Is a 9lb rifle too heavy? Opinions?

[BullElk54]

Per your original posting, a 9 pound rifle and scope weight will be fine for stand hunting and a limited walk in hunting. I have both heavy rifles (14-16 lb.) and lightweight rifles ( 5.5 -6.5 lbs.), each have their own niche, it just depends on the hunting terrain and physicality of the hunt. If your hunting at a low altitude (< 1,000 ft.) the rifle weight will be less of a burden and impact your hunt. If you are planning to hunt at a high elevation (6,000 -12,000 ft.) you will greatly appreciate a lightweight rifle. NOTE: the shooting technique of a lightweight rifle is subtle (significant ?) than a heavy weight rifle, so you have to adapt your riflemanship technique accordingly. Based on my 45 years of hunting experience in both the midwest and western states, I've grown to greatly appreciate lightweight rifles.

 

[Mike Matteson]

Hey guys I had a recent post on my new rifle build, and I wanted to get everyone's opinions on whether they thought a 9lb rifle was too heavy. When I built this rifle it was intended to take out west on a elk hunt or similar. I have not physically had the scope and mounts off of the rifle to get bare weight, however leupold s website says the scope weights about 22.8oz and rings are 3.9oz. Do you all think a 9lb rifle scopes and loaded is too heavy for tree stand/ground blind/truck hunt? No excessive walking, no more than 200 yards to and from my hunting location.

Even if you are old like me that not to far to go for a stand hunt. The biggest thing I see is, can you hold the rifle steady or support it. It's also how good of shape you are in. If you wound an animal that may turn into a job tracking the animal. I have spend all day tracking an elk that someone else shoot.

SSS
Mike

 

[HARPERC]

I think more scoped rifles come in at 9lbs+, than under.

 

[Flatbow]

9lb. With scope Is not what I would consider a heavy rifle. Not a light one but certainly not heavy. Keep in mind that before the recent interest in the " back country" hunting craze started ( guilty myself) that (9lb) would have been co considered a fairly light rifle.

 

[Greasegun]

Hey guys I had a recent post on my new rifle build, and I wanted to get everyone's opinions on whether they thought a 9lb rifle was too heavy. When I built this rifle it was intended to take out west on a elk hunt or similar. I have not physically had the scope and mounts off of the rifle to get bare weight, however leupold s website says the scope weights about 22.8oz and rings are 3.9oz. Do you all think a 9lb rifle scopes and loaded is too heavy for tree stand/ground blind/truck hunt? No excessive walking, no more than 200 yards to and from my hunting location.

If your not hiking far, who cares how heavy it is? My hunting rifle weighs like 12 or 13 pounds. Dont care.

 

[Hoss50]

9lb rifle is fine. If you were talking western backpack hunts I would be wanting lighter, but for treestand and day hike hunting you are fine.

 

[jfolanddvm]

A 9 lb rifle, scoped and loaded, means the rifle "bear naked" is only 6.5 to 7.5 lbs. I wouldn't consider that to be heavy at all. If I had to have only one rifle for every purpose, high country backpack hunting to walking from the truck to a blind, it would be in that 9-12 lb range (scoped and loaded). Even if I was specifically looking for a backcountry rifle, I don't think I would want it much lighter than 9 lbs. I would suffer the pound or 2 of extra weight for the increased stability (at least in my case) of a slightly heavier rifle. But as several have already mentioned, it is an individual choice. I, personally am not a fan of ultralight rifles (except for the cool factor).

 

[arch408]

Hey guys I had a recent post on my new rifle build, and I wanted to get everyone's opinions on whether they thought a 9lb rifle was too heavy. When I built this rifle it was intended to take out west on a elk hunt or similar. I have not physically had the scope and mounts off of the rifle to get bare weight, however leupold s website says the scope weights about 22.8oz and rings are 3.9oz. Do you all think a 9lb rifle scopes and loaded is too heavy for tree stand/ground blind/truck hunt? No excessive walking, no more than 200 yards to and from my hunting location.

 

[arch408]

I have my share of "normal" rifles that weigh 9 pounds total plus, and really like them, but I love my 5.5 pound M700 titanium .300 SAUM!

 

[Deleted member 112174]

Do you have help to collect an elk once you shoot it? If you worry about hauling a 9 pound rifle to a stand, or on a "truck" hunt, you may want to assure that you have help to take care of the animal once it is down. If this is an alfalfa field hunt(I have not problem with that, you will still have a job field dressing and loading the beastie. An elk liver or full paunch weighs more that 9 lbs and there is not "grip" or sling on either one.
Good luck

 

[Msgt William Toprock]

Hey guys I had a recent post on my new rifle build, and I wanted to get everyone's opinions on whether they thought a 9lb rifle was too heavy. When I built this rifle it was intended to take out west on a elk hunt or similar. I have not physically had the scope and mounts off of the rifle to get bare weight, however leupold s website says the scope weights about 22.8oz and rings are 3.9oz. Do you all think a 9lb rifle scopes and loaded is too heavy for tree stand/ground blind/truck hunt? No excessive walking, no more than 200 yards to and from my hunting location.

Morning from North Dakota. My Ruger SR762 weighs in at 11 3/4 pounds with a Nikon M308 scope, Harris bipod, and a full 20 round magazine. This does get a bit heavy for carring around all day especially in the North Dakota heat. Good luck with your build.

 

[BigDon]

You can figure that a standard Mod 700 BDL 7mm RemMag/300Wm and a 2.5x8 or 3x9 Leupold will weigh a tad over 9lbs when loaded. Tens of thousands of them are used ( I did myself for years). So nah. What you may find is that you actually "need" ( there, I said it) two rifles....one heavy for LR, whether its on the Beanfield or Prairie, and a lighter 7.5# for mountains or Still Hunting, etc. Case in point...I like a lively handling rifle, and my "heaviest" was the aforementioned 7mm Mag BDL. It was fine, bit not as lively as I liked for the woods. When I moved to Utah, I only had my uncles old 1917 Sporter w/4x Tasco ( I was fresh out of Bible college) and it weighed 10+lbs. It was a shooter, but way too heavy for the mountains "for me". I bought a Mod 700 280 Mtn rifle, loved it! Then, in '93, I went on a real "Guided , Combo Mule Deer/Antelope hunt out of Laramie. Am & PM we went up into the hills, was a perfect rifle for that. middle of the day we out on "the short grass" prairies. OMG, the 'wind" not only blew my bullet off course ( I missed 5 bucks in a row around 350yds or so) but it blew "me and my rifle" around! I was either sitting supported or sitting/shooting sticks and it was awful. I later killed a 15 1/2" pronghorn when I stalked up behind a snow drift fence and "wrapped myself" up in it, ha. I got him at 200,

Later in life, I found that a 9+ lb wood stocked Mod 700 Classic 300WM worked fine in the open dunes of Namibia, but even there, I never shot game past 375yds or so. I am amazed at these LR Hunters, I don't know how they do it, ha. At 67, bolted together now, I don't go far from the truck anymore either. So, trying to "make do", for me, "won't do". If I take a light rifle out on the prairie, I just focus on getting close, like I do in the mountains. As mentioned by many here, 'try out" and see what "you" like. Have a ball dude!

Welcome to Wyoming hunting! 27 degrees and blowing 32 - 35 right now....

 

[deerhunter64]

Not too heavy at all. Used a 12 pound rifle last year to hunt antelope. The rifle fits in my pack and I didn't even notice it was there. 9 pounds would be too easy. I am using that same rifle this year ( If I get drawn ) to hunt mule deer in California this year. X9A I have 5 points so far.

 

[vegas steve]

9 lbs is a featherweight in my book.my main yote rifle is 15.25lbs loaded and i carry it all day.i wdnt even know i had a rifle with me at 9 lbs .