I have a .300 and a .338 that are set up almost identically. The .300 still carries the factory barrel and the .338 has an Obermeyer and the scopes are slightly different, but otherwise, they have the same McMillan stock, same barrel contour and length, and subsequentally, the same weight about 8 1/2 lbs. I shoot 180's from the .300 and 225's from the .338. The .338 has noticeably more recoil and is no fun to shoot off the bench. The .300 is no picnic either, but not as bad as the .338.
That being said, I don't ever remember feeling the recoil from any firearm I have ever shot at any game ever in my life. Too worried about other stuff to notice it, I guess.
I worry less about 1/2 lb in rifle weight than a lot of people because my body weight fluctuates more than that in a day. There is a tradeoff between rifle weight and recoil, but 1/2 lb either wasy isn't going to make that much difference.
Fast Ed
