Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting What rifle do you carry?

Being how the rifle is probably the heaviest single item in a pack - what do you carry? A lightweight or make up a few oz elsewhere?

Steep country: My Kimber 84L Montana in .30-06, 6#14 oz all up. Barrel is cut at 22". Iron sights added.

Most often: M70 SS FW All-Terrain .30-06, 7#14 oz all up. Iron sights added, bottom metal is LW.

Branch Bull elk: M70 SS Classic in .338 Win Mag.

Mostly 280AI Montana. Before that a 7WSM Montana. Before that, a 280AI 700.

Might end up switched over to the Fieldcraft next year. We'll see.

Last year was a howa alpine 6 5 kreed w/ swfa 10x. This year it will be a tikka t3x superlite. 270 kueer w/ swfa 6x mil/mil (7lbs 11oz).

Kimber Montana in 280AI with a Leupold 3.5-10 VX3.

if just elk it's my M70 300 H&H, otherwise it's usually my M70 280 AI, both about 8lbs.

Rem 700 CDL 25-06 with a 6x Leupold, 115 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips.

Regards, Guy

Thompson Triumph with a 6x moa/moa swfa
Rem 700 264 win with a 10x moa/moa swfa
Win 70 270 wsm with a 10x moa/moa swfa

That's a great combination. The .25-06 doesn't get the respect it deserves since everybody went stupid over 6.5s. The 6.5s are touted for their bullet selection. To me that is BS because not many people use their hunting rifle for serious target shooting AND hunting. It's the same argument the .270 haters use to knock it. But realistically a .25-06 AND a .270 are primarily traditional hunting rifles. There's plenty of bullets to cover that role. For a .270 Win. the 100 grain for varmints, the 130 for deer or hogs, and the 150 for deer, hogs, and elk or other large game. That about covers what it does real well. For the .25-06 the 87 grain has been a good varmint load and sometimes deer too. The 100 grain is good for large varmints and antelope and deer. The 110, 115, and 120 about covers anything else it's suitable to shoot which can include Antelope, deer, hogs and even elk. Neither the .270 or the .25-06 are known as a target rifles so no bullet manufacture ever made serious Hi BC Target loads for either of them. So what do you need more bullets for?

T/C Triumph, unscoped, for ML season. Nula or Kimber Montana during rifle season.

My MG Arms Ultralight goes everywhere with me now. It is a 7STW but kind of wish it were just a 280. I threw a 19 oz scope on it so all up it weighs 7#. Its a joy to carry. Thinking I need one in 22 or 6 Creemoor too.

308 Montana when I’m moving, 270 Classic when I’m parked....

Tikka T3 308 with at 20" barrel topped with a 2x7 Redfield (Very easy to carry. Probably my favorite for backcountry.)
Tikka TC 270 SS 22 barrel Vortex 3x9
Just purchased at 257 Roy Vanguard Backcountry model. Weighs 6lbs10oz with a fluted barrel. Have not used it yet

my having total faith in the dependability and effectiveness ,
in what I carry far out-weights any concern over rifle weight
Ive carried a SAKO 375 H&H on many back pack hunts
loaded with a 300 grain bullet over a stiff load of WW760 has never failed to drop a single deer or elk Ive shot, I
gladly accept the 8.5 lb weight and moderate recoil, after all you only need that one or two shots a season.

if a pound or two of extra rifle weight, keeps you from checking out the next ridge or canyon,
how in hell are you going to pack out 60-90 lbs of elk meat on several return trips,
from the spot you drop that elk?

http://www.handloads.com/loaddata/d...;type=rifle&Order=Powder&Source=

A compact 375 has got to be a terrific rifle!

For about the first 10 years that I hunted, my only rifle was a .30-06 Herter's U-9 that I put together in 1967. I used it for all of my mule deer, pronghorn antelope, and elk hunting. It weighed right at 10 pounds.

In 1977 I had that .30-06 re-chambered to .30 Gibbs. For the next 20 or so years It was my primary elk rifle that I also carried on 2 DIY Shiras moose hunts, 2 solo DIY mountain goat hunts, and on a DIY Alaskan caribou hunt. It still weighs 10 pounds.

Also in 1977 I built a .257 Ackley Improved on a Mauser Mark X action. It still is my primary deer and antelope rifle, and I also carried it on about a dozen DIY bighorn sheep hunts in various Montana unlimited sheep units, including one solo back pack hunt where I didn't see any rams, but I couldn't resist a white tipped dark antlered 330" 6 x 6 bull elk that walked by me on the last day. A 117 grain Sierra GameKing instantly dropped him. I also used this rifle on a back pack hunt in Canada's Mackenzie mountains for a Dall sheep, mountain caribou, and a wolverine. This rifle also weighs 10 pounds.

For the last 8 or so years, I have a stainless steel/Tupperware stocked Rem 700 in 7 mm RM that is my foul weather "everything" rifle. I've used this rifle, with 160 grain Accubond bullets, for deer, antelope, elk, and on two Canadian caribou and a Muskox hunts. It weighs 9 1/2 pounds.

My favorite rifle now is my .300 Weatherby Vanguard. It's blued and I stocked it in AA Fancy walnut. Its my primary elk rifle, and I've also used it on five international hunts, including probably my hardest backpack ever hunt, for Dagestan Tur in Azerbaijan. Loaded and with its sling, it weighs 10 1/4 pounds.

I most often carry either a 7 pound .300 H&H or a 9 3/4 pound 6.5X284.

Both are customized Rem 700s with McMillan stocks. Both have their place.

Now that I a Barrett Fieldcraft 308 the mules are having an easier time of it.

When I carry a rifle it's my old reliable Post 63 Model 70 Push Feed .270 Winchester. I bought the rifle with a Redfield straight 4X on it in September, 1966 at the beginning of my senior year in high school. I've had it ever since and killed about 50 Deer with it. It was the first rifle I ever bought for myself. It has a 22" barrel (Up until the last 5 years I always wished it had a 24" Barrel), it handles like a dream and is accurate to within 1 MOA with my pet load and and if I do my part. I've got other rifles I love too, but this one is my go to baby. She's a sweet heart and a dear slaying dude.

What do I carry?

All that I own.

I hunt nearly 100% on foot and many times in the hills or mountains. So there is no rifle I don't carry.

In the summer if I go back-packing, and I am not hunting, I carry an M-1 Garand many times, and if I want something to go inside my pack I carry an AR15 taken apart.

2 times I carried an AK47 with a folding stock.

The ARs and the AKs don't get "babied" at all, and I can let therm bang around and not worry about them. At times that's pretty cool. I use them and carry them with the same mindset I carried rifles when I was a Marine.

If the stock is wood, I tend to try to keep it in good shape, (even my M1 Garand or my excellent condition Mosin Nagant.)

But metal or plastic gets about the same level of care of a hiking staff.

Hit my ultralight apogee with a Kimber 84 .308 that scaled just under 6 lbs. scoped. Bumped up a notch to a Winchester 70 FW Stainless .308 with the barrel chopped to 19" and a McMillan Edge stock. It weighs an extra pound, but I'll take it. Leupold VX-3 2.5-8x in Talley LW for aiming.

[img]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/A...Zm7oplaDIqmn2BqIrm9ooFdyq0F=w530-h706-no[/img]

Apogee?? Is that like a chim-panzee only bigger?

A Kimber Montana of some sort. 308, 280 AI, or new for next year 338 Fed. The 280 is heaviest at 7lbs 1oz.

Kimbers seem to pop up on this list quite often. My current lightweight is a Kimber Hunter in 6.5CM. 6.5# scoped and ready to go.

Colt lite rifle I sent back to Melvin in 280 AI.

smaller

Mine is a custom .280, built on a pre-'64, post-war M70 action, with 22" PacNor barrel and Bansner stock, and a Leupold VX3 3.5-10x scope. Weighs 7lb. 10 oz. with scope.

Lone Peak Ti action, Bartlein 22” bbl., Bolliger synthetic stock. Has multiple barrels. 6.5 CM, 270, 280. All very good. NF NSX 2.5-10 scope. Weight all up, ready to go, under 7#.

Considering building a second, all same except 300 PRC.

Have disposed of everything else.

Barret Fieldcraft in 30-06

1st Gen 700 Ti
260 Rem
Gre-Tan pin
Jewell trigger

Had it for 11 years, that’s all I need and want.

M700 358 STA with Leupold 2.5-8x36 in Banser sheephunter stock. Weighs 7lb 6oz with sling and 3 rounds.

You're lucky. Here, outside of hunting season you can't carry a rifle or shotgun in the woods unless it's cased. Applies even to coyote and woodchuck hunters traveling to their hunting spot, which must be in "open fields" once the other seasons close. We can carry a sidearm, open or concealed for personal protection, and no permit is required for that, but by the letter of the law, you might get into trouble if you use that sidearm for a random poke at a legal varmint on your hike.

I carry a Winchester 94 Trapper. Great carry, 5 miles in.

after many years in the bush and hunting mountains if i was on another back pack hunt ,from now on i will and would use just a 30-06 in my Winchester pre 64 model 70/3-10 Leupold scope,but if i had to buy a new rifle i would still just get a 30-06 but in S.S. either another Winchester ,Ruger,Browning,Savage rifle , maybe a NIghtforce scope ? 30-06 cartridge is so easy to find ammo that`s why i would take that cartridge,i also want a Harris swivel bi-pod ,bi-pods help keep rifle cleaner from dirt and really makes long shots more accurate. good luck with your choice

two of them is a perigee

old school Winchester Featherweight (-06) w/ Talley lightweights and 6X Leupold

Hah! They just go round and round.

Kimber Montana 6.5 CM. With a 30MM 2-10 Burris scope, it sits at 7lb 1.5oz. I can live with that. 147 ELDM. Very happy with that bullet.

I don’t backpack hunt anymore but have “that” rifle IMO. It’s a rifles Inc 284 Win on a LH Rem SA 700 with a PGT bolt and a Wyatt magazine and 23” tube. Scoped (Leupold 6x36 LRD) it’s between 5.5 and 5.75 lbs and gives up nothing in the accuracy department.


I always find it kind of strange that some backpacker hunters shave ounces from all their carefully selected gear but then carry an 8.5 lb rifle while declaring a guy should lose some weight from his gut instead.

Well,...yeah, but....

Just depends on what I’m doing.

Kimber Montana 308/leupold vx5 HD

Tikka t3x superlite/SWFA 6x mil/mil

Winchester extreme weather 30-06/Zeiss conquest 3-9

1st Gen 700 Ti rem 30-06

What a view!

Cooper 92 280 AI. And no that heavy ass scope is no longer on there, or those rusty Burris rings!

Nice looking Cooper.
Are you still happy with 280 AI ?

Weatherby lightweight 30-06 3.5x10 leupold in old style Talley iron rings. 6.8#.

Two of my hunting rifles weigh 8 lbs. The rest weigh well under, the lightest being 6 lbs. No chore to pack any of them.

338/378 Accumark topped with NF

R1 Benelli 300 WSM topped with NF

Ooooph! 😉

I am. I have noticed 160gr partitions like to pencil through a whitetail if you shoot behind the shoulder under 100 yards. Had 4 deer this year that had no blood trail until 15-20 yards from impact, but then it was fantastic. Think I'll move to high shoulder shots only next year though, the deer never went more than 75 yards or so but a couple of them made into very nasty stuff that wasn't fun getting to.

I know a few guys who use the lighter bullets in the 280 AI One of my friends like the Nosler 150 grain B/T two others like 150 and 140 grain Partitions. They think they get better results putting animals on the ground faster..
Then again, I have some other friends and cousins who are 7-08 fans. They hunt with 120 grain Nosler B/T.
Prolly the same thought process. Moving bullets a bit faster.
As long as it works we're all happy.

Take care

Ya, I've been real happy with this 25-06 700 CDL and the 6x Leupold. First buck with it was in 2005, and it's had a good track record ever since. Coyotes, antelope & mule deer. I just use the same load for all three, though over the years I have changed my load a couple of times. Closest mule deer was about 20 yards. Farthest was an honest 400 yards. That's enough for me.

I do have a near-twin to that rifle, in 30-06 that I prefer for bear & elk. It works just fine on antelope & mule deer too of course.

Hoping to get out for more backpacking this year. Neck issues sidelined me for a while re that stuff.

Regards, Guy

Usually, either a M70 Featherweight 7-08 wearing a VX2 2-7X33 or same set up in 257Rob.

For sheep and alpine blacktail I used a Fieldcraft 7/08 last year and I'll do the same again this season. Prior to that a couple different Montanas and for years before that a 270Win 700 dropped in an Edge for my backpack hunts. Still have a 30/06 Montana and the 270 squrirreled away but that Fieldcraft sure is light and compact which matters to a lot to me when you carry it for days and miles to only shoot once.

Howa Alpine 6.5 Creedmoor, Marlin 45-70 guide gun for “here” (Eastern hardwoods)
LAW Professional 280ai, Custom Ruger 358 Norma Mag for “everywhere but here”

ULA 7mm-08 Leupold 2.5 x 8 atop it, with sling and 3 in its belly 5.5 lbs all up. I like Barnes 120 Tsx for fodder. Drops a moose like the hammer of Thor.

Sadly my bp hunting days are behind me, heck probably all hunting. All my bolt action rifles are lh, all my kids are right handed

I carried the Barrett Fieldcraft special run 6.5 for most of last season. It's about the perfect rifle for the mountain sides I hunt.....enough barrel to settle down for offhand shots but still light enough to come in less than 7lbs even with a heavier scope/rail/rings.

Interesting thread.

Carried a Rifles Inc 280AI around for years and shot some good stuff. 6# all up.

Pretty snappy though...not that it got shot that much hunting. Current rifle for any hooves in the hills is a FN (Browning) small ring barreled 280 & Zeiss Diavai 3-9x42 w/Kenton turrent. 7.44# Got a lighter backpack to make up weight gain...:)

Only backpack hunted once and took a knight mk-85 with Williams peep. Next trip if I draw a rifle tag i'll prob drag my classic stainless 375 H&H that's been cut to 20" with a zeiss 3-9x40 with QD rings. Its heavy but shoots well and I have no doubt it will handle any business I ask of it

I picked up a kimber mountain ascent 300wsm today, I’ll probably put a Swarovski z3 3-9x40 on that one.

Any SA Kimber Montana with Talley LW rings and Leupold VX3 2.5-8x36. I have a 300WSM, 6.5 Creedmoor and recently a Hunter in 308.

Fieldcraft 6.5 CM w/ 10x SWFA or a 700 6.5x47 Lapua w/ 10x SWFA.

For almost 15 years I carried a skeletized Remington model 7 with 22” barrel 284 Winchester. A wildcat composite stock, Talley lightweights and a leupold 6x36 put the total weight at 5.5 lbs. Then a few years ago I rebarreled to 22” 6.5 CM and replaced stock with an MPI thumbhole with t-bar forend modified by Rick Stienhour. That put the total weight at 5.7lbs.

Kimber Montana with a Lilja 84M modified contour in 308Win. Just a little bit more weight makes it perfect for me. Leupold 6x42 on top. Going to kill a ram with it this year...

Fieldcraft in 6.5 Creedmoor, SWFA 3-9, talley rings

It depends...

This one unless weather will be especially bad. Barrett Fieldcraft 6.5 Creedmoor

A LH Forbes 30-06.

Kimber Montana in 7-08 or Barrett FC in 6.5 Creedmoor, depending on my mood. Both are topped with a SWFA SS 3-9x.

I've also been known to sport a Tikka T3x in 308 with a SWFA 6X MQ scope, on a Tikka Picatinny rail, shooting 155 scenars over 46.5 gr of Varget.

That's when hunting with my son and best friend who are 308 aficionados.

Although, the Barrett Fieldcraft in 6.5 creedmoor has spoiled me to just about anything else.

I haven’t been on a real “backpack” hunt yet, hoping to do that on my first western hunt this year or next. But most of my hunting does involve going several miles into public land. My go-to has become my Remington Model 7 with a Weaver 2-7x. Rifle and scope are about 7lb 2oz currently. I’m looking at getting a lighter stock that’ll bring me down to about 6.5lbs though. The gun is a real shooter.

for the last 10 years i have carried a Ruger #1 S.S. laminated stock with a custom 257 Weatherby mag. chambered barrel,Nightforce 4 1/2-14 x56 scope and a harris bi-pod,yes this rifle may be a little heavy but its very accurate out to 700 yards . i have walked alot of miles with this rifle but when you get a rifle you trust, shoot well and kills animals fast its just hard to take any other rifle with.

Most of the time this one.

308 with a bartlein barrel and 2-10x32 nightforce.

A plain factory Rem 700 in 270 Win which I put into one of Rick's McMillan mountain rifle stocks. I will shave ounces elsewhere, not on rifles and optics.

For summer backpacking and grizzly hunting its gonna be this one:
(Kimber 84M with slightly heavier Lilja 84m barrel cut to 16.5" chambered in 6.5 CM, with weaver 3-10):

Its still sub 6 pounds suppressed and 147s even at only 2550 fps from the 16" barrel still bring the heat out as far as I would plan to shoot a 5.2 pound rifle.

A 375 ruger guide gun if going slower with a partner or a light 308 or 30-06 if going real quick on my own.

I'm young, strong, and dumb. So I carry whatever tickles my fancy.

An ultra light something or other in .30-06 is in my future though.

-Jake

Rem 700 Mountain SS, 22" 7mm08, Stocked in a Wildcat (stock finished at 19.8 oz.). Rifle is 5 lbs 7 oz bare, 6 lbs 3 oz scoped.

Centershot: About 40 years ago I "made" my own "Mountain Rifle"!
Back then the great folks at Browns Precision Rifle Stocks were about the only ones making fiberglass stocks.
Anyway I bought a brand new Remington 700 in caliber 308 Winchester put it in the "ADL" style lightweight stock, adjusted the trigger added a Leupold 3.5x10 scope and the resulting Rifle has served me VERY well on high country Hunts ever since.
I have kill't Black Bear, Mountain Goats, Elk and a few low country Deer with this rig.
Been dreaming of taking it on a Bighorn Sheep Hunt but alas no tags have I drawn.
I opted for the 30 caliber instead of anything smaller because all the Hunts I had planned were into Bear country - and now here in SW Montana the Grizzlies are very thoroughly scattered about!
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

700 KS Mountain, 30.06, 2.5-8 BC Leupold in Talleys, Uncle Mike's mountain sling.

As mentioned in an earlier response, mostly a Featherweight in either 257 Bob or 7-08. Right now, however, I have a new Bergara Woodsman in 7-08 riding in a UPS truck somewhere between Minnesota and Florida. It should arrive by 5/7. Then I'll slap a VX3i 3.5-10X40, break in the barrel and see if it lives up to the accuracy hype. It's gonna have to be a hell of a rifle to replace one of those Featherweights as the go to. They sure are fun to look at in between game sightings.

CVA accura V 2 with Williams peep site. About 7 lbs

Same boring old Tikkas, because they work.

T3 .300 win mag in McMillan Sako stock with SWFA Fixed 10X:









Or T3 .308 in McMillan Edge with Nightforce 2.5-10x24. Because it works..

When we were hunting back country riding mules, we saw a lot of back packers carrying TC contenders in 7/30 Waters Carbines shooting 120g. Quary was dessert Mule deer. They had no problems with 300 yd shots.

Never hunted big game on a backpacking trip. Would like to. If I did, the most I'd be in shape for right now would be my lightest one, a Rem Seven in 260 rem, 20" bbl. With optics AND sling it is only 6 lbs, 14.3 oz.

[Or better yet, I'd probably use a bow or the T/C Contender in .357 max, which is only 3 lbs, 14.4 oz with optics but no sling.]

Next lightest serious rig after the model Seven is a Mk V ULW in .280 which comes in at 7 lbs, 7.4 oz with optics but no sling.

Hope to get the Mountain Ascent in .280 AI some day. Kinda thinking of maybe getting a Lone Eagle pistol in .260 or .30-06. Keeping my eyes peeled on the used market. They are around 4 lbs 7 oz unscoped.

More realistically, if backpacking, small game for camp meat (squirrel, grouse, rabbit) would be the only thing hunted, in which case all I'd need is a PMR-30 or a tiny youth 16" .22lr.

I haven’t backpack hunted in quite a while, nor have I hunted the mountains as hard as I once did. My go to and only hunting rifle weighs-in @ 9# 1 oz. (scoped,loaded, slung). While it’s not a lightweight, I don’t think that it’s weight defines my hunting/hiking/backpacking limitations. I’m sure that knocking-off a pound or so would make it a little more pleasant to carry.....but a “lot” more unpleasant to shoot. Almost everything in life represents some form of trade-off! memtb

My primary hunting rifles for the last few years of backpack hunts have been in the 8-9 lb. range. Currently a Tikka Lite in a Manners, cdi dbm, rail/arc rings, 3-12 LRHS. Not much I'd change about it for what I do.

30-06 Rem Ti

15-20 yards is nothin. Thats 2 or 3 jumps before they start bleeding.

What is that stock, what is the contour?

Pics of said rifle? Thank you.

I can’t seem to figure out photo posting, but I’ve got a new one. Stainless Steel G2 contender with bellm spring kit, 22” tapered 6.5 grendel barrel by MGM, 6x36 Leupold with dots in Tally UL mounts. 5.5 lbs on the nose, shows real promise with cheap Federal fusion 120 gr. Bullets.

The one that I wish I had is either an Dakota model 10 or one of the Browning low wall 260 Rem cal rifles. Either one would be wonderful.

Oldpinecricker, I’m off the same thought, that’s how I ended up with the above, poor man’s stalking rifle if you will.

My serious hunts where I live out of a back pack for days are probably behind me due to age and knees, darn it. I never got into ultra light rifles and it was not until the last ten years or so I gave it much thought. Hauling a 9 to 10 pound rifle/scope combo around was just what every one here in Alaska did.

My main gun is a custom Win. .338 and with scope is right at 8 lbs. and Pre-64 Featherweight 30-06 is about 7.5 lbs. If I was younger I would probably make up a Tikka in 7mm Win. Short Mag. with a 25" fluted barrel, could keep it under 7.5 lbs. and have plenty of the "right stuff" for big critters near or far. My other choice would be a light weight 30-06, as both calibers offer 500 yard punch.

Any thing with rifle/scope weight under 7 lbs. is light to me, but I know times have changed.