Rifle weight and balance

[philthygeezer]

Lately I'm sort of figuring out that a standard weight rifle with a 24" barrel is more comfy to shoot and quieter, and that I wouldn't mind the extra weight and length for standard hunting calibers if everything is under or around 9 pounds with scope, mounts and ammo. A standard 24" 7.5 to 8 pound bolt gun with a smaller 4x33 mm or 6x36 mm is a pretty nice all-rounder. Definitely not as snappy and loud as an 18" carbine in say .308 that weighs under seven pounds all in.

What's your take on rifle weight and length?

 

[Rembo]

Lately I'm sort of figuring out that a standard weight rifle with a 24" barrel is more comfy to shoot and quieter, and that I wouldn't mind the extra weight and length for standard hunting calibers if everything is under or around 9 pounds with scope, mounts and ammo. A standard 24" 7.5 to 8 pound bolt gun with a smaller 4x33 mm or 6x36 mm is a pretty nice all-rounder. Definitely not as snappy and loud as an 18" carbine in say .308 that weighs under seven pounds all in.

What's your take on rifle weight and length?

I have a 24" 7mm Rem Mag 700 in a Brown Prec stock with 4.5-14 Leupy that goes 8lbs even with a bit of muzzle heaviness.....seems about right for the barrel length and chambering....I think a 7lb to 7-1/2 pounder in a standard long action chambering with a 24" tube would be just about right. I think lately there's too much importance given to super lightweight rigs, I've had them myself but they are not a huge advantage for the average hunting style...YMMV

 

[Ormachek]

Theres a place for the lightweights, say on a backpacking sheep hunt, but for me, all I'm carrying is my gun and a small day pack with my gear, carrying an 8, 9 even 10 pound rifle isn't a big deal. I look towards what feels most comfortable when I'm shooting it, right now I'm hunting with a 7mm-08 Marlin XS7 (22" bbl) in a laminate stock, and a Marlin 336 30-30, or a variety of break action 16ga shotguns, they're just the guns that feel good in my hands.

 

[diemaco]

I like my rifles to weigh about 8lbs scoped and loaded. 20 to 22" barrels, balance point slightly ahead of the action, 2-7 or 2.5-8 power scope.

 

[martinbns]

Up to and including a 308, I like light rifles in the 7-7.5 pound range with a 22 inch barrel. I;ve had some lighter like a Kimber, a couple of 700 mountain rifles in 260 rem and today I hunt mostly just deer and carry a Tikka T3 Hunter in 6.5x55 that weighs just over 7 scoped.

When I am hunting larger critters, moose etc I like a 300 win mag to weigh 8.5 all in. A 7 pound 300 magnum is a tool I won't use again.

Any heavier than 8.5 pounds bothers my hands to carry all day and ends up on my shoulder, strangely enough I also shoot lighter rifles with the balance between my hands easier to shoot offhand, like a shotgun. Heavier rifles seem to wander when I acquire the target.

 

[Traps]

Lately I'm sort of figuring out that a standard weight rifle with a 24" barrel is more comfy to shoot and quieter, and that I wouldn't mind the extra weight and length for standard hunting calibers if everything is under or around 9 pounds with scope, mounts and ammo. A standard 24" 7.5 to 8 pound bolt gun with a smaller 4x33 mm or 6x36 mm is a pretty nice all-rounder. Definitely not as snappy and loud as an 18" carbine in say .308 that weighs under seven pounds all in.

What's your take on rifle weight and length?

I've been shooting a 338 Federal out of a 28" break open and the first time I fired it without ear plugs it was pleasant, no ringing afterwards. Muzzle blast is very high on my 7mm rem mag with 24" barrel and my 22" 270, both make my ears ring for a few hours. 7mm is 9.25 lbs and recoil is medium, 270 is 7 lbs and recoil is medium, 338 Fed is 8.4 lbs and is medium with little muzzle blast. Barrel length will definitely slow down the escaping gases while doing more work on the bullet by propelling it faster.

I'd take a 24" tube at 8 lbs in anything from a 7mm-08, 308, 270, 30-06. 26" tube and 9 lbs in 7mm rem mag.