Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Poll what is the perfect rifles weight

I carry my 5.9 lb rifle in my hand while hiking the mountains. My 8 lb rifle spent most of the day on my shoulder, my shoulder got sore and my time a field was less, that rifle got sold. The 8 1/3 lb 375 H&H has only been carried on flat ground, mostly resting on my shoulder while holding the muzzle.

I would consider dropping to a 5 pounder in a .257AI.

anything under 6# is acceptable regardless of caliber/chambering...

woofer

wouldn't want my 416 or 470 to be under 9#....

under 8 is fine for everything smaller.

30-06, 270, 280 = 7.5 to 8 lbs.

7mm mag., 300, 338 = 8.5 to 9 lbs.

375 H&H, 416 Rem., 458 Win. = 9.5 to 10 lbs.

AD

Never weighed mine. Got 'em 'cause I like 'em. some balance differently from others (I prefer at the front screw), but each does what I need it to, and I see they all get a turn to hunt.

I am more concerned with balance than the weight of the rifle.
Some that are very light don't "feel right" in my hands, the Remington M700 Mountain Rifle is a perfect example.
Others, like my generic M77 338Win seems to balance very nicely, especially from standing, so I don't mind the extra mass.
For me the Kimber 84 and 8400(Montana) are a pretty nice combination of low mass and nice balance.

I hunt with older Sako's and have been acustomed to packing weight.It 's the stock fit not the weight that I'm interested in.

DOUG!!!

I just noticed you're back ... you were 'absent' from mid March until the end of August ... wow, I hope everything is alright, and it's glad to see you back around her ...


I'm thinking you need a 5lb 30-378wby w/ steep plate butt ... (grin)

I just recieved the second of the two rifles I have had built in the over 55 years I have been shooting. It is a 257 Roberts on a Mdl 70 action. With a Zeiss Davari Z 3-12 x 56 it weighs exactly 9 lbs. Accuracy is outstanding. The first custom I had built a couple of years ago is a 7x57 on a Mauser action and weighs exactly 7 lbs. What is PERFECT? I have no idea. Most of my rifles run around the heavy side. How much is too much, who knows. The M1 Garand was carried all over the world in all conditions. Was it too heavy? I do know I don't like ultra light rifles for any use.

Wether you hunt mountains or not should not just be a deciding factor, hunting method is also one. I will spend 8-10 hrs a day still hunting in New England. For years I used sporter weight rifles and then bought a Weatherby UL. The difference for me in the 2 or so pounds either means the gun is in my hands ready for a shot or slung over my shoulder. As far as off the bench, I am not a lover of magnums and the 338-06 I shoot in a well designed gun does not beat me to death. I also have a 25-06 which is approx 8 oz heavier, shoots well and easy on the shoulder.

The balance of the rifle I feel is also important and became itchy for a new gun when the Rem Ti hit the shelves, after picking it up though did not feel good in my hands.

If I were in a place where I was stand hunting most of the time, weight would not be a factor.

I bet you will find the light weight guns will be all over this thread, seems that is the way guys like them now. I on the other hand like my guns in the 8 to 9 pound range scoped. I have a 30-06 that Shawn Carlock made for me that weighs in at just over 9 pounds and have carried it all over S. Dakota and Montana with no issues.

I really dont see the big difference in a 7 1/2 pound light weight gun and a 9 pounder. If 1 1/2 pounds makes that big of deal I think a guy really needs to look at his overall conition. If I walk all over hell and back I want a gun I know I can make the shot when and if it comes, and my 9 pound Edge gun will drive nails and hold steady when the time comes. If your're like me I need to run over 2 hills to cut off a buck and be winded big time when I get my chance at a shot, and lets face it, in that situation a heavy gun will be more steady than a light one.

But as the others have said, its personal pref. I dont mind the weight but it needs to be bettween my hands with just a bit forward.

I think Allenday has the exact ranges of what most people use, whether you know it or not.

Anything under 6.5 lbs is too hard for me to shoot well. Anything over 8.5 I don't really want to carry around.

You don't need a mountain to climb to have a need to carry a light rifle. Try strapping a 15-20 lb treestand on your back, carrying a daypack in one hand and your rifle in the other. You'll learn to appreciate a light rifle even without a mountain to climb. If anyone doesn't think it makes a difference I encourage you to give it a whirl.

I totally agree about not needing to have mountains to climb to appreciate carrying a lighter set of gear ... but remember, your rifle is only one of the things you're carrying ...

of course, when you've already stripped your gear load (less rifle) down to the bare min., then the rifle weight is all that's left to carry, thus all that's left to lose weight from ...

When I was about 28, I was in exceptional condition - best condition of my life ... I could run further/faster, and lift more/longer than any other time in my life ... but even still, it's amazing how much just a couple of pounds can affect your stamina over the long haul ... Yah, I could get away with it easily enough, but could also appreciate loading myself with the least amount of weight possible ...

for what I do these days, 7.5lbs all up is plenty light for me ... but will again admit that if I could 'handle' a true ultra light rifle as well as I can handle my current rifles, I'd be more than happy to move to a lighter rifle more often ...

fwiw, when Jamison and I went out to Wyo this year, I was carrying my 7.5lb 7mm-08, along with my daypack ... I am NOT in great shape right now by any means ... but I didn't have a problem carrying it up and down the mountains that I'm totally not accustomed to from living down here in the ultra-flat land of Louisiana ...

point being, you don't NEED a 5.5lb rifle to hunt the mountains ... but if you can wield such a rifle with authority, I'm sure it does make 'packing' a bit easier to deal with ...

Like my guns to weight around 10 lbs or more on the bigger calber guns.

7.5 to 8.5 pounds for all my rifles.

I'm more concerned about the 20-25 extra pounds I've gained the last couple of years, than my rifle being a couple of pounds too heavy.

Probably a bit different for a .223 and a .458 Lott...

In other words, "It depends..."

Seems the common sporter rifle weight is 7.5lbs.

Not many like rifles much over 8lbs.

Not many like rifles under 7 lbs.

Spot

7lbs loaded up in the -06 class cartridges. 8lbs, 300 WM and up until you hit the .416+, then 9.5lbs.