precision_shooter
New member
As long as you use equipment that can make an ethical kill at your given huntong distance and you are capable of using said equipment to its capabilities, distance is only a variable in trajectory.
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Building/buying a back country /backpacking hunting rifle
- Thread starter KMSW831
- Start date
.308 Mossberg Scout rifle:
6lbs, 13ounces out of the box; 16.1" barrel; synthetic stock; sturdy iron sights (ghost ring rear+fiber optic frt); 13" of rail for mounting a RDS or scout scope, or a traditional over-receiver scope.
Runs on either M1A mags or Magpul polymer 7.62/SR-25 mags.
Perfect 'beater' rifle for 'backcountry backpacking' and short-range brush or woods hunting.
All you need to do is add a sling and choose an optic, if you want to mount one.
6lbs, 13ounces out of the box; 16.1" barrel; synthetic stock; sturdy iron sights (ghost ring rear+fiber optic frt); 13" of rail for mounting a RDS or scout scope, or a traditional over-receiver scope.
Runs on either M1A mags or Magpul polymer 7.62/SR-25 mags.
Perfect 'beater' rifle for 'backcountry backpacking' and short-range brush or woods hunting.
All you need to do is add a sling and choose an optic, if you want to mount one.
Don Fischer
New member
I've never really been a back pack hunter but did used to walk into some stuff that after getting there hoped I wouldn't find anything to shoot. Had my all time favorite hunting rifle in those days. 308W in a Mod 66 Remington. Had a 20" barrel and the barrel wasn't a bull barrel but close! Carrying it was no problem at all and it was one of the best shooting rifles I ever owned. I thing people go over board a bit looking for the light rifle. They want something 6lbs or less. Might carry nice but, for me, doesn't hold well or track well. Just to short and light. Today the rifle's I might carry in if I went in again, old knee's! Would have a 22" barrel and weight a min of 7lbs. Yea it's because I've got a few like that and really like them!
If I were to buy one, I think I'd just buy this:
http://www.browning.com/products/fi...duction/blr-lightweight-with-pistol-grip.html
BLR in 7-08. Mount as Leupold Scout Scope and put on a sling. This is a take-down rifle. For back country use there are times when being able to put the gun in a back pack is nice. I have had a few come through my shop and have been impressed with the level of accuracy I have seen from them. My only gripe is that the trigger pulls are mushy, but I have shot enough military rifles for over 50 years that I can get used to the trigger pretty easily.
Now, if I were to build one I would start with a Small Ring Mauser. 98s are hard to get but I have done plenty of these on 95s and 95s too. I polish up the action until it very smooth, convert them to cock on opening, drill and tap for scope mounts (if any) true the action, install a very slender barrel and head-space. I and then disassemble it and case harden the receiver. I then install a backing plate to the very front of the receiver and turn back a shoulder on the barrel shank to install a 1/4" plate that indexes to the backing plate. I make a take down lever or install a set of take down screws. Now I stock the rifle in 2 pieces cut from the same blank, and slim the whole rifle down to the styling and contours of the early shape of classic arms. I try to get the rifle down to about 6.3 pounds When you add a scope base, rings and a compact scope the gun cubes up to about 7 pounds field ready. In this kind of rifle I usually just use a standard Mauser cartridge. 6.5X55 and 7X57 have been the most popular. 8X57 is excellent, but in a 7 pound rifle they can kick a bit. When you get to the 8MM, 9MM, 9.3mm and 9.5MM is wise to use a heavier barrel unless you are someone who doesn't notice recoil at all. Such compact take down rifles are more user friendly when they gain a bit of weight. My own 9.3X57 is very nice to shoot and hunt with, but it weighs 9 pound 4 oz. I have a Husky 9.3X57 in 100% stock condition that weighs only 6lb 9 oz and it can be a handful when you fire it. Not horrible, but nothing you would fire 40 rounds at a time. I like bigger rifles, but I understand that there is no "virtue" in recoil per se, so if you don't have to deal with it for a good reason you shouldn't.
Anyway......just random thoughts.
But it may be food for thought in your considerations.
http://www.browning.com/products/fi...duction/blr-lightweight-with-pistol-grip.html
BLR in 7-08. Mount as Leupold Scout Scope and put on a sling. This is a take-down rifle. For back country use there are times when being able to put the gun in a back pack is nice. I have had a few come through my shop and have been impressed with the level of accuracy I have seen from them. My only gripe is that the trigger pulls are mushy, but I have shot enough military rifles for over 50 years that I can get used to the trigger pretty easily.
Now, if I were to build one I would start with a Small Ring Mauser. 98s are hard to get but I have done plenty of these on 95s and 95s too. I polish up the action until it very smooth, convert them to cock on opening, drill and tap for scope mounts (if any) true the action, install a very slender barrel and head-space. I and then disassemble it and case harden the receiver. I then install a backing plate to the very front of the receiver and turn back a shoulder on the barrel shank to install a 1/4" plate that indexes to the backing plate. I make a take down lever or install a set of take down screws. Now I stock the rifle in 2 pieces cut from the same blank, and slim the whole rifle down to the styling and contours of the early shape of classic arms. I try to get the rifle down to about 6.3 pounds When you add a scope base, rings and a compact scope the gun cubes up to about 7 pounds field ready. In this kind of rifle I usually just use a standard Mauser cartridge. 6.5X55 and 7X57 have been the most popular. 8X57 is excellent, but in a 7 pound rifle they can kick a bit. When you get to the 8MM, 9MM, 9.3mm and 9.5MM is wise to use a heavier barrel unless you are someone who doesn't notice recoil at all. Such compact take down rifles are more user friendly when they gain a bit of weight. My own 9.3X57 is very nice to shoot and hunt with, but it weighs 9 pound 4 oz. I have a Husky 9.3X57 in 100% stock condition that weighs only 6lb 9 oz and it can be a handful when you fire it. Not horrible, but nothing you would fire 40 rounds at a time. I like bigger rifles, but I understand that there is no "virtue" in recoil per se, so if you don't have to deal with it for a good reason you shouldn't.
Anyway......just random thoughts.
But it may be food for thought in your considerations.
I am a Tikka fanatic and my report is bias at best. I've got the 6.5, 7-08, 7mm mag and a 300 wsm. I never leave home without the 7-08 even if I take another rifle. I've shot everything from 120 grain Barnes to 162 Eldx out of it. Factory in any 140 should be acceptable. If reloading the 162 eldx will conger deer or elk at the ranges you are considering. I've shot all the bullets through those ranges out to 6-700 yards with no problems out of a t3 lite. It and a 2.5-10Leupold are around 7.2 lbs without ammo. If my old scrawny self can climb these ridges all day and not know its there you should have no issues. Maybe power might be a consideration for you as there are no elk here but I dont think you would have any issues with a proper placed bullet. I wouldn't hesitate myself to use the 120 Barnes at a longer distance on big game. Recoil nigh to nothing and bc as good as you can get.