believe me, I definitely understand the value of a light gun especially when moving. I have some bolt actions that we refer to as hay bale guns because of their weight LOL. This gun would not be a self-defense close-quarters weapon. I have plenty of better Suited set ups for that purpose. the larger bullet makes it a good long-distance weapon. Weight will not be a factor, but accuracy will be. Yes, I do have bolt actions for the intended purpose but the semi allows for faster follow-up shots. You fellows and your valuable knowledge have given me a good bit to think about though. Here in Pennsylvania, we are not allowed to use semi-automatic to hunt big game with. If we were allowed, I would definitely consider a 16 in possibly 18 inch barrel. We are allowed to use semi rifles for predators and varmint though. And a few of the Farms we hunt predator and varmint on do have large open areas up to 1800 yards.. in my opinion though, this is a great problem to have LOL it is much better than the problem of not having anywhere to shoot it!