Besides the obvious benefits of a light rifle, is there any more on either side? Do you prefer a rifle designed to be light or an uncompromising heavy gun built for ultimate accuracy and rigidity? I know it varies for different applications but even the military doesn't seem to care that their precision rifles are 15+lbs. Personally it's hard for me to answer this question because I have not been able to handle a well made light bolt gun yet but I'm sure they are out there.
Heavy vs Light Rifles
- Thread starter jmar
- Start date
I’ll take heavy all day but that’s just because of how my rifles are normally used.
If I hunted deer/elk more weight would be a more important consideration.
If I hunted deer/elk more weight would be a more important consideration.
It’s entirely dependent on application.
For a match gun, I am going heavy as I can handle because it settles better in unstable positions and is much better at mitigating recoil.
For a hunting gun, obviously the lighter the better because you’re carrying it around and firing it very little, so recoil is of no consideration.
There is no “better” or “worse,” just different depending on usage.
For a match gun, I am going heavy as I can handle because it settles better in unstable positions and is much better at mitigating recoil.
For a hunting gun, obviously the lighter the better because you’re carrying it around and firing it very little, so recoil is of no consideration.
There is no “better” or “worse,” just different depending on usage.
If your walking distance is measured in yards go a heavy as you like, if it measured in miles lighter is better.
Following thru to the point of being able to spot trace is going to be more of a challenge with a light hunting rifle unless you've got good control over it with a sling. May not be much of a concern at shorter hunting distances, but can be for shooting longer distances with wind. Then there is the tendency for pencil barrels to walk around once heated up if your shooting a longer sting of fire.
What the above folks have said... it depends on what I want to do with that particular rifle. If I'm going to a spend a lot of time shooting and not much time carrying, there's no reason not to go heavy... heavy means (more) comfortable, more stability, and less felt recoil. If I'm going to spend a lot of time carrying and not much time shooting, gimme as light as possible. I can deal with recoil for a shot or two if it means less fatigue, and handling may be a worthy tradeoff over stability. Further, for guns that spend a lot of time being carried (read: hunting rifles, for instance), the ability to group 5 shots under a dime is a LOT less important than a consistent cold-bore shot.
Momma bear certainly gets some luvins!Hey! What about medium rifles they need love to. Not cool man ??
There's certainly nothing wrong with a split purpose rifle... I mean, I consider a light (centerfire) rifle to be ~10 pounds or less as carried (read: including scope, rings, ammo, etc...) and a heavy rifle to be 20+ pounds all in, thus leaving a fairly broad range for 'tweeners; which is a range, honestly, into which most of my rifles fall.Hey! What about medium rifles they need love to. Not cool man ??
It all depends on how you plan on using the rifle and what you want. I have a Armalite M15A4(T) with a heavy SS 24" barrel. I changed out the carbon fiber HG for a Larue 13.2 (which is actually lighter) and find it great for range plinking. I have a Hariss bipod mounted and a Magpul PRS stock.
Another AR wears a 16" M4 profile barrel. It is great for general use and fun (mag dumps, carbine classes, ect.). A friend had a 20" HBAR that was also fun to shoot. It all depends on what you want and need.
Another AR wears a 16" M4 profile barrel. It is great for general use and fun (mag dumps, carbine classes, ect.). A friend had a 20" HBAR that was also fun to shoot. It all depends on what you want and need.
I have this neat CZ527 in 20-221AI and my bud has one in 17R. Both are about as light as a rifle gets and we love them things! They don't even have brakes on them and recoil is so slight it makes me laugh when the first shot goes off. We shoot them out to 675Y but they start blowing in the wind a lot by then and it's getting harder to spot hits or misses. These things are wonderful walk around varminters and just as good on steel down prone off the bipod. Great fun and challenge in the wind.
Had a heavy rifle/18lb in the same chambering, just a hair less recoil. Nah, I went to 223AI in this rifle with heavies and like it for it's purpose for farther out and self spotting. Someday I'd like to have 11-12 lb rifle, scope, etc, all up in a repeater, in 223AI or 224V. For steel it'd be a fun rifle.
IMO, I didn't like the rifle upset on my friends 260 in a 10 lb rifle lacking a brake. He put a AREA 419 hellfire on it and that made a huge difference as far as rifle upset! Before it wasn't easy to spot your shots because the rifle would bounce, afterwards it stayed put for the most part.
Common sense goes a long way!
ELR with big chamberings = heavy rifles.
PRS or NRL heavy rifles are the most prominent. Mine was too heavy so I went to a medium profile this time for offhand, kneeling, and to lessen fatigue but I also went went with a softer recoiling round.
Hunting/walk around = light to medium weight rifles.
Hunting from stand not far from the truck = whatever you want.
Choose your compromises, it's always something.
Had a heavy rifle/18lb in the same chambering, just a hair less recoil. Nah, I went to 223AI in this rifle with heavies and like it for it's purpose for farther out and self spotting. Someday I'd like to have 11-12 lb rifle, scope, etc, all up in a repeater, in 223AI or 224V. For steel it'd be a fun rifle.
IMO, I didn't like the rifle upset on my friends 260 in a 10 lb rifle lacking a brake. He put a AREA 419 hellfire on it and that made a huge difference as far as rifle upset! Before it wasn't easy to spot your shots because the rifle would bounce, afterwards it stayed put for the most part.
Common sense goes a long way!
ELR with big chamberings = heavy rifles.
PRS or NRL heavy rifles are the most prominent. Mine was too heavy so I went to a medium profile this time for offhand, kneeling, and to lessen fatigue but I also went went with a softer recoiling round.
Hunting/walk around = light to medium weight rifles.
Hunting from stand not far from the truck = whatever you want.
Choose your compromises, it's always something.
I like my long range rifle (RPR .308) to be heavy since I only really shoot it prone, and for precision. However I do like to just chuck it in my trunk so I left the 20” barrel and the fact that the stock folds is good too. My light (lighter at least) rifle is my CZ 455 Evolution .22lr. Since that’s the only rifle I shoot offhand, it has a lighter scope, no bipod, and the Evolution stock puts more of the weight back my way
For my competition gun I want it as heavy as possible. My rifle for PRS style matches is 21 pounds before adding the bipod, barricade stop, and scope to the gun. Less movement from recoil and it settles to be more stable on top of a bag when shooting off barricades or other obstacles. I can handle lugging it from stage to stage just fine.
For my hunting rifle I want it as light as possible and preferably pretty inexpensive as well (it ends up knocking around into lots of trees since I hunt in the timber). I personally just use one of the Savage Axis combo packages for hunting since it shoots well enough for the ranges of my hunting shots (only 50-150 yards really), weighs 6.5 pounds with the scope even in 30-06, and is only $350 to replace if it gets too beat up.
For my hunting rifle I want it as light as possible and preferably pretty inexpensive as well (it ends up knocking around into lots of trees since I hunt in the timber). I personally just use one of the Savage Axis combo packages for hunting since it shoots well enough for the ranges of my hunting shots (only 50-150 yards really), weighs 6.5 pounds with the scope even in 30-06, and is only $350 to replace if it gets too beat up.
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