as I could. Ended the lightweight phase of my life with a semi custom 700 Ti in .270 that was 5 3/4# ready to roll. Still have it as it is just about perfection but I’ve settled in the 7-8# range for sheep and anything else rifles.

Let me know when you’re ready to sell that 700 Ti…

 

[mod7rem]

I was 34 on my first sheep hunt. The rifle I had the most confidence in was 12#. I had read all the “take the lightest rifle you can” stuff. It was not an issue but I came home and built a 7# all up 300 WSM as soon as I could. Ended the lightweight phase of my life with a semi custom 700 Ti in .270 that was 5 3/4# ready to roll. Still have it as it is just about perfection but I’ve settled in the 7-8# range for sheep and anything else rifles.

Ha ha, I had that beat by a smidge. My lightest was a SS model seven that I skeletized the crap out of, with a 22” fluted mountain contour 284 Winchester, and a Wildcat Composite stock with flip flop recoil pad. Had a Leupold 6x36 with LRD reticle and Talley lightweight rings. The total weight was 5.6 lbs.
Hunted with it a lot and killed a bunch of stuff. Eventually I changed the barrel (6.5 CM) and also a new mag box (not skeletized), so it gained a little weight. My oldest son owns it now and I moved on to another model 7. This one is less skeletized, with a 20” CF barrel in 6.5CM in a Rick Stienhour modified ambidextrous MPI thumbhole Stock.
Total weight is exactly 7 lbs with an LRHS 3-12x44mm in Spuhr rings, or it’s exactly 6 lbs with a VXll 2-7x33mm LRD in Vortex Pro series rings.

So I’m still not out of the light rifle obsession