Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Packing rifles on horseback

How do all the longriders and saddles bums carry? I like a bolt gun on the near side bolt out butt up sights up. I carry a lever on the off side butt up sights up. I understand why the nice flat lever actions were so popular. I laugh when some of the tv people ride off with half the rifle hanging out of a scabard downhill.

I like the butt forward and higher than the muzzle. Scope down and stirrup over the scabbord. I quit carrying a bolts gun on my horse. Too awkward and they don't fit my scabbord well anyway. The Savage 99 300 Sav and sometimes a 94 30-30 is about all I carry on horseback these days.

I've used this setup for about 15 years. My saddle has plate rigging(I don't rope chit) and I hardly notice that the scabbard/rifle is even there.
Jumped a deer last Fall on the horse, bailed off and shot him within' about 5-10 seconds. I don't think there is a quicker or better way to pack a rifle on a horse.
Rifle has a 22" barrel and a 6x36 scope.

Mr. Dobetown;
After beginning with bolt guns, I ended up packing either a Ruger No. 1 when hunting or a 94 when chasing cows.

In both instances I carry them under my left leg with the butt fairly high up, maybe just a bit higher than Sam carries it but fairly similar.


I have at least once had the horse hang up the butt of the rifle when going through some greasewood, but other than that haven�t had any issues with that method.

As Sam so aptly put it, that method has proved to be both safe and fairly quick to get the rifle into action.

Hopefully that was some use to you. Good luck on your upcoming hunts.

Regards,
Dwayne

There are good and bad parts for all ways. I carry on the left side with the butt to the rear and the scope up. I like this method because when I got off all I have to do is pull the rifle out without being up by the horses head. Also even though it's right handed rifle the bolt doesn't seem to bother anything. One big caution though is to have the butt much higher than the muzzle and maybe even one of those scabbards that snaps the rifle in. And take the sling off or make sure it's stuffed into the scabbard.

I don't like the butt forward method because there is a tendency to have trees and brush get in between the horse and rifle.

You pretty much just have to figure out what works for you and deal with the bad side of it. I don't carry a rifle while working cows.

All the advice given so far is solid & will work well.

If you're interested in speed then put the gun on the right side, butt back & behind the saddle. Rides thru brush really well.

You dismount & pull the gun with you as you go...........just don't miss or you'll be standing there in front of a 6 point bull with just your dick in your hand.

MM

Butt up, bolt out, sights on top. I prefer butt forward in the mountains so I can keep an eye on things but it seems in heavy timber butt to the rear works better.

I packed this way for years also, but this year it really bothered my hip and knee. I moved to the right side with the butt high, muzzle low, scope upside down and gave my leg more relief. Now its not in the way when I tighten the cinch.

+1

Jack O'Connor called this the "southwest" position (assuming a north-bound horse)for carrying the rifle in a scabbard. It worked for him, and it works for me too.
You have to be careful that your rifle's sling doesn't loop out behind the flap. I once had a tree stob catch my sling and neatly yank out my rifle. Luckily, I felt the gun slip past my calf.....

As has been said every way has its good and bad points. Butt forward it is a brush collector, butt rearward and a horse can dump it if he is jumping up hill.
I carry cavalry style if I have to. Slung low across the back muzzle down and to the right. Not good if you fall off though.

BCR

I rig mine the same way Sam does except I like the butt riding higher at a steeper angle....there ain't no perfect way for everyone......

Looks like a good way to pack a bottle too

Roger that.
We always ride in fairly open country so butt forward works fine.

One thing to remember(for the non 'cowboy' types) is you almost always get on/off from the left side of the horse. At least that's how I was raised.
Anyway, it's nice to have the rifle on the left side if you ride in actual hunting/shooting situations. If you're simply going from point A to B it obviously isn't that important as speed isn't a concern.

And I agree with Ralphie, wouldn't dream of working cattle in a corral with a rifle on board.
And whatever you do, be sure to take the rifle out of the scabbard before you trailer the horse!

We're off to hunt some mulie's(on foot). Talk to you guys in a few days.


(The JD is there for trailside 'emergencies'....grin)

I carry butt rear with it just under the saddel bags,I have a snap/flap and an extra tie to insure the rifle stays in,butI always keep it high.I don't like to see the rifle/ scabbard real low as things get caught in it and in rough country ,no teling where the hooves go to get around.
For many years now,I have carried with the scope down as that is the way most scabbards fit better on the horse/mule. I have done many checks and have yet to see the scope setting knocked off by carrying it scope down,as many profess it will.

Carrying it butt forward presents three major problems for me.The first is that at some time the horse or mule will decide to go on the opposite side of a tree that the scabbard goes on,usually resulting in a broken stock.The second is that some carry with the butt really high,up near the horn. This interferes with reining, and just adds more problems when you have to dally some less than cooperative pack stock. The third is that some horses and mules get a little cranky when you start to yank a rifle out of the scabbard fast ,and go past thier head. There you're stuck with them pullling back with head high and you are trying to recover your rifle,all the while that nice bull is leaving the country.

If you are on a nice docile rental horse or one of your own and do no use pack strings, probably none of this matters.

LOL..........Yeah, nothing's really good if you (or the horse) falls.

MM

Sam;
Good luck on your mule deer hunt. I hope to see buck photos later.

We don't carry rifles when working cows in a corral either, I should have been more clear. The 94 would ride under my leg only when moving a herd from one chunk of mountain to another on the grazing lease.

Most of our part of the world used to be divided into grazing leases and you couldn�t find a mountain in south central BC that didn�t have a cow on it. Since the whole BSE thing, there are a lot less cattle in the hills.

We started to pack rifles in the late �90�s I guess, as it seemed we started to have too many bears that hadn't been trained well enough.

I�ll say right here that I�ve never even come close to needing that old .30-30. However, I�m given to understand we had a grizzly attack one valley over about a week ago where a sow and a couple 2 year old cubs took on a deer hunter out for a stroll.

Two dead bears via what I heard was a .270 was the result.

Around the corrals we work pretty much all on foot, which has been made much easier in the last couple years when my rancher friend recruited a couple Border Collies.

Good luck on your hunt Sam.

Dwayne

I like mine on the right side of my horse and an ax on the left. My reins are always in my left hand. Its real easy to yank the rifle out with my right hand and crank a round in if need be.

I have spent a considerable amount of time getting my animals used to shots so when that bull busts up from his bed I don't have to dismount. I hike so damn much while hunting I enjoy the ocassional "old west" road hunt.

Dog Hunter.We call those ride by shootings here.

My dad likes to tell the story of the guy he knew in the 70s in Wyoming who shot not one but two horses out from under himself that way. Critter in the scope and the muzzle on the back of his mount�s head.

My rifle hands exactly like Sam's...except it's on the off side and ends swapped.

I've seen two busted stocks hung thataway in the country we ride through. It's a tad inconvenient having to reach around a big round QH ass to get to one's rifle, but I haven't convinced myself to set it on the scope, and I'll not have the bolt poking the nag.

I always balance the rifle with my axe opposite.


I've since gone "belt and suspenders" on the scabbard by adding a leather tie to the flap w/ snap.