Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Shooting light weight rifles

Rifles start to recoil when the bullet moves, so they are starting to recoil when the bullet is still in the barrel. That being the case, the lighter rifle will jump more than a heavy one for the same charge, and a heavier calibre will jump more than a light one firing the same charge. Light rifles may also compound this with a bit more barrel whip, depending on how stiff the barrel is.

I guess there's also the fact that if a rifle's knocking you about it can be hard to shoot well with it, though I wouldn't usually have thought a .243 with a decently-designed stock would be an issue, even if it was very light. People's tolerance for recoil varies though, and stock design and fit matters too - I've found a very light .30/06 (Rem 700 Ti) was not at all unpleasant, even with 220 gn loads, while another heavier .30/06 I had years ago, with a sharp comb and a steel buttplate, was not such fun.

The more the rifle's moving, the more important to ensure that it moves the same way each time. Also, if you can dampen the movement then it will usually have less effect, provided you are doing so consistently..

That is why I've always found with light rifles that it helps to hold them in both hands, with the weak hand holding the fore-end. I rest the back of my weak hand on the rest. I also pay attention to getting the buttplate/recoil pad in the same place on my shoulder, with equal (and fairly firm) pressure. I don't hold the rifle so tightly as to induce muscle tremor, but I am definitely holding it.All of this helps to dampen the jump, and give much better accuracy than letting the rifle recoil freely.

Other aspects of technique also matter, such as getting your cheek-weld consistent, keeping your trigger finger clear of the stock and drawing the trigger straight back, getting your neutral point of aim, getting your elbows in the same position each time etc, but these should be a given.