Rifle weight for hunting

[Tucker Schwab]

Hi, I am looking for a new scope for a rifle of mine, the rifle is 8 pounds, and I was wondering how heavy of scope I would be able to put on it. With the heavier scopes that I am looking at, I get more features than a very lightweight scope. What is the heaviest gun you would be willing to carry through the whitetail woods for an hour or two?

Thanks, Tucker

 

[Bustedknees]

Stopped carrying anchors like the Remington 7400 long ago. Went to a marlin lever for years and now a Winchester compact featherweight and love it.

 

[Saltwater60]

I can tell you I’ve been hunting with a 6.8spc ar-15 with a scope this year and I can definitely feel the weight. I have a 20 gauge semi automatic beneli that I’m going to switch to because it’s so much lighter. I’ll bring both guns and if I’m scouting/stalking I’m using the shotgun and if I’m sitting I’ll use the AR. Are you sitting or stalking? Sitting no big deal stalking and it gets heavy.

 

[Jaywmustang]

I believe my tikka t3x ctr comes in at around 12 lbs without ammo and mag. I don’t find it too heavy.

 

[ikilledkenny]

new to hunting, i know i didnt want a heavy rifle to carry.

mine with scope mounted is just under 6 lbs [barrett fieldcraft], leather sling and ammo added another 3 lbs which made it heavier. switching to a nylon swing should bring it down to 7.5 lbs fully loaded. which is easier to carry [FOR ME]

being light weight comes with side effects. its a bruiser. which again i probably would be shooting one round and done with it on the field [if i am lucky].

 

[Jaywmustang]

I find rifle length more of a issue than weight

 

[Acer-m14]

Man up and carry a Mosin

 

[mca90guitar]

I use a savage fcp-sr with a leupold vx3I 3.5-10x40.

Little heavy but I have short walks. If I had to walk a mile + I would probably take the cva accura MR as it's a couple pounds less if I remember correctly and still extremely accurate.

 

[Bustedknees]

Man up and carry a Mosin

Because they have such a silky smooth safety.

 

[1911guy]

Light rifle is best. Carry all season and you may get two or three shots. So you don't need the weight to dampen recall. Make carrying your main interest.

 

[holdover]

Because they have such a silky smooth safety.

There is nothing silky, smooth or pretty about a Mosin. It smashes things and laughs.

 

[Jezman]

I went with a feather weight and regret it. Get a proper sling and learn how to use it and any reasonable weight will not be an issue. Plus the sling can help steady the gun. I would not recommend a leather sling. They look great but stretch out and hold moisture. Modern slings used properly will be a great choice.

 

[tony]

What is the heaviest gun you would be willing to carry through the whitetail woods for an hour or two?
Thanks, Tucker

Sounds like a short walk... Is that to a stand where you will sit for the day or are you "still hunting"? I believe my '06 is about 8.5 lbs. which is not too bad. For sitting it doesn't matter much but for still hunting I like lighter rifles, but I'm old...

 

[Acer-m14]

Because they have such a silky smooth safety.

mine does .. that 1 inch of trigger pull to the safety release is silky smooth LOL ..

 

[Bustedknees]

mine does .. that 1 inch of trigger pull to the safety release is silky smooth LOL ..

When i was a kid I carried my dads mosin with the bolt at 12:00. The action is so stiff it stays in that position and a whole lot faster than playing with the safety.

 

[JamieZ]

I can tell you I’ve been hunting with a 6.8spc ar-15 with a scope this year and I can definitely feel the weight. I have a 20 gauge semi automatic beneli that I’m going to switch to because it’s so much lighter. I’ll bring both guns and if I’m scouting/stalking I’m using the shotgun and if I’m sitting I’ll use the AR. Are you sitting or stalking? Sitting no big deal stalking and it gets heavy.

Whats your barrel length? Whats the contour of your barrel?

My 6.8 deer hunting rifle is light,,,lightest AR I own. It utilizes a cheap ass low quality barrel that is actually accurate. Lightweight contour and 16 inch

Wilson Combat Match AR-15 Barrel 6.8mm Remington SPC II Tactical

All Wilson Combat Match Grade AR-15 barrels are precisely crafted of the finest American- made 416R rifle rated steel on computer controlled equipment...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[JaguarJaguarGolf]

I had a Remington Model 7 that was just too light and too short. I could never hit anything accurately beyond 50 yards.

I traded it for a Marlin MR-7 30-06 and that rifle suited me just fine for 20 years. My right eye started giving me some trouble from the recoil (black snow falling, retina problem) so I've gone to a Marlin 30-30 and a Remington 700 .270.

The Marlins and the 700 are all under 10 pounds, are easy to carry and hold steady.

 

[holdover]

I went with a feather weight and regret it.

Why is that?

 

[Jezman]

Why is that?

The thing is a Winchester model 70 XTR Featherweight .308 at I want to say 6.5lbs. Bought it in late 1980's. It kicks harder then a .300 win mag. No joke! Short thin barrel light smaller stock. I would gladly have carried 4 more pounds to have a much tamer rifle. The truth is how long are you really carrying you weapon to go to a hunt? 1 mile tops? I have listened to fudds give out poor suggestions and have fallen victim to their advise. Caliber choices where to hunt having your scope 2.5 inches higher then bore center so you can still use your iron sights. I could go on and on. Just use common sense. You ever bird hunt? Carry a shotgun all day walking all day and somehow gun weight is never an issue.

 

[holdover]

Oh 308! I can see why. I was thinking about getting a Model 70 , in 6.5

 

[Jaywmustang]

I have a tikka t3x stainless in 300 win mag, it comes in at 6 lbs, bare. I bought it as a project gun.

 

[meketrefe]

A 5 lbs 375 magnum is as bad idea as a 20lbs 223 remington.
How comfortable am I with a 9lbs rifle? Well I am a full grown man, 6ft tall 220lbs and good arms so while 9lbs would be a tad heavy I would be ok with it and specially if it is a powerful heavy caliber.
My wife ia more on the petit size so she will enjoy a 5lbs one with a 120gr 7/08 or something like that, powerful enough but still manageable for her.
Scopes?...
A good quality scope full of features might put you up to 25-30 ozs but there are perfect deer rifle scopes in the 13-15 ozs. With very good glass and low profile designed for that purpose. Same way you have 1-4 light wide angle scopes for dangerous game in brush that can take the hammering of the largest affrican magnums wo coming apart.
There are some very good and well known recipes in terms of white tail rifle and scope combos but it is hard to say what one is happy with and comfortable carrying w/o knowing more and this can be such arbitrary and subjective thing.
Some people like to hunt with pistols and tinny AR calibers and som others like the power of big bore cartriges and rifles.
So many variables how can we say?
Try things first if you can.

 

[meketrefe]

There is nothing silky, smooth or pretty about a Mosin. It smashes things and laughs.

But you can play 1st person reenhancenent of the enemy at the gates white tail version style.
Plus metro sexual chicks dig guys with mosins and linux t-shirts. .... And youtube channels where they share their sniper videos.

 

[meketrefe]

....and never said I might not enjoy shooting a mosin even if they do not hit shit.

 

[holdover]

Mine is pretty accurate. one Minute of man at 300 yards

 

[Bustedknees]

Mossin porn , one of my dads old projects. chopped to 16.5 for bruising and ear drum pleasure. linseed and red stain mix for woods and a polished bolt left strait.

 

[Acer-m14]

When i was a kid I carried my dads mosin with the bolt at 12:00. The action is so stiff it stays in that position and a whole lot faster than playing with the safety.

i think the actual safety on the Mosin is a slam fire device

 

[Robin]

The older I get the less weight I want to carry while hunting, but up until a couple years ago, no matter the heft of the gun, my response has always been, I'll get used to it. Next year I plan to hunt part of the season with an AR 10, I haven't weighed it but I would bet it is over ten pounds and I'm sure I will get used to it. Man up America!
Robin

 

[Tucker Schwab]

If you want to talk about a mosin, go somewhere else, please.

 

[JamieZ]

The older I get the less weight I want to carry while hunting, but up until a couple years ago, no matter the heft of the gun, my response has always been, I'll get used to it. Next year I plan to hunt part of the season with an AR 10, I haven't weighed it but I would bet it is over ten pounds and I'm sure I will get used to it. Man up America!
Robin

You ever get sick of carrying the weight of that AR10,,,,,look into BSF carbon fiber barrels. I have one on my RPR and I installed one on my buddies AR10 6.5 creedmoor that I built him. Makes quite a bit of difference but long walks they still tend to be a little heavy.