"...My first rifle was a 1917 Enfield which weighed 12.5 lbs unloaded. I carried that thing everywhere and didn't think about it. I started hauling that thing at age 12. It served me well to about age 22. Now, I just got a second hunting rifle. With scope, it too is that weight or maybe a pound heavier."
Good for you.
30-06's in heavy rifles....
Back in WWI, when men were men, I guess....
Some of those soldiers were 17-18 years old.Americans today are larger frameddue to better nutrition.
Quite likely though that "we" are shorter on the exercise today than they were then.
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Nowadays, it seems....
Heavy rifles, andmany complain about weight (weight of the rifle, not their own excess body weight).
Light rifles, and many complain about recoil (even from somerelatively light recoiling cartridges).
Complaints aside, its all a trade off for the individual, if going light is what is required to keep one in the field (or in the mountains) then that is a good thing.
My health or conditioning will have to fade substantially before I start lusting for that 6.5 pound 338WinMag that my 24 year old son has latched onto (he hates heavy rifles but likes using a "thumper" and it seems he can handle it). With elk packs on (mine heavier) and rifles slung(mine heavier) I can stillpush him a biton the way in/out though.*
*Forced March --- opening day of elk season:"the sun's coming up in 3 1/2 hours and we have got to be positioned, settled in, and invisiblewithin nature's forest,an hour before sunrise.... period". [Other times we use a spike camp and the whole thing is a lot more casual.]