I'm surprised at the focus on weight - after all, lots of middle aged men (including me, prior to my accident) go on long back packing trips, in the Australian heat, carrying 20kg (44lb) backpacks for a week at a time and survive.

I just got a set of scales which will let me weigh my rifles and it's been quite an eye opener - I've discovered that my Mauser 66 weighs around 12lb with any of its barrels and I've carried it up hill and down dale in the hills red deer hunting for 5 days at a time.

I love the feel of light rifles and, when I'm not really hunting take my plastic stocked Win 94 trapper or Steyr Scout but I wouldn't let weight put me off carrying what I thought was the most appropriate gun for an important hunt.

Would I use a .700 NE double - no, because I think once I get above 470NE the recovery time from the recoil defeats the purpose of having a double. I cut 8" diam logs into 8" lengths and "double tap" them at 50 yards. I am about twice as fast with a 303 than with a 375 and about twice as fast with a 375 compared to a 470 - if I insist on getting a hit with each barrel.

mike