- Location
- Van. Is. B.C.
Get a Husky in 9.3x62, one currently on intersurplus sku 1943 is 6.76 lbs with scope mounts. It is just a little bigger than your whelan but will do the same job.
Hunting with a Rifle you dont fancy
- Thread starter WhelanLad
- Start date
- Location
- Blaster land, Okanagan BC
ha ha, im 60kg wringing wet, my packs typically 20kg or so, 1/3 of my body weight, last thing i need is a 4kg rifle ontop of that
Just shy of 9 lbs isn’t light but it’s not that bad, but I hear you. I don’t haul around my No.4 like I used to, I still hunt with it as it’s nice in the hand regardless of its weight.
pete dobinson
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Courtenay BC.
You get spoiled after packing a kimber around lol.
There’s lots of reasons for 10 to 12 pound rifles, like knocking a buffalo to his knees, or maybe your a 1000 yard shooter and you might be in those situations but realistically do expect
To do that? One could make a case for those that expect to shoot 20 to 100 field shots per day. Thats not a Canada type of thing, but can be an OZ or NZ thing. I’m considering a two month NZ contract that would take 3 barrels to complete. Does that describe your life? Chances are carrying a rifle for a week and shooting it once is more realistic,
and that at animals that aren’t that small or that far away is more likely. For that a light
rifle that isn't a pain in the ass starts making a lot of sense.
To do that? One could make a case for those that expect to shoot 20 to 100 field shots per day. Thats not a Canada type of thing, but can be an OZ or NZ thing. I’m considering a two month NZ contract that would take 3 barrels to complete. Does that describe your life? Chances are carrying a rifle for a week and shooting it once is more realistic,
and that at animals that aren’t that small or that far away is more likely. For that a light
rifle that isn't a pain in the ass starts making a lot of sense.
I have a similar rifle that is fairly heavy and doesn't get carried much for long hikes or in steep/rough terrain. It is my custom LH Rem 700 in 338-06, and it weighs 9 lbs 11 oz scoped. They built the barrel with a heavier contour than what I requested, but as they had the custom stock inletted for the heavy barrel by the time I saw it, it was too late to change. The kicker is that it shoots and balances so well despite the weight that I am reluctant to mess with it to lighten it up (fluting the barrel and hogging out the stock.) So I use it where I am not in terrain as described above. Love the cartridge and rifle (except for the weight).
Have you considered a 358 Win in a lighter rifle? (Or a 338 Federal?)
As it may just fit your hunting style, and environments, a shorter barreled rifle in a lightweight stock might still provide you with what you are looking for and be one you do "fancy", with great on-game performance.
I have had such great experience with my BLR in 358 over the years that I finally built a LH Rem 700 in 358, to have one in a bolt action. While I did get a nice wood (AA Claro) stock for it, and as the donor had a 22" McGowan barrel, it is heavier than what you want, but a lightweight synthetic stock, and lighter contour barrel (or carbon fiber barrel) would make a lighter rig for you. With a lightweight contour barrel, you would be able to still have irons installed to fit that desire.
I did rebarrel a LH Sako 85 Finnlight II with a Wilson thin profile carbon fibre barrel in 338 Federal. The factory action and stock are not the lightest out there, but have all the features I was looking for. While you may not think that 8 lbs 6 oz is light scoped with a VX-6HD 2-12x42 illuminated B&C reticle, and a magazine full of 5 rounds of ammo...but for me it is lighter than many of my other scoped rifles with full magazines. (And I have packed it in the mountains and shot a stones sheep with it last year, but as it was a day hunt, my pack wasn't as heavy as what you typically carry during your hunts.)
As we continue to age, we usually are not getting stronger and there is a great appeal to carrying a lighter rifle.
There is a line where weight crosses the line for achieving steadiness when trying to shoot accurately with increased adrenaline levels or heavy heart rates and breathing from excitement and/or exertion in achieving reaching the desired shotlocation.
The key is achieving both desires in balance.
Hope you find yours!
Have you considered a 358 Win in a lighter rifle? (Or a 338 Federal?)
As it may just fit your hunting style, and environments, a shorter barreled rifle in a lightweight stock might still provide you with what you are looking for and be one you do "fancy", with great on-game performance.
I have had such great experience with my BLR in 358 over the years that I finally built a LH Rem 700 in 358, to have one in a bolt action. While I did get a nice wood (AA Claro) stock for it, and as the donor had a 22" McGowan barrel, it is heavier than what you want, but a lightweight synthetic stock, and lighter contour barrel (or carbon fiber barrel) would make a lighter rig for you. With a lightweight contour barrel, you would be able to still have irons installed to fit that desire.
I did rebarrel a LH Sako 85 Finnlight II with a Wilson thin profile carbon fibre barrel in 338 Federal. The factory action and stock are not the lightest out there, but have all the features I was looking for. While you may not think that 8 lbs 6 oz is light scoped with a VX-6HD 2-12x42 illuminated B&C reticle, and a magazine full of 5 rounds of ammo...but for me it is lighter than many of my other scoped rifles with full magazines. (And I have packed it in the mountains and shot a stones sheep with it last year, but as it was a day hunt, my pack wasn't as heavy as what you typically carry during your hunts.)
As we continue to age, we usually are not getting stronger and there is a great appeal to carrying a lighter rifle.
There is a line where weight crosses the line for achieving steadiness when trying to shoot accurately with increased adrenaline levels or heavy heart rates and breathing from excitement and/or exertion in achieving reaching the desired shotlocation.
The key is achieving both desires in balance.
Hope you find yours!
WhelenLad, maybe it is time for you to build. I was watching one of your videos and seeing the hill country in your stomping grounds, you would love my build. Rem700 stainless receiver. KS Arms barrel, 22", number 2 taper, 1:12" twist, and target crown. Timney Elite trigger. McmIllan Edge stock. Swarovski Z3 3-10 with BRH reticle.
Easy to carry for several days. Amazing accuracy with anything from 200 to 250 grains. Recoil is manageable, even in the light stock and the expected big hit on game.
Easy to carry for several days. Amazing accuracy with anything from 200 to 250 grains. Recoil is manageable, even in the light stock and the expected big hit on game.
Same with this guy.. if it’s not sentimental, it moves along.
Especially when all the bases are already covered
If I don't really like a firearm, I don't keep it. And if I don't use it a lot , I don't keep it. A few years ago, I did a once over in my gun room, that resulted in 30+ firearms being sold, because they just weren't getting enough use. Now I am actually down to about 20 firearms , but they are all firearms that I really enjoy using. Ironically my total investment didn't get reduced all that much, because I used the cash from the sales, to purchase a few firearms that I really wanted, and that were more expensive.
Anyone find that some guns just don’t seem lucky? I’ve had rifles that nothing was wrong with, but nothing good ever seemed to happen when I was carrying them. Its not scientific, but it gets in the back of your mind when you’re choosing what rifle to take hunting. They tend to stay home; while a favorite gets scooped up to make new memories the other stays home gaining nothing.
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Yep, worse I even know what makes a gun unlucky, but I won’t admit it anywhere but round a steaming sodden pile of wood that stinks of gas in Grizz country. And I’ve had a few that never shot quite right… more than good enough for what you were doing, but it still leaves that nagging ‘less than perfect’ that eats at your level of satisfaction. Apparently the problem can be medicated, I just always grab one of the rifles I’m better friends with instead.
Yeah we talked a lot around that campfire we couldn’t get lit with gas. Salt bags for seats. It isn’t the first time I’ve switched rifles to change my luck, in that case from a M70 375 to a Corlane rifle in 300 RUM. It even made it quit raining; thats the power of lucky rifles. Grizzly never had a chance
Ardent
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I can’t argue with science, witnessed the experiment and results first hand. When the RUM came out, the river dropped six feet overnight leaving the boat high and dry.
Maybe we need to keep an unlucky one or two around to tie up the bad luck, like the zincs on a boat.
Maybe we need to keep an unlucky one or two around to tie up the bad luck, like the zincs on a boat.
I have a purrdy Brno 21H that marks all the ticks.
No luck with packing that thing of beauty around.
Paw's ol S & L is blessed.
Bit on the piggy side, but does what tizz asked.
I too agree with Doglegs theory of campfire bliss.
No luck with packing that thing of beauty around.
Paw's ol S & L is blessed.
Bit on the piggy side, but does what tizz asked.
I too agree with Doglegs theory of campfire bliss.
I have a howa ultralight in carbon stock and feels like a cheap pos imo. I handled a Kimber Montana once and loved how solid it felt, would be much happier with one of those. Another lightweight I had that felt amazing was a blaser k95 single shot, it was around 5.5 lbs with the scope mount off and had 24" iron sights but still only 40" long and slim like old 20 gauge single shot shotgun is closest relation imo, with perfect one hand under belly carry, it was a sheep hunters bestie imo, and for packing through our parks and corridors where we have to be enclosed encased, it just took down and stuffed in the pack. You could take scope on and off between shots and still shoot same size groups (moa or less) as if the scope was never taken off...and never did change poi after a few years of hunts/safe sits etc. It's nice when loaded down with sheep to leave the scope in the pack and just one hand the 5.5lb iron sight perfect balance rig. It's also nice in the kifaru gun bearer like most things are while using the hiking poles but you prefer it in hand when the poles aren't needed, feels incredible. Just wish they made stuff like that k95 in stainless synthetics. End of day I do like a repeater more so...
I just picked up a 40" long sako 90 peak in 308 before last season that went actual 5 lb 10 oz on my scale that I'm pretty in love with but haven't drug it around much yet...one deer only so far. But it's about as perfect a rifle as I have seen yet and far more about it than the chambering. They do 'demand perfection' lol. I do look forward to carrying it though, the price says I better like it! In the end I have come to prefer my finished 'light' rifles to land from 7-7.5 lbs. Many reasons for that, including the carry and feel considerations but shoot considerations also.
Love the ruger Hawkeye hunter 308 but all of them do start out pretty heavy compared to the other options discussed here so looking like ruger is out of this game.
And x1000 that the least used thing you pack around is your rifle so weight is important if living off your back and your feet hunting lol. Find the balance that works for you in terms of shoot ability, weight, carry/feel, pride of ownership etc. It's easy...that's why we all do it, over and over and over again lol
I just picked up a 40" long sako 90 peak in 308 before last season that went actual 5 lb 10 oz on my scale that I'm pretty in love with but haven't drug it around much yet...one deer only so far. But it's about as perfect a rifle as I have seen yet and far more about it than the chambering. They do 'demand perfection' lol. I do look forward to carrying it though, the price says I better like it! In the end I have come to prefer my finished 'light' rifles to land from 7-7.5 lbs. Many reasons for that, including the carry and feel considerations but shoot considerations also.
Love the ruger Hawkeye hunter 308 but all of them do start out pretty heavy compared to the other options discussed here so looking like ruger is out of this game.
And x1000 that the least used thing you pack around is your rifle so weight is important if living off your back and your feet hunting lol. Find the balance that works for you in terms of shoot ability, weight, carry/feel, pride of ownership etc. It's easy...that's why we all do it, over and over and over again lol
yeah there is a "Vibe" when comin to picking the rifle for the hunt hey!
i def feel it, but some i Want to feel it but maybe its not there, then about 4 hours later im cursing.
