I’ll hunt with a 10-14 pound gun all day over something real light. Confidence in my shot is something I value over saving a few pounds. I have carried light rifles but really don’t have an interest in something less than 10 pounds right now, regardless of the amount of powder behind it.
Iv only shot one nrl hunter match. People don’t spend money to be in a competition, sometimes traveling very far, to compete at a disadvantage. I can say during the match I shot, I shot a bdl 3006, used gear I carry hunting minus my sand gamechanger (I carry git lite hunting) and was at a minimal disadvantage. I hit a lot of targets, cleaned stages, and placed decent. I’d shoot the same rifle again and do better knowing what I’m going into versus my first nrl. Nrl hunter is a game but I can say that I could see myself taking almost every shot I took in the field. I saw more use in it for a hunter than prs.
That said for a match the targets were good size, and easier to hit than a standard prs style match. The shooting for the most part wasn’t difficult, but managing gear, finding and ranging made stages more difficult.
If I was really playing the game. I’d approach an nrl stage with my binos, a sand schmedium and a larger tripod on a sling and shoot a 12 pound 6.5 creedmoor.
I guess it all depends on how you view and maybe where you hunt. Even in the mountains I’m going to carry whatever I think will make me more successful. When it comes to success I think that making a good shot makes or breaks more hunts than a few pounds on the back.
