Rifle carry weight for walking a few miles?

[DJ Fergus]

I know this has been done too many times but here goes again.
Not necessarily asking about a mountain rife for walking steep terrain but what is your preferred scoped with bipod total rifle weight for a couple miles of carrying on foot and being able to routinely make shots on game out to 800 yds or so.

 

[Rick Richard]

Yep, you're going to get a bunch of SUBJECTIVE opinions. Too may variables that will go into the choice, however mine is about 9-10 lbs all fitted out.

 

[sea2summit]

I would add some rail to the stock and a QD bipod that would ride in the top of my pack until needed.

 

[bpcrshooter]

10.67lbs, took it out west to the frank church area.

 

[Deleted member 103481]

10

 

[Plinker147]

The ideal weight is going to be 9-10 lbs for most. the lighter you go the harder it is to make a 800 yd shot in hunting terrain and conditions. The guns seem to settle nice at that weight. Ideal shooting weight is going to be around 12+

I personally have lighter guns for the days I know I'm walking a bunch but my max shooting distance drops to around 600 yds. Not because of the guns accuracy but because of my ability to shoot a light gun in hunting conditions accurately

 

[ShootMo]

My current setup (no bipod) comes in at around 12 lbs. I carried it coyote hunting/scouting this spring on a 7 mile trip and never felt like I wanted a lighter rifle.

For comparison, I'm 5' 10" and weigh about 165. So I'm not a big guy by anyone's standards.

That said, I don't concern myself with rifle weight much. I carry what I like to shoot, regardless of the weight.

 

[jasonco]

I do 13-15lb rifles, usually in a back pack scabbard. I just got a Horn Hunter Full Curl Combo pack to give a try this year.

 

[sixfivefanboy]

I know this has been done too many times but here goes again.
Not necessarily asking about a mountain rife for walking steep terrain but what is your preferred scoped with bipod total rifle weight for a couple miles of carrying on foot and being able to routinely make shots on game out to 800 yds or so.

If you are talking flat land to and from a stand or someplace like north dakota, I would say 20lbs. For a long time my coyote gun was around that and I didnt have a problem hauling it a mile from the truck and back to make a stand.

Mountains are a different story - my current rifle is around 10lbs, but my next one will be between 6-7 all in.

 

[DJ Fergus]

I've got rifles with weight all across the board. My lightest long range rifle weighs right under 9 lbs scope bipod & sling and that's with 5-22x50 30mm tube scope. 26" bbl. I just finished up with a 27" 6.5 saum sprial fluted sendero contour. It ended up dead on 12 lbs with sling bipod & scope.

 

[shooter7]

My "mountain" rifle that I'll hike with 8-10 miles a day with during elk season comes in at 9 lbs with optic and ammo. It's as light as I want to go. I've also packed a 16lb rifle for a couple seasons. It gets old quick.

 

[brcfo_outdoors]

Probably about 10-12lbs. A big factor is the carry system, as a crappy sling can make even a light rifle burdensome after a while. Strapped to or integrated into a pack system, I feel like it is much easier to handle a heavier rifle without noticing the additional weight. Slung I personally start to experience abrasions on my shoulders, especially when also carrying a hydration pack and/or bino harness. As a result, I like padded slings with a little bit of bungee in them, and avoid permanently attached bipods because their pointiest edge will always find your tenderest spots.

 

[ARCaveman]

Mine is also right around 10lbs when all said and done. I'll also reiterate what some others have said. A lot of the battle is how you carry your rifle. I'm also a big fan of a quality scabbard attached to my pack. Makes a 10 lbs rifle feel like 5lbs.

 

[ShootMo]

If you're not sporting a pack on every hunt, you might consider one of the "backpack-style" slings that distribute the weight onto both shoulders relatively equally. They're an odd bird of sorts compared to a traditional single strap sling.