Heavy barrels for hunting?

I've used my 12lb Rem700P with 26" HB for the past 4 years moose hunting. Shot them from supported to freestanding anywhere from 25 yards to 300 yards. It did just fine.

However, I am looking forward to trying a BAR with 24" normal barrel at 9lbs this year.

It wasn't the weight, I just started to feel guilty about dragging my target gun through the muck.

When the prey is in play, you probably won't feel the extra few pounds. Plus I find I can hold heavier guns a little steadier than lighter ones.

Shoot it, enjoy it, buy another.
 
heavy barrel?

Are you familiar with the rifle? Does it shoot well? Do you shoot well with it? I assume that if you bought a .270 heavy barrel as a hunting rifle, you won't be busting through brush to do your hunting. If so, you're much better off with a rifle that you can shoot accurately all the time than a "brush gun" or any other rifle you're not familiar with.

For years, my favourite go-to gun was a CVA 45 cal. Kentucky Rifle. About 50" long if I remember. Used if for grouse and rabbit with round ball and light loads, and black bear and moose with maxis; out to 125 yards. I could pop grouse in the head at 50 ft. and group offhand about 4" at a 100 with the maxi's. Wouldn't have traded it for any other. If I pointed that rifle at something and pulled the trigger, it went dead. I did pass up a lot of shots, though, that I wasn't sure of making. Your .270 should be the same. Hunting is about enjoyment.
 
I've got some heavier and longer rifles that I hunt with and I like them just fine. If I was the sort of hunter who hiked all over the place it might be different, I don't know. Generally I am not willing to sacrifice performance for weight when it comes to optics or firearms.
 
The advantage of the heavy barrell is that it is much easier to aim. Get a bit winded and try holding a mdl 94 carbine on target now pick up a 91 nagant or a Ross rifle and try holding on target.
As for length being an issue I simply don't see it as a problem. Maybe if you are carrying it on your shoulder you'll notice it or if you are tracking a wounded lepord in thick bush but I seriously doubt a few inches of barrel either way makes a diffrence. Think about it you need many, many cubic feet of clear space between you and your target chances are that the very very small arc of clear space you need between you and the muzzle is ever going to present a problem.

Maybe if you need to swing the rifle in thick bush you might be hampered but you should'nt be swinging and pulling the trigger if the bush is that thick anyway. Aside from the safety consideration also consider the branch that catches the muzzle of a long rifle is going to likely catch the bullet from the short barrel.

Light guns are very nice to carry heavy guns are very nice to kill things with. When I am rich I'll certainly have a packer hand me a 14 pound rifle once I am in range. LOL
 
Regarding length ...... after many years of fishing small Brook Trout streams that wind through thick brush, and using a 6 to 10 foot fishing rod, a rifle with a puny little 6 foot barrel would be a piece of cake to use in the bush. Again, it's all in the mind. My old Trapdoor rifle has a barrel more than 30" long and I still don't notice any problem getting through the bush with it. My advice is that if you really like a particular rifle, weight and length (within reason) won't be an issue ..... at least that is the way it is with me. Your experience may vary.
 
Win 38-55 now that you mention it I am pretty sure fishing 2 foot wide streams in alder patches is where I learned too LOL. Or maybe it was grouse hunting with a bolt action 12 gauge goose gun.

think about dragging a deer out while also carrying the rifle.
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If the deer weighs 150 pounds an extra pound or two of rifle aint gonna make a bit of diffrence to you at the end of the day.
 
cbabes said:
That's why I am here. To learn.



You would give a lot of excellent hunters rage with that statement. I'll leave it at that. :p
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Their is nothing false with that statement. IT IS on the light side for those animals. That said, it will kill them. In fact, I carry a 270 WSM for moose, and would have no qualms using it on elk. But that doesnt change the fact it is still on the light side of the spectrum for those animals.
 
Correct me if I am wrong here but most hunting situations are one or two shots-maybe three at the most,and a barrel heating up affecting accuracy isn't a factor.I question whether the average guy ,shooting in the field can even come close to the capabilities of his rifle.[I certainly can't]

I recall asking an old army vet about the accuracy of 2 groove vs 5 groove 303 lee enfields-and he said it wasn't so much the RIFLES ability to shoot straight-but MINE
 
H4831 said:
The only deterent of a heavy barrelled rifle for hunting, is the extra weight to carry. Also, sometimes they are longer, like 26 inches, making them a bit awkward in heavier bush. 22 inches is about an ideal length barrel for average hunting.
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I discovered a few years back that using a Boonie Packer Safari sling makes it more pleasent to carry a heavy rifle. The sling goes across your shoulders is quickley adjustable and leaves you hands free to glass. I was using it on a Browning auto which is an anchor. Your mention of a 22 " barrel is correct however I prefer 24" and wouldnt own another 26".
 
I hunt pretty regularly with Weatherby rifles and they aren't exactly light and trim. I've never had the 26" barrel have any negative impact on my shooting even in thick brush. If it really became a problem I guess I could always step backwards 4 inches.

As for the weight, I try and spend more time on the treadmill or the trail as opposed to in front of the computer, complaining about heavy rifles. I carried a No. 1 Tropical .375 for a 5-day hunt in the super dense boreal forest along the Manitoba/Ontario border, 10.5 pounds was nothing compared to the 50 pounds of camp gear and 300 pounds of black bear I had to cart around!
 
I normally park my vehicle and sit and observe strategic animal trails and hotspots. Some days I see some real dandy specimens. My rifle weighs 20 lbs and works very well. It puts the heavy in heavy barrel.
 
Nice to see that several of the recent posters are using similar rifles without any issues. Looking forward to getting some practice then some hunting in....finally!
 
limit time said:
Do you have a pic of this gun?
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It's a stevens 200 in 270 win stagger feed. It has a 26" shilen bull barrel with a 1/10 twist rate, bushnell legend 5x15-40, timney trigger, harris 6-9 bipod, a score hi br single shot follower, cheek rest/gear pouch. The forearm has also been stiffened up. I have a sling all ready for it so I don't get too tired! :p

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Toomanyguns said:
I hope none of that spray paint flakes off and blows back into your eyes and nose when you shoot.
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LOL...that's the only thing that kept me from buying it sooner. I got it for $700 no cost for shipping. If you add up the barrel, trigger, bipod, scope and rifle I think it was a good deal.
 
I use my Savage 10FPLE1A as a deer rifle. Not for pushing bush, but a park and wait. I set it up with a leupold VXII 1-4x20mm the other year... I like it, so does the lil lady! :D

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