Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Light weight bolt action rifles...

The only lightweight rifle in my safe is my iron-sighted Browning B92 in .44 Mag which comes in under 6 pounds. Great rifle for some things and lots of fun, but generally not what I want for hunting elk or deer when the ranges can get long.

This year's cow elk was taken at 399 yards with a Ruger "boat paddle" .300WM, a shot I would have had to pass on with any of my traditional lever guns and anything with iron sights. Not sure what the total weight is but it's lighter than if it had a walnut or laminate stock. I like that rifle so much I bought a stainless .30-06 with the same stock and built a stainless .338WM with one as well. One of the advantages of synthetic stocks is I don't care if they get banged up on the rocks or drenched in the rain.

Hauling extra weight up and down the mountains isn't on my list of things I want to do. As others have stated, I don't notice a couple extra pounds in my pack nearly as much as I do extra weight on my rifle. The older I get the more I appreciate lighter rifles. Best deal I've found yet is the "zero pound rifle", which is realized by going hunting with young nephews who borrow my rifles for the hunt, then temporarily "borrowing" one back when it is time to take my shot. Unfortunately, that has been a one-time thing so far.

2010, "boat paddle"/stainless Ruger in .30-06, 22" barrel (came with a laminate stock):


2011, semi-custom "boat paddle"/stainless/fluted Ruger in .338WM, 22" barrel:


2012, "boat paddle" Ruger in .300WM, 24" barrel:


Tell me again why I need a heavier rifle?