Rifle Weight for Plains Game Hunt

I know that there are many variables: location, shot distances, stalking vs. shooting out of a bakkie, and especially my physical condition. For a plains game safari mostly stalking on foot for final approach and 3-5 miles a day of walking, does a 10-1/2 pound rifle sound reasonable? I’m putting together a 7mm Rem Mag LEGO build and trying to decide on barrel contour. Wanting a 26” barrel for velocity and powder choices plus using a suppressor requiring a threaded muzzle conflicts with minimizing weight.

The 375 H&H I hunted with in May weighs 12 pounds all-inclusive. I never once thought “Gee I sure wish this weighed less” any time I pulled the trigger. However, I don’t have a good feel for how much recoil this cartridge has vs. 270 or 30-06.

You’ll be fine-I know because you already recognize that you didn’t whine about the weight of the .375.
One consideration tho, is scope weight. A night force is heavier than a leupold etc etc. you won’t get to shoot your .30-06 or .270 so many times that recoil will be an issue.
Good luck with the build and have a good hunt

The weight isn’t usually a significant factor to me but rifle length is. Once you start getting too long to fit easily in gun case it’s difficult to walk though brush. Most plains game hunts walking will be minimal though. The only area in Africa (aside from Eland hunts) I’ve done any significant walking is eastern cape South Africa. The other PG hunts I’d be surprised if I did more than a mile or two a day.

26” barrel then adding a suppressor is too long for hiking around in the bush IMO. With 7 mag go 22-24” barrel and get a small suppressor (kgm r30k, griffin xplorer) medium barrel contour. 8.5-9.25 scoped and suppressed is a really nice weight to carry all day and heavy enough to get steady on sticks. The small amount of velocity gain by having a longer tube is negligible and can be offset by powder choice, at least that’s been my experience, but the difference of 2900 to 3000 fps means nothing to me in real hunting conditions out to 300 or so yards.

This is an incredibly open ended question. I like those because then I get to give my opinion freely. I’m a purpose built gun kind of guy.

For a a plains game rifle in 7mm rem mag id be specific on where I was planning to hunt first. I’d start with average shot distance, followed by what game I was planning to shoot and then pick a bullet. Then I can pick a barrel twist and length. On a long action rifle with a 26” barrel I just cannot handle a suppressor. It’s not a weight thing it’s a length thing. Which then begs the question of what about a 7PRC? Very similar to the 7mm Rem Mag but better in shorter barrels. The shorter barrels being easier to suppress. My brother shoots a 160gr Barnes lrx at 2870fps out of a 20” barreled 7 PRC. That combo will do the job nicely and pretty much all the plains game. But if you’re stuck on the rem mag then by all means stay with it. I would recommend dropping down to a 22” or 24” barrel giving up a little velocity for some better balance and maneuverability.

As to weight savings I prefer my rifles to weigh no more than 10lbs for everything up to and including .300 win mag. So you may look at some carbon fiber options for stocks and barrels. Your suppressor choice will also add weight so maybe stick with the titanium options. I have a diligent defense enticer s Ti that I would recommend. It’s not the absolute lightest but it’s still only like 8.5oz and only costs $799 or maybe a bit less. Lighter options like the silencer co. Scythe will run around $1000-$1200.

Now the optic is another place where weight comes into play. Things like nightforce and maven and us optics will weigh a bunch. Very very durable but heavy. I’m a fan of Zeiss optics for scopes. The V4 line is decently affordable and of the three I’ve owned they’ve all taken a pretty good beating without complaint. Your scope choice will be dictated by your expected shot distance mostly.

There’s just some of my thoughts. But ya a long (unbalanced) 10.5lb rifle would be a little uncomfortable for me and I’m in pretty good shape and am used to carrying 45lbs of gear and a tool up mountains for work.

Thanks guys! I should have been clear about using a suppressor here for target shooting but probably not on hunt in Africa. A 20” barrel just gives up too much velocity IMO. A folding stock could make a 26” barrel easier to maneuver, even with a K-can. Scope probably will be my Zeiss Conquest V6 2.5-15x which weighs 24 ounces.

MaineMan2 said:

I know that there are many variables: location, shot distances, stalking vs. shooting out of a bakkie, and especially my physical condition. For a plains game safari mostly stalking on foot for final approach and 3-5 miles a day of walking, does a 10-1/2 pound rifle sound reasonable? I’m putting together a 7mm Rem Mag LEGO build and trying to decide on barrel contour. Wanting a 26” barrel for velocity and powder choices plus using a suppressor requiring a threaded muzzle conflicts with minimizing weight.

The 375 H&H I hunted with in May weighs 12 pounds all-inclusive. I never once thought “Gee I sure wish this weighed less” any time I pulled the trigger. However, I don’t have a good feel for how much recoil this cartridge has vs. 270 or 30-06.

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12 pound 375 H&H(my 500 Jeff is 11 1/2 pounds.....7mm Rem mag 10 1/2 pounds......surpressor.....going in the wrong direction......
Get a 280.....or a 30-06.....

if only a plains game rifle, why not a ruger #1, i have a ruger #1 in 300 H&H with a 26 inch barrel(42.5 inches oal)) and it is more handy than my old(1952) 721 remington in 300 H&H with a 26 inch barrel(46,6 inches,oal) i also have a ruger #1 B with light weight 26 inch barrel thats pretty light in .223.

I prefer longer barrels and heavier rifles, so a 25" or 26" barrel that weighs 11 pounds is fine.

I used to be big enough, and dumb enough to carry one of these when I was in the Army. It was over 27 pounds, so 11 pounds feels like an ultralight.



The M240B is a belt-fed, gas-operated, 7.62x51mm NATO general-purpose machine gun used heavily as a primary source of sustained suppressive fire for the U.S. military.
Key Specifications

• • Caliber: 7.62x51mm NATO
  • Weight: Approximately 27.66 lbs (12.5 kg) unloaded
  • Length: 48.5 to 49.7 inches
  • Rate of Fire: 550 to 650 rounds per minute (cyclic)
  • Effective Range: 800 meters using a bipod; up to 1,100 meters using a tripod
  • Maximum Range: 3,725 meters

My Kimber Mountain Ascent in .308 with a Swarovski Z5i scope and Scythe-TI suppressor weighs 6lbs 5oz. The Mountain Ascent came with a 22" barrel, I used it that way for years. This year when I saw Weatherby's Capra .308 model sporting a 17" barrel, I decided to have this barrel cut down to 17". This is by far the sweetest shooting rig I've ever owned, and a real delight to carry when hunting.

375Fox said:

The weight isn’t usually a significant factor to me but rifle length is. Once you start getting too long to fit easily in gun case it’s difficult to walk though brush. Most plains game hunts walking will be minimal though. The only area in Africa (aside from Eland hunts) I’ve done any significant walking is eastern cape South Africa. The other PG hunts I’d be surprised if I did more than a mile or two a day.

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I’ve heard this argument before but personally think it’s a bit exaggerated. I hunt through thick country with my smoothbore flintlock that has a 41” barrel and it’s fine.

As an aside, in the eastern cape were you doing spot and stalk from a vehicle or just parking up and walking for an on foot hunt?

JPbowhunter said:

I’ve heard this argument before but personally think it’s a bit exaggerated. I hunt through thick country with my smoothbore flintlock that has a 41” barrel and it’s fine.

As an aside, in the eastern cape were you doing spot and stalk from a vehicle or just parking up and walking for an on foot hunt?

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A muzzleloader is also missing a suppressor, a scope, a thick stock. I find a long barrel centerfire rifle cumbersome to carry especially with a suppressor.

Majority of the hunting I did in eastern cape was park and walk or park and glass to make a plan. I enjoyed the hunting style. Most other PG hunts I’ve done have been primarily spot and stalk from vehicle. Hunters like to exaggerate the miles they walk from what I see here. A step counter picks up a lot of steps and hills driving slow on bumpy roads.

MaineMan2 said:

I know that there are many variables: location, shot distances, stalking vs. shooting out of a bakkie, and especially my physical condition. For a plains game safari mostly stalking on foot for final approach and 3-5 miles a day of walking, does a 10-1/2 pound rifle sound reasonable? I’m putting together a 7mm Rem Mag LEGO build and trying to decide on barrel contour. Wanting a 26” barrel for velocity and powder choices plus using a suppressor requiring a threaded muzzle conflicts with minimizing weight.

The 375 H&H I hunted with in May weighs 12 pounds all-inclusive. I never once thought “Gee I sure wish this weighed less” any time I pulled the trigger. However, I don’t have a good feel for how much recoil this cartridge has vs. 270 or 30-06.

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I don't really find much difference in felt recoil between my .30-06 and my 7mm Rem Mag. The rifles weigh about the same, and I don't think either of them weighs more than 10. If the 12# .375 didn't bother you I can't see a problem with a 10 1/2 lb 7 Mag. I think you will be fine.

MaineMan2 said:

I know that there are many variables: location, shot distances, stalking vs. shooting out of a bakkie, and especially my physical condition. For a plains game safari mostly stalking on foot for final approach and 3-5 miles a day of walking, does a 10-1/2 pound rifle sound reasonable? I’m putting together a 7mm Rem Mag LEGO build and trying to decide on barrel contour. Wanting a 26” barrel for velocity and powder choices plus using a suppressor requiring a threaded muzzle conflicts with minimizing weight.

The 375 H&H I hunted with in May weighs 12 pounds all-inclusive. I never once thought “Gee I sure wish this weighed less” any time I pulled the trigger. However, I don’t have a good feel for how much recoil this cartridge has vs. 270 or 30-06.

Click to expand...

I don't like going ultra light with rifles unless I was carrying them extreme distances. Like you said, the added weight usually makes them more enjoyable to shoot. I also don't really like long barrels just for the "velocity gains".

When I have looked up velocity lost per barrel inch experiments I was shocked how little velocity you give up to get to a comfortable barrel length. I think velocity gains with very long barrels is over hyped. After a certain number of inches you aren't gaining much.

I like shorter barrels for going through thick brush. My favorite length on a small to moderate caliber is 18" for thick brush. However, I would like it longer for a 7mm rem mag. My two cents is I would likely aim for 22-24" barrel for that caliber.

I will add a couple charts to show velocity loss per inch. I believe they are showing that you would lose about 100fps on a bullet going about 3,000fps. I don't feel like you could feasibly notice that difference in practical usage.

I have a lot less experience than many on here, but I like a heavy rifle because I'm sensitive to recoil. Keep in mind that in many cases on safari if your rifle gets too heavy, there's someone there who can carry if for you.

In Africa, they have gun bearers, so if it occurs to anyone that it's too heavy, they already have the problem solved. Next! BTW: That's a good weight for a .375 (heavier IS better.) TFTD: Just be able to lift it when it comes time to shoot.

Boy you couldn't pay me to pack a 26" barrel around with a suppressor on it, my 22" with a can feels like packing around a musket and is awkward at the least shooting off hand. I packed a 7mm rem mag for many a years in the mountains out west, that was a 24" barreled Sako A7 and it tipped the scale at about 9# recoil was stout but not unmanageable and that rifle has multiple 500+ yards kills to its credit. Recently I made the switch from 7 rem mag to 7 prc and I do not see myself going back as much as I adore them rem mag. Better efficiency in shorter barrels and better payload on target for nearly identical recoil is just hard to beat.

The consensus seems to be suppressor on that long barrel rifle doesn't make sense. I don't own a suppressor but a couple times I have borrowed my PH's gun wearing one (only swapped guns with him in two onsite situations at end of stalk). Nice but not necessary. I understand why he prefers a suppressor because he's shooting it a lot. First, I think 7mm magnum is not necessary for plains game hunting so if suppressor need is based on recoil reduction, I suggest stepping down to something sub-magnum. I have made 30-06 reach out to 280 yards with 165 gr Partitions. You won't need to shoot further than that. My WWII Springfield weighs about nine pounds unloaded. Just weighed it and myself on bathroom scales and a bit stunned to see I now weigh only 190 lbs with all my clothes and boots on and breakfast in the tank. I'm not Charles Atlas (dating myself there ) and I can carry that gun all day in rough country. Been doing it for sixty years. This war horse wears an original ordinance 24" barrel. Not sure but I think the twist on this second four-land barrel is 1/14 (first barrel was late production two-land). It also has no recoil pad and even my 13 year-old grandson shoots it without issue.

You won't need the added velocity of 26" barrel or the magnum gas to hunt plains game. Not in my experience anyway (and I have thirty of them on the wall). You certainly will not need both! The suppressor is definitely not necessary unless you're disabled. I guess they can be nice for playing at the range but cumbersome in the field.

I am not easily suckered by gun magazine marketing. I try to keep it simple. Some cartridges and rifle/optics designs have not been significantly improved by technological innovations.