“cerakote”

Those who venture into the backcountry—and especially those who hunt the mountains with all their gear on their back—appreciate a lightweight rifle. Here’s a look at seven top-notch options.

In Oregon’s Coast Range last year, the author pursued the state’s rarest deer: the Columbian whitetail. The hunt marked a rare double bonus, as far as he was concerned: a chance to hunt a species he’d never hunted in a state he’d never hunted.

The Bergara B-14 Wilderness Ridge sports a carbon-fiber barrel, a lightweight synthetic stock and a fluted bolt, all working in tandem to create a rifle that is as lightweight as it is precise.

The new ultra-lightweight .30-caliber Banish Backcountry is a 100 percent titanium, fully welded, fixed-length suppressor that measures 5.5 inches in length and weighs just 7.8 ounces.

For 2023, Ruger introduces its American rifle with Go Wild Camo in 7mm PRC, featuring a 24-inch barrel, a Power Bedding system and a lightweight synthetic stock.

Traditions has introduced a new addition to the traditional sidelock market with its ShedHorn rifle. The rifle brings modern innovation to the style, while still maintaining a primitive pedigree.

Designed for mountain hunting adventures, the Bergara Crest is an ultralight high-performance rifle anchored by a 100-percent carbon-fiber monocoque stock, with a carbon-fiber spine throughout for greater rigidity and strength.

We’ve come to expect solid reliability from the Model 70 rifle, and the Extreme TrueTimber VSX MB doesn’t disappoint. It’s built for the backcountry and loaded with modern features like a threaded muzzle, fluted barrel, Cerakote finish and quality composite stock.

CVA has announced the Cascade XT (X-Treme), a bolt-action rifle that sports weight-reducing barrel fluting and a radial muzzle break as standard equipment.