The great gun writer and backwoods hunter Townsend Whelen once wrote, “A man will travel farther, hunt over more country, have a better chance of coming on game, and be in better condition when he does if his weapon is light.” This is undisputed fact, but most hunters seem too obsessed with shooting precision to worry much about rifle weight. It’s also easier to build heavy rifles that shoot well, and they cost less.
Many hunters, particularly those who are targeting whitetails, hunt from their backsides in blinds, shoot houses or treestands. They are stationary for the most part. In those situations, rifle weight is of little consequence. However, for those who
