This is a great article from a guy with what appears to be a ton of experience. Thought I would share. https://chuckhawks.com/rifle_weight.htm
What is the ideal weight of a hunting rifle?
- Thread starter Boniels
- Start date
That depends on what you're hunting, and from where.
I wouldn't want to stand up from the back of a range rover in Africa and shoot a 5lb 700 nitro express from the shoulder with open sights,
But I wouldn't want a 35lb 20mm anzio sized 10/22 anchor rifle with every tacticool do-dad and nightforce beast to go blast Prarie dogs eith- well, maybe actually. Nevermind I'm out.
Just get two of each, and lots of ammo and have options.
I wouldn't want to stand up from the back of a range rover in Africa and shoot a 5lb 700 nitro express from the shoulder with open sights,
But I wouldn't want a 35lb 20mm anzio sized 10/22 anchor rifle with every tacticool do-dad and nightforce beast to go blast Prarie dogs eith- well, maybe actually. Nevermind I'm out.
Just get two of each, and lots of ammo and have options.
How long is a rope?
How do you hunt? What cartridge? Are you recoil sensitive?
How do you hunt? What cartridge? Are you recoil sensitive?
Made it past the first three paragraphs of Captain Obvious article and done, wow.
That is some next level shit
That is some next level shit
So last two coyote seasons I ran 12lb 10oz gun and this is my new build dropped weight where I could. Already had the barrel or would of went with carbon barrel. This subject is completely personal preference that will depend on the stature of person, how much weight they want to carry and how far it will be carried ect. But as far as me this feels right.
How are you liking that Stockys carbon fiber stock ?
I have been considering picking one up for a Tikka but havent seen much chatter about them.
To be honest I have not shot it yet been pretty busy. But after I get a few rounds on it I can let you know. The feel of it good though. I still have to mill the forend for arca rail. I was back and forth between a couple of different light weight options but landed on the stockys to try and was a little easier on the pocket.
The best answer. So many variables involved, the user has to decide. I did vote 8-10 as it was the best for me. Another question is what are you hunting? Heck, before I left Virginia, my last outing was with a .300 BO pistol for deer, red dot using Barnes black tips. Everything well under 100 yards-if I can see it, I can hit it.
100% I’ll be honest this would probably be one of the bigger topics in hunting besides caliber and bullet selection. What would be nice is if through some data gathering we could pool together a helpful chart for this question. With the variables being: 1- how far will you be rucking. 2- how many lbs is your gear/equipment & ruck. 3-What kind of stature, weight, height, and physical fitness is the user. 4- caliber choice(per game type and distances shot). 5- supported or unsupported shooting and possible follow up shots. And I’m sure we could go deeper but I feel there could be an assisted answer or there about with this input.
The factor that matters more imo are peoples personal physique and fitness, the other factors are easy to generalize.
For me, a 10lb rifle is about my comfortable limit for any kind of western hunting where a fair amount of hiking is concerned, and in terms of it not being too heavy to swing and point at moving game off-hand, and I prefer an 8-9 lb rifle (with scope and accessories) for the job.
For varmint shooting or very limited walking a 11-12 rifle is fine, but I get tired of it after an hour or two.
We have found that a bare rifle about 6.5-7 lbs is about the lightest you can go with components that you can trust. Yes there are lighter rifles but the corners you cut are significant to repeatability.
We also guid backcountry hunts and let me tell you this, rifles clients bring that 'never have had this issue before' will have issues on these rugged excursions.
Sendero profile barrels
Bedded chassis or stocks
Quality rings
Rugged scopes.
All of those cost weight savings over some 5 lb pencil rifle.
But you could just about melt the cover off a suppressor with a good setup and still be pounding a target.
Also the shootability due to recoil is hugely impacted by stock shape.
We also guid backcountry hunts and let me tell you this, rifles clients bring that 'never have had this issue before' will have issues on these rugged excursions.
Sendero profile barrels
Bedded chassis or stocks
Quality rings
Rugged scopes.
All of those cost weight savings over some 5 lb pencil rifle.
But you could just about melt the cover off a suppressor with a good setup and still be pounding a target.
Also the shootability due to recoil is hugely impacted by stock shape.
The goal posts of this are so difficult it just becomes pointless asterisks
Plus, most people don’t actually know what their setup weighs as they hunt it anyway.
I always end up around 8.5 9.5 wet and loaded for a general do all hunting rifle
Plus, most people don’t actually know what their setup weighs as they hunt it anyway.
I always end up around 8.5 9.5 wet and loaded for a general do all hunting rifle
I’m kind of interested in hearing about the ultralight hunting rigs 6 lbs and then extreme load outs up to 11.5lbs like the Remington M2010 versions.
That is a sweet looking build. My ideal weight for a long day of hiking is around 10lbs. I’m actually doing a new build with a 300 WSM Savage 1600 in a MTD Oryx, Sig scope, and possibly going to add an Eric Cosita NextGen E2 brake, full Arca rail. Should put me at 11.2 without AICS 7 round box mags. It’s a little heavier than my ideal, but I think it will give me confidence out to 500 yards. I’m confident at 300 yards in the field.
The only thing a light rifle does better than something heavier is carry.
How fit are you?
How high are the hills?
This stuff matters.
How fit are you?
How high are the hills?
This stuff matters.
I’m hunting mule deer and elk in Utah. I’m very solid in the field at 300 yard shots and I’m wanting to be confident out past 500 yards. My build has me at 11.2 lbs now. I was trying to understand what others are carrying in these long range build outs. The military M2010 Remington is running around 11.8 at minimum. I’m carrying a lot less gear than the guys sporting that around. So I figure staying under 12 should me my goal for my 300 WSM in the MTD Oryx chassis.
My primary rifle is a 300PRC AXSR that sits at about 18-20lbs.
My other hunting rifle is a custom 6.5PRC that is about 11lbs, it carries well but is MUCH more difficult to shoot accurately off things in the field (logs, rocks, stumps, packs etc.).
I am more concerned about hitting an animal with confidence than the weight. What's worse, wounding an animal or having to sweat a bit more?
My other hunting rifle is a custom 6.5PRC that is about 11lbs, it carries well but is MUCH more difficult to shoot accurately off things in the field (logs, rocks, stumps, packs etc.).
I am more concerned about hitting an animal with confidence than the weight. What's worse, wounding an animal or having to sweat a bit more?
I'd say cartridge is far more relevant.
What bore your barrel is, doesn't matter that much.
I have a near twin to the guy you quoted. Overall I think it is a Decent stock for the money. I wasn't super impressed with the fit and finish but it is totally usable. After bedding and cleaning up some of the fitment I am happy for the price. Mine was also a blem. Whenever I have bought any blemished products I usually am not 100% sure why it was rejected. This stock was more obvious.
Nobody is running the M2010 in the military because it was a giant POS and a flop because Remington delivered the army turds. I've shot and handled an M2010 though and that weight figure is probably the base rifle figure. Fully kitted out they're like 18lbs. I've hunted with rifles like that and if you're not completely out of shape they aren't miserable to hunt with if there's not a lot of elevation and you're not covering more than a couple few miles in a day, I'd still much rather hunt with a lighter rifle though.
You are 100% correct. If I walk 100 yards from the truck to the blind, we need to make a closer spot to hide the truck. Sometimes I just sit in the truck. Click the road feeder on and off a couple times and wait.
God bless Texas.
This one is finished pretty good it was not a blem and everything went together perfect fit bottom metal and all and feeds just fine no tweaking on anything.
I like the ergos from a view but am most curious about the comb height and how it behaves under recoil and ability to stay on target as well as the grip.
The grip looks pretty skimpy to me, i have fairly large hands but not gorilla grips just not sure the grip is right for me but if the distance to the trigger is right i could live with it.
Curious to hear your input regarding ergos.
Made it past the first three paragraphs of Captain Obvious article and done, wow.
That is some next level shit
That is an amazing build. I agree with you. I’m trying to find that balance of just enough build out to gain that confidence out past 500, and still pack out what I shoot with my gear. I shot a big Muly last year and It was a beast to quarter out and pack, but it was with the same savage im rebuilding at 305 yards. There were even larger deer out to 800-1200. There’s the new build, last years kill with the stock build.
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I’m interested what you may think about the Bog Serpa Carbon tripod? Weighs only 4.1lbs. Here’s my build. Looking like 10.5 lbs, but .60 will be added when the Arca rail is added.
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If you're adding an arca rail to the bottom of your chassis, I wouldn't use a grip head on the tripod. Better off to direct mount the rifle to the tripod, and do the same with your spotter / binos.
Have never used that tripod but looking at the photos, I would try to avoid using the centre column post for elevation adjustment, the centre post induces a lot more movement by raising the centre of gravity up above the leg junction. Keep the rotating collar done up tight and use the 3 legs to adjust height of the tripod. I think a GOOD ball head on an OK tripod is better than a nasty ball head on a great tripod.
My nighttime coyote rig.11lbs loaded. ARC Nucleus in a XLR Element 4.0 Magnesium chassis w/ proof research carbon fiber barrel in 223. I could probably save a couple lbs without this heavy suppressor and thermal optic.
I stopped reading anything he wrote about 15 years ago, when I realized he didn't let the fact that he often had no idea what he was talking about keep him from writing about it.
I hunt in the Utah part of the Rocky Mountains called the Wasatch. I run a .300 WSM Savage 1600. I just ditched the factory stock, played with a MP Hunter for the 110 and got a MDT AICS SA steal box mag to feed into it without flaw. But then I watched Eric Cortina take an MDT Oryx and go from 3.5 MOA to .67 MOA. The build out is unloaded 10.6 lbs and with a 8 round mag 11.6 lbs.
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Solid advice. Thank you!!!If you're adding an arca rail to the bottom of your chassis, I wouldn't use a grip head on the tripod. Better off to direct mount the rifle to the tripod, and do the same with your spotter / binos.
Have never used that tripod but looking at the photos, I would try to avoid using the centre column post for elevation adjustment, the centre post induces a lot more movement by raising the centre of gravity up above the leg junction. Keep the rotating collar done up tight and use the 3 legs to adjust height of the tripod. I think a GOOD ball head on an OK tripod is better than a nasty ball head on a great tripod.
Truer words have never been spoken. I had my fill with him on another forum, an absolute know it all turd.
You and redneck can relax in your hatred for Chuck Hawks. Man`s been dead since August of `21.
The ideal weight of a hunting rifle is zero pounds, coupled with zero recoil lol
Chuck Hawks is ok. I like his rifle recoil table.
Chuck Hawks is ok. I like his rifle recoil table.
I have a Weatherby Mark V Ultralight in.300 Weatherby Magnum, waiting to draw my sheep tag LOL. About 6 pounds alone, maybe 8 pounds with scope and bipod. Muzzle brake makes recoil tolerable, with muffs over ear plugs. I'm pretty much deaf anyway. It will be for sale in a few years, as the sheep hunt dream fades...I know, over-sharing.
I`d agree with that. My Savage Model 12 LRPV is marketed towards varmint hunting even though it`s really a target/range gun . I guess if I had no more than 10 yards or so to walk with it it could be used for hunting varmints All up weight has got to be 12 lbs.
