Cutting weight via scope?

mikeyb said:
The second is cut a little weight from a lot of stuff (the pack and "other gear"). There is only one rifle, one mounting system, and one scope to cut weight from, but I've seen guys carry axes and machetes and two or three different knives "just in case". A dozen cartridges - how many shots do you plan on taking? A full cleaning kit in the ridiculously off-chance something gets in the barrel instead of some electrical tape over the muzzle. Full cooking kit when a couple sandwiches and some Clif bars will do the trick. There's plenty of ways to cut weight and increase your capacity to carry more before re-thinking a sporter-weight hunting rig in the name of a few ounces.
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This^^^

I ride an old heavy 70’s motorcycle and it goes plenty fast, one year I dropped about 30 lbs over the winter just by changing my diet. In the spring I noticed one thing about my bike, it didn’t go any faster but it sure got up to speed quicker. A lot of people don’t want to hear it but the best way to lighten your load is to shed some pounds, it’s not that hard to do if you want to do it. An other way is to get stronger, you don’t notice the weight as much.
 
Butcherbill said:
This^^^

I ride an old heavy 70’s motorcycle and it goes plenty fast, one year I dropped about 30 lbs over the winter just by changing my diet. In the spring I noticed one thing about my bike, it didn’t go any faster but it sure got up to speed quicker. A lot of people don’t want to hear it but the best way to lighten your load is to shed some pounds, it’s not that hard to do if you want to do it. An other way is to get stronger, you don’t notice the weight as much.
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I can't figure out why the fatties only argue with me when I say this though...
 
mikeyb said:
Ha! Literally the first thing I do to prepare for a hunt is lace up the boots and start putting miles on them every night after dinner at least a few weeks before. I'm 43, fashion is nothing, I don't care if I look like an idiot wearing a frame bag and hunting boots while walking through the park :) (my wife has a vastly different opinion!)

The second is cut a little weight from a lot of stuff (the pack and "other gear"). There is only one rifle, one mounting system, and one scope to cut weight from, but I've seen guys carry axes and machetes and two or three different knives "just in case". A dozen cartridges - how many shots do you plan on taking? A full cleaning kit in the ridiculously off-chance something gets in the barrel instead of some electrical tape over the muzzle. Full cooking kit when a couple sandwiches and some Clif bars will do the trick. There's plenty of ways to cut weight and increase your capacity to carry more before re-thinking a sporter-weight hunting rig in the name of a few ounces.
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I can go either way, sometimes I run the bare minimum gear hunting or fishing, and sometimes I load right up (more so when fishing with the wife) with everything but the kitchen sink. I figure I didn't die carrying an extra 20-25 lb of fat on my frame, so I won't die carrying it in a pack.
 
saskgunowner101 said:
I can't figure out why the fatties only argue with me when I say this though...
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Bahahaha, the struggle is real for some people. I know personally I like food too much to ever be considered skinny. Thankfully between work, farm chores and hunting I can keep things in check from spring to the start of winter. Then I fatten up for a couple months lol.
 
saskgunowner101 said:
I can go either way, sometimes I run the bare minimum gear hunting or fishing, and sometimes I load right up (more so when fishing with the wife) with everything but the kitchen sink. I figure I didn't die carrying an extra 20-25 lb of fat on my frame, so I won't die carrying it in a pack.
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I would agree that I carry more than strictly required when I'm out with others, for sure. Extra toiletries, extra first aid stuff, extra food options, snack variety, and flavoring for drinks, etc. Now that my son is 15 and surprisingly stout, he can mule a pile of gear and stay mobile easily - fit teenagers are a blessing in the deep woods if you can keep them fed and get them on game/fish to keep their interest. But again, I pack for 3 when it's the two of us. "Dad, I'm hungry" can ruin a perfectly peaceful day in the wilderness for a teen. It's even worse when he's hungry AND bored, AND bored of the food you brought to fight the hunger.

It also depends on range - I've moved away from day packs and two-day packs and just strap a 20L dry bag to my pack frame for 99% of my "truck hunting", where the Explorer serves as "base camp" and I'm putting on a few miles in different directions but still sleeping on a thick pad in an insulated vehicle stacked with supplies. Even if it's just a day hunt, I tend to run the same setup now - I didn't when I got my fall bear and after stumbling around with filled games bags in my hands, a rifle wanting to slide off my shoulder, and a 5.11 backpack on my back I thought about it for a total of 3 seconds before realizing I could have just carried it all out on my back more more easily.

I haven't done back country hunting for a looong time now but when I did, it was all about planning in advance, balancing pack weight and sleeping systems and food and water treatment, and even then the rifle/scope/gun gear was probably one fifth of the weight consideration.
 
mikeyb said:
...
Anyways, the best thing you can do to cut weight is to take it out of your pack, off your waistline, out of your boots, and then out of your rifle system - especially if it's already shooting nicely. ....
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Good list, can't argue with this approach in general. But not everyone can lose weight and stay healthy. And even if they could, they don't have to.

Plenty of people (like the OP) just prefer the feel of lighter weight gear. Particularly in rifles and binos - The things that you spend all day handling.
 
alpining said:
Seriously?
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Is there any part of fat people being fat that surprises you here? You selectively quote me here and there, while actually agreeing with others who have made the same points I have. Rational and/or logical thinking appears to elude you, at least in this sense. I'm thinking we had different types of influences growing up, and tough love was not a part of yours. My father always had a way with words and he didn't mince them. He once told my pos brother "If you actually worked as hard as you do trying to get out of work, you'd be a bleeping millionaire already. He told me years ago before I climbed out of the bottle "If you worked as hard as you drink, you'd bleeping retire before me."

So as you can see, I'm a pretty mild version of him. So, to reiterate...

Shave weight off your rifle/kit, you don't need an excuse. Shave weight off your body, and don't make excuses. Don't bother arguing with me about weight loss, be honest with the guy in the mirror.
 
I have noticed my favourite equipment getting heavier as I get older. Yes I should work out. Yes I should urinate and have a dump before setting out for the day. Yes I should only shoot tiny critters so I can manage them easier. And I should somehow reduce my 32 waistline and perhaps strip naked if it’s warm enough. But after a long walk I still sometimes think to myself “ it would be nice if this thing was a bit lighter.” Maybe changing the scope would make a difference.
 
alpining said:
Seriously?
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There are a lot of 'em out there! They all ATV to the stand, sit all day with snacks, drag the deer out with a rope then pay someone else to do all the butchering and turn it into pepperoni so it doesn't even taste like deer. I don't quite understand it!

Something weird happened in the last 20 years where its acceptable to be over 190lbs as a man under 6' tall.


remington jim said:
Hmm ! 2 oz more ! Better go Back to the OLD scope !
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You misread the photos. The new one is 190gr lighter.
 
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another mental juggling act, an exercise in futility cuz its a mind game
theres no scales involved in what one thinks is important

for those that recognize the difference, there certainly is a BIG difference in a pound carried in the hands than one carried in the boots
so we make choices
the topic is lighter scopes , not how anyone feels about their oaw problems

Jahn, good choice on a scope, though their are lighter ones )
 
Butcherbill said:
........... I deal with this constantly at work, where the average weight I’m jumping around the bush daily is probably 30lbs or more. My saw and fuel alone are near 20lbs, so oz’s don’t really do much to lighten the felt load.
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do you carry one days fuel supply or two?
 
boxhitch said:
do you carry one days fuel supply or two?
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A combi can (6L of gas, 2.25L of oil) lasts the full day if I’m bucking/processing a lot, if I’m just falling I can get a day and a half usually and will bring jet packs and top up to get me through the second day. Running a 372xpg, so 71cc saw.

We are not near the truck, at least a 30-40min quad ride to get to more fuel. So we’re packing some weight when you add saw/fuel/oil and any food/water/spare gear/saw parts (spare chain/bar/tools) we might need on the block.
 
saskgunowner101 said:
Is there any part of fat people being fat that surprises you here? You selectively quote me here and there, while actually agreeing with others who have made the same points I have. Rational and/or logical thinking appears to elude you, at least in this sense. I'm thinking we had different types of influences growing up, and tough love was not a part of yours. My father always had a way with words and he didn't mince them. He once told my pos brother "If you actually worked as hard as you do trying to get out of work, you'd be a bleeping millionaire already. He told me years ago before I climbed out of the bottle "If you worked as hard as you drink, you'd bleeping retire before me."

So as you can see, I'm a pretty mild version of him. So, to reiterate...

Shave weight off your rifle/kit, you don't need an excuse. Shave weight off your body, and don't make excuses. Don't bother arguing with me about weight loss, be honest with the guy in the mirror.
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Well said and good job dropping the bottle (it doesn't do anyone any good).
 
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