Heavy sporting rifles

I would have kept and hunted with my 12 pound 416 Rigby except my damn gun bearer wanted 600 a day plus retirement savings and overtime after eight hours.
Plus he insisted on riding shotgun and a clothing allowance.
The loincloths were the deal breaker.

Sold it and not looking back.
 
Joel said:
You don't have to be all that concerned with it to feel it. Or consciously thinking of it to feel it.

Not complaining about it...just saying I don't think I'm as invested in whats happening to the point I stop feeling sensations like 15+ ft/lbs in the arm lol. Yeah, its super focus but not enough to not feel stuff.

I don’t ever remember feeling the RECOIL of a rifle shooting big game - Gophers etc yes . RJ
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I don't find myself bothered by recoil in the field either. I remember a .303 with a brass butt plate my dad borrowed for me to hunt with really hammering me on the bench as a 120-pound 13-year-old during sight-in, but I don't even remember it making noise when I fired it on game.

My last hunt was shooting a light .30-06 with stout 180gr loads off a monopod from kneeling and even with that I kept the bear in the scope during recoil, there was a bit of a bang I suppose and maybe it shook a little.

There's a 30 year time difference between those two shots and the sensation is still the same, on game there is no recoil. Off the bench I have no problem running a brake and a limbsaver and a PAST ##### pad and double earpro (big blast seems to increase recoil). In the field, a light t-shirt between me and 25 ft.lbs. of recoil is plenty.
 
My carrying rifle will be light ( no brainer ) i favor a Steyr Scout 308. While hunting i never bother about recoil or noise
 
Ah, not hearing the shot and not feeling recoil...

That isn't concentration, its a biological reaction to acute stress called "auditory exclusion". Has nothing to do with focus and everything to do with the cortisol and adrenaline in your system :) Otherwise if you concentrate really hard at the range you wouldn't feel recoil either.
 
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mikeyb said:
I don't find myself bothered by recoil in the field either. I remember a .303 with a brass butt plate my dad borrowed for me to hunt with really hammering me on the bench as a 120-pound 13-year-old during sight-in, but I don't even remember it making noise when I fired it on game.

My last hunt was shooting a light .30-06 with stout 180gr loads off a monopod from kneeling and even with that I kept the bear in the scope during recoil, there was a bit of a bang I suppose and maybe it shook a little.

There's a 30 year time difference between those two shots and the sensation is still the same, on game there is no recoil. Off the bench I have no problem running a brake and a limbsaver and a PAST ##### pad and double earpro (big blast seems to increase recoil). In the field, a light t-shirt between me and 25 ft.lbs. of recoil is plenty.
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Never noticed it when shooting at game but if you have developed a nasty flinch from range work with a too light kicker it will carry over and badly affect your shooting on game.
 
It a absolutely will. Not even your body's fight or flight reflexes will help that trigger yank being programmed in
 
Buckmastr said:
https://www.fieldandstream.com/blogs/the-gun-nuts/weighty-matters-light-rifles-vs-heavy-rifles/?amp

I like shooting heavy hunting rifles.
Is a 9-10# gun too heavy for you? What weight is preferred??
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For me, north of 10 pounds is heavy. My goto rifle is a 9 pound custom build on a New Haven Model 70 classic.

My 416 Rigby is in the 10 to 12 pound range but that is a good thing as the hunting loads burn 120 grains of H4831sc.

In my experience rifle weight preference is very much a personal choice. A fellow I hunt with packs his 9 pound Parker Hale everywhere and out walks almost everyone. And I know folks that count the ounces on everything and very much prefer a light, light rifle. Like one of the other posters, Hoyt, I'm a tall, broad guy, and for me 8, 9, 10 pounds is kind of whatever. Maybe when I get old and all wore out I'll care more.

Basically it comes down to what works for you - within reason.
 
I was a ultra lightweight hoe for a long time but much happier around 8 lbs, get on target and settled much quicker and shooting predictable and consistent.

Still have an ultralight and you really notice on range days when you shoot it back to back with the 8+lb rig which one you're more likely to kill well with under pressure. The heavy gun will go on all serious hunts including mountains. The ultralight relegated to a green dot short range rig now for fun, niche, non-serious stuff.
 
Buckmastr said:
Packing a light rifle is terrific. But when I need to shoot, I’d rather be behind something heavier.
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As many have already said, this is what it comes down to. Even so, everybody has different priorities, depending on where and how they hunt, and what they prefer. I like to cover ground, so for much of my hunting, light is right.



Buckmastr said:
The only advantage to a lightweight rifle is when you’re not shooting it. Otherwise it’s full of disadvantages imo.
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When I am hunting, it's not an exaggeration to say I spend 99.9999% of my time not shooting.



Buckmastr said:
Shooting lightweight rifles off a bench into tiny groups or at longer range practice targets gives me a false sense of field shootability. ...
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The same is true for any weight of rifle. And if your field shooting is unsupported, then your rifle can be too heavy. But more importantly, BALANCE matters a whole lot for unsupported shooting.
 
alpining said:
As many have already said, this is what it comes down to. Even so, everybody has different priorities, depending on where and how they hunt, and what they prefer. I like to cover ground, so for much of my hunting, light is right.





When I am hunting, it's not an exaggeration to say I spend 99.9999% of my time not shooting.





The same is true for any weight of rifle. And if your field shooting is unsupported, then your rifle can be too heavy. But more importantly, BALANCE matters a whole lot for unsupported shooting.
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+1 on all the above for me

Most of these points are probably the bane of every new purchase too. Guaranteed most of us fret over these minute details longer then needed. That’s why we all have multiples in our safes to cover a vast majority of scenarios.
 
A rifle which is eight pounds, all-up, is OK with me. When I can't carry that, a pound less won't change things much. On the other hand, if the rifle is accurate and reliable, it has met the main requirements IMO.
 
remington jim said:
elKrusto said:
A hunting book I have from 1974, recommends a hunters rifle should weigh 1/20th of the hunters own weight.
Interesting concept. 160 pound hunter = 8 pound rifle. 200 pound hunter = 10 pound rifle.
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Well Now ! :rolleyes: Doesn’t that just make PERFECT Scientific Sense ! :p;) Lol. RJ
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Isn't that what they have been saying for the past 3 years...trust the science?

Excuse me while I go look for a 15lb rifle, because a book said so!
 
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