I too like this discussion and think we have made points on both sides of this. If I didnt have a 300Wby it prob would the WSM for me since Im a big fan of the short actions. When I deer hunt in WV its mainly alot of walking up and down the ridges(I cant call em mountains compared to what you guys haveout west)so I like to carry as little weight as possible. I know thats not exactly the same as elk out west but anything that has alot of walking especially up and down isnt that much different on the legs.

One other thing though when I say lighter guns, I dont mean plastic stocks. That is one thing I'll never be a fan of.

Jamesyour not nutz, just old(just kiddin) but I can see why the lighter rifle doesnt matter much to you. Maybe when recoil is an issue for me I will see things more the other way. As for now I use my pads on the bench and dont pull the trigger enough in the field for it to be an issue.