Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles What do you consider “heavy” for a hunting rifle?

Just curious as to what is considered as a heavy hunting rifle. I know that there is a difference between what you would pack into the mountains vs just still hunting. I have a 8.4 lb 6.5 Creedmoor Savage and a 9 lb even 280AI Ruger M77. Both are loaded weight. Never considered either too heavy and I’m an avid still hunter/stalker.

I think 9# is a lot for a hunting rifle. But it is pleasant on the bench though.

9 lbs is what I consider an upper limit for a rifle that I am going to pack a lot. It isn't that hard to put a rifle on a diet if you need to shave some weight and most can get down to 8 lbs or less without too much trouble.
Depending on the type of action, getting down below 7 lbs can get a little pricey.

Anything over 8 for me.
Most mine are 7- 71/2 one just steps over 6, I like hunting with that one.

x2

Heavy for a hunting rifle: 10-11 pounds +. Light, to me, would be sub 8 pounds all up...

I remember as a youngster hunting all day long with a 8lbs plus rifle and not a care in the world. Now days you mention 8 lb rifle and people look at you like you just ph ucked there mom.

My heaviest is the 700 BDL 8 mm RM. It’s 8# 12 oz. that weight levels the recoil to a
managable push.

My T3X Lite SS 7 mm RM is 7# 9 oz. with scope. Love it’s weight and balance.
My T 3 Lite SS 270 Win is 7# 6 oz. with scope.

I won’t carry 9+ lbs all up UNLESS it’s 375 or 416 RM. I don’t need but want one.

A word to the wise from personal experience. If you’re used to carrying 8-10 lb rifles
DONT get one @ 7-71/2 lbs. it’ll RUIN you. Seriously.

Jerry

Most of my rifles range from 6 1/4 lbs for a Kimber with a heavy scope on it up to 7 3/4 for a couple of others. The heaviest is a Tikka CTR that is about 8.5 lbs., but I don't foresee using it as a hunting rifle. I CAN and have carried heavier rifles. But choose not to. I find somewhere between 7 -7.5 lbs scoped is about perfect. Once I get closer to 6 lbs I can tell that I don't shoot as well, but don't shoot anything heavier than 8 lbs any better. 30-06 is the hardest kicking rifle I own.

For Me a bare rifle that weighs more than 7lbs is getting hefty...I like my rifle's to hit around 6-6.5lbs bare.... .300 Win is My favorite cartridge but I am also partial to the .300 WSM and 30-06.......Hb

VaHillbilly, by "bare", do you mean with or without scope? RJ

HA! You stole the words right out of my mouth.. My 338 hovers around 9lbs all up, sometimes less, sometimes more depending on the mounts I have on it and the scope, but I can't remember it ever slowing me down in the mountains chasing elk... My Mashburn is an 8.5lb rifle as it sits and feels about the same and that is another that feels fine to me.

Under 7 is light and over 8 is heavy. This is in ready to hunt condition.
Because I do a lot of carrying, and I don’t own any hard kicking magnums, I don’t mind light but steer away from heavy.

Something 40 inches or less is nice if I plan on getting dirty, but a little bit longer rifle is nice for nore precision and less noise.

If I was to add a 45-70 it’d be on the heavy side, most likely with a longish barrel. But I wouldn’t carry it around a bunch or try and get through any briar patches with it.

Me too! I appreciate lighter ones but have no problem with heavier. Heck in my younger years I think my cheapo 12 GA pump I lugged around weighed like 9.5 lbs.

anything over 8 1/2 lbs scoped is heavy for me. The rifle I have that weighs that Sako 75 balances perfectly so it is a non issue

10lbs ain’t nothing, it’s on your shoulders. You aren’t carrying it in your hands. I like a little weight.

Those are about 2.5 pounds too heavy IMO.

Ive found 7 1/2 pounds to be my just right weight scoped loaded and sling. Anything over 8 1/2 pounds now seems heavy.

People that hunt with them do.

My bolt rifles tend to run about 8.3 pounds scoped. Heavier than that I don't need or want when humping the hills.


Love my .308W Ruger Scout with irons at 6.25 pounds and irons. Comes in at 7 lbs with the Vortex Scout scope. Carries great.