Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles I like 8-pound rifles

Is anybody else out there like me?
I like the total weight on my rifles, including scope, to be around 7.5 to 8 lbs, because I hold much steadier and shoot better than using a 6 lb rifle.
Also, it isn’t a big deal to carry two more lbs up a hill for the steadier shooting and considerably less recoil I get out of it.
Am I a minority-of-one at the fire?
Cheers.

Nope, I dearly love using my Ruger Africans in 275 Rigby or the 6.5 x 55.
Both a couple ounces over 9 #'s all up

No, you're not alone.

I can't shoot ultra light rifles as well as ones in the 7.5-8# range. The big rage for ultra light makes sense if one is hiking in the mountains at 8-10K feet. Ultra light guns can be tricky to shoot consistently, although some seem to do OK with them.

A good bud totes a Sendero. I asked him why he packed such a heavy rifle. His reply, "I know what it will do when I get it there". Well, that's a bit heavy, but I understand his thinking.

I like Edge stocks with #2 or #3 barrels. The over all weight is low; it's the forward balance that seems to make it steadier to hold. I hate pencil barrels.

DF

I like them.

But I also like my 6 pound 8 Oz Lee Speed 303,
and I like my 11 pound 404 Jeffery.
and my 9 pound 6 Oz 270,
And my 8 pound 11 Ox 8X57
And my M1 Garand,
...........and all of them in my safe.

Me too. I have a 9 pound 1917 Enfield and I feel like I can hit anything I point it at offhand. It's rock steady. I don't like light wispy rifles.

6 1/2 pound is about groovy with a little weight out front. Weight, for weight's sake is a waste. Balance, a good trigger and practice trumps all.

I like a little heavier rifle too

A 20" sporter contour barrelled 700 in an edge is right on for me.

how bout an 18# 6BR dog gun

don't carry far.......

I don't care for ultra lightweights, bllind mags, etc.

I grew up shooting short light rifles offhand. So it's only natural for me

I don't mind a heavy rifle. But don't care for carryin' it around all day. Especially on uneven terrain, or through a bunch of tall grass or heavy undergrowth. I got a long heavy pellet gun that I can carry around the back yard all day long though.

Not knocking a heavy rifle. They have their place. Definitely more enjoyable from a bench.

Within limits, balance is the key. Heavy is okay when it comes time to shoot, unless your arms are fatigued from carrying the rifle at the ready, as when still hunting.

My CZ 527 Grendel is a good compromise, about 7.5 pounds with a 24" barrel on the extra-short action. It's not too heavy to carry briefly by the grip with one hand, as when using the other to part brush, or for the Indian carry with the forend cradled in the crook of my left arm and my thumb over the bolt knob, which leaves my right hand free.

My other carry method is with the rifle slung upside-down over my left shoulder, with my hand grasping the forend. At need, I just raise my hand straight out and rotate the rifle a half-turn and pull the butt into my shoulder with my right. It's the fastest way I know to go from slung to ready to fire.

I feel better knowing I’m not the lone-soldier who likes those heavier weapons!!
Thanks for your replies and comments and great pictures...

I think it depends on where you hunt. It is a totally different thing to carry a rifle 1/2 a mile to a stand and then sit there all day as opposed to hunting say the mountains of Colorado. I've done both and now prefer a lighter (much) rifle. Maybe being 58 has something to do with it too!! Either way anything less than 8# is a plus for me.

20” varmint/sendero contour is my favorite rifle. have a couple, .22 lr thru .308. all weigh 7.5-8 lbs

Great comment.
The area I deer hunt is hills, not mountains, and obviously much easier to pack a heavier gun.

My primary whitetail hunting rifle weighs 7lbs. 10 oz all up. Not a problem shoulder sling carrying it in the rolling hills of KS, but I'd opt for something lighter if I were scaling mountains in search of sheep. I agree that balance and handling are more important than weight, to me anyways.

8lbs is about right for me and a little heavier is fine too. They're easier for me to shoot well than the light weights.

8 to 9 works for me. Have a couple lightweights also.

Lighter is better for me. But I don’t seem to end up shooting very far when elk hunting.