Who hunts with a 10lb+ rifle?

[SoloWilderness]

10-12ish... need to weigh it now, as I'm curious, but it's a heavy SOB. Shoots like a dream, and I can spot shots. Carry it on my pack for hike ins (generally 10+ miles to our high camps) and hunt off my back with a 50# pack on, so I'm used to it. A good quality sling/ gun bearer makes all the difference, but I still feel it. (Although the hard edges/ sharp corners on my bipod are far more annoying than the rifles weight). Generally spot and stalk from high points above tree-line, so not super worried about quick access in the timber. If I am hunting timber I carry a Model 70 .270 sporter w/ a 2-8 Leupold and no bipod. Currently shopping suppressors, so will be adding a shorter Proof barrel to keep the length down a bit as its already a bit long at times. Also going to a lighter/ less bulky bipod this year. A lot of cross canyon shots for both elk and mulies where I hunt, so I like the stability, and the ease of seeing my hit/ fast follow up shots.

700 Rem Sendero II 26" 300 WM w/ Witt Machine Brake
6-24 Vortex Viper PST II
Harris Bipod
Hornady Butt Stock Pouch w/ 5 rounds

 

[24on48hunting]

It’s interesting seeing what everybody else lugs around on their hunts.
Reading this thread is making me feel better about the 9 lb, 11oz Model 70 Classic Laredo I’ve decided to set up for hunting out West.

 

[Wyomuleskinner]

I do the extra weight makes it a little steadier and less recoil.

 

[wapitibob]

I rebuilt my heavy rifle, down to 8.8 with scope.

 

[stealthgoat]

It’s interesting seeing what everybody else lugs around on their hunts.
Reading this thread is making me feel better about the 9 lb, 11oz Model 70 Classic Laredo I’ve decided to set up for hunting out West.

My Win 70 Classic Laredo LRH is GREAT in a box stand after a relatively short hike in. I myself definitely notice the extra weight vs a Featherweight on a longer hike though....

 

[carsonkeys]

Gladly

 

[sdogn8]

6.5 PRC 9lb 10oz suppressed
7RM 9lb 12oz braked

 

[Weber]

I hunt with 10 lb ar platforms all the time.

Everyone wants to give you grief about it too. Carry what works for you. If the weight bugs you, find something 3lse to cut to make up for it. Everything has a tradeoff.

 

[35WhelenAI]

You guys that carry a 10 lb AR platform, where do you hunt? Never ran into one of those in the Colorado mountains.

 

[TheHammer]

You guys that carry a 10 lb AR platform, where do you hunt? Never ran into one of those in the Colorado mountains.

My dd5 with 5rd mag is 11.8lbs, I used it in 2014 when I harvested a bull. Put a slightly heavier scope on since then.

My high country is 11.2lbs with the omega on the end. The scope is too large, but she stacks em at 500yds so I’m afraid to mess with it.

My storm lightweight is 7.3lbs

Usually I bring both rifles to camp. Terrain dictates which one I carry.

 

[35WhelenAI]

The terraon you hunt is very different from most of what I know in Colorado. 350 to 400 yards is the longest you're going to get with terrain in the areas I hunt. I guess if you're sitting on one hillside and sniping to another it's a different thing.

 

[TheHammer]

I do not know where you hunt, but I believe I have an understanding of what you are saying. I managed to find a pic from 14, not much rifle in it… the old logging road is 284yds not much opportunity past that on this ridge, I’m at 11,680 if that matters. Any other opportunity to snipe across to adjacent ridges in this area were mostly exceeding 750yds which I would consider ethics at this point.

 

[35WhelenAI]

I appreciate your candor. My opinion is there should be a more consideration involved with respect to the ranges of engaging live unwounded animals. The long range fad has spawned an incredible industry and money cannot be beat with any amount of talk, ethics or otherwise unfortunately.

Is that unit 14 in Colorado you were referring to?

 

[TheHammer]

This is unit 74. I was referring to my previous comment of my 2014 hunt. My personal code of ethics is 600yds (with the appropriate rifle! Not my 308s). But that would require a low wind situation, perfect rest opportunity and minimal angle, if I can’t position myself to make that happen, I have no business squeezing the trigger, regardless how well my rifle shoots off a bench at distance. And as we all know it could be dead calm where the shooter is positioned but 20mph on the opposing ridge line. Last thing I wanna do is wound an animal, it happens, but I would like to take as many measures to caution. Hear it all the time about this guy or that’s guys rig has this bullet at this fps and can shoot a quarter at 1000. What if that quarter moved 24yds as you were setting up… too many variables, we have no business taking those shoots on these beautiful wildlife.

 

[MTNHUNTER76]

I've messed with several different combos getting ready for a high altitude hunt. Rifle is now at 10lbs 6oz. and that's where it will stay.

1. Light enough to strap on pack and climb.
2. Accurate and repeatable
3. Manageable recoil, can spot impacts.

 

[Stinky Coyote]

with 10 rounds in the mag add 6 oz or just over 8.5 lbs, over pack unless filling meat tags near truck then a Harris 9-12 at 14 oz keeps it hair under 9.5 lbs, sure enjoy that 6.5 ft/lbs recoil though, being able to watch it all in scope and having 10 rounds on tap is pretty awesome

 

[35WhelenAI]

I can't relate to the rifle above, it's illegal in Colorado to have more than six rounds combined between magazine and chamber.

 

[Wicked_Redemption_Calls]

I shoot a heavier gun much better! Some of the very light guns I don’t shoot near as well!


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[Stinky Coyote]

I can't relate to the rifle above, it's illegal in Colorado to have more than six rounds combined between magazine and chamber.

so many weird laws, caliber restrictions, capacity restrictions, dimensional restrictions, Canada is full of them, you can get 5 round mags, it came with one, surely will get there in Canada and have to stick to plugged 5 back in this thing that it came with at some point as they keep strangling anything that looks scary, but they will likely go after it at some point just based on it's looks as that's most of our laws anyway, mostly just nice at the range and for coyote days to have 10 rounds, get through a few coyotes stands before topping things up, not necessary for big game at all, have done lots of that with single shot just fine, nice to have a box of ammo between two mags though, are you allowed suppressors? we aren't...not much could make more sense than suppressors with zero valid arguments against them, they don't want you to have aftermarket louder exhaust on cars, yet won't let us add mufflers to guns which are 8000 times louder? silly

 

[General RE LEE]

I just ordered a Bergara Wilderness HMR in 6.5 PRC. I hunt out of box blinds that are less than 1/2 mile from the truck so the weight isn’t a big issue but this is a great thread.