heading out west for pronghorn and mulies, plan on doing a fair anount of walking and am torn which rifle to bring. I shoot them both about the same. Loaded and ready to go my ss/syn 7mag weighs 7.5 lbs and my sako .270 in wood weighs about 9lbs. Wondering what everybody likes in their guns for a hunt like this. How big of a factor has rifle weight been for you?

Local newspaper printed a picture of a middle aged guy running up and down the Mississippi River levee with a back pack...guy does this, and running the stairs at work djriong the day, for a couple of months every year in preperation for his yearly big game hunt.

For the rest of us, light weight rifles seem to be prefered...admit it, I'm old and lazy and like lighter weight rifles for hunting...but I'm really not so sure losing a few pounds of body fat, some extra time spent in the gym, clibing stairs in place of taking the elevator, then humping the heaier weight rifle might not be the better choice in the long run.

Handwerk,
It's more of a personal thing.Some folks consider a heavier rifle will be steadier for the longer shots;and you will be considering long shots.
But,if they both shoot the same,choose the lighter one because you are carrying it around.
Hunters who drive up to a stand,or hut,or tower,in a vehicle,will probably choose the heavier rifle.It's easier to shoot.
Frank

Depending on where you go and how you hunt.

MOST antelope are taken from ranges in excess of 200 yds (OK, now all you belly crawlers tell us of your 50 yd shots) and require a bit of footwork to get that close. Usual hunting methods are the spot and stalk. Either of your rifles with 140 gr in the 7 Mag and 130 gr in the .270 will certainly work.

Mule deer can be taken from stand setups to still hunting to spot and stalk. Ranges from muzzle to 350 yds. Again, either of your rifles will be just fine.

For me, the heavier rifles add a degree of stability. Then again, at my age, footwork is exactly that - work. I let the four legged animal pack me and the artillery or have the use of wheeled transportation to get me somewhere in the neighborhood. Blind hunting is perfectly allright with me these days.

Depends on your personal preference AND your physical condition. How you will hunt plays a part also.

If you are hunting while also moving camp, say a traverse style two week hunt, it makes sense to go as light as possible. If you are just packing into an area and setting up camp, then hunting out camp or spiking out, weight plays a lesser degree, even if you are packing the rifle for several miles a day or climbing up and down mountains.

Personally, when hunting, I like to have the rifle in my hands, especially if I have a pack on my back. I'm not a fan of flyweight rifles either. I like a rifle that is well balanced with some heft. Something that swings well on a quick shot. For me, I like rifles about 8 to 9 lbs if well balanced. I try to stay in decent shape, but I'm not ready to run a marathon.

Between the two rifles you mentioned, unless you are planning a traverse type hunt, either should be fine. Pick the one you like the best, shoot the best, and have the most confidence in. If you are going to packing your camp on your back for the next two weeks each and everyday as you hunt along, the lighter rifle might be the better choice.

Well thats an interesting question and answers on both sides of this question can be right. Now I have to admit that growing up here in Idaho where you can hunt antelope I never have.

I have however over the past 45 years hunted deer, elk, bear, moose, sheep and most everything else that you are allowed here and in Alaska.

I've had some nice ultra-light rifles and some heavy ones and I've found like alyeska338 that a heavier rifle is easier and more stable to shoot. I know that after puffing up a ridge and trying to get off a shot at ranges past 200 yards can be tough with an ultra-light rifle competing against hard breathing and my heart pounding.

I also don't think that a pound and a half or two really makes much difference as far as carrying. I have a couple of light rifles, a 280 Rem mountian rifle and a 308 model seven and both will outshoot me.

Try jogging til you get your heart rate up, then shoot a couple of five shot groups with each rifle before you make a decision which to take. It might be an eye opener.

After some major heart trouble I now find a place to sit and let those young folks drive the animals around in hopes one goes past me, so rifle weight isn't so important anymore to me. Hunting those antelope where you might have to do a lot of walking in open country is gonna be different.

I prefer lighter rifles, since (unforunately) I carry them a lot more than I shoot them, and, unlike some, a half pound makes a difference, let alone two pounds of weight. Eight pounds, including scope, loaded magazine, and sling seems to be about as much as I want to carry at the ready, and I'd prefer seven, though an extra two or three pounds slung over my shoulder wouldn't be much trouble. So it depends a bit on how you plan to "carry" it.

Another area in which I differ from folks whom I respect - in a hunting rifle I prefer the balance pretty far back, rather than a heavier, "steadier," muzzle. I often find myself having to slip sideways between branches and saplings with my rifle held in one hand leading the way. A heavy rifle, or one heavy at the muzzle, would make this impracticable for me.

For me, near "perfection" was the tang-safety Ruger M77 Ultra Light Weight, even though the third shot wandered at random about the target. That was my primary hunting rifle for 17 years until I bought the Kimber M84 last year. Same weight, but with a little different balance.

Jaywalker

Weight is given way too much thought. Take the weapon you are most familar with.

Well, I don't know if you're flying or driving, so depending upon which.....I'd take both! And I don't know if you are going to be hunting off of horses, etc., but you never know when one of your rifles gets taken out of the hunt, whether by accident, or the scope goes bad, or ??? Long way to travel from MN to possibly get your hunt ruined by not having a rifle.

Well, I don't know if you're flying or driving, so depending upon which.....I'd take both! And I don't know if you are going to be hunting off of horses, etc., but you never know when one of your rifles gets taken out of the hunt, whether by accident, or the scope goes bad, or ??? Long way to travel from MN to possibly get your hunt ruined by not having a rifle.


"Both" sounds like the best advise to me. I never make a trip with just one rifle when I'll be out of town for a while. Even if you fly, a double rifle case will take care of the check limit.

I personally don't buy into the weight issue with rifles. I believe it's taking the place of being in shape before a hunt to which the few pounds between rifles shouldn't make that big of a difference. I've went on 12+ mile roadmarches with an M60 machine gun and full combat gear. The M60 weighs around 23 lbs dry along with the weight of everything else I was carrying. I've also done it with M203's and M-16's and never had a problem. Granted I was much younger and doing PT 5 days a week but there's no substitute for being in excellent shape when the time comes to lug your gear around. Now I see hunters agonizing over a few lbs in a rifle when I think the more important issue is being in shape for your hunt and taking the rifle you are most comfortable with regardless of it's weight.

What would you expect from a guy who's handle is M1 Garand. ;). When I carry my scoped, rattling, clumsy Rem 760 pump gun in 30.06 in to the woods and sweat like a pig getting in my stand, I dream of a lighter rifle. When "brown (or black) is down" and all the guys are on the radio wanting to know what I got, I am glad I had the 760 once again.

I prefer the heavier rifles as they seem to steadier when shooting. I have light rifles but I always seem to be carrying the heavier ones. My favorites being a win 70 with a Hart bull sporter barrel or any of my custom enfields with 26-30 in light target barrels and thumbhole stocks. They avg about 10.5 lbs ea.

For awhile in my younger years i ALWAYS carried the longer barrel and heavier rifles. I was used to a dragon (anti-tank missle),tracker, and full pack on up to 27 mile marches and pt'd twice a day. but now that i have grown older and seen my share i have unfortunately lost 80% movement and strength in my left arm so i have had to switch to a lighter rifle. i have always prefered spot and stalk vs anything else so i now use a REM 600 Mohawk (6 1/2 lbs) in 308 win. i really enjoy it's shorter (18 in) barrel and lightness in the field. i hunt in some very thick woods and alot of swamps so a long rifle or a heavy one is really a pain. my opinion is that you should try the lighter rifle with quality ammo and practice more with it if it's the most comfortable to you. the weight of a rifle doesn't help it shoot yet only helps in recoil and follow through's. balance is everything when your hearts pounding from a long walk and your excited. The weight of a rifle matters not if you take the time to place it on a rest and steady your shot. Many things that are heavy in or on a rifle may or may not help with accuracy but a steady shot and good shot placement with quality ammo will fill your plate. hope that this helps. good luck

Handwerk.....I have hunted those speed goats out west with an older 300 Win mag, Belgium Browning Safari grade rifle that weighed in close to 9.5 pounds with scope. I was also a lot younger too!

Then again I have and will hunt this season again with a 25-06 in a featherweight model 70, that is a piece of cake to tote around with the lighter custom plastic stock. However, making those testy long shots pass 300 yds will strain me some I am affraid.

Now I hear talk and see films of hunters shooting those pronghorn at less than a 100 yards. Well, none of mine came that easy and the closest one to date was 187 yds give or take. The furthest was over 400 yds and there is where the heavier rifle comes into play. Balance and steadyness of a heavier rifle, are what makes those longer shots able to many hunters in my humble opinion.