Ideal Weight and Size for Backcountry Hunting Rifle?

[heathmichael]

I started @ 10 years old with a 10# rifle, 60 years later I still pack a 10# rifle. @10 years old I also had a crappy pack and when we carried elk out we tied 1/4" nylon rope around the quarter and put it over our shoulders and packed it out. The last elk I packed out went on my pack and I hardly knew it was there.

As others have stated, 1) good boots, 2) good pack 3) and leave the kitchen sink at home 4) find a good rifle sling for your pack 5) and when you get home make a list of the good things you had on the hunt and a list of the stuff you did not use or that did not work, and then spend the winter and spring replacing the stuff that did not work with something better.

And a word of advice. Look through the classified ads for your upgrades, no use spending a lot of money on new when you can pickup barely used stuff that has a lot of life left in it. At least until you nail your good stuff list.

Good Luck in your hunt and remember, "A shity day in the woods is still better than any day at work"

Wow! That's awesome. I hope to be still doing this years down the road like you, Lord willing. We don't have many mountains down here in the deep south, so I'm excited just for the experience overall to be in the Rockies. And you make some great points!

 

[EastHumboldt]

The only really good quality pack I have any experience with is the Metcalf. A lot of people swear by Stone glacier, or Kifaru. Get a 75 or 100 liter pack. A smaller pack will restrict it to just being a day pack. You could always cinch down the cargo straps to make The big one smaller, but you can’t make the small one bigger. I just jumped over to eBay for a minute, and there’s lots of good deals on the mystery ranch Metcalf. I saw 100 L Metcalf for $259, which is about 250 bucks off of retail. could probably find good deals on any other pack you want.

Mystery Ranch Backpack, hunting, hiking, camping Size - M/L NEW | eBay

Harnessing Style. 35.25"x17"x14.5".

www.ebay.com

 

[elsb0048]

The only really good quality pack I have any experience with is the Metcalf. A lot of people swear by Stone glacier, or Kifaru. Get a 75 or 100 liter pack. A smaller pack will restricted to just being a day pack. You could always cinch down the cargo straps to make The big one smaller, but you can’t make the small one bigger. I just jumped over to eBay for a minute, and there’s lots of good deals on the mystery ranch Metcalf. I saw 100 L Metcalf for $259, which is about 250 bucks off of retail. could probably find good deals on any other pack you want.

Mystery Ranch Backpack, hunting, hiking, camping Size - M/L NEW | eBay

Harnessing Style. 35.25"x17"x14.5".

www.ebay.com

I would second Mystery ranch as a reasonable price option, especially the used market although it may take some searching to get the right back and belt sizes.

75 is probably fine if you have fairly modern lightweight gear and/or not more than 4-5 days at a time.

If your gear is bulkier, late season, or more than 5 day food then the 100 may be good.

I've got ~30 field days and maybe 5 pack outs on mine (previous version Metcalf ~70L) and while not perfect it's certainly worthwhile.

 

[Schmo]

Is there a pack that is still somewhat budget friendly that is comfortable that you would recommend?

A couple of guys have already put you on the trail, but for a tight budget, look at a nice used Mystery Ranch. They’re a pretty solid pack, and will carry loads a lot better.

 

[Traveler]

One filled Nalgene water bottle weighs over 2 lbs. That is the difference you are talking about. I get that every ounce counts and adds up but I have never understood how 2-3lbs of rifle makes a difference. Many cheaper things add up or allow to cut weight. If you end up hunting from a base camp rifle weight doesn’t matter at all.

If you need a reason to buy a new rifle, you don’t - just buy one.

 

[AK Troutbum]

Hey guys,
I'm sure this isn't a new question, but I'm planning on going on my first Colorado backcountry this year and I'm trying to gather all the info I can. We plan on packing in on foot, but possibly going with the base camp approach to stay mobile. I keep seeing a lot of talk about carrying a light rifle in to keep the overall weight low. I currently have a Remington 700 7mm Mag that is about 10 lbs. with the scope and has a 26" barrel. It's a great rifle that I am comfortable and familiar with. I intend to have it strapped to my framed backpack for most of the time while we are hiking. And I have been training/rucking in order to be fit enough carry a decent load. But Im seeing guys say they would carry in anything less than 8 lbs. and a barrel that is 22" max if they had the choice. Has anyone used a rifle similar to mine and made it work without much difficulty? Especially if you are using your backpack as a means of carrying it? We are trying to keep this trip as much on a budget as possible, and adding a new rifle to the expenses would be a bit of a stinger. I'm sure this is going to be a pretty subjective topic, but any info would be much appreciated! Thanks! (From a noob backcountry hunter)

I haven’t read through all the posts so maybe this is already been touched on but, I think the main thing to consider is the overall weight of your pack. In other words, if you’ve scaled the weight down of everything that you’re carrying, then the additional 10 lb. rifle isn’t gonna make a whole lot of difference (compared to a 6 lb. rifle). Assuming that that additional 4 lbs. isn’t gonna be the straw that breaks the camels back. If that 4 extra lbs. is absolutely needed, for whatever reason, and it seems to excessive, just get rid of 4 lbs. of creature comforts from your pack.


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