Ideal weight for Dangerous Game rifle

[IvW]

No weight fits all.....
Is it 9.3x62mm or 700 NE??? Or anything in between.....
Weight means nothing if fit and balance are absent.....
Caliber vs weight vs then fit and balance......

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

My Heym 89b 450/400 comes in bang on 10lbs. The Trijicon adds a very little extra. That seems to be a good compromise between carry weight and recoil mitigation.
If I ever got a Heym Light Weight in 375 FL or 9.3x74R that, at 9lb 2oz would be a dream.

 

[rookhawk]

What is the ideal weight for a rifle when hunting DG ? Though i do not own a rifle ( or any firearm for that matter ) ,
carrying around about 11 lbs while walking for 10 kms. Your opinions would be valued.

It depends solely on caliber. A 470NE should be 10.5 to 11.25lbs. 450-400NE should be 10lbs-10.25lbs. A 577NE should be 13-13.5lbs.

 

[BC Tal]

My Ruger No. 1 Tropical in 416 Rigby with scope is 10 1/4 lbs. The rifle needs weight, but it needs balance and handling too. You want the weight to soak up that recoil, but you have to pack it around. Choices, choices.

 

[IA1865]

I have a 404 Jeffery made sometime between 1914 and 1925 based on the address listed for WJ Jeffery and the proof marks that weighs in at 8.6lbs unloaded. Shooting ammo loaded to the original spec of 2,150 fps its quite pleasant to shoot off the sticks and is easy to carry.

 

[375Fox]

My R8 375H&H with scope, sling and four cartridges is just over 10 lbs. I recently returned from a hunt for Cape buffalo where I walked 13 miles one day and over 15 the following...all while carrying the rifle. I'm not a big guy at 70" and 160 lbs and not in the best of shape either. Still I found it quite easy to manage. Around 11.5 lbs is what I'd consider the upper limit while also taking into consideration my level of recoil tolerance and cartridge choice.

I'd also say that balance is just as important as weight. Having a rifle that can be carried at the magazine area (where my right hand is on the rifle) with one hand without having to compensate for the forward or rearward bias makes things easier.

View attachment 711104

Beautiful buffalo. I hope to see a report soon.

 

[bigborelover]

I have heard that 12 lbs is the sweet spot for a DG rifle , is it true ?

 

[JAh]

What is the ideal weight for a rifle when hunting DG ? Though i do not own a rifle ( or any firearm for that matter ) ,
carrying around about 11 lbs while walking for 10 kms. Your opinions would be valued.

There are many factors to consider when choosing a rifle. A .375 H&H is lighter than a .600 Nitro, but rifle weight also has a direct impact on recoil. If you’re fit and used to walking long distances with your gun, the weight may not bother you much. For smaller size hunters, however, it can be practical to let the trackers carry the rifle until the PH or trackers believe dangerous game is close. Personally, I prefer to carry my own rifle at all times, just in case of an unexpected charge.


For me, the essence of dangerous game hunting is being out in the wild and enduring a certain amount of discomfort. You shouldn’t make things so difficult that you begin to hate the hunt, but a bit of hardship is part of the experience.


To figure out your own limits, try this: take a sturdy pipe, load it with weights ranging from 9 to 12 pounds, and walk a few miles or kilometers. That will quickly show you the weight you’re comfortable carrying.

 

[bigborelover]

What about 10 lbs for a .600 OK rifle ?

 

[MacJenkins]

What about 10 lbs for a .600 OK rifle ?

All depends on how big the brake is.

 

[bigborelover]

With no brake , but using a recoil reducing stock.

All depends on how big the brake is.

 

[MacJenkins]

With no brake , but using a recoil reducing stock.

900 grains at 2400 will be rough with no brake.

 

[grand veneur]

As a user of a rifle caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum, I am often subjected to severe criticism. Therefore, I rightly wonder for what rifles like one caliber 600 Overkill are supposed to be good.

 

[MacJenkins]

As a user of a rifle caliber 460 Weatherby Magnum, I am often subjected to severe criticism. Therefore, I rightly wonder for what rifles like one caliber 600 Overkill are supposed to be good.

A novelty to me. I will never hunt with mine.

 

[rookhawk]

Ideal weight for a magazine rifle is sort of irrelevant. It's whatever you want. Really good examples are 9.3x62mm being notoriously lightweight (a gun carried much and shot little) versus a Rigby 416 (heavy enough to be tolerable).

Weights and standards for double rifles matter a great deal more. Weight of barrels effects muzzle rise and regulation. When you ask about ideal weights, it really means what was the British standard for a given Nitro Express double rifle.

In my opinion, large bore magazine rifles are often too light, causing crippling recoil but also causing slow follow up shots due to excessive muzzle rise from them being built too light. Nonetheless, there is no standard for magazine rifle weights.

 

[mdwest]

No weight fits all.....
Is it 9.3x62mm or 700 NE??? Or anything in between.....
Weight means nothing if fit and balance are absent.....
Caliber vs weight vs then fit and balance......

I completely agree...

Whats appropriate for a 375 H&H is probably not right for a 458 Lott for most people..

My 416 weighs about 1.5lbs more than my 375.. which brings the 416's felt recoil down to almost equal the 375's when shooting 400gr bullets (vs the 375 shooting 300 gr)..

 

[bigborelover]

900 grains at 2400 will be rough with no brake.

The stock is supposed to reduce recoil by 60 percent .

 

[colorado]

With no brake , but using a recoil reducing stock.

Ouch ouch ouch. That being said I went to the range yesterday to check my 12 lb with scope, 500 Jeffery's sight in. No lead sled, it's dead on 1/2 groups at 100 yards. Didn't even notice the recoil. I think I'm "punchy"

 

[Brian]

Ouch ouch ouch. That being said I went to the range yesterday to check my 12 lb with scope, 500 Jeffery's sight in. No lead sled, it's dead on 1/2 groups at 100 yards. Didn't even notice the recoil. I think I'm "punchy"

Good job ! With my 50-110, I am happy with 1/2 inch at 50 yds. 1/2 inch at 100 yds is awesome !

 

[Brian]

I have heard that 12 lbs is the sweet spot for a DG rifle , is it true ?

That used to be the sweet spot for me. These days, I am 80, I will go with 9 lbs and a small self-made tank brake. on my 50-110 Win. TC Encore. ( 450 grain bullet at 2,100 fps. Low side of 500NE.)
With the brake it kicks about like a full load in a 375HH. With CEB bullets it kills about like a 500-NE.