I am planning on buying a new rifle soon and looking for some advice. Just trying to get a consensus on what most people think would be the max weight for a rifle to be comfortable on back country hunts. Also i will probably just use this rifle for anything really from deer to possibly moose one day so advice on calibers would be great. Thank you so much for your advice it is really appreciated.
looking for rifle and caliber advice
- Thread starter Sloan
- Start date
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
The weight of a backcountry rifle is a personal preference thing. Super light rifles are easy to pack, but can be hard to steady, especially when tired at high elevation. My personal backpacking rifle is a 7mm-08 Remington Model 7. However, mine is almost a pound heavier than factory, as I had it rebarrelled with a heavier contour Douglass barrel. Total wieght is right under 8 pounds loaded.
Anything from 7mm-08 to the fast 338s would be great choices for cartridges. The typical all-rounders are the 7mm magnums and 300 magnums (short and long).
Anything from 7mm-08 to the fast 338s would be great choices for cartridges. The typical all-rounders are the 7mm magnums and 300 magnums (short and long).
buckbull
Veteran member
- Jun 20, 2011
- 2,170
- 1,360
I prefer as light as a rifle that I can get my hands on. I find myself grabbing my Tikka T3 (6.5 lbs) more often than the other rifles in my safe. I'm not terribly recoil shy so a light rifle doesn't bother me as much as toting a heavier rifle. If I had a money tree out back I'd buy a Melvin Forbes rifle. I prefer the .300 win mag over anything else I have. IMO, it has the greatest punch for the amount of recoil I want, endless supply of bullets available (construction and weight), easy to find ammo, etc. The browning X-bolt is another light rifle to look at too if weight is a consideration.
xtreme
Very Active Member
I know just the gun for you. The Browing Stainless Stalker X-bolt in 7mm and I would have a BOSS on it also. Weight is under 7lbs, a good trigger, just a load of features. The Boss system works. I have an a-bolt with a brake and a CR. With the 9 1/2 twist I shoot 168 Bergers for deer or elk. This gun with the Boss makes me want to try shooting varmits with it.
I dont have a 7mm-08 like Bitteroot but I want one.
I dont have a 7mm-08 like Bitteroot but I want one.
Kevin Root
Very Active Member
[video=youtube;7Uc5Qp4FRw0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Uc5Qp4FRw0[/video]
I heard about this gun at the 2012 SHOT show, Kimber Mountain Assent. Does anyone know much about this rifle? I can't find it yet on their website. Less then 5 pounds but I'm wondering if the recoil issue will be bad severe due to the light weight.
I heard about this gun at the 2012 SHOT show, Kimber Mountain Assent. Does anyone know much about this rifle? I can't find it yet on their website. Less then 5 pounds but I'm wondering if the recoil issue will be bad severe due to the light weight.
Montana
Veteran member
You won't like my opinion... Or at least your wallet won't. But with that exact question... You simply have to have 2 completely different rifles. I shoot a Browning Abolt 25 WSSM for back country hunts and a 7 WSM for larger animals (no moose). It's not too often that you would do a back country moose hunt and even elk... If you do.... You just have to be prepared for some serious weight or hire someone to worry about the weight for you.
So..... One rifle for back country- .243/25 cal, heavily explore the short mags and/or the model 7 to shave weight. Then just go big for elk and moose. 300 plus, maybe even a 338. But again.... just my opinion
So..... One rifle for back country- .243/25 cal, heavily explore the short mags and/or the model 7 to shave weight. Then just go big for elk and moose. 300 plus, maybe even a 338. But again.... just my opinion
xtreme
Very Active Member
I like the solution Montana gave, I too shot a short mag. Mine is a Browing A-bolt in 243 WSSM. Both my Browings with BOSS will shoot 1/2 MOA or better. I admit I spent a lot of time getting them to shoot that well, now all I have to do to change bullets is look at my records and shoot light or heavy bullets, I don't know how it get any better.
Matching bullet weight to twist rate is a factor to consider.
Matching bullet weight to twist rate is a factor to consider.
Drhorsepower
Veteran member
I agree with bb. My personal choice is a 7mm rem mag in a rem 700 adl.
I would go with a 7mm or 300 win mag. I like the shorts performance but I don't like mag capacity! I hear they are tough to reload for also. I do not have any experience with that.
I would go with a 7mm or 300 win mag. I like the shorts performance but I don't like mag capacity! I hear they are tough to reload for also. I do not have any experience with that.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
I have had several short mags, and found them really easy to load for. Mag capacity differences is 1 round usually.
To clarify me post above, my Model 7 is sub 7 pounds without a scope and unloaded. The total weight is loaded and scope mounted. I like the balance between portability and shootability at around those weights (those t3 lites are in there - those are nice rifles).
When I talked about the super light rifles, I was talking about rifles like New Ultra Light Arms and the above referenced Kimber. It is tough to keep your heartbeat from making the crosshairs move on those little rifles. Recoil is higher on lighter rifles but proper shooting technique should take care of it.
xtreme
Very Active Member
So I checked the weight of three guns again, the 243 wssm with z5 5x25 was 8 lbs, the Rem 700 with v-ll was 9lbs and the Browning 7mm with a VX-7L 4.5x18 weighted 10.5. These scopes were purchased before I found out about the effects of age on exit pupil. Ammo is lighter for the short mags.
I think I will take the 243 to the range today. We have an indoor 100 yd range with all the goodies.
I think I will take the 243 to the range today. We have an indoor 100 yd range with all the goodies.
Colorado Cowboy
Super Moderator
I am an old fashioned, older hunter (70). I have a .300 Wby on a custom built commercial Mauser. It is an old rifle that has served me well. I rebarreled it recently with a Shilen Match SS barrel. It also has a B & C composited alum bedded stock. Not particularly light, but very accurate. Shoots less than minute groups at 500 yds.
Bitterroot Bulls
Veteran member
Xtreme,
You could save quite a bit of weight putting some smaller glass on those rifles. I have a 2-7x32 Vortex Viper on my backpacking gun, and it is a nice match. If you like your z5, Swarovski makes a 3-9x32 Z3 that is a fine hunting scope with excellent optical performance. It is also pretty affordable, for a Swarovski.
jay
Active Member
I recently got a browning xbolt 30-06 and a 7mag. I really like the xbolt 06, very light, and very accurate. I started a thread called All around western big game rifle, or something like that, that has alot of information. Take a look at it, theres alot of great info on there that everyone provided.
hvfd21walker
Active Member
If you can only buy one gun. I would recommend the 300win mag. You can hunt anything with it with such a wide variety of bullets. For a backcountry gun I would recommend a 257 weatherby mag in a remington cdl with a fluted barrel. Thats my 2cents and my opinion.
bigshot
Very Active Member
I bought my wife a Browning A-Bolt II, Stainless Stalker, in 300wsm with the BOSS. Its light (approx. 6 1/2 lbs) and shoots my reloads into small 3/8 inch groups at 100 yards. I really like it, oh, by the way my wify likes it too. Its her only rifle and uses it for all her big game hunting.
I have two Win model 70's fetherweigths, one in 7x57 the other in 6.5x55. They are 6.5lb guns without the scope. I have a 2x7 leupold and a 2x7 Burris compact scope on them. I shot a goat, a bear and several deer on backpack hunts here in WA with the 7x57 loaded hot. They are my go to rifles when I backpack hunt.