Shooting a lightweight rifle well

[JonS]

Please give tips and tricks.
I will be coming in possession of a rifle in .270 win that is reported at 5 lbs, currently wears a vxiii 2.5-8x36 with boone and crockett reticle that I believe weighs 11.4 oz and some talley lightweight ring/mounts.
It will be the lightest rifle I've had or will keep and I'd like to learn from others tips they have for shooting it well
One can read lots on why they abandon light rifles, I'd like to preempt that with here's how you shoot one well.

I am a decent shooter, have some Tikka's and a recent Kimber Classic that's pretty light, but not as light as the incoming. Have some heavier ones as well.

Thanks in advance,
Jon

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

I shoot my lightweight rifles, Kimber Adirondack and Barrett Fieldcraft, the best when I rest my hand on top of my scope and apply moderate downwards pressure. I also lean into the rifle rather than pulling it in to me. My triggers are adjusted down to 2-2.5 lbs. Any more than that and you can add unnecessary input into the rifle.
I shoot both of these rifles out to a thousand yards.

 

[mtwarden]

+1 on hand on top of scope, I noticed a nice improvement in groups doing this

 

[blacktail sniper]

I had a forbes 280 that scoped wsa 6.5 with a 4.5-14x40 and found that if i gripped it and tried to force it things got worse. held i like an egg and let the rifle do its things got better. But i sold it and went back to 8-8.5 lb guns as some days i would shoot it .5 moa others 1.5 Figured my fat butt could lose 2 lbs around my waste to make up for it

 

[tdot]

Consistency is key for me. If I change forward hand pressure, cheek pressure, shoulder pressure, grip pressure or direction all will have an effect on how consistently accurate I can be. Basically have your fundamentals dialed and consistent, then you'll be fine.

Also making sure the rifle actually fits you properly, eye relief, LOP, etc will help you stay consistent behind the rifle.

Practicing in the positions you'll likely shoot from will also lead to consistency.

 

[wildwilderness]

Put a heavy scope on it . And practice off a lead sled and recoil pad . But really I don’t shoot light rifles as well, will be good to learn some better form.

 

[CApighunter]

I have a kimber 338-06 that’s the same weight and wears the same scope. I shoot it the same as any other rifle. Fundamentals should not change, but any flaw in form will be magnified with a lighter rifle. Practice as much as you can and get comfortable with it.

 

[OXN939]

I don’t shoot light rifles as well

Nobody does. I have one chopstick hunting rifle that's 6 pounds scoped and loaded, but I'm not pulling that trigger on anything past 300.

Best answer to the OP's question is probably to own one in a light caliber. Mine's a .243.

 

[brsnow]

With fieldcrafts I don’t feel you need to do anything particular, they shoot great. My kimbers shoot great as well but far more critical of my form.

 

[lyle_destroys]

Kimber America | Tips for Shooting Lightweight Kimber Rifles | Kimber America Dealer Portal Blog

Fine 1911 pistols and rifles for both the hunter and shooter. Kimber offers law enforcement tactical pistols and rifles, less-lethal self-defense products, light weight rifles and mountain rifles.

www.kimberamerica.com

Here's a link I found on another thread somewhere on this forum a while back.

 

[mtwarden]

I'm guessing their suggestion of putting slight down pressure on the barrel would be accomplished the same as hand on top of scope, basically not letting the rifle be fully in "free recoil"

 

[TimberPhantom]

Shooting offhand is where I notice the biggest difference in a lightweight rifle. Utilizing a rifle sling as a shooting support makes a world of difference in steadiness and only takes a second to get into position after practice:

Rifle Shooting Basics: The Long-Forgotten Loop Sling

One of the most useful rifle shooting aids is also one of the most neglected. That is the use of the loop sling. The support and steadiness it provides, when properly used, is enormous.

gundigest.com

 

[Fartrell Cluggins]

I'd recommend shooting it in a manner that best duplicates the way you anticipate using it in the field.

 

[Huntin_GI]

What is your target weight in a rifle? The Begara HMR look fantastic but have heaft. I could pick up the Savage Ultralite for a few hundred more and have a sub 9lb gun.

 

[hereinaz]

How are you going to shoot it?
What caliber?

 

[JonS]

It's a 5 lb rifle I think, will weigh it as soon as I get it. My thoughts on shooting it would be against a tree, on a pack, on a tripod with arca mount or trigger stick. Off hand is not much further than 50 yds for me and I'd still prefer to lay down or kneel or something utilizing a sling.
I don't have a target weight, shoot the tikkas well enough to harvest animals and have a light model 7 .260 that I shoot well, this one will hopefully travel to AK for a caribou hunt as the former owner would have loved to come along before his passing. He'll be there in spirit.

 

[actionshooter]

Just lots of practice... lighter rifles are harder to shoot because they exaggerate poor form. Dry fire helps more than people realize also.

 

[Firestone]

Light rifles are much tougher for sure. Everything is exaggerated ten fold. I would get your trigger as light as your comfortable with. For longer shots I make sure i have a solid shooting platform and always a rear rest. I bet i spent 5 minutes making a rest on a buck this year, I was on a really steep slope shooting up hill across a canyon. I got on the gun two or three times before i finally had everything situated to where i was rock solid.

 

[Steve_in_OR]

Please give tips and tricks.
I will be coming in possession of a rifle in .270 win that is reported at 5 lbs, currently wears a vxiii 2.5-8x36 with boone and crockett reticle that I believe weighs 11.4 oz and some talley lightweight ring/mounts.
It will be the lightest rifle I've had or will keep and I'd like to learn from others tips they have for shooting it well
One can read lots on why they abandon light rifles, I'd like to preempt that with here's how you shoot one well.

I am a decent shooter, have some Tikka's and a recent Kimber Classic that's pretty light, but not as light as the incoming. Have some heavier ones as well.

Thanks in advance,
Jon

I have a 270 that is only slightly heavier than what you describe. With it's pet loads, it is by far the most accurate big game rifle I have ever owned. However, it does seem to require a very consistent hold. If you let the rifle move in the rest with each shot and don't make sure it is repositioned the same for each shot the groups will open up. I have tried the scope hold and various others and they all seem to work as long as they are consistently applied.

 

[Lawnboi]

I had a 6.5lb all up rifle once. It’s gone now. It was 308.