You’re really worried about rifle weight while hunting elk? The Howa 1500 std .473 bolt LA barreled action weighs 5 lbs. Find a 28 oz stock and 10 oz scope and you have a nicely balanced alpine rifle weighing around 7.25 lbs.
If you’re not packing out with a horse/mule you’ll have to tote around 120 lbs per quarter times 4 quarters at possibly very high altitude. Still worried about that 7.25 lbs rifle.
Even if you have horse/mule pack out you’ll expend considerable energy and endurance just carving and packing the animal. My point is you need to be in very good condition to enjoy an elk hunt, your rifle weight in my opinion and my experience at hunting and packing out elk at 10,000 ft would be the least of worries on the hunt. Only one man’s opinion.
