Weight vs. Power
 

I'm having a bit of a dilema. I'm looking for either a 30-06 or a 7mm rem mag, and I usually do a lot of walking during hunting season, sometimes up to 20 miles a day (no joking), and often times in deep snow during the winter. I want a flat shooting rifle with plenty of power for elk, but I also want a rifle that i can handle in the timber easily, and that is easy to carry all day long. Should I get a heavier rifle in the 7mm, or a smaller, lightweight 30-06? I've heard that getting a lightweight rifle in a magnum cartridge, such as the 7mm, is a bad idea because of the thumping that the recoil gives you. Please help!

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Get either one but forget about trying to get a featherweight ....get a rifle that is balanced well and a little bit on the non-hefty side. Just make sure you get a quality sling and get no longer a barrel than you require for the velocities you need. A super light wieght rifle in either of those calibers will be somewhat uncomfortable at the range and could quickly cause some bad shooting habits. A moderately trimmed rifle is fine. Balance is an important part of the package. Honestly...you'd probably be able to trim a couple pounds by just being careful about the clothing your wear and/or carry and the gear you tote along.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

My advice would be to walk less and then it wont matter:D on the serious side i might consider a 270 or even a 7mm both have plenty power for elk imo and they dont produce the recoil so you could go a featherweight

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

i would suggest a short mag. i have the 300 and i love it. it is a little lighter and more compact than the 300 win mag. i don't really notice the recoil been shooting it for three years now and am used to it. but any of the short or ultra mags would be a good choice weight and caliber wise for my money.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

A light weight rifle sounds to be the ticket for you since you walk so much. A 7mm Rem. Mag. will work well for you. It may be a tiny bit intense off a bench, but you can always work around that. As for in the field, you won't even notice recoil when you are shooting at your elk. Good luck.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

I have 2 ways of looking at it:

1. carrying a heavy rifle over many miles is going to be much more uncomfortable and possibly painful than the momentary jolt of recoil you're going to take when you finally shoot it.

2. Its easier for most people to cut 5 lbs off their body weight to carry less around than to cut 1 lb off their rifle.


I think somewhere in between lies the answer.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Light weight rifles are available in .30-06 and .280 Rem calibers and to me are the clear preferable option over the magnums for folks doing a lot of carrying. If you're a horseback hunter that's a totally different story!!!

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

These days, you can get very light rifles in about any caliber 300WSM and below. I learned from experience, its about your health and how you feel to make a Rockies or newfoundland or Alaska hunt a successful joyous one. Its about a positive attitude, which you lose quick if your so fatigued cause all the junk your carrying. So if a lighter rifle is what you need to keep that positive attitude, then its well worth it. Find one that you can shoot, and shoots 2MOA or better, and call it a day.

My first Canadian hunt, I was not prepared physically for the hunt, but didn't know it at the time. I had the best of the best gear. Gun would shoot .5MOA. Had the best handloads I could build. But all that didn't mean a hill of beans when I spained my ankles and pulled my hip muscle. So worrying about a gun be the perfect balance and tearing a ragged hole is like only 30% of it.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

flat shooter & light = 270

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

A model 70 winchester shadow with scope weighs in around 8 lbs. That to me is not to heavy. PUt a recoil pad on it and it's a pleasant rifle to carry around and to shoot if recoil is a concern. It's amazing how a good pad can deaden the effect of recoil. I put a nice one on my m70 and it seems to kick less than my 7mm08 without the pad. I would only be concerned with barrel length. i wouldn't go much over 22-24" otherwise you may have to fight that thru the woods.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Others have joked about it, but I'm going to SERIOUSLY suggest you slow down, making 20miles a day even on horseback is moving along at a pretty good clip-I do a lot of distance running and even more coon hunting (at a brisk walk usually), I can run 10miles on a road in about 90minutes, I ran 15miles in 2:41 once, twenty miles would probably take me close to four hours to run---run mind you, on smooth roads (hilly but smoothe).

No here's my problem, either you're a marathon runner and sit for only half the day and RUN the rest, or you're walking all day: average person walks between 2-4mph, walking 20miles could literally take 10hrs...around here we get about 11hrs of sunlight, so you are moving WAY to much.

If you're drive hunting, you're still covering a huge area, moving that fast through an area is likely pushing deer out of the creeks and away from bottlenecks where your buddies are set up.

Now, about the rifle, you're not going to want a compact rifle in 7mm even if you could find it, featherweights are fine, although usually the 7mm suffers more than the .30-06 does on cutting bbl length. I don't honestly believe much in feather weight rifles-you're taking a big chunk of weight off your rifle, but you're still carrying a lot of weight, cut out some weight in your gear and you'll be better served.

You'd be much better served by buying a compact .308win. Compacts are actually considerably lighter, and certainly easier handling, which is more valuable for long walks in brush than lightened weight, IMHO. Compact .308's will do everything a featherweight .30-06 will do, and the reduced weight doesn't push your recoil above handy.

If you really want to cut weight, get a single shot, you get full bbl length with light weights.

It's hard to be a Marlin 1895Guide gun, light, VERY handy, and the .45-70 is plenty of power for your elk.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

A Ruger No. 1A in either .30/'06 or 7X57mm (with the right load in the 7X57) will do what you want. Both are very light, even with a lightweight 2X-7X scope. Firing the second shot from a No. 1 is not as time-consuming as you might think, either.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

I tell you what to do,go and buy your self a Remington Modle 7 in 7mm-08
take the stock off it buy a 12 oz fiberglass stock from Summit(they make one for the Mdl 7),put a 1-6x38 mm scope on it and you have a ultra light that will handle elk out to 250-300 yds shooting 140 gr Trophy Bonded bear claws.
I have one and done the samething it weighs almost 5lbs on the nose.

Other option walk 10 miles and carry a Winchester M-70 in 300 WSM supper Black shadow,they only weigh about 7 with a full mag.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Good recommendation also.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Thanks for the help! I must make one thing clear, though. I get well more than 12 hours of sunlight a day, and when i walk such far distances im usually hunting antelope out in the desert. Sitting and watching only does you good if you are on a waterhole, and seeing that im hunting in the desert, the are not very many good waterholes to watch. Also, i have 6% body fat, i play soccer year round so im always in amazing condition, and therefore I DONT HAVE ANY WEIGHT TO LOSE!

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Considering you're already in trim condition, and assumming you can't trim your gear any more than you have...I guess you'll have to deal with whatever recoil will result from trimming your choice of 30-06 and/or 7mm Mag to a lighter than usual configuration. If you insist on going to a "featherweight" rifle then you may want to tinvest in butt pads and or shoulder-pads to assist in the recoil taming that might be needed if you go super light on the rifle.
Since you're in great condition though....carrying an average weight rifle should just be considered simple exercise.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

No offense, but you can't claim to have no weight to lose and to have 6% body fat, not to knock soccer, but I'm a collegiate wrestler (and bull-rider for what it's worth), and have a strong passion for running-hurdles/steeplechase and distance, when you get down under 1%, give me a call.

I'm going to back my previous post, a heavy rifle that's easily managed and balances well will suit you MUCH better than a lighter rifle that doesn't handle well...and featherweights don't truly cut enough weight to warrant any improvement IMHO. Compact rifles in .308 are awesome, or a Marlin 1895 Guide gun .45-70, the fact that they're shorter and well balanced makes them leaps and bounds ahead in my book, I've got a 9.2# Marlin that I take on long distance hunts because it's easier to carry than a 6.9# NEF/H&R single shot...if you're in such great shape, a pound or two won't make the difference at all, it's the hassle of the long rifle that wears you out.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Do you ever get tired of talking about yourself:)

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

what about the 280rem ? my buddy took a elk at 300yds using this caliber. only took one shot. and dropped it after it ran 30yds. seems to be the best of both worlds.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

I would get a Model 70 featherweight in 7wsm ..bring it to a gunsmith turn trigger down to 3lbs or so and get a decelerator pad put on it. If your not into handloading look at Federals lineup for this cartridge this year especially the Accubond loadings. I bought a Super Shadow for a January hunt in this same caliber. After a few days I really got tired of having no floor plate so I ditched the stock and bought a new featherweight stock and ordered new bottom metal from Winchester. I now own a matte finished model 70 "I guess you can call it a Featherweight" in 7 wsm . Get lightweight (Talley Aluminum Rings) 1 1/2 oz and a lightweight 2-7 or 3-9 and your all set.

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

Now if finances aren't a problem I know this guy in WV that will help you out and completely solve your dilemna. He builds a pretty decent gun you can get more info at www.newultralight.com:D

RE: Weight vs. Power
 

They will both kick about the same and performance should be about the same too. The 7mm shoots a little flatter and lighter bullet so I would use that to determine between the two. If you hunt out west and expect longer shots go with the mag. Otherwise it's a toss up so don't worry about it. Just find the rifle you want and then you can go from there.

I have a 7mm but thing either is fine for 99% of hunters.