Ideal Stalking Rifle Weight

https://Immersive-optics.com/
My set up tips the scale at 10lbs
not to heavy & not to light
Lightweight’s are hard on recoil,
that said nobody want to carry
a heavyweight on a long stalk.
Find a happy medium 8-10 lbs
should be ideal

Barrett Fieldcraft tips the scale at
5lbs bare that’s lightweight.
Not for me I’m to :scared:
 
caberslash said:
Another important factor is balance, moderators usually ruin it but shorter ones are nowhere near as bad.
Click to expand...

This is where I feel ATec maxim mods come into their own - 13 oz so not heavy at all, I know they don’t handle massive shot counts although they are not designed for that.

My rifle, Mod, scope, mag and sling are just a shade under 10lbs. You’d have to be mad to want to carry a 15 or 20 lb rifle around all day! By the end of a days wandering about even a 10lb rifle can start to annoy your shoulder and I find myself swapping shoulders, and I’m not exactly “slight build” ...🙄


Regards,
Gixer.
 
15 lbs is an ideal weight for a dangerous game double rifle in .577 Nitro. Also for a long range sniper rifle with Ghillie suit etc. Most hunting rifles should have an all up weight of under 10lbs, and two of mine are under 8 lbs scopes included. A lot is to do with balance. Personally I don't like modern 30mm tubed scopes. Yes the Optics are magnificent, but they make most rifles somewhat top heavy to handle. I want the weight between my hands, not stuck two inches above.

But will fully admit, personal preference and shooting style is hugely important. I don't like using Bipods and cross arm hold - I shoot in the old fashioned way and much prefer to shoot over a pack, rolled up sleeve or off sticks. And I like to keep ranges short - 200 is more than enough.
 
Have a mate who has spent thousands on road bike components to save grams of weight here and there, but him losing a stone of mid life excess was the game changer 😁. That's my view with rifles too, be sensible but shoot what you trust and have confidence in 👍If I start moaning about weight then a reminder to trim up 🤣
 
When I was a kid I had a full stocked Brunn (occupation era commercial Brno) in 7x57 with a 4x40 leupold scope on it because a German 6x42 was way too expensive. It weighed a nats chuff all in and did all I asked of it (easy sub inch) and wanted and needed no more!! That took a lot of animals at all ranges and in various terrain in all weather! Stalking magazine was by subscription then no sporting rifle mag. Can you buy a light weight inch tube quality made scope now?
Where did it all go wrong??
K
 
Heym SR20 said:
15 lbs is an ideal weight for a dangerous game double rifle in .577 Nitro. Also for a long range sniper rifle with Ghillie suit etc. Most hunting rifles should have an all up weight of under 10lbs, and two of mine are under 8 lbs scopes included. A lot is to do with balance. Personally I don't like modern 30mm tubed scopes. Yes the Optics are magnificent, but they make most rifles somewhat top heavy to handle. I want the weight between my hands, not stuck two inches above.

But will fully admit, personal preference and shooting style is hugely important. I don't like using Bipods and cross arm hold - I shoot in the old fashioned way and much prefer to shoot over a pack, rolled up sleeve or off sticks. And I like to keep ranges short - 200 is more than enough.
Click to expand...

Not getting a Swarovski DS then? :stir: :rofl:
 
My lightest barreled 595 (308) weighs in at 13lbs ready to go and that to me is fine. My main stalking rifle that I take to the hill is probably a pound or two heavier. The main issues are balance and an appropriate sling like a Z aim or biathlon type. I would rather carry a heavier rifle that gives steady dependable accuracy rather than an ultralight wobbly thing that jitters about with every muscle tremor.
i once read an article that said if your rifle is too heavy by a pound it is better to lose a Pound off your belly (as said above). I couldn’t agree more though I can afford to lose a lb or two!!
 
srvet said:
My lightest barreled 595 (308) weighs in at 13lbs ready to go and that to me is fine. My main stalking rifle that I take to the hill is probably a pound or two heavier. The main issues are balance and an appropriate sling like a Z aim or biathlon type. I would rather carry a heavier rifle that gives steady dependable accuracy rather than an ultralight wobbly thing that jitters about with every muscle tremor.
i once read an article that said if your rifle is too heavy by a pound it is better to lose a Pound off your belly (as said above). I couldn’t agree more though I can afford to lose a lb or two!!
Click to expand...


I don’t really see the weight of the rifle changing anything relating to wobbles and jitters....especially shooting off sticks...what may be an effect is fatigue from carrying a big lump of a rifle though! 😂

Regards,
Gixer
 
karamoja said:
When I was a kid I had a full stocked Brunn (occupation era commercial Brno) in 7x57 with a 4x40 leupold scope on it because a German 6x42 was way too expensive. It weighed a nats chuff all in and did all I asked of it (easy sub inch) and wanted and needed no more!! That took a lot of animals at all ranges and in various terrain in all weather! Stalking magazine was by subscription then no sporting rifle mag. Can you buy a light weight inch tube quality made scope now?
Where did it all go wrong??
K
Click to expand...
Just found a used Leupold 4x32 it is beautiful and light. I paid a fraction of the price that these new scopes cost and the glass is very good.
Tusker
 
Forget the wobbles or jitters some have a tendency to Flinch an unintended mental and physical response to a negative stimulus (i.e. recoil and muzzle blast) :scared:
I find it a lot easier to use a tad
heavier...than a lightweight rifle.
That said the trick is to let recoil
happen it’s a mind set worth mentioning all the same.
Once you’ve had your weetabix
It shouldn’t be an issue. :cool:
 
gixer1 said:
I don’t really see the weight of the rifle changing anything relating to wobbles and jitters....especially shooting off sticks...what may be an effect is fatigue from carrying a big lump of a rifle though! 😂

Regards,
Gixer
Click to expand...
Ultralight rifles in my experience are more liable to throw shots where a less than perfect trigger pull is made. The extra mass and inertia also seem to make rifles more forgiving to small changes in body position. I’m not saying that light rifles aren’t accurate, they certainly can be, it is just more difficult in my experience to place shots with surgical precision with an 8lb rifle than a 14 lb rifle. There is however a happy medium, I went too far with my old 6.5 at 20lbs+ which had a heavy McM A5 stock, barrel that was 0.92in at the muzzle and a big Hubble telescope on board. This rifle was great for certain situations such as an ambush over clearfell but was a pig for offhand shots or even shots off the sticks. It’s successor is a more trim 17 lbs which can be shot off hand and off sticks. Horses for courses really and I know my rifles are not to everyone’s tastes but they work for me on my ground for my style of stalking.
 
I bought a "long distance" rifle.
Thought I would take it on the hill.

Went to pick it up from the RFD....nearly gave myself a hernia.
Take it on the hill? Could just about carry it to the car...

I found this review way too late...

The AX-308 is a little easier to stow with the stock folded, but it doesn’t make it any lighter. Loaded and scoped, it tips the scales at about 15 pounds. You won’t want to carry it without a sling, however, and you won’t want to shoot it without a bipod.

On the range - unbeatable.
 
Last edited:
srvet said:
Ultralight rifles in my experience are more liable to throw shots where a less than perfect trigger pull is made. The extra mass and inertia also seem to make rifles more forgiving to small changes in body position. I’m not saying that light rifles aren’t accurate, they certainly can be, it is just more difficult in my experience to place shots with surgical precision with an 8lb rifle than a 14 lb rifle. There is however a happy medium, I went too far with my old 6.5 at 20lbs+ which had a heavy McM A5 stock, barrel that was 0.92in at the muzzle and a big Hubble telescope on board. This rifle was great for certain situations such as an ambush over clearfell but was a pig for offhand shots or even shots off the sticks. It’s successor is a more trim 17 lbs which can be shot off hand and off sticks. Horses for courses really and I know my rifles are not to everyone’s tastes but they work for me on my ground for my style of stalking.
Click to expand...


I would second this, my 308 is set at 15lbs after having started at roughly 10-11 lbs, I changed the stock to add weight, making it easier to shoot more precisely. This makes the shots while stalking a breeze, increasing my confidence massively. IMHO sling design is one of the biggest game-changers when it comes to weight.

My rifles are like srvets , they might both be classed as utilitarian by most, but boy do they shoot the lights out. To my mind if I can be comfortable carrying more weight, and can shoot it from a variety of positions okay (standing w/ quad sticks, standing using the quad sticks as a monopod, kneeling, sitting, prone w/ bipod) then it can only be an advantage!

Ben
 
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Just weighed mine fully kitted it is 11 lb I think a couple of pounds lighter would be perfect but hey ho it’ll do
 
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