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

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.