Probably fifteen years ago I was sitting in Dave Gentry's shop, talking guns like I often did with him. He was one of a handful of early progenitors of the "sheep rifle" concept. He turned out quite a few light rifles in the 80's and 90's.
However, after using one of his own sub 7lb rifles on a sheep hunt he told me he'd decided, for him, an all-up weight of 7.75lbs felt the best.
Of course a lot of this stuff is subjective, and a light rifle like a NULA with a no.2 contour is going to feel "heavier" and more steady than an equal weighted Kimber Montana with its no.1 barrel contour. Weight out front is the best thing a "light" rifle can carry IME/O.
