Hunting High Up

[jhjimbo]

If you do hunt high up check out the Weatherby Bsckcountry line. The Mark V is the Cadillac and is still reasonable at around $2500. I have two but have taken them out of original wood and put them in synthetic. Both carry well, (24" barrel in left hand) and shoot even better. Mark V (weatherby.com)
Check out their new recoil management system and how it functons.

[DakotaMan]

Light rifles are certainly nice in the places where the ground is usually on a 60 degree angle. I use a Mark V Featherweight that weighs just 5 pounds. I'm just finishing several custom long range builds for a friend and his wife. They all have titanium actions, light synthetic stocks and 26" Proof Research carbon fiber Sendero contour barrels. They all shoot with amazing accuracy to 1000 yards or so and weigh under 7 pounds. They are chambered in 6.5 PRC, 25-06 AI and 25 WSSM. The 25 caliber barrels have a 7.5 twist rather than the old fashioned 10 twist so they can shoot the new 131g to 135g bullets. Light rifles, light recoil and deadly fast.

[jhjimbo]

Light rifles are certainly nice in the places where the ground is usually on a 60 degree angle. I use a Mark V Featherweight that weighs just 5 pounds. I'm just finishing several custom long range builds for a friend and his wife. They all have titanium actions, light synthetic stocks and 26" Proof Research carbon fiber Sendero contour barrels. They all shoot with amazing accuracy to 1000 yards or so and weigh under 7 pounds. They are chambered in 6.5 PRC, 25-06 AI and 25 WSSM. The 25 caliber barrels have a 7.5 twist rather than the old fashioned 10 twist so they can shoot the new 131g to 135g bullets. Light rifles, light recoil and deadly fast.

Weatherby ad said the magnums weigh under 5lbs.

[DakotaMan]

It's a trade off jimbo. The question is do you want "accuracy" or do you want "ultra light weight"?. The only way to get to 5 pounds is to use a really skinny barrel because that is where all the weight is. My Mark V feather weight started out shooting around 3" groups at 100 yards; and that was after a year of load optimization. When I talked to Weatherby about their 1.5 MOA guarantee with their ammo, they said "Not on the ultra-light rifles". I tinkered on it with various bedding techniques for 2 years and now it shoots well enough to shoot a deer pretty well at 200 yards. I won't shoot it at ranges beyond that and it remains the least accurate rifle I have ever owned. I keep it for sentimental reasons and it sure is easy to carry in the mountains.

The custom rifles I mentioned are capable of shooting deer at 1000 yards (if you are capable) and pretty well shoot with bench rest precision and top velocity for the cartridge. The 25-06 AI shoots about the same as the .257 Wby with less powder and higher precision. The long Sendero barrels would normally weigh about 5 pounds whereas the carbon fiber barrels are about half that with great precision.

[jhjimbo]

I don't know what their accuracy claim is for the BackCountry models, have to ask. Also not sure what calibers they are in.

[jhjimbo]

Here is the description of one model. The new recoil pad is interesting but, I would have taken it one step farther and had an air system where recoil actually expelled air at a controlled rate - maybe adjustable for caliber. After a shot the chamber would naturally return to it's resting condition. Similar to what you see on the back of work crew trucks on the expressway that when hit in the back expell copious amounts of water to absorbe the shock. Mark V® Backcountry 2.0 Carbon (weatherby.com)

[Ernie]

I agree with DM, in that it needs to be both accurate and lightweight.
Part of it depends on the capability of the hunter in field conditions with field rests to put the bullet where it belongs.
When you consider that, then the accuracy needs may not need to be a big issue😁
That last rifle is a nice looking rig Jim.
Like the looks of the recoil pad.
I did an article on lightweight rifles for Eastman's, and was sent one of PROOF Research's rifles in 7mm Rem Mag. It shot lights out!

Can I just say, I am not a fan of brakes that have holes in the bottom...
For hunting, it is not a big pain, but I don't like getting debris (sand/dirt/etc...) kicked up into my gun and face when I practice.
Laziness on the part of manufacturer, since they don't have to time a brake.
I think I have two guns that have ports all the way around.
One is a benchrest rig
The other was to keep the lines looking clean on my old school Dominator.
I wished I had chosen function over form now, but I still like the looks better.
Sometimes I don't even follow my own advice...

[rock rat]

I am always above 8K and cover 10 miles a day minimum. Not real concerned with weight, don't carry a rifle when humping out elk quarters.

[fitch270]

I am always above 8K and cover 10 miles a day minimum. Not real concerned with weight, don't carry a rifle when humping out elk quarters.

10 miles minimum?

https://answers.fieldandstream.com/f...r-another-year

[jhjimbo]

It's a trade off jimbo. The question is do you want "accuracy" or do you want "ultra light weight"?. The only way to get to 5 pounds is to use a really skinny barrel because that is where all the weight is. My Mark V feather weight started out shooting around 3" groups at 100 yards; and that was after a year of load optimization. When I talked to Weatherby about their 1.5 MOA guarantee with their ammo, they said "Not on the ultra-light rifles". I tinkered on it with various bedding techniques for 2 years and now it shoots well enough to shoot a deer pretty well at 200 yards. I won't shoot it at ranges beyond that and it remains the least accurate rifle I have ever owned. I keep it for sentimental reasons and it sure is easy to carry in the mountains.

The custom rifles I mentioned are capable of shooting deer at 1000 yards (if you are capable) and pretty well shoot with bench rest precision and top velocity for the cartridge. The 25-06 AI shoots about the same as the .257 Wby with less powder and higher precision. The long Sendero barrels would normally weigh about 5 pounds whereas the carbon fiber barrels are about half that with great precision.

I have had some rifles (some very expensive) with skinny barrels and when you only need one shot who cares ?

[Ernie]

I have never walked 10 miles a day or more on average when hunting in the mountains for a 5-7 day hunt. I have in the plains, but never in the mountains. Unless one has horses or mules, most people do not walk 10 miles or more a day when hunting between 8-10 thousand feet elevation.
Some might, but most do not.

[jhjimbo]

I don't follow, what pencil barrels ?

[Ernie]

I don't follow, what pencil barrels ?

He is referring to the Weatherby rifles...
His point ( At least this is what I think he is saying), is his Ruger is lightweight, shoots great, and is at a 1/5 of the cost

[jhjimbo]

He is referring to the Weatherby rifles...
His point ( At least this is what I think he is saying), is his Ruger is lightweight, shoots great, and is at a 1/5 of the cost

O.K. I just thought a lot of rifle companies can use any weight barrel they want. I have a Steyer Mannllicher I would not want to shoot 3 or 4 or more times at a target.

[Ernie]

My Mark V feather weight started out shooting around 3" groups at 100 yards; and that was after a year of load optimization. When I talked to Weatherby about their 1.5 MOA guarantee with their ammo, they said "Not on the ultra-light rifles". I tinkered on it with various bedding techniques for 2 years and now it shoots well enough to shoot a deer pretty well at 200 yards. I won't shoot it at ranges beyond that and it remains the least accurate rifle I have ever owned. I keep it for sentimental reasons and it sure is easy to carry in the mountains.

I wouldn't have even kept it as is, not matter what the brand, unless it was part of my dad's collection or something like that.
You are a more patient man than I am in this area.
My revolvers do better than 3" at 100 yards.
They actually do better than 2" at 100 yards.
Several of them even do better than 2" at 100 yards.
Even 2" is a large group for three of them at 100 yards
In a rifle I would rather have a little heavier barrel that was shorter, and get great accuracy, because what is the big deal in a couple of extra clicks...