Getting the right weight rifle

[RockyMtnUT]

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.

 

[Rich Coyle]

It's also not a lie if you can back up the statement with repeatable tests.

 

[Damage Inc.]

A brake works by using expanding gas to mitigate recoil.

It does NOTHING to mitigate the recoil associated with projectile weight.

Physics cannot be circumvented.

 

[Rich Coyle]

During recoil things happen so fast it is impossible for the slide or the shoulder to separate out the different recoil impulses.

A good recoil pad begins to absorb the recoil generated by the bullet's acceleration. Before it can fully develop impact against the shoulder a very good brake is doing some fantastic work. Recoil slides display a beautiful story.

 

[dogz]

I grew up a horrible shooter. My dad put a .30-06 in my hands when it was too much for me. He gave me rem corelokt 180s because there were elk and deer overlapping. It wasn't until, the Army put 5.56 in my hands that I learned to shoot well. I've spent 27 years since then developing knowledge, skill, expertise and a love of shooting and hunting.
So the point of this is, that a few years ago I had a theft that left me starting over, building a stable of guns. I've tried to make the most of my "opportunity", to choose each new purchase to fill a real niche. My first choice was of course a 300WM. With that, I could hunt everything minus dangerous game, and then as I expanded my stable again I could fill in more niche calibers…and so we come to the question " whats next?"

In buying the 300WM, I had never shot more than a 30-06. I was really worried about recoil, and bought a rem 700 5r that weighed 8.5 lbs, add a 32 oz scope, rings bases, ammo, a qd/ muzzle brake, and a 28 oz yhm can ( its old, I know theres much lighter ones now), and I'm pushing 13 pounds. It shoots well, a bear, many white tail, a few hogs, and lots of steel have been "rung" up. But at 13 pounds I have trouble lugging it around, and the can over a 24" barrel becomes unwieldy. I was thinking of biting off on the mountain rifle craze, and purchasing a lightweight 7-08. Thats when dome army buddies had to chime in. One quoted the 13 Warrior and simply said, grow stronger. Others said, you've already got your all around caliber, just make the rifle lighter or get a new one.

What do you consider a "walking weight" rifle in 300WM? I got it that recoil tolerance is subjective. I can handle .30-06 type recoil just fine ( 8.5 pounds with scope). So whats your experience with heavier calibers, at finding the sweet spot of shootability vs carrying weight?

Good Q Loren, to what ranges are you consistently taking game and in what part of the world.

Off the cuff I'd say 8.5 lbs "all up", that being scope, rounds, sling etc...

Keep the weight in the barrel, have a barrel that goes .65" at the muzzle, and the stock at 28 ounces or less. The scope at 13 ounces give or take a skosh bit....

No brake

 

[cabelasken]

338 win mag 8.25 lbs
300 WSM 8.00 lbs
280 AI 7,75 LBS
284 WIN 7.5 LBS
7-08 6.75 - 7 LBS
257 RBTS 6.75 LBS
243 WIN 6.5 LBS
6.6 CM 6.75 LBS

These are scoped, slinged, and loaded with ammo. i've found that my lightest limit is 6.5 lbs.
Anything lighter and I don't feel confident in the field.

 

[Joefrazell]

Personally I'd come down to a .284 diameter bullet just to loose some of the recoil and then I'd shoot for 8.5lbs. If it comes in a lb heavy that's ok. A 20" 7mm08 would be an amazing choice if your not looking to take game past 5-600 yards.

 

[tonyf3]

Whether you go heavy or light make sure you have an understanding of how the rifle will balance.

I have a 9lb 300PRC that carries well on the shoulder, by hand or strapped to a pack.
I had two rifles that were both about 10.5 lbs. One carried well, the other was barrel heavy and was a pain to carry around with a 4lb 26" barrel swinging around.

I rebarrelled that rifle and swapped out the scope to a lighter one so I'm at 9lb 2oz. It's basically the same weight as my PRC but it still doesn't balace as nice as the PRC. With the weight about on par it carries a balances a bit different by hand and hodling the rifle for a standing shot feels different too.

 

[loren holland]

Gentlemen, I greatly appreciate the redponses so far. This is my take on summarizing…

We already know that recoil tolerance is subjective , and as I suspected, answers range from 7 to 12 pounds. Lol.

The majority of responses seem to indicate that 9-10 pounds is good for 300WM. Other responses say that a good brake can take that down to 8.5.

Next, let me ask a reframing question. Since my current rifle is not just heavy, but hard to shoot offhand because of balance, what is your advice on making it handy? One response was to rebarrel or cut down the current barrel. I believe 300WM loses 40fps per inch. I think I'd be fine shooting a 180 at 2860 instead of 2960, to get a 22" inch barrel.

 

[loren holland]

Wow, i wrote that last reply and it hung up and didn't post. It looks like a few more comments came in while it was in limbo, that address balance just as I was trying yo expand on.

Option 1-So the new Christiansen Ridgline with carbon fiber stock in addition to the carbon fiber barrel, is a pound or so lighter than the old model. I am thinking a 7/08, 5.2 # rifle, w/ 20" barrel should be a good starting point. A vortex razor lht in FFP is 22 oz, would bring the total to 6.7#, leaving room in weight for up to a one pound suppressor. Plus a 20" barrel, with a newer 6-8" can would handle a lot different than the 24" inch barrel with 10" (28 oz) can that I currently have. I would end up around 7.5 pounds.

Option 2- the factory stock on my 300WM, rem 700 5R gen II, is 42oz. Its comfortable and stiff, but heavy. I could replace it with a manners eh1 at 28 oz or the manners ultralite classic at 19-21 oz. I'll leave the vortex viper pst g2 5-25 on it ( 32 oz), and then rebarrel a proof carbon @ 22" instead of 24.

Thoughts?

 

[Damage Inc.]

A 22" .300 WM, with a "good brake"…. is going to be so loud and have so much concussion, that birds are going to fall out of the sky when you touch that baby off. Even with plugs/muffs, it's not going to be fun to shoot.

Better answer is 20" and a suppressor. I had a Kimber Montana in .300 WSM that was cut/threaded at 17", and shot it suppressed exclusively. It essentially delivered 24" .30/06 performance. I bet you'd get much better than that out of a 20" .300 WM + a can.

The suppressor eats a lot of the recoil too. All up, with the can, the .300 WSM weighed under 8.5lbs. With 208s at 2750, it recoiled about like a .25-06. With 155s at 3000, it recoiled about like a .243.

 

[nksmfamjp]

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.

I would love to a video comparison on the recoil slide. I've watched MBM's videos and agree that certain brake designs really are better. Also, IME, it works best to hold a braked gun a bit loose to let the brake stop the rifle.

 

[Rich Coyle]

I would love to a video comparison on the recoil slide. I've watched MBM's videos and agree that certain brake designs really are better. Also, IME, it works best to hold a braked gun a bit loose to let the brake stop the rifle.

One time at the range a guy told me, "Those things only work because you want them to."
"I will demonstrate with and without for you."

I forgot what a .375-.416 Remington Magnum kicks like. First I fired it with the brake. Then without. I got a "scope cut" and the muffls slid forward off my ears. The guy excitedly exclaimed, "I'd weld that suckered on!"

 

[BEEMAN]

I just finished a new 280 AI build. Came in at 8 lbs 9.5 oz with a 4-32 NX8. Has a brake and is shooting the 140 AH over 3300 FPS. Very comfortable gun to shoot.