[ed dixon]

Does anyone here use a heavy-barreled "bench" rifle as a more general hunting rifle? I see some long, heavy barrels offered in .308 and was wondering if some folks don't mind carrying the extra two or three pounds in the field if it means they can get double duty out of them at the range.

[cheygriz]

I tried it with my Remington .300 WinMag Sendero....ONCE!

[cratz2]

I've taken my 10.9lb with glass Winchester Coyote coyote hunting but that doesn't involved a whole lot of walking or standing. Truth be told, I kind of got tired of carrying it just getting back to a deer stand for some racoon sniping. Guess I'm just lazy. I've carried an 8.8 lb rifle around quite a bit and it didn't bother me too much but I definately noticed the extra 2.1 lbs with the Winchester. Personally if I had another rifle that was suitable to the task, I'd go with the lighter gun.

[Kahr carrier]

I tried my 700 Pss just to heavy,I just use my model-7 now.

[TIMC]

I've used my 12 pound 300 ultra mag Sako a time or two easy to shoot varmits as well as deer at 300 to 500 yard ranges but at 49 1/4" it's hard to get into the window of my deer blind without making noise.

[ACP230]

I hunted a few days with my Ruger 77VT in .308 the year before last. It got pretty heavy when I stood watching a little valley for a few hours. I intended to hunt from a blind with it, but my plans changed.

Because my Ruger 77 lightweight in .250 Savage has a history of dropping deer in their tracks, and because I was having knee problems then, when I did hunt from a blind I used the .250.

It was a strange year. Everyone was complaining about the scarcity of deer, but I saw quite a few, until I got pneumonia. After that I saw no deer just meds and the living room couch.

[dongun]

I hunt with my Rem 700 VSSF in .308 when hunting from a raised box stand. In these stands there is a shooting rail for support. I wouldn't use this rifle when busting the brush. For that, I use a Marlin 30-30.

[robertp]

I plan on using a recently acquired Remington 700 VS as my primary Deer rifle this upcoming season.We will see after this season.

[Hawken50]

i've taken deer with my mossberg heavy barreled 800bv, not because i wanted to, but because it was the only rilfe i had at the time. probably weighs 10+. during muzzle loading season i use a TC Hawken (dubbed a "Heavy Moutian Rifle") that wieghs in at 9lbs.

[Smoke]

I prefer heavy and medium contour barrels on all my bolt guns.
Usually I'm not humping them over miles of terrain. Bolt guns are used while stand hunting. Whether it be a tripod, makeshift stand or fully enclosed box stand.

When I'm moving fast or far, I use lever guns.

But thats just me.

Smoke

[Preacherman]

Only while stand or still hunting. For walking around, lightness wins every time!

[Karbon]

I think it's a good idea if you are a stand hunter, but more consideration is needed if you do a lot of game stalking.

If you are in good enough shape to carry it, and you shoot it with confidence, use it.

Best of luck either way.

[Ranger J]

I use my heavy barrel 308 Handi Rifle to hunt with. Weight is not an issue with me as 95% of my hunting is done from a stand. The Handi being rather light for shooting a .308 I actually got the heavy barrel to add weight to the gun. I also have about a pound or so of birdshot in the stock bolt hole to add even more weight. The gun weighs in between 9 & 10 pounds. Even then it seems to weight less than the 11-87 I used to hunt with when I lived in Illinois.
RJ

[gunslinger15]

It depends if you are hunting from a stand and having to pull off long shots or not. If you are going to be walking around then I would definately advise not to, but if your in a stand then the extra weight might give you a little more acuracy.
-Gunslinger15

[Dr.Rob]

Carried a Ruger M77V .25-06 with a bull barrel, bipod and 4-16x Burris scope for a day antelope hunting... returned quickly to my Savage .30-06. The Ruger just was unwieldy walking around.

But if I was planning to set up in one area... it's a great prarie dog/varminter.

[oneshooter]

Used to hunt deer with a M1 Garand. 10.5lbs Does that count? Also used a 12lb Sharps and a 11lb Longrifle.

Oneshooter
Livin in Texas

[Mannlicher]

my FN Mauser, 7x57 Ackley with 26 inch Shilen barrel is a bit heavy. I don't use it for stalking or still hunting, but its a great gun in a tree stand.

[captdavid]

We hunt out of stands on senderos alot. Most of my friends use heavy barreled rifles as we walk verry little while hunting that way. a 200yd shot is considered close. When I hunt this way I always take a sporter also incase I need to become mobile. A friend is building a short heavy barreld 257R to carry to blinds where the shots might seldom exceed 150yds. It is easier mor many of us to hold those heavy barreled guns steady. capt david:) :) :)

[grizz]

It just depends on how difficult the hiking is going to be. If you mean 6000' elevation gain w/ a backpack for a Dall Sheep hunt in Alaska, or elk by foot in the Rocky's then HELL NO.

Now if we're talking good old Texas stand hunting where you walk 0.0001 miles from your truck to the heated stand next to the game feeder, then of course you NEED every advantage you can get. :D

Edited: I just saw how many people from Texas posted in this thread. I'm a dead man.