I dropped a loaded/chambered BAR out of a tree stand. It fell 15' and landed on the butt, pointed straight up at me.
It cracked the stock at the pgrip, and half extracted the round.
The Nosler Patriot is guaranteed to print real nice with Nosler Trophy Grade ammo.
Sweet little vertical integration they got there, and it's in OP's range.
"Barrel burner" is a nonissue in a hunting rifle, esp a hunting rifle that's been factory load-developed. 2 hunters could go 2 lifetimes...
You may still be able to find a MR Terraframe 50 [remarkably similar to the Pintler but marketed to granola-crunchers] on sale. They were $300ish last month at STP & Moose & even REI.
Pretty sure he blew most of their legs off with a moa rifle and nice scope during rifle seasons. He always had one story or another about shooting deer he was unable to recover.
I knew a guy, had 1500ac and loved to hunt, but wasn't too good at it. He'd loose his shit and crank some dumb shots.
So when he talked about big ol bucks he'd seen on his spread, people would ask, "Was he limping off his good front foot, or just hopping off the rear?"
Bring your XtraTuffs. Right now, it's blowing Force 9 with 16 foot seas outside, a mellower 10 foot inside Seal Rocks, and it's raining hard...Just another day in the GOA.
There's roads and trails and cabins all over Montague, and places to get out of the wind. It doesn't always blow like hell...
Barney's is the best aluminum freighter frame there is, bar none. It's awe-inspiring, and an EOL purchase - you'll never have to replace it.
Costco has the Slumberjack Rail Hauler, a great pack frame but by no means an Alaskan professional standard, for half as much.
If you guys aren't camping, most any of the 30+ liter highline hunting pack systems will carry layers and lunch and possibles and meat bags, and a grip of tree steps and a couple of hanging stands and drinking water like no big deal.
Look for a system built on the same frame as the larger packs...
Interesting: The Guide Lite frames are compatible with ALICE ILBE and FILBE bags and lids.
MR also makes aftermarket bags and blaze orange meat holders that fit these frames.
So you guys who scored the Terraframe on sweet sale have bought more than you might have even known.