Whats your maxium weight and barrel length on your long range rifle ?

[codyadams]

I'll add in an update since it's been a bit. I still hunt the same Wyoming 8k-10k+ mountains, hike in 2-5 miles with 50-60 lb packs (sometimes I'm lucky enough to use horses) but I have somewhat switched up to what I think will be an ideal setup.

It's a 30 nosler in a 20" barrel, and will be ran exclusively supressed. It is also in an XLR folding chassis, so it fits nice in the pack. With the can, it is about like a 27" barreled rifle, and weighs 9.5 lbs all up, with the supressor. I wanted performance on par with a 24-26" 300 WSM, but from a 20" barreled, easy to handle rifle, thus the 30 nosler. Plenty of performance for elk out to 1000 and change, manageable to shoot, super handy, light enough to not be a burden, and heavy enough to make those long shots.

My ideal desert pronghorn rifle is still a 14 lb 30" barreled .260 AI ha ha. It doesn't stray far from the truck, but it's a sweetheart to shoot, zero compromise there!

 

[Reelamin]

Hiking in on foot 24" with 1lb bipod 9lb Normal hunting 26" 10lb

 

[Craver]

Dang, yall carrying some big guns. I think anything over 44" and 9.5lbs is big for hunting. Prefer less than 42" and 7.5lbs. But I'm hunting in stands for whitetails.

 

[codyadams]

Dang, yall carrying some big guns. I think anything over 44" and 9.5lbs is big for hunting. Prefer less than 42" and 7.5lbs. But I'm hunting in stands for whitetails.

Range and game certainly does makes a difference. For instance, take shooting elk at 800-1000+, personally I feel you want a decently large caliber in .284-.338 that is capable at those ranges, and shootable from field positions. For a whitetail, a small to medium .243 up to maybe .284 cal is all one really needs, a 6.5-284 is a legitimate 1000+ yard whitetail rig. Something in that range would be an excellent choice in a 7.5 lb rifle for sure! Throw a 300 or 338 rum, .300 or .338 Norma mag, 300 win mag or 30 nosler in a 7.5 lb gun, and while it is doable, it is a handful!

 

[VinceMule]

Hint: deer and elk do not see the man on the horse, only the horse as long as you are not talking or your tack clanking. I carried 26" barrel rifles in my scabbard.

I rode a horse or mule, they always spotted the deer/elk before I did...like riding a big bird dog!

 

[sable tireur]

Range and game certainly does makes a difference.

And the environment you're hunting in can and will determine the cartridge, bullet, weight and barrel length.

When I hunt the Upper Peninsula in the deep woods, I carry a 14" T/C Contender in 30-30 Win. Cross carry holster makes it easier to walk over beaver dams and cross over icy creeks.

When I hunt small deer in the southern U.S. I've been carrying a .250 Savage AI with a 21" barrel in a lightweight stock.

My usual elk rifles weigh somewhere around 12 lbs. when I hunt/walk the higher ranges. 26" is the shortest barrel and 30" is the longest for 'cross canyon' or long meadow shots. This is similar to power line shooting in some western states and Wisconsin.

 

[Wachsmann]

Remington Sendero with a Vortex HSLR 4x16x50 scope. Rifle is braked so the barrel and brake together puts it about 28 inches. By the end of each day I'm generally dead along with the reset of the stuff in my pack. Its not ideal by any means but it works and makes long shots nice or shall I say it will makes long shots nice. Longest kill is 761yrds on mule deer. Ran out of RL26 so I starting over on load development with some Retumbo or H1000.

 

[brant89]

I tote a 12lb 300WM in the mountains of Wyoming. While hiking I certainly wish it was 10lb or less, but when it comes time to take a long shot I'm always happy that it isn't. In my opinion, the shot is the ultimate culmination of my efforts so I'd rather cut weight elsewhere (including my own body) than to limit the tool that ultimately gets the job done. YMMV.

 

[moxford]

Just built one, 24" 30SM + EC brake, 7lb 14oz unloaded without scope/mount. 11 all up loaded (4 rnds).

Debating dropping the alpha-glass optics for something smaller and lighter. It points well, and I've hunted with that weight for a few years already (Kifaru GB or strapped to the pack, both excellent vs a sling) but yeah, 11 lbs is pretty heavy to haul around.

Scope/mount swap and remove the brake should put it right at about 9lbs, or a hair over. But 30SM kicks pretty good without a brake at 11lbs ... I'll have to try it at 8lbs just to see a baseline, lol.

 

[ragsflh]

its what you can carry.after you get older you like a lighter rifle

 

[NMCOUES]

Mine is 14 lbs. Almost 2 gallons of water weight. Now at over 60 yo, the 4 minute mile I ran 40 years ago isn't going to happen again or carrying a 130 lb meat pack out 8 miles. However, retirement allows for leaving a few days earlier to make more trips in if needed and staying a couple extra days if needed to get the meat out..My experience has been, buy the very best you can afford and get in the best physical condition you can. My guess is that 3 to 5 lb extra weight on the rifle will be easy to carry by the 15lbs of weight loss you achieve by truly being in shape to hike the mountains with a pack.
Your guide will work harder also if your in condition to really move in the mountains.