Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Preferred total rifle weight..

I'd like to address something already mentioned EARLIER in this thread.
Some ? think having 10-20 lbs of FAT is worse than carrying a 10 lb. rifle. ???

I'm 5' 10" and 180 +/- lbs. Up until 1981 I was up to 240 # !!
I hunted hills in Ark, Miss, & Al as much as I wanted, as long as I wanted.

POINT ! Carrying a 9 lb. rifle in Hand & Arms is noticeably different from being 'overweight; !! Your body weight is 'carried' on your LEGS which have MUCH more muscle mass than you have in your ARMS.


Somewhere about 1981 (?), simple coincidence to being overweight, -- I got onto a 'light' rifle kick. They just FEEL better to me. I don't remember which came first -- the Ruger 77 UL, 20" bll, --> OR the WW 70 FTWT.......
BUT those rifles pushed me over the hill against heavy rifles.

I had a gorgeous S&W 1500 (Howa) in 270 Win. it shot very well and looked fantastic. I got rid of it because it was
HEAVY. I didn't have a scale to weigh it on but all I had to do was pick it up and ugggh.

*This pic is after 1981 *


That is the only pic I have of it when I had it. I sold it to a hunting pard and he STILL has it and sent me a few pix last year.



I still love the stock today but I would NOT hunt it now because I CARRY my rifle on Day Pack hunts - NO stands, Still Hunt only. The longer you carry a heavy rifle the heavier it gets.

TO ME > YMMV

Jerry