Getting the right weight rifle

[nksmfamjp]

Well, I'm middle aged. My backs not great. I still get out and hunt. I carry a 10.5lb 300 Sherman. I have carried heavier and lighter rifles. This rifle is easy to hit with. The weight makes recoil more manageable, aim steadier, and provides for a reasonable heavy barrel, reasonably sized optic while remaining balanced.

 

[Lenny Foffa]

I happen to love my Weatherby Mark V Ultralight, Chambered in 270 Win. Its a 5 and 3/4 pound rifle, with a thin 24 inch Krieger S/S barrel. Topped with a Leupold 2.5X to 8 X scope (12 ounces) with steel Leupold Rings and Bases. I think the rifle is under 6.5 pounds as I take it to the field. This is my White tail deer rifle. N. Carolina and West Virginia. I greatly prefer hunting with this rifle to my Win Model 70 Super Grade, chambered in 270 Win, also 24 inch barrel, with a 3.5X to 10X Leupold scope on steel Leupold Rings and Bases. The Winchester may only weigh less than two pounds more then the Ultralight, but its just not as fast and handy. The ultralight light seems to "Kick" a lot more than the Winchester, so its not a sit at the bench and shoot 40 rounds Rifle, but in the field, or the blind, with hunting clothes on, You just never feel the recoil. That same rifle was available in 30-06 , and I feel it would make a excellent Hunting Rifle, in either caliber. Especially if you hand load. My two Weatherby Mark V deluxe rifles, both with 26 inch barrels. One chambered in .270 Weatherby Mag, and the other in .300 Weatherby Mag are heavy. They feel like 10 1/2 to 11 pounds or more. Leupold scopes and steel Dual Dove Tail bases. and for me, all that weight is needed. I hate recoil too, so I will tolerate an extra two pounds . I have no Muzz Breaks. I also wear a Past Shooting Recoil pad, over my shirt at the range when I shoot the Magnums for load development. { You can also wear it under your shirt , if your friend are going to torture you.) Again, I must say, at the moment you fire at your animal , you (I) just don't feel, or even remember the recoil.

 

[hesse]

It is subjective. To how recoil sensitive you are. I like between 8.5 and 9.5 lbs . There is a difference between a Hunting gun and a gun I put a lot of rounds Thur in a day at the range. Because I don't feel a thing when I am shooting at an animal. Now my little women has some health issues that makes here sore every fast so I got her a shoulder pad to cut down and it helps her a lot during range time but when hunting it doesn't bother her

 

[26Reload]

My brothers old winchester md70 300win is maybe 9# scoped...no brake...
That rifle has killed many of haired 4legged critters....blacktail and elk....I don't think he has ever shot at a muley...gun went to Russia on a team guided hunt...accounted for roe deer..Russian boar..I think even a moose because one other guy in the group just wanted to add to its kill list....some of the guides even shot roe deer and pigs with that rifle.......all critters taken with remington 150gr corelock store bought ammo..........learn to shoot the lighter weight rifle and packing it is a blessing...
My heaviest rifle is 9.5# 26nosler...kicks very well....but delivers performance...

 

[Greyfox]

I think rifle weight/design is all about acclimation and confidence in the rifle. This is my rifle used for +90% of my hunting for the past dozen years for both carry and stationary hunting. Scope choice(a high priority with my rifles), has evolved over this period. For short-mid-range stalking/carry, removing the bipod and switching to my lighter March scope will pull the weight down to just under 10 pounds if desired, but I usually don't bother. Accounting for over 60 game animals from 100-1200 yards, the balance, weight and ergonomics suites me well whether the situation calls for a quick off-hand shot at short range, or a surgical LR prone shot at 1000+ yards. Most all my hunts are "Like a box of chocolates, you never know………".

 

[KurtB]

I'd either rebarrel your current rig to no heavier than a #2b bartlein or #2 Hawk Hill and cut it at 20", or have a good smith turn existing barrel down to those dimensions. Add a TBAC suppressor, and add a McMillan Classic or Game Scout stock to it. Personally I'd drop to a 7mm Remington twisted at 8" but a 9" twisted 300 I bet would be nice as well. Scope would be 20 ounce to 32 ounce depending on which one I put on it.

The Game Scout stock to me seems to soak up recoil nicely and having a stock that fits vs a factory length one also helps. I'd try to be no heavier than 9 pounds and would prefer to be crowding 8 if possible. Lifes short, build something you really like to use and get on with it.

 

[vedauvoo]

I think rifle weight/design is all about acclimation and confidence in the rifle. This is my rifle used for +90% of my hunting for the past dozen years for both carry and stationary hunting. Scope choice(a high priority with my rifles), has evolved over this period. For short-mid-range stalking/carry, removing the bipod and switching to my lighter March scope will pull the weight down to just under 10 pounds if desired, but I usually don't bother. Accounting for over 60 game animals from 100-1200 yards, the balance, weight and ergonomics suites me well whether the situation calls for a quick off-hand shot at short range, or a surgical LR prone shot at 1000+ yards. Most all my hunts are "Like a box of chocolates, you never know………".
View attachment 371039

I am always amazed at the depth of experience and knowledge of those who post on LRH. And the photography is often breathtaking. This qualifies as "Gun Porn"!

Nice rifle!

 

[Damage Inc.]

I've found….. it's a lot easier to pack an 8lb-9lb rifle…. than it is to shoot a 7lb rifle… especially as recoil increases.

 

[Rich Coyle]

My 8 mm magnum wildcat shoots 200 grain bullets at over 3000' per second. It recoils like a 22 magnum because it has a nice break.

 

[Rich Coyle]

My 8 mm magnum wildcat shoots 200 grain bullets at over 3000' per second. It recoils like a 22 magnum because it has a nice break.

It is 7 1/4 pounds.

 

[Idaho Lefty]

We use, SUB, 8 Pound Rifles, in My Family to, Hike, several Miles into, the "Back Country" for, Deer and Elk, in,...
7mm-08 ( W/ 168 gr. H-VLD Bergers ), 6.5 PRC ( 143 ELD-X ) and .270 WSM ( 140 gr Classic Hunter, Bergers ) all topped with, Leupolds or, Burris 4.5 to 14 X scopes and ALL, shoot,.. Sub, 3/4 MOA
Mines the Heaviest at,.. 7 Pounds, 10 Ounces. No, Brakes or Silencers as,.. Recoil IS, "Manageable",.. in ALL of, them.
3 of, them are, Tikka's and One's, the New Savage, 110 Ultra-Lite ( 6.5 PRC ).

 

[Lenny Foffa]

Question Boys, My 300 Weatherby mag was Mag -Na -Ported back in the 70"s, and I had sights and barrel band added to it as well. So in order for me to add a Muzz Break, would I need to remove the front sight and have the barrel cut off in the area of the mag na porting???? This would shorten the 26 inch barrel down to about 24 inch to add the muzzle break. Would that be what is needed????

 

[Damage Inc.]

My 8 mm magnum wildcat shoots 200 grain bullets at over 3000' per second. It recoils like a 22 magnum because it has a nice break.

No…. It doesn't.

BRAKEs (not Breaks) only have an effect on the recoil generated by the propellant (expanding gas), they have Zero effect on the recoils generated by momentum.

The only possible way to overcome the recoil generated by accelerating a 200 grain projectile from 0 to 1800 mph in 24"…. is with mass. A 30lb 8mm Rem Mag might have the same recoil as a 7lb .22 Mag…. but there is no possible physical way for a 7lb 8mm Mag (even with a massive brake) to even kick less than an equal weight .243 with no brake…. let alone a rimfire.

Unfortunately…. we don't have any projectiles or rifles yet that can abscond themselves from the Laws of Physics.

 

[Rich Coyle]

No…. It doesn't.

BRAKEs (not Breaks) only have an effect on the recoil generated by the propellant (expanding gas), they have Zero effect on the recoils generated by momentum.

The only possible way to overcome the recoil generated by accelerating a 200 grain projectile from 0 to 1800 mph in 24"…. is with mass. A 30lb 8mm Rem Mag might have the same recoil as a 7lb .22 Mag…. but there is no possible physical way for a 7lb 8mm Mag (even with a massive brake) to even kick less than an equal weight .243 with no brake…. let alone a rimfire.

Unfortunately…. we don't have any projectiles or rifles yet that can abscond themselves from the Laws of Physics.

Thanks for correcting the spelling.

As far as the other, you are either using one of my favorite things or you are depending on someone else for the idea this rifle does not recoil like a .22 magnum. I used to make lots of brakes for several different rifles. To discover what works the best I made a recoil slide. I can tell you without using ignorant prejudice it does in fact produce felt recoil like a .22 magnum. Good brakes work!

I can see 100 yard impact even when the scope is set on 20X and I hold all my rifles like I would a BB gun.