Eberlestock gunrunner daypack

[Timberjack]

Hey guys. Was looking at the gunrunner pack as an option for a coastal BT daypack as it would make pulling a BT out of the bush easier with the rifle in the scabbard. Also thought it could be useful for dayhunts into MV closed areas where we ride our bikes in daily. Thoughts?

I’m a little worried that when the pack is full but no rifle in the scabbard that things will flop around a lot. There don’t seem to be a lot of straps to snug things up. Anyone have any experience with these packs?

TJ

[jimmy56]

I bought one last year and used it on a mule deer hunt. I used it on the quad and to pack my heavy 338 sako kodiak around instead of packing on my shoulder. I liked it so much I bought a second one for my son. Warriors and wonder in Vancouver has the best price and I got them delivered to the island in a couple of days.

[swampthing]

I run one and it works well. Its just the opposite of what you thought about flopping around. It flops around more with a rifle in it. This depends on the size of your rifle. With a smaller rifle in it, its pretty secure. I tried my big weatherby accumark which weighs about 11lbs and is a long rifle. Doesnt work with that. Room wise its not to bad. I added 2 hip pouches and another pouch to the molle webbing on the bottom of the pack. You wont be carrying a deer in the pack. I think its a decent unit and mine gets used. If you think you need more room look to eberlestocks X2 pack.

[Timberjack]

Thanks for the advice. No issue with things flopping around when no gun in the scabbard?

[Timberjack]

I run one and it works well. Its just the opposite of what you thought about flopping around. It flops around more with a rifle in it. This depends on the size of your rifle. With a smaller rifle in it, its pretty secure. I tried my big weatherby accumark which weighs about 11lbs and is a long rifle. Doesnt work with that. Room wise its not to bad. I added 2 hip pouches and another pouch to the molle webbing on the bottom of the pack. You wont be carrying a deer in the pack. I think its a decent unit and mine gets used. If you think you need more room look to eberlestocks X2 pack.

Nice. That’s good advice. I run an open sighted 30-30 for timber hunting black tails and a Kimber Montana short action much of the time. Should work.

TJ

[exv]

Hey Timberjack .. busted out my old gunrunner and took it for a rip on my dirt bike to pickup some tools, figured I'd take a peek at er and give you my quick thoughts.

It's a nice pack, quality construction .. don't see why it couldnt last a lifetime of casual use. Its small and light, with decent hip straps for the packs size. A great pack for a casual atv trips with friends and family or maybe a afternoon hike up to a lake with a small fishing pole. I can't see using as a hunting pack though, it has some serious points to consider that I didn't when I bought this pack.

It's small, not only in capacity buy frame size. Forget packing a deer with it. There isnt enough capacity and the small internal frame is just isn't up to snuff for a task like that. Not saying you couldn't just go full on new zealand style and throw bambi over your shoulders and get on with it thou ... hehe. Seriously thou, it doesn't have load lifters .. that's a minimum for packing in my mind. I didn't know what load lifters where when I bought this pack ... wish I did though. The scabbard design seems awesome, it's not. It makes a 2" pocket of slack so what ever you carry can't be stapped tight to the frame .. you would never be able to draw the gun out if you could strap the pack tight. The scabbard drops directly below your rear end and gets in the way if your riding a bike or anything really. Plus it's clumsy to draw out of .. Not realistic for spot and stalk like I originally thought I'm sure. I put 2 cordless drilled and around 6 or 7 batteries and 2 chargers in the pack (a decent load but not heavy 20lbs maybe??) with no rifle. Specifically tried to strap it tight as possible to test out your concern .. it's a floppy unit.

I'm not trying to bash the pack, it's a decent pack. I could see myself using it more actually now that I see it. Just not as a hunting pack I intend on packing game with. I run a mystery ranch Metcalf for reference, but that's a huge investment. Since I already own the pack and it's paid for I'm honesty pretty happy with it but there are waaaay better options for your hard earned $$. Don't get hung up on eberlestock ... There bigger packs like the Dragonfly are heavy, lack good lifters and are big $$$ .. they are tough thou!.

Consider an external frame for packing game? ... washing blood out of a 500$ fabric pack bag is over rated. Just my 2 cents.

[swampthing]

Thanks for the advice. No issue with things flopping around when no gun in the scabbard?

No flopping around. With your gun choices it should be fine.

[HarryToolips]

I can't speak for the gunrunner daypack, but I do own theEberlestock F1 mainframe with the Little Big Top and a J2DB drybag... whole unit works well for me, the dry bag only used when I'm going with gear that I'm going to be camping with, ie extended mountain hunt...I can debone an entire deer and have it in a cheesecloth bag, then put it on the mainframe and between the mainframe and the Littlebigtop bag..sinch it hard and away you go...what has also worked well for me is, bring a ratchet strap or two, for the minuscule weight it's worth it, use them for extra sinching force to get that weight as close to your core as possible...I haven't had to do this with my current setup however, as the straps on the F1 mainframe and the little big top are sufficient...

[HarryToolips]

Here's a pic of the pack the way I brought it off the mountain with a buck last season - meat still on it, as you can see, I was able to sinch it hard enough that the width is barely noticeable, as in keep the weight close to my core - I recommend this setup, and just strap your rifle across the top, or put it in one of the side pockets if your not packing a spotting scope (though that can be difficult if your sinching the pack around the meat hard)..

http://i.imgur.com/L7qWncG.jpg (https://imgur.com/L7qWncG)

[Timberjack]

Hey Timberjack .. busted out my old gunrunner and took it for a rip on my dirt bike to pickup some tools, figured I'd take a peek at er and give you my quick thoughts.

It's a nice pack, quality construction .. don't see why it couldnt last a lifetime of casual use. Its small and light, with decent hip straps for the packs size. A great pack for a casual atv trips with friends and family or maybe a afternoon hike up to a lake with a small fishing pole. I can't see using as a hunting pack though, it has some serious points to consider that I didn't when I bought this pack.

It's small, not only in capacity buy frame size. Forget packing a deer with it. There isnt enough capacity and the small internal frame is just isn't up to snuff for a task like that. Not saying you couldn't just go full on new zealand style and throw bambi over your shoulders and get on with it thou ... hehe. Seriously thou, it doesn't have load lifters .. that's a minimum for packing in my mind. I didn't know what load lifters where when I bought this pack ... wish I did though. The scabbard design seems awesome, it's not. It makes a 2" pocket of slack so what ever you carry can't be stapped tight to the frame .. you would never be able to draw the gun out if you could strap the pack tight. The scabbard drops directly below your rear end and gets in the way if your riding a bike or anything really. Plus it's clumsy to draw out of .. Not realistic for spot and stalk like I originally thought I'm sure. I put 2 cordless drilled and around 6 or 7 batteries and 2 chargers in the pack (a decent load but not heavy 20lbs maybe??) with no rifle. Specifically tried to strap it tight as possible to test out your concern .. it's a floppy unit.

I'm not trying to bash the pack, it's a decent pack. I could see myself using it more actually now that I see it. Just not as a hunting pack I intend on packing game with. I run a mystery ranch Metcalf for reference, but that's a huge investment. Since I already own the pack and it's paid for I'm honesty pretty happy with it but there are waaaay better options for your hard earned $$. Don't get hung up on eberlestock ... There bigger packs like the Dragonfly are heavy, lack good lifters and are big $$$ .. they are tough thou!.

Consider an external frame for packing game? ... washing blood out of a 500$ fabric pack bag is over rated. Just my 2 cents.

Thanks so much for the insight. I certainly do not intend to pack game with it, but was just hoping to be able to climb through rough spots in the thick coastal forests hands free. And also a spot to stuff the rifle when dragging out an island buck.

I’ll have to check them out a bit further on the floppiness front

[Timberjack]

I can't speak for the gunrunner daypack, but I do own theEberlestock F1 mainframe with the Little Big Top and a J2DB drybag... whole unit works well for me, the dry bag only used when I'm going with gear that I'm going to be camping with, ie extended mountain hunt...I can debone an entire deer and have it in a cheesecloth bag, then put it on the mainframe and between the mainframe and the Littlebigtop bag..sinch it hard and away you go...what has also worked well for me is, bring a ratchet strap or two, for the minuscule weight it's worth it, use them for extra sinching force to get that weight as close to your core as possible...I haven't had to do this with my current setup however, as the straps on the F1 mainframe and the little big top are sufficient...


Thanks. I’ll have to check those out.

[Lionhill]

Buy the rain cover. Camo on one side, and blaze on the other. Saved me a few times in big down pours, and make a dry place to sit when the occasion calls for it. I have been beating my almost daily for 6 years - one one small buckle has broke.

As stated, one your rifle is in the scabbard, it stays put. Have carried some heavy guns too, much better than being on your single shoulder.

Awesome packs.