sheep pack weight ?????

[Lastcar]

The 2 places on equipment I could lose weight is the Cabelas pack is stoopid heavy...and my rifle is too heavy..but very accurate...tradeoff..

Cruising through this thread a few days before SR80 and take off for an overnighter to see if we can track down a bear and mostly to test out a bunch of new lighter weight gear.

Steve Renella said the same thing on his podcast. Both he and his brother carry heavy rifles on their back pack hunts including goat and sheep. Steve is at 9ish lbs and his brother at 11lbs. He says what matters is that when they lay them over their packs to take that shot, they know exactly what is going to happen. Where that bullet is going to go and what the outcome is going to be 99% of the time. A dead critter.

For that he says the weight of their rifles is worth every ounce.

I'll get some pics up when we get back of the new gear along with some thoughts.

[bigwhiteys]

Steve Renella said the same thing on his podcast. Both he and his brother carry heavy rifles on their back pack hunts including goat and sheep. Steve is at 9ish lbs and his brother at 11lbs. He says what matters is that when they lay them over their packs to take that shot, they know exactly what is going to happen. Where that bullet is going to go and what the outcome is going to be 99% of the time. A dead critter.

5lb, 6lb, 7lb or 8lb gun if you practice with it there shouldn't be any worry about where the bullet is going to go. Guns though, are an expensive item to shave weight from. I found my biggest weight savings came from switching to a down sleeping bag. That dropped nearly 2lbs off my pack.

My pack is around 56-62 lbs with rifle.

[BgBlkDg]

Carl is 110% right here, the balance of and practice with any rifle is what really matters in terms of accurate shots at game in the mountains.

The other issue here is that NO ONE knows that every shot will hit where they wish with ANY weight of rifle.

I have carried rifles in the BC and Alberta mountains that weighed between 10.5 and just over 6 lbs. and the major issue was/is to practice with what you choose. I like my mountain rifles between 6ish to 7.5 lbs. and even my Dakota .338s are about 8.5 or less, depending on what scopes I am using.

Every gram counts in alpine hunting and I prefer to carry more weight in first aid and emerg.gear and less in my rifle, YMMV, of course.

[Lastcar]

5lb, 6lb, 7lb or 8lb gun if you practice with it there shouldn't be any worry about where the bullet is going to go. Guns though, are an expensive item to shave weight from. I found my biggest weight savings came from switching to a down sleeping bag. That dropped nearly 2lbs off my pack.

My pack is around 56-62 lbs with rifle.

I think his point was that they are very comfortable with their guns due to practice and experience. Despite trying lighter guns they come back to the heavier ones for the reasons you mention.

Mine is 6.8lbs and has taken some getting used to. So your preaching to the choir on saving weight.

[Lastcar]

Carl is 110% right here, the balance of and practice with any rifle is what really matters in terms of accurate shots at game in the mountains.

The other issue here is that NO ONE knows that every shot will hit where they wish with ANY weight of rifle.

I have carried rifles in the BC and Alberta mountains that weighed between 10.5 and just over 6 lbs. and the major issue was/is to practice with what you choose. I like my mountain rifles between 6ish to 7.5 lbs. and even my Dakota .338s are about 8.5 or less, depending on what scopes I am using.

Every gram counts in alpine hunting and I prefer to carry more weight in first aid and emerg.gear and less in my rifle, YMMV, of course.

Oh, you're back? Well then...

[BgBlkDg]

I have been here all along and my comments are intended to assist others; they are based on experience and you are free to ignore me.

That way, the wrath of Gatehouse shall not be inflicted on this thread to the detriment of all concerned.

[.264winmag]

I like a bit more weight to my rifles, even in the mountains. My rig is just over 11# scoped. Pretty confident with it, I know where that bullet where hit when I decide squeeze. It's a proven fact that heavier rifles shoot more consistently. Not to say a lightweight rifle won't shoot plenty well enough either. I'm sure I'll tire of packing that rig around someday.

[BgBlkDg]

No question, but, you have the realtime field experience to make such a decision as does Carl and so do I. I will bet tho, that when you get close to my age, the ULs like my custom Remmy STS Seven, 7-08, built by Mick McPhee and Mitch Kendall, as Mitchs personal sheep rifle, are a LOT easier to pack.

The Kimber MA-.280AI I bought in May, shot last Friday, with book max. 160 NPs is just incredible, three of five groups under moa at 100 and that in windy conditions...NO feeding, etc. issues.

I cannot praise these enough, for the cost, they are a h*ll of a rifle.

[.264winmag]

Like the looks and feel of the light Kimber MA for sure! When I think lightweight I think short action though. Adirondack in 6.5CM has my eye, 1/2# lighter than MA.
Back to sheep pack weight etc., my heavy smoke pole carries quite nice in the stone glacier weapon sling. I feel this is key to pack any weight rifle comfortably and handy. Never found the balance good if rifle is strapped to pack.

[Cordillera]

Ok. How about bipods? Are they worth the extra weight? I have found one very handy for caribou and goats where there was a little brush or grass, and a pack was not tall enough to get above them. For sheep I am thinking it will likely be above the brush so I could drop the weight. Let's hear your experience on this one.