Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Your choices and opinions on backpacking rifles

My opinion on backpacking rifles, is that it needs to shoot exactly as it did at the range, after days of all sorts of abuse.

Agree with deflave.....Kimber Montana's are dang hard to beat. Sub 6 pounds scoped, stainless, and lightweight. Either the 84m in 308 or 84l in 30-06 would be choice. The 8400s are clunky on their magnum actions IMO.

I've had a RAR in 6.5, three Montanas, a T3 lite ss, and I just bought the T3 SL ss this summer. (In 7-08.)

For a dedicated backpacking rifle I really liked carrying the Kimbers. Since I don't do long backpack trips anymore, I'm down to the two Tikkas. I opened the barrel channels a little and replaced the factory rings and added Limsaver pads. I really like them. They are really accurate and just seem easier to shoot to me.

I know it sounds dumb and scratches on stocks tell stories, etc., but I beat the snot out of my second to last Montana. I fell on it several times, plus the normal wear from a rifle getting a lot of use. It looked pretty rough. So I paid to have it filled in and painted professionally. I planned on being more careful, and the very first trip out slipped on a very steep frosty hill. The Montana was in a Kifaru GB on my external frame pack. My body and pack weight came down on the stock, pinching it between the frame and rocks as I slid. I should have Kryloned it instead of paying the big bucks for as long as the paint lasted me!

I'm bringing this up not to publicly tell everyone how clumsy I am, but because the T3 stock, after worse treatment, still looks fine.

My 7-08 Montana with Talleys and a 3-9 Luepold weighed 6 pounds even. My T3 SL 7-08 weighs 6 pounds 14 ounces. I like the higher comb on the Montana. I like the Montana safety better.

I read here that the Montana does not handle a case rupture well, but I haven't done that with mine so don't have first hand knowledge of that. Speaking of hearsay, I have an email from a guy who put a 308 in a 270 Tikka and it handled the gas safely.

I don't plan on having a case rupture, but I feel a little better with the Tikka. SW has the T3 SL for $700, plus $40 for the Limbsaver. Cabelas has the Montana on sale right now for $100 of, so $1100 IIRC.

Are you using a slip-on limbsaver pad, or replacing the pad all together?

Calvin, I'm using the Limbsaver replacements. My first one is going on six or seven years with no problems. They help a lot.

mr. stick1330: Just my 2 cents worth. For many years now, I've used several different calibers of rifles, but all have had the same action with of course same safety, bolt style, etc. So whether I'm calling coyotes here in michigan or on a mountain hunt, I'm never going to goof up in quickly setting up for the shot: it has just become natural. My other point is that I agree with the first responder that the heavier rifle definitely holds steadier in the excitement of the moment. I am soon to be 68 and just returned from elk hunting in Idaho's back country with my almost 9 lb. rifle. The same rifle accompanied me last year for mountain goats on Kodiak Island. My opinion is that there is a shortage of hunters in top physical condition and many who believe a lightweight rifle is a must. While many of the posters here are probably more capable riflemen than I and can thus do well with the featherweight rifles, my choices have worked well for me.

Yes, 9lb rifles are the way to go on a backpack hunt. I also like 10lb tents, 7lb sleeping bags, 4lb blow up air mattresses, 4lbs of food a day. Who wouldn't want to hike up steep mountains with 70lbs of gear on their backs, and then toss another 70lbs of meat into the pack and hike home?

Thanks Calvin

Keeping it real.

The older I get, the more I appreciate lightweight gear. In this day and age, there's no need to tote heavy stuff. It's like drinking crappy beer.

Lite ain't worth a piss if you don't shoot it well offhand.

Looks good on paper paper, pound/oz wise. The shot is what matters most. A boned out buck and a 47 pound pack or a boned out buck and verse a 45 pound pack and no meat? Really? Buy them. Shoot them. Alot.


A 6# rifle verses a 7.5# to pound all up. Hell I'd go 8# and make the shot. Or I could go #6 and hope I make the shot? I'll make up less weight elsewhere.

Find the lightest weight you shoot best.

Several good points here guys, thanks.

I understand and agree that a gun that I shoot well means more than the weight, or caliber to a certain degree.

I also understand that my back, hips and knees will notice every extra pound of weight in my pack.

Smokepole: Life's too short to drink cheap beer.

So learn to shoot it. Heavy ain't worth a piss either if you can't shoot it. Plus, it's heavy.

6# all up is pretty light. Most of mine are between 6.5 and 7.2lbs. My Model 7, 7 Saum in a McM Edge Classic stock is a monster in the hills, and comes in at 7lbs, 2oz. It shoots soooo well off a pack.

With the exception of a couple of moose trips and one sheep trip, I carried a faux ti (mountain rifle in ti stock) 30-06 with a leupy 2.5x8, 1.5x5, 4x or 6x the whole time I lived up there (6 yrs). It weighs 6lb-9oz with the 6x and a flip flop recoil pad. The moose I shot with it died more quickly than the two by 350 rem mag. I have since sold all of my variable scopes (and the 350 rem).

I think we need to start with an "all up" weight first and then discuss cartridges and other options. To me a backpack hunt is when your pack contains all the essentials for the entire trip.
For me, I use 7# 8oz. as my personal benchmark - "all up". That is pretty generous.
For a sheep/goat hunt, I'd go 7# even.
From there you can consider cartridges, scopes and bases/rings.

So what is your personal weight limit?

Funny stuff!

Being an idiot, I've done the 70lb pack on the way in, the 10lb tent, and way over 4lbs for food per day. And the 9lb rifle. I'll probably stick with my Montanas.

I've got lots of rifles that I can't shoot as well offhand as I can the Montana, and they are all heavier...

I don't have the years, miles logged, hours/days invested in backpack hunting that most of you do. However, based on the experience I DO have, I have learned a few things concerning backpacking in general and backpacking hunting.

** 99% of the time, lighter is better. And...

I carried a Weatherby Vanguard that weighs 9.70 lbs. with three cartridges and sling on a backpack hunt in the Idaho backcountry.

Since then I've carried a Tikka T3, in 7mm-08 which weighs 7.52 lbs. with 3 cartridges and the same sling.

What I found out:

Can I carry a 9 1/2 pound rifle all day in the mountains? Sure.
But based on my somewhat limited experience, I'll carry the 7 1/2 pound rifle EVERY time. Just makes no sense to carry those extra two pounds and yes, at least for me, at the end of the day those two pounds DO get heavy.
So put me in the "lighter is better" camp.

As far as shooting offhand, don't know why heavier would be better... not sure I agree with that. If you can't shoot offhand you can't shoot offhand regardless the weight of the rifle.

And frankly, unless I step around a rock and see "Mr. Big" standing broadside at 30 yards, I cannot envision many scenarios when it would be necessary or prudent to shoot offhand in the first place. Most of us shouldn't. Everyone can agree that is the LEAST stable and thus LEAST likely position to use for accuracy.

** I cannot think of what would make up the other 1% when it, whatever it may be, would be better if heavier. But I'm sure SOMETHING is better heavier, just don't know what it is.

Another vote for a Tikka T3 stainless in 7-08 with
a Leupold VX-1 2x7. Very accurate, great out of the
box trigger, and very low recoil.

Excellent for long walks.