What weapon carrier do you use?

[Justin Crossley]

Great pics! What tarp is that?

It's a Zpacks Hexamid Solo plus tarp. ZPacks.com Ultralight Backpacking Gear - Hexamid Solo-Plus Cuben Fiber Tent

I ordered it without the "storm doors" and inner nest. It weighs 5.1 oz plus 2 oz for the stakes for a total trail weight of 7.1 oz on my scale. It's a great early season shelter and I have even had it in some nasty rain and snow storms without issue.

 

[BCsteve]

Ordered a Gun Bearer yesterday. I figured I'd give it a try, seems pretty popular.

 

[Odell]

It's a Zpacks Hexamid Solo plus tarp. ZPacks.com Ultralight Backpacking Gear - Hexamid Solo-Plus Cuben Fiber Tent

I ordered it without the "storm doors" and inner nest. It weighs 5.1 oz plus 2 oz for the stakes for a total trail weight of 7.1 oz on my scale. It's a great early season shelter and I have even had it in some nasty rain and snow storms without issue.

Looks perfect for the high buck hunt. Looks like we live pretty close, I'd love to see one in person before ordering.


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[Justin Crossley]

Looks perfect for the high buck hunt. Looks like we live pretty close, I'd love to see one in person before ordering.


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Just send me a text and I'll set it up in the yard so you can check it out. 206-786-0889

 

[orionsbrother]

This is another option that works pretty well. Medium pocket to hold the butt and just use the compression straps for the forearm.

Kinda hard to see exactly, but the Nomad also works well with the gun bearer. This is a great way to carry heavy/long rifles as long as you don't need to get them out really fast.

Stupid question, Justin ; No scope covers?

If I strap my rifle to my pack, I throw a stretchy rubber scope cover on.

 

[Justin Crossley]

Stupid question, Justin ; No scope covers?

If I strap my rifle to my pack, I throw a stretchy rubber scope cover on.

I almost always run flip up scope caps to keep debri off the lenses. If you're asking whether or not I use the neoprene type covers to protect the scope from scratches, the answer is no. I try not to abuse my gear but at the same time I don't baby it either.

 

[orionsbrother]

No. I don't use the neoprene covers. Just the cheap, stretchy rubber ones. They aren't bulky and they fit nice and snug. They do a good job of keeping sticks, pine needles, sap and crap off the lenses.

I was just curious. I didn't see any covers in your picture. But I'm not looking at it on a monitor. I gotta stop looking at this stuff on this dinky screen.

 

[dotman]

I don't mind the gun bearer but wish the butt stock holder was about an inch larger in diameter. I tried to use the med pocket and think I need to play with it more as it had issues as well but was also on my belt since I'm using the EXO 2k on my kifaru frame.

 

[Biggs300]

The Gun Bearer is a good system and keeps your rifle secure and easy to access. Unfortunately, I could never get use to the barrel of my rifle being in front of my face, especially my rifles with longer barrels. When climbing, it would sometimes hit the bill of my cap. I just got the Crooked Horn Gun Commander and have tried it on two packs with my different hunting rifles and it works really well regardless of the type of straps installed on the rifle. Like the Gun Bearer it keeps your rifle secure and in a position that is very accessible. I think I'm going to like it.

 

[Darren Best]

I have used the Kifaru Gun Bearer, three version of the Stone Glacier (two of his iterations and one of my own using his gear), the Gunslinger using Lukes modification and the Nomad carrier.

Each has their pluses and minuses and I have not found one that I am completely happy with.

The Kifaru gun bearer is the fastest to get too, but it's really annoying to have that barrel in your face, especially at night with a 1000 lumen headlamp.

The SG was pretty nice, but does take some finesse to get it out of the carrier and rolled around and the butt carrier doesn't like to let go.

The Gunslinger is the most expensive and secure, but the butt rubbing against your leg gets really annoying on steep hills.

The Nomad sling is totally inaccessible without taking your pack off, but it's completely out of the way and very well protected.

 

[cbeck36]

I have used the Kifaru Gun Bearer, three version of the Stone Glacier (two of his iterations and one of my own using his gear), the Gunslinger using Lukes modification and the Nomad carrier.

Each has their pluses and minuses and I have not found one that I am completely happy with.

The Kifaru gun bearer is the fastest to get too, but it's really annoying to have that barrel in your face, especially at night with a 1000 lumen headlamp.

The SG was pretty nice, but does take some finesse to get it out of the carrier and rolled around and the butt carrier doesn't like to let go.

The Gunslinger is the most expensive and secure, but the butt rubbing against your leg gets really annoying on steep hills.

The Nomad sling is totally inaccessible without taking your pack off, but it's completely out of the way and very well protected.

Are all of these running down the side of the pack? I have the (don't yell at me) Kuiu gun holder and run it down the center of the pack. When I started looking into a system for carrying a rifle, putting it on the side seemed unruly. I run a 3000 cu in pack so I have zero experience larger packs. I like the system I use. Just wondering how it works with spotters, tripods and such. Justin's systems looked pretty buttoned up though.

 

[Darren Best]

The Kifaru runs from the front of the right shoulder strap to the right hip belt.

All of the Stone Glacier set ups on the right side of the pack on the outside.

The Gunslinger runs from the right hip belt to the right side of the pack on the outside.

The Nomad sling tucks inside under the right batwing.

 

[Biggs300]

Darren B, the Crooked Horn Gun Commander works much like the Gunslinger but uses a top rifle strap holder on your pack instead of chest strap to hold the rifle. If you need additional security, I suppose you can you the chest strap much like the Gunslinger but, I don't see that it is necessary based on my initial trial. I will also say that the stock holder of the Gun Commander seems a bit more robust compared to the Gunslinger. However, my hunting buddy has used the Gunslinger setup for several years and is very happy with the system.

 

[Darren Best]

I did one of the Luke Moffat mods on the Gunslinger, I used a loop on the side of the pack to hold the barrel and attached the carrier to the waist belt of my pack.

All you have to do is unsnap the strap on the butt carrier, lift it a little to clear the holder then you lower the rifle down to clear the top loop and then spin it around. It's actually really fast and very secure. But for where I mounted the butt carrier on the belt it would make the butt of the rifle rub up against my leg when ever I climbed a steep hill and was really annoying.

I think Luke mounted his carrier back on the pack itself, I might be wrong about that though. He also popped out the snap and put a buckle in it because he had it come unsnapped once while bashing alders.

 

[Boman]

Biggs300,
How did you like the gun commander? Did the rifle strap absorb some weight? Or did it rest on your shoulders still?