In reply to:

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I'm surprised at the focus on weight

go on long back packing trips, in the Australian heat, carrying 20kg (44lb) backpacks for a week at a time and survive.

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.

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AussieMike, there is a big difference between carrying 44lbs in a well designed back pack, or a 12 lb rifle for several days, and carrying a 20 lb rifle in your hands, for 20 miles at a good clip pace set by an elephant with 8 ft long legs. A rifle, I might add, that you can't shoot off hand when fresh, much less when exausted, and breathing hard, or recover from the recoil soon enough to get off the second shot if needed!

Personally, I'd rather have a nice 9.5, or 10 lb 450NE 3 1/4" double rifle for ele than that cannon, even if someone else carried it!