Why not use a heavy rifle for typical deer hunting?

My Marlin 45-70SBL with sling and scope is about 8.5 pounds. Add the 2 LBS suppressor on the end of the barrel and its now a 10.5 pound gun. Im old and fat but I still carry it. Then again I dont walk as far as I use to.
 
That is a factor to consider....Weight is relative to what you are use to. The magazines have broken them down to "lite weight" and "Fly weight" rifles. Fly weights are bare rifles under 5.5lbs. Lite weights are bare rifles under 7lbs. I dont know how in-stone these are but it seems like most publications are following this rule of classifications.
Some may consider a Winchester Feather weight with scope a lite weight at about 8.75-9lbs out the door. All of my hunting rifles from Sako to Winchester were about that and I was happy with that as a all around rifle. It wasn't till I picked up a sub 7lbs rifle that got me excited. The trouble is quality light weight rifles are still expensive. They are coming down and you can see there is a huge interest in them. Savage is now making a one at a affordable price. Remington has one with the Remington Seven. I think all manufactures will eventually have them in their catalog.
 
Because lighter is better, *IF* you're going quite a ways. Accuracy is equal on that *first, cold-bore* shot, if the rifle is quality. But yeah, point taken - if you're like 90% of hunters in the east and midwest, you ain't going 100-200 yards from the pickup, most likely.

I'm moving to a rocky mountain state in just over a year, so I'm starting to focus more on light rifles. I plan to walk in a mile or 3 on occasion, to find the bigger deer, elk, sheep, etc.

I'm leaning more and more toward lighter as I get older. You just naturally get weaker, even if you work out. Which is why I went to 60 and 65 lb bows a couple years ago, instead of 70 lb bows. I hope to hit the gym more and get back to 70s, if my shoulder heals up, but until then, I can hold a 60 for much longer. When I hit my 60s or 70s (age), I'm sure I'll use a 50lb or less compound bow then, if not solely using crossbows.

I already built one ultra-light, by taking a Wby Mk 5 "Ultra Lighweight", and further customizing it (it's in .280). Now I'm considering possibly building the *ultimate* hunter for all NA big game, short of bison, yak, coastal brownies, and polar bears, by trying to get my hands on a Browning Ti short action, slapping a Proof Research 26" or 27" carbon fiber bbl on it (in .260 rem AI), and having Proof or Manners or someone build the stock I want, with some carbon fiber fill in it. It could come in under 5.5 lbs even with a 27" bbl in this config. But can't afford that at the moment. However, while dreaming here, if I make this rifle, it will be in "scout" or "pseudo-scout" config, meaning forward-mounted scope, and a stripper clip guide (but fixed mag w/floorplate; no detachables), with an actual pistol grip stock - but lightweight (not a "tactical" heavy one like from Manners). Scope would probably be the Nikon Omega / Turkey Pro / Slugmaster 1.65-5x36, but I'll have to have Nikon put in a heavy duplex reticle for me; get rid of that crap ballistic reticle in there. Probably run with Nosler Accubond LR 129s, or Nosler E-tip 120s, so I'd need about an 8.5 or 9 twist, I think.

Oh, by the way, my comments only apply if you shoot *ONLY* rested, not standing/freehand. It is certainly true that some weight helps with freehand shooting. Fact is, I NEVER shoot that way when hunting, ever. I'm always rested. I usually have a tripod. Even if I'm stalking, which I do a lot, I won't shoot until I can get over to a tree and rest my rifle against the side of a tree, and push in against it with the support hand. So, YMMV if you hunt freehand. I could see maybe wanting something a bit heavier then.

Fly weights are bare rifles under 5.5lbs. Lite weights are bare rifles under 7lbs.
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Hmmm, I'd buy that if it said: "Fly weights are bare rifles under 5.5lbs. Lite weights are bare rifles under 6.5lbs." Once you start getting up around 7 bare, I'd call them "medium-lights" or "mediums", not lights, personally... Add scope, rings, sling, ammo; it all adds up.
 
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Wow, what a serious thread for such a personal choice!

</start old man rant>

Back when I was a kid.... (don't you love old farts that start every story that way)...

My first deer rifle was a Enfield No4 that my uncle had some how acquired...

AS I REMEMBER IT it sill had the 4 foot bayonet on it from the great war. And as a 7 year old the darn thing was taller than I was AS I REMEMBER IT... we did however get to drive to the trail head (the end of the hay fields at the base of the mountains) to start the 40 mile forced march, up hill, in the winter, dodging grizzly bears...

And I swore that after two seasons of that set up I would go to school - get a good paying job - and buy my uncle and myself a reasonably sized rifle!!!

I think this was a ploy of my uncle's to instill what he considered "character building" in a young fatherless "kid" from the city...

So... true to myself I did go and get better, smaller, lighter, easier rifles to hunt with... and I even eventually bought my uncle a "good" hunting rifle which he did use... And I never forgot the forced marches and dragging of elk and all the other parts of hunting with that battle rifle.

But the last time I was able to go out shooting with this guy - We took out the Enfield just for old time's sake... He wasn't able to hunt then... and as we were setting up the rifles on the bench he said "I sure don't remember that rifle being so darn heavy" and then he gave me a wink...
​

</end old man rant>

The moral of the story? Old farts say “darn” a lot...
 
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I have been able to handle a number of older, that is, 60's and earlier, hunting rifles, and on the average they are lighter than today's average rifle.

I believe the difference is that everyone carried their equipment and now, hardly anyone walks. Driving all terrain vehicles to your spot, or close to your spot, is the norm.
 
I had been hunting for ten years with a 30/30 when someone suggested that I needed a bolt gun with a scope to be a good hunter. Bought one, a Remington 700, but never really liked it. It was 3 lbs. heavier than my Winchester Mdl. 94 and deer, elk and antelope didn't fall down any quicker. . . .I sold it. Hunted another 5 years or so with the 30/30 levergun before I bought another bolt gun. This time it was a Ruger Compact in .308 with a fixed 4x scope. It is handy, accurate and only a pound and a half heavier than my 30/30. What's not to like? There is no need to haul around a heavy rifle. Hunting is about fun, not work.
 
The marketing in rifles seems to be focused on being light, as if all hunters were hiking several days into the wilderness.

I live in Minnesota, and frankly it seems like most people don't want to walk 100 yards beyond their trucks. I see some guys parking their vehicles immediately below their stands even. I tend to go far beyond that, walking 1-2 miles regularly, but carrying a 9-10 lb rifle is still realistic. Soldiers used to march with M1 Garands that weighed 9.5 pounds.

Thus, from an accuracy and recoil standpoint, wouldn't the heavier rifles be better for your average stand hunter? If you don't have to carry a rifle a long ways, wouldn't there be advantages to a heavier rifle?
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In Minnesota and many places back east, there's not much of a reason to argue that a 10 lb rifle is perfectly fine for a great number of hunters.

But, when I hunt deer, I often cover 12-15 miles in a day. Some days, I might cover 20+ miles. ...and that's not gentle-rolling-hills-through-bean-fields mileage, that's Rocky Mountain mileage, though nasty forests that haven't been logged in 80+ years (if ever). So the forest floor, mid-mountain mind you, is covered in an interlaced pile of rotting logs, precariously perched logs, and sharp, broken limbs that are just waiting to impale you. It takes its toll on you.

For Elk, the mileage is the same, or even a little lower, but it's in rougher terrain. And, just when you think you're going to get a break from the blow-down timber, you end up in tight, nasty scrub, on a mountain face that's covered in loose shale.

Lugging a 10 lb rifle around is irritating and tiring. So, the question becomes: Why carry a 10 lb rifle, when you can use one that weighs 6.5 lbs? ;)
 
It pretty much comes down to where and how you hunt. As tahunuaoo1 put it, the trouble starts when you have one on the ground.
 
Most of my hunting rifles weigh between 8 3/4 and 9 1/2 pounds field ready and loaded. My 375H&H weighs 10 and 7 oz. I do have a light AR in 6.8 SPC that weighs only 7 pounds and 7 oz with scope and fully loaded.

I also hunt with military rifles now and then, M-1, Smith M14 and FN FAL. The FAL is scoped and is heavy, but not too heavy to hunt with even in the mountains for mule deer and elk. My wife and I hunted 2 years ago with AK-47s for deer and antelope. We both have folding stocks on them and I have to say the compactness of the AKs was really nice when we were dragging the game back. Between us we killed 5 antelope and 4 deer with them.
So my FAL is heavy and my AR and AK are both light. I do not find I favor one rifle over the another for the reason of weight. I just hunt with what feels right to me on the day I go out.

Heck, a LOT of my hunting is done with a 62 caliber flintlock rifle. Quite successfully too I might add.

I have made many light weight rifles in my life. Many weighed only 6 pounds and change. All shot well (or I would not have let them out of the shop. Dissatisfied customers are BAD juju)

I love a light rifle, but I guess I have not loved them enough to make one for myself.
I don't notice the weight on my 375 at all, so I guess any rifle up to about 10 1/2 pounds if ok with me. I don't enjoy shooting light and very powerful rifles, and so if I were to make one for myself I am sure I would make nothing more powerful than a 30-06.

I made a super light 416 Taylor for a man about 10 years ago. The rifle weighed only 7 pound and 1 oz when it was done and had a 4 blade sight on it that I had to zero at 100, 200, 300 and 400 yards THAT was not a fun part of the job. He was (and is) delighted with his rifle and has taken it all over hunting. He sends me pictures of his kills now and then, from Alaska, Australia and Africa as well as some elk in Montana. I am happy he's happy, but I can tell you a 7 pound 416 rifle is for hunting, not sport shooting! It does kick.

I can handle recoil pretty well, but I don’t choose to do it is there is not a reason to do it.
 
I hunted deer and black bear for many years with a Remington Model 8 in .35 Remington.

I walked for miles through thick woods carrying that 8lb. rifle and never thought once about the weight.

Now I like them with a little less weight.;)
 
To the OP's question"Isn't a heavier rifle better for a typical stand hunter"

OP,if you determine that is what is better for you,I'd say you are right..for you.

I figure as long as the hunter can make a clean kill,they might have just what they want,or,they might be hunting with the rifle they have,or it might be Dad's old rifle,or grandpa's.

I like light rifles.I spend more time carrying than shooting.I shoot better fresh than tired.A light rifle is more likely to be in my hands than leaning against a tree.

But,other things come into play,last antelope season I used a military trim 1903A4 copy.Not so light.Worked fine.I used it because I built it and I just wanted to.

On a stand,for a deer,If I had (I don't) a mini mauser in 6.5 Grendel with a 20 in fwt barrel in a foam core Kevlar stock with a light fixed 4x scope,say all up < 6 lbs,I'd think 250 yd deer would be no problem.

If my bro chose to carry an AR-10T,just because he is a one rifle guy,no problem.
Enjoy!
 
It depends on where you're hunting. If you don't have to walk far to get your deer, a heavier rifle is fine. But frankly, no one wants to tote a heavy rifle around for miles. Keep in mind you need to carry your deer out, too. That extra weight is something you just don't need.

That said, I have hunted with a 10-pound rig before. I had my reasons, though. At the time it was my only caliber-appropriate rifle, and I have unsteady feet so I needed to shoot sitting or prone, hence a bipod. Since then, I have added lighter options to my gear kit. Hiking in rough terrain with a heavy rifle was NOT fun.
 
My Dad often told of marching north throughout Italy carrying his heavy Garand each and every day. When he returned from the war, he bought a featherweight 300 Savage lever gun. What's the point? Dad was physically up to carrying a much heavier hunting rifle but he didn't want to do so.

I agree that modern hunters tend to focus upon lighter rifles than the past. It's not laziness, just preference. My main deer getter is a Glenfield carbine in 30-30 that has taken literally dozens of animals for me. Short and fairly light with good accuracy and power for the forests and foothills.

Jack
 
I'm all for it.

If you have access to an area where you can set up a hide and wait for an animal to wander into range where 300+ yards is common then yes. Carrying a heavy rifle through the underbrush or up and down mountain ranges gets old really quick.
 
I fail to see what a heavy rifle does better than a light rifle. I can take a factory Tikka t3 Lite, or whatever and make it group just as well as a heavy barreled 700 all day.

Your shooting at vitals... not for group size, so really why burden yourself with a heavier gun for something that should be 1 shot and done. Even IF you needed follow up shots (Sorry I can't relate, I was taught to shoot accurately and humanly on big game, so I don't shoot unless I am 100% sure.) A pencil barrel will still hold a group size that is certainly lethal.

NOW on the flip side of the coin. If someone is lacking in shooting fundamentals, a light weight rifle can make that persons mistakes more prevalent, (flinch, poor trigger control, ect.) but it is not the fault of the gun.
 
My best offhand centerfire is my older Rem 700 ADL. It won a lot of turkey shoots!!! The pistol grip and nice trigger, along with the nice stock fit, makes it seem like part of my body. I had it re-barreled to .243 Win (from .22-250) and it's a great coyote and deer rifle, especially for the grandkids.
 
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