Why so light?

[Vinny]

Why are so many concerned with lightweight rifles?
I’m relatively new to the scene in this country and I enjoy the posts here but I’m hearing a lot of lightweight this lightweight that. People are willing to spend so much money to reduce the weight of their gear. Isn’t a persons health and ability to carry an extra 2-3lbs weight more important?

So, what’s the weight of your hunting rifle?

 

[grfox92]

Why are so many concerned with lightweight rifles?
I’m relatively new to the scene in this country and I enjoy the posts here but I’m hearing a lot of lightweight this lightweight that. People are willing to spend so much money to reduce the weight of their gear. Isn’t a persons health and ability to carry an extra 2-3lbs weight more important?

So, what’s the weight of your hunting rifle?

No idea what mine weighs to be honest. But I have no idea why someone would want a lighter rifle. When it comes to stability and recoil a heavier rifle is better.

The difference between a light weight rifle and a "heavy" rifle is as you mentioned 2-3 pounds. I rather be in really good shape and not have to worry about if my rifle is 8lbs or 6lbs or if my pack is 30lbs or 26lbs. The whole thing seems trivial to me.

There seems to be a lot of guys out there with a lot of disposable income to spend money on things that don't really have a great bang for there buck.


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[wildwilderness]

It usually costs about $100/ounce of savings. maybe with inflation its more

When you solo sheep hunt and come out heavy ounces add to pounds. it all adds up

 

[CJohnson]

I went on my first elk hunt with the same rifle I’ve used most of my life, a BAR in 7mmRM. My employer bought me a Christensen ridge line as a “bonus” and I took it the following year. Not sure if it’s the weight, or if I just don’t like the ridge line, but if I were hunting during rifle season this year, I’m taking the BAR.

 

[AdamLewis]

Physics is undeniable. Regardless of a person's fitness, the less mass the father they can go.

Light rifles are easily had these days. There is little reason to go with more mass when buying something off the shelf.

 

[CorbLand]

Ever packed a 12 pound rifle then packed an 8 pound rifle?

 

[Vinny]

Physics is undeniable. Regardless of a person's fitness, the less mass the father they can go.

Light rifles are easily had these days. There is little reason to go with more mass when buying something off the shelf.

Haha, yes, physics are undeniable! Are you speaking of the persons mass or the gross weight of their rifle?

 

[Vinny]

Ever packed a 12 pound rifle then packed an 8 pound rifle?

Yes, the weight never bothered me

 

[AdamLewis]

Are you speaking of the persons mass or the gross weight of their rifle?

Yes

 

[CorbLand]

Yes, the weight never bothered me

If you have packed a 12 pound rifle around and also packed an 8 pound rifle and you can’t understand why people want them lighterweight, there is nothing that can be said in this thread to explain it.

 

[scott85]

You can be tough, you can be smart, you also be smart and tough. There is no sense in chest pounding bravado. I’d rather count ounces on my body and in my pack to maximize my effort. I like my rifle around 7 pounds fully loaded.

 

[ljalberta]

If I can make the shot I need to make with a 7lb rifle, why would I bring a 10lb rifle?

 

[HuntHarder]

Better question: Why not, if it shoots accurately?

 

[Vinny]

You can be tough, you can be smart, you also be smart and tough. There is no sense in chest pounding bravado. I’d rather count ounces on my body and in my pack to maximize my effort. I like my rifle around 7 pounds fully loaded.

It’s not a bravado thing. It seems people put so much emphasis on rifle weight that they convince themselves that lbs matter. If they didn’t know the weight to begin with, they would be bothered.

 

[Vinny]

If you have packed a 12 pound rifle around and also packed an 8 pound rifle and you can’t understand why people want them lighterweight, there is nothing that can be said in this thread to explain it.

I understand your reasoning and I appreciate your comment. But when you have 70lbs on your back over 20+ miles, does a few extra pounds matter?

 

[Titan_Bow]

I fall somewhere in the middle. I don’t nerd out over saving every ounce I can save, but I also make decisions based on how much stuff weighs. It’s just common sense to me, as I’ve hunted a lot of steep mountainous units here in Colorado. My go to is a Savage lightweight Hunter that I put in a B and C stock. It’s probably in the neighborhood of 7 to 7.5 lbs. I’m the same with my pack, I’m not cutting my toothbrush in half, but I’m also not packing around a 5 pound tent and 3 pound sleeping bag either. There’s a nice middle ground of good gear at decent weights that doesn’t require a fortune to afford.


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[Hoodie]

I understand your reasoning and I appreciate your comment. But when you have 70lbs on your back over 20+ miles, does a few extra pounds matter?

Anyone who is carrying 70lbs for 20+ miles in the course of a western hunt has made terrible decisions on multiple fronts.

 

[COwineguy]

Isn’t as simple as “Why not do both”? Be in shape and carry a lightweight rifle if you can shoot.

 

[def90]

2lbs less in your pack hiking mtns is a huge deal.. also, 2 lbs less on your rifle means you can carry 2 lbs more of food, water or something else.

My rifle and scope combo comes in at 8.9lbs btw.

 

[MTtrout]

If you don’t want a light rifle then don’t use one. I’ve carried heavy ones and light ones. Much prefer lighter ones. Never hunted with someone that wished their rifle was heavier…