How heavy would you go?

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MartyK2500

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I feel like assembling a coyote/deer short range/mid range hybrid rifle.
I spec’d all my components and scope included I arrive at 10lbs 2oz.

What weight would be your max, scope included, for many KM hike and shorter (50-100) offhand shots?
 
8 lbs, all in, would be a nice comfortable weight for a non-magnum. My two favourite rifles are considerably heavier, and I resent the extra weight. On the other hand, I have a .30/06 that weighs 7 lb 6 oz scoped, and it's rather unpleasant to fire from the bench. Nice to carry though.
 
I think a 7.5#, 257 Roberts would fit the bill.
Or anything in that caliber range, 243, 25, 6.5 in that weight of a rifle would suit me.
I have a Ruger American Compact just over that weight and it's easy to carry on extended walks.

David
 
Possibility is endless. Bore .243 through say .264. Lots of non magnum chamberings lighter than your specs.

How far are your shots, thats going to determine magnification/weight. No need for a ything longer than say 24" barrel, and deer and predator hunting is not high volume. Say a 24" light contour. Add a $50 recoil pad.

How about a Tikka T3 in 260 rem, or if they chamber 6.5 creedmore. Decent scope, under 9lbs.
 
10 pounds is heavy. If it was my set up..I would go as light as possible..7.5-8 with scope. A 22-250 will be my choice. It’s more than enough for coyote..even a .223 will do...
 
I am revising my setup, I really want to reuse scope and rings I have sitting on a shelf, NF NXS 3.5-15x50mm mil/mil scope with ARC M10 xtra low rings.
Under 500M I know my drops off my head for 6.5/7.62 cals in general.

Barrel will be an IBI CF savage small shank prefit, most likely in 6.5x47L.

Action and stock is a debate.
Either Bighorn origine with a Manners MCS-T stock,
Or savage 10 in plastic accustock (and save 1.5lbs + 2.5K)

As far as critter killin, with my caliber I’d be comfortable shooting deer under 450-500 and yotes under 700-800.
On private land I am getting very familiar shooting a 12’’ gong at 600M in improvised and hard shooting positions lately
 
My Ruger American Ranch is a little over 7lbs with optic, fills that bill perfectly, but some days i wish is was sub 7lbs, even though right now it balances perfectly.
 
I have an older BLR in a varmint caliber and I specifically seeked out the lightest scope of good quality.
I am a hair over 8 lbs no ammo but scope/sling included.
This is a little heavier than I desired.
A pound lighter would be my own ideal for a walking around coyote escopeta.
 
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Howa Mini or CZ 527 in 6.5 Grendel. Light, enough power for deer, mild shooter.

Not sure what my mini weighs but it’s light..
 
10# is waaaaay too heavy. You'll never use a rifle that weighs that much for hunting more than once.

I had a 700 built up to a 6CM this year. With a 24" sporter contour bbl in a Grayboe Outlander and topped with a VXIII 4.5x14, weighs a tad under 8#. That's light enough to carry whilst still being a steady gun. One could cut off a couple inches and use a lighter scope and get it lighter still.

It's too bad Tikka wouldn't offer the T3 243 in a fast twist. Probably be a good seller.
 
Wow ten pounds is heavy.

The only rilfes i have that weight that are an Fclass and some mill surplus

My 460 weatherby weights 8.5 pounds and my 500 jeffery weights 9.5 pounds.

My 375h&h is heavy at 9.5 pounds.

7 pounds is a good weight for a rifle you plan to hike with. IMPO
 
By using a Savage 10 with accustock, and CF wrapped prefit, I am presuming I could manage 8 pounds all in.
I want a close range/600M hybrid if there is such a thing.
And for having used my buddies ultralight 270wsm with a non adjustable turret scope on a steel plate, I’d never shoot on a critter with such a setup at such distance, even if it’s a hated yote I want a certain amount of clean kill percentage.

I could go out of 6.5x47L, and it’s got a flip side.
A. Am very well equipped with over 500 brass casings and 27lbs of powder,
B. Not offered as a factory gun
 
10 plus pound rifles are specialty pieces or should be. If you arent shooting tiny targets at long range , normal targets at extreme range, or animals that simply should be hit as hard as possible, as close as possible then what do want to carry a heavy and/or clumsy rifle for?

Theres a reason why most hunting rifles are (more or less) between 7 and 9 pounds, between 6 and 7.5 mm, have a scope somewhere between 3 and 9 (and everything in between), and have a barrel between 22 and 26”.

The. reason being; general purpose huntng rifles are made to carry a lot and shoot a little. The little it will be shot is at animals that arent that tiny or huge, or dangerous, or tough, and more than likeiy not very far away.

If you stray very far from the general gun specs at the top, then you should be able to point at something special about your use.
 
Going to chime in on this one - my dedicated Coyote rifle started as a Tikka T3 204 Ruger I will be replacing the sporter barrel with a lighter sporter barrel (HW Precision) have a reamer from Pacific Tool and Gauge on its way - going to be SAMMI specs. I am trying to get my set up at or below 6 pounds. As for the lighter barrel heating up is no concern for me since I am not shooting bench rest with it. Once, I have dialed in a load (3700 fps) using 35 grain bergers - I will get a dial made up for my Leupold good out to 500 yards. My plan is to zap a coyote within this range - one shot per coyote. I do believe that the heavier you go the more tedious it is to carry and point.
 
Brutus said:
I have an older BLR in a varmint caliber and I specifically seeked out the lightest scope of good quality.
I am a hair over 8 lbs no ammo but scope/sling included.
This is a little heavier than I desired.
A pound lighter would be my own ideal for a walking around coyote escopeta.
Click to expand...

Yeah for a "walk around" kind of rifle, I'd be happy with a BLR in .243 and a compact 2-7x or something in that region. Light enough to walk comfortably, short enough to be handy, enough power to reach out a ways if needed, can do double duty for whitetails, won't kick much.
 
My hunting rifle is over 10 pounds. I carry it up and down mountains all day. Used to carry a belt fed machine gun that weighed twice that twenty years ago. Unless you're a sheep hunter a few pounds isn't a big deal. I like to think a heavy rifle is part of my workout routine. The more you carry it the easier it gets. Guys that only carry a rifle one week a year are going to complain about weight. Just take your rifle for walks as often as you can, she deserves it
 
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