Rifle Balance

suprcoolr

suprcoolr

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How should a rifle feel for balance?

This probably sounds like a newbie question and that is because I am relatively new to rifles. I'm still deciding on a big game rifle to buy and have handled a few models in the under $1000 range (Winchester M70, Ruger Hawkeye, Tikka T3 Lite, Savage 114). The Ruger, in particular, felt weight-forward on the forearm (and yes, i understand that there is 20+ inches of steel there), compared to the M70 which felt very balanced to me when held up. These were also held with no scope attached.

Is there any advantage/disadvantage to how balanced a rifle feels to its shooter? or should it just feel "right"?

Thanks in advance, all input is appreciated.
 
It should feel "right". People are all shaped different so there is no one-size-fits-all. If it feels good and lines up on your shoulder you will shoot better. There is no trick that I know of. Just get out and handle as many as you can and draw some conclusions afterward. If you're at a shop, ask to see one with a scope on it.
 
It is nice when a gun is well balanced. I prefer the pivot point between my two hands, and if anything ever so slightly biased towards the barrel. It's easy enough to adjust by adding some lead shot in the butt area if need be.
 
suprcoolr said:
How should a rifle feel for balance?

Is there any advantage/disadvantage to how balanced a rifle feels to its shooter? or should it just feel "right"?
Click to expand...

It should be easy/comfortable to shoulder. It may help to have on a couple layers of clothes as you would wear hunting.
Just think of trying on new shoes or boots.
Uncomfortable is uncomfortable.
One has enough to think about when pulling the trigger on fur so the
rifle should feel good shouldered.
Or you should feel good about what you are shouldering. ;)
 
I agree with your initial post. My ruger hawkeye is quite barrel heavy, even with the scope and my friend's model 70 is much more balanced. No idea on total weight of each rifle but mine has a syn stock and his is wood.

I would probably prefer a better balance but as I know it is front heavy I tend to pick my shooting sites to have a rest of some sort, which is best in the long run.
 
A lot depends on what the rifle will be used for.
A weight forward, heavier/longer barrel is ideal for target shooting, especially off hand shooting. A club we once shot small bore competetive, three position shooting at, had quite a variety of 22 sporting rifles among the members.
The most expensive, prestigious of them all, was a friends Winchester Model 52 sporter. If you are lucky, you may now see a picture of one in some magazine. They had the best trigger one would ever squeeze, but a barrel that tapered to quite slim at the muzzle. In off hand shooting I could do better with my common Winchester Model 69A.
Another prestigious 22 was a Brno sporter my brother had. It too, was perfect in near all respects, but also had a slim, tapered barrel. Again, I could shoot my 69A better than I could shoot the Brno.
If one is hunting in brushy, confined space, where a whitetail is likely to jump up at closer range, a shorter barreled, light on the front rifle is to be preferred oover a weight forward type.
 
I agree with H4831, a muzzle light rifle just feels livelier to handle but you pay for it in deliberate offhand shooting. That's where a nice trigger helps, when the crosshairs are doing the tarantula you have to squeeze of when they wobble by the target.
 
The scope when mounted to the receiver of the rifle, is unlikely to change it's balance, although it does change how the rifle might be carried. Even a scout scope mounted ahead of the receiver doesn't impact the balance to any degree. But the choice of stock material, the LOP, and the contour and length of barrel make a huge difference. My .375 balances almost right between my hands, where my 25" .30/06 is slightly muzzle heavy. I like the handling characteristics of both. My 19 pound target rifle is another matter, the varmint contour 28" barrel, makes it so muzzle heavy that it is all but impossible to shoot offhand.
 
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