Hunting Gun Weight

[Bigpete]

Anything over 7lb is heavy. No point carrying more weight than you need,it doesn't achieve anything.

 

[Reds]

I used to drive into my elk hunting spot and used a Thompson 54 Hawkins but now we hike in and the hike to the same area is about six hours so this year I will be using my Thompson White Mountain Carbine in 50 caliber

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Weight does play a part for me, especially the older I get. AT (72) I really do not want to feel like I am on a forced march with the SAS! If a firearm weighs more than 7-9 lbs there had better be a good reason for it! My ML's are all fairly long, and have Swamped barrels which helps with weight & balance, but my "Haines .54 with a 38" Swamped, Scott Keller cut, Colerain barrel,is 7lb. 12 oz.,and easier to handle than my Lancaster.50 with a 42' Swamped, orig Sharon barrel,9lb. 2oz, every day of the week, the GPR .50 with only a 32in straight bbl is a porker at 9lb, 10 oz. and my Fowler By Brad Emig,with its 44 in Colerain barrel is lighter than the others at 7lb. 10 oz.! Go figure

 

[Rock Home Isle]

Yes, Pat McManus is my role model! I think all his story’s are about my life. Except I’m Rancid Crabtree.

I love McManus…when he released his book, “The Night the Bear Ate Gumbah”…he came through Loveland on a book signing tour. I got to meet him, shake his hand, he signed several of my books. My kids were little at the time, they had me read McManus stories to them at bedtime for the next few months…

 

[Relic shooter]

A big bore Jaeger with swamped barrel is perfect fit for those who want a light-weight rifled & well balanced hunting rifle, another rifled is a big bore English styled sporting rifle with a swamped barrel.
A french styled smoothie also fits the bill for those of us who are unable to pack heavy iron in the backwoods.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

A big bore Jaeger with swamped barrel is perfect fit for those who want a light-weight rifled & well balanced hunting rifle, another rifled is a big bore English styled sporting rifle with a swamped barrel.
A french styled smoothie also fits the bill for those of us who are unable to pack heavy iron in the backwoods.

Yes, I was thinking of a Fusil De Chase because of their smaller dimensions ,length and lighter weight!

 

[hanshi]

Mine are all light in weight coming well under 8 lbs. I could always handle - around 9 lbs or a bit more - a heavier rifle with no complaints. I have one that goes 10.5 lbs and I don't like walking the bush with that one, I had to be close to the truck. The .50 is 7 lbs & 2 oz and the heaviest .45 is 7 lbs & 11oz; those are no problem partly due to the swamped barrels.

 

[Christophero]

I've never hunted or owned a swamped barrel long rifle, but the ones that I have hefted are just plain sweet. So far my forays into the field and wood are with the usual factory offerings, such as T/C Renegade, Hawkins, White Mt Carbine, Firehawk (45 & 50 Cals), Cabela's Blue Ridge percussion in 50 Cal (long but nice to hike with. Not a bother in the woods), and the recently acquired GPR in 54. The GPR is heavier than the rest. I'll hunt with it again this coming season, Lord willing. So far go good about carrying them on a half or full day hunt. I've gotten to add slings to most, so my hands can be free when necessary, or a drag out.

That 58 swamped barrel long flinter I coveted this past Winter at a show, though, my that has me athinking.....

 

[nhmoose]

My wife the night she delivered our Son had "The Grasshopper Trap" Taken away by the head nurse.

We sure do miss him.

 

[granth]

Weight isn't even something that crosses my mind when I'm picking a gun.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Mine are all light in weight coming well under 8 lbs. I could always handle - around 9 lbs or a bit more - a heavier rifle with no complaints. I have one that goes 10.5 lbs and I don't like walking the bush with that one, I had to be close to the truck. The .50 is 7 lbs & 2 oz and the heaviest .45 is 7 lbs & 11oz; those are no problem partly due to the swamped barrels.

I find the Swamped barrel to bring out the "balance" in a rifle the best. (IMHO). Mine come up to the shoulder easily and just "hang there" nicely. I would not want to hold the position for 10 mins (LOL) but, they do balance well and the sights are right on!

 

[Eric Krewson]

I bought a postal scale the other day and weighed all my B/P guns, all the TCs weighed around 8#14oz in .50 and GM drop in .54, my 42" barrel,.54 Beck weighed about the same as a TCs, My Haines with a .54, 38" barrel weighed 7#14 oz. My Bill Large barrel gun is a .44 with a 42" 7/8" barrel and weighed 10# 6oz.

My lightest gun was a Gustomskly trade gun at 5# 13 oz, my 12ga with a 38" barrel weighs 7#13oz.

I have found that you get used to whatever you carry, The Bill Large barreled gun was my first long rifle, I hunted with it for years. At first it felt like a boat anchor but after a while the weight felt perfectly normal.

 

[bud in pa]

I have an old Pedersoli Kentucky 50 cal. flint with a 35 in. barrel. I am trying to fit a lock to it since you cant get the originals any more. I will have to weigh it now, as it seems light as a feather to me at 78 yrs. old.

 

[SOLANCO]

I haven’t weighed it. The specs say 7.05 lbs. The unmentionable I can’t afford (but want) is 6.7 lbs. The unmentionable I have says something like “This gun is sooooo light, we HAD to do something about the recoil, so we came up with the comfortech recoil reduction system.” That gun is 8 pounds. I think the marketing weighs more than the gun. And 8 pounds doesn’t seem that light to me. But it does kick far less than my cheap break open unmentionable that weighs 6.65 lbs. Honestly, I didn’t think a pound would make a big difference, but the Pedersoli is easier to carry around than my modern gun, which is a plus for me. So your 5.8 lbs. is probably quite nice, but for me, not necessary.

Follow a dog in hills all day and every pound off the weight of your gun is a great gift.
There was an author named Colin Fletcher who was an industrial strength back packer. Days or weeks on the trail on any given trek. He was fanatical about the weight of his pack. Even shaved down the handle of his tooth brush. What I learned from him was to give careful consideration to anything I am contemplating bringing on a moving hunt. Pare out all inessential gewgaws and gimcracks. But pretty much the only time you can pare weight off your gun is when you are shopping to buy it.

 

[oldwood]

Scratch built flint deer hunting long rifles for my hunting buddy , and I in the 1970's , when we were young. The deer rifles were avg. 8 lbs. , mine a .50 , and his a .58. He is now 79+ and me , 76. 'bout three yrs. ago ,scratch built both of us 7 lb. rifles w/ slings , both in .50 cal.. We don't venture back into the deep woods any longer , but the new light wt. .50's are sure nice to carry a few hundred yds. to ladder stands , on the edge of a private game preserve. Poor bambie , if he comes w/in 60 yds. , his freezer ticket gets punched , and he gets to come to dinner. Ooohh , and the meat loaf , yes!!

 

[e.estern]

I‘ve learned I prefer to tote a light rifle in the areas where I hunt. A 8-9 pound gun ends up slung on my shoulder a lot more, instead of in my hands ready for a quick shot. Over crossed sticks, which is frequently the way I set up once I get where I’m going, I do find it a more of a challenge shooting a lightweight rifle. Have to remember to brace the gun and really press it into my shoulder. It’s easy to forget that In the heat of the moment.

 

[e.estern]

Follow a dog in hills all day and every pound off the weight of your gun is a great gift.
There was an author named Colin Fletcher who was an industrial strength back packer. Days or weeks on the trail on any given trek. He was fanatical about the weight of his pack. Even shaved down the handle of his tooth brush. What I learned from him was to give careful consideration to anything I am contemplating bringing on a moving hunt. Pare out all inessential gewgaws and gimcracks. But pretty much the only time you can pare weight off your gun is when you are shopping to buy it.

I remember his book--I loved it as a teenager--very well written and inspiring. I don't go too crazy, but I keep my hunting kit as light as possible. My prefferred unmentionable firearm is around 6.5lbs loaded, including scope and sling. I have a recently acquired T/C Seneca for muzzle loader hunting which is around 6lbs. My only other muzzle loader is >9lb and I've never taken it hunting because I just don't enjoy hiking with it. The rest of my hunting kit includes a small day pack with a thermos, pruner, folding stool, drag line and usually a book. Since I tyically go out for 3-4 hours at a stretch, that's all I need.

 

[Howie1968]

i love my tc white mountain carbines 50 and 54 i own 2 lyman deerstalker .54 calibers my lyman .58 hawken is also nice to carry those are my favorites to carry

 

[SOLANCO]

Literally don't know how many guns I have. But if I am going out hunting it will be for birds and there are only two guns I would take. They are both 16 GA hammer doubles. One British and one Sauer built in the British style. IE straight grip, splinter fore end. Both are around 6.5 pounds. Both 2.5 inch chambers. Both choked cyl and improved. I have a nice 16 GA Fox, but at 8.5 pounds it is just too heavy for anything but still hunting. Two more pounds doesn't sound like much. But spend a day following dogs and it makes a difference.

I've seen guys with 3.5 inch magnum guns hunting small game. Gotta wonder what they are loaded with.

 

[Nuthatch]

Just depends on the hunt. If going in short distances for mostly stand hunting, then I don't pay any attention at all to the weight. But if I'm packing in a few miles to stay in steep country where I'll be still-hunting most of the day, then it matters a ton. How well I can shoot it still takes priority, though.

A shorter barrel is also important when it's really brushy and I have to either crawl through or even just strap the rifle to the side of my pack. 30" or so isn't too bad. 36"+ starts hitting a lot of tree branches.