I have a Howa that I like a lot - it has served me well for whitetail hunting but I'm still fairly new to hunting and don't have a ton of experience with it. I'm hoping for the chance to do some Wyoming elk hunting in 2021 and am curious what you guys think about using a Howa for backcountry hunting. I don't have a scale but I believe it weights about 7.5 lbs on its own and over 9 lbs with my scope on it. Seems like the only way to lighten up a Howa is to replace the stock with a McMillan Edge, which I'm not sure I want to do.
When I see people investing in super lightweight rifles like Barrett Fieldcrafts and Kimber Montanas, I start to wonder if I'm in for a world of hurt if I try to haul my Howa around in the mountains. I dunno - I guess I could go for a hike just carrying the thing and see how I feel about it.
If the rifle feels good in your hands now, take it to the mountains. Sure, get in as good of a shape as you can, but don't worry about whether your rifle works in the mountains. If you're confident in your firearm now, it'll work great in the mountains. After a mountain hunt or 2, you'll have enough experience to decide whether you need a new shootin' iron.
Now, if it was a 13# benchrest deal, maybe I'd counsel ya to reconsider. But outside of that, good physical conditioning, coupled with a relentlessly positive attitude and a good guide (or at least good research) will mean far more to your success than what rifle you're wielding.
FC
