Lightweight rifle and shooting moderate distances?

[TimberHunter]

I’ve been kicking around the idea of a lighter weight rifle. My shots are typically 400-600 yards

Currently hunt with a 6.5cm tikka that is approx 11lbs with a can. Also have a 6.5cm PRS style rifle that is approx 15-16lbs in a chassis. The chassis rifle is much easier to hold the rifle steady but wasn’t sure if it was the chassis or the weight that was making it more steady/easier to shoot? The 11lb 6.5 is not hard to shoot just not as easy to hold still


Does anyone have experience with similar style hunting rifles (one that is ideally a few lbs heavier) and how much shooting at distance is affected?


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[B_Reynolds_AK]

There are plenty of us shooting out to a thousand yards and further with 7-9 lb scoped rifles. Absolutely a heavier rifle is going to be steadier, but it is in no way a requirement for long range shooting and hunting. It just takes practice.

 

[Macintosh]

Sure, I have same/similar rifles weighing 8lb even, 10.5lb, and one at about 15lb in a krg bravo.

1) yes, the stock design does have some bearing on how easy it is to shoot well, especially as recoil increases. But I would say the weight is a much bigger contributor to how easy it is to shoot well. Heavier is simply way easier to hold steady with any kind of rest, recoils less and is noticeably easier to spot shots and faster to make followups.
2) I personally have a much, much easier time getting steady with a heavier gun. For me, truly light guns are much, much less forgiving of any shooter input.
3) to me, 11lb is a very heavy hunting rifle. You dont have to be “light” to shave a bunch of weight off. Id say around 8.5lb-9lb is a “standard weight” hunting rifle fully rigged, maybe add half a lb for the can. When I hear “light” I think sub 8lb all-in.
4) 400-600yds is WELL above my average shot distance hunting in WY and CO. If that’s your average you’re hunting differently than I am, so take my feedback with a grain of salt. If that was an average for me Id be carrying around a heavier rifle than I am.

 

[THLR]

This might be helpful, a how-to for lighter rifles. The rifle in the film is roughly 7 lbs

 

[Weldor]

I shoot distances pretty close 400-500, 6.5 prc Fierce with a can. Weight is right around 8.5 lbs. scoped with a Crimson trace series 5. The stock is nice and rigid so it shoots well for me. With a solid rest it is no problem to shoot 400-800yds. I personally like rifles under 8 lbs fully equipped but accurate lightweights are hard to come by without spending a fortune. JMHO

 

[shax2lex]

I think I’m in the minority. I shoot a 300wsm and my rifle is just over 12lbs with my TBAC Ultra 9. I know it’s heavier and I have a can but the shootability just works for me. I shoot PRS type matches and shooting 400-600yds at game is in my wheel house. I think I’ll take my weight, can, and probably another buttpad just to know I can make my shots. I can also shoot my rifle like 50+ times and not feel a thing.

 

[madcalfe]

I have a custom 300wsm bare rifle weight is 5lbs 2oz. I was running a kahles k318i on it, the gun was definitely a little top heavy and tricky to get stable. It now wears a ATACR 4-16x42.
I have no problem hitting steel out to 1000yards with it. Using a light rifle just takes practice and good fundaments. Also a light trigger pull will help with lighter rifles i find. I'm running my trigger at arouns 20oz

 

[Taudisio]

I have a custom 300wsm bare rifle weight is 5lbs 2oz. I was running a kahles k318i on it, the gun was definitely a little top heavy and tricky to get stable. It now wears a ATACR 4-16x42.
I have no problem hitting steel out to 1000yards with it. Using a light rifle just takes practice and good fundaments. Also a light trigger pull will help with lighter rifles i find. I'm running my trigger at arouns 20oz

I have an ultralight ultralight rifle, 3lb 13oz, I could not shoot it well with a heavier trigger. I swapped triggers and it made a night and day difference. I haven’t shot it past 590, but my intended use of the rifle was for hunting under 500. It is the best rifle I have ever carried around in the woods, but takes a little more time to get her steady before the shot.

 

[TimberHunter]

I have an ultralight ultralight rifle, 3lb 13oz, I could not shoot it well with a heavier trigger. I swapped triggers and it made a night and day difference. I haven’t shot it past 590, but my intended use of the rifle was for hunting under 500. It is the best rifle I have ever carried around in the woods, but takes a little more time to get her steady before the shot.

3lb 13oz?? That’s what a light weight barreled action weights


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[Taudisio]

3lb 13oz?? That’s what a light weight barreled action weights


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Ultralight Ultralight Rifles

I posted some info on the 77TMK thread about my experience on trying out the 77TMK on this black bear. There was some interest in the rifle used so I'm posting some info about the whys and hows on some of what I've put together over the last year or so. I've been carrying lightweight bolt...

rokslide.com

 

[Taudisio]

3lb 13oz?? That’s what a light weight barreled action weights


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I made a few posts on page 48 iirc

 

[Southern Lights]

My heaviest hunting rifles weigh 8-9.5lbs. I shoot to 1000 yards with them. Hunting ranges typically max at 600-800 yards for varmints. I shoot a carbon spartan bipod as well, but often off a pack.

The biggest issue is that I worked to be good at obtaining Natural Point of Aim (NPOA) in field positions quickly. A heavier rifle you can be a little off and still be somewhat accurate, but when you get lighter and lighter you really need to have good NPOA. Also doing the free recoil shooting method becomes harder. I find I need to have a grip on the foreend or perhaps overhand scope unless I'm in perfect prone position.

Personally, I had a rifle that was closer to 6lbs. and got rid of it because I found it too picky to be consistently accurate in field shooting for me. I also sold off all my PRS style rifles over 10+ lbs. now. I'm about as accurate with the middle weight rifle and it's much more practical for carrying when hunting.

 

[TimberHunter]

My heaviest hunting rifles weigh 8-9.5lbs. I shoot to 1000 yards with them. Hunting ranges typically max at 600-800 yards for varmints. I shoot a carbon spartan bipod as well, but often off a pack.

The biggest issue is that I worked to be good at obtaining Natural Point of Aim (NPOA) in field positions quickly. A heavier rifle you can be a little off and still be somewhat accurate, but when you get lighter and lighter you really need to have good NPOA. Also doing the free recoil shooting method becomes harder. I find I need to have a grip on the foreend or perhaps overhand scope unless I'm in perfect prone position.

Personally, I had a rifle that was closer to 6lbs. and got rid of it because I found it too picky to be consistently accurate in field shooting for me. I also sold off all my PRS style rifles over 10+ lbs. now. I'm about as accurate with the middle weight rifle and it's much more practical for carrying when hunting.

Interesting you found your mid weight rifle and accurate as your PRS stuff. My 16lb PRS chassis rifle is MUCH more steady than tikka 11lb rifle (both with suppressor). I’ve shot ParS matches with both and the heavy chassis is so much more steady when shooting from positional positions


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[Southern Lights]

I'd just say that for practical field shooting, where you are carrying the rifle or needing to move fast, heavy rifles are definitely a disadvantage for me.

I say this as someone that hunted for a bit using an AIAW and Sako TRG on a lark to see how they'd go. They are great rifles, but the AIAW especially is a real pig to use without a good rest position and a quad bike to move you to where you'll be. The Sako was better just due to less weight and better stock ergos. But still really heavy.

Ultimately, I just decided I didn't want to carry them so I'd have to find a weight that worked mostly as well. Then work on positions common in hunting vs. PRS to be more accurate.

Also like I said I went too light once and regretted it. It was hard to get the rifle steady quickly. When winded I couldn't really get it to settle into consistent groups at distance. Offhand was much harder as well. The rifle moved a lot for me in that position and I had a hard time grouping even at 100y vs. something a little heavier.

I generally stick to that 8-9.5 lbs range now and seems to go OK for me for the type of shooting I'm doing. For me, hunting is not PRS so I don't miss the PRS style rifle.