Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Game hunting and large prey. Deer stalking, hunting with hounds. Boar, pigs etc., large prey, culling, hunting large feral animals.

Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Elek » 06 Sep 2013, 4:26 pm

I've been benchrest shooting at the range for a while now but looking to expand my horizons and get out into the field... Do some hunting...

I have a Remington with a heavy barrel which is fine for the range obviously...

Just hefting it around for a few minutes is fine, but obviously that's not going to be the same as lugging it round in the field.

Anyone a fan of hunting with a heavy barrel rifle or am I asking for trouble? Possibly could justify a sporter for hunting, but I like my rifle and have loads which work and don't really fancy going through the process again with a new rifle.

Pros and cons either way?
Last edited by Elek on 04 Nov 2013, 8:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Aster » 06 Sep 2013, 4:28 pm

Con = They're fkn heavy and you'll hate carrying it around for hours.

The end.

If your budget allows, I'd take a sporter every time.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by tiki » 07 Sep 2013, 8:26 am

If you're setting up on a hill for foxes, rabbits etc. for a few hours and won't be moving. Great.

Other than that... You'll hate it if you're shooting on the move with it for hours.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by jordy » 07 Sep 2013, 8:31 am

Aster wrote:Con = They're fkn heavy and you'll hate carrying it around for hours.


That's about the end of the conversation for me...
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by jordy » 07 Sep 2013, 8:31 am

Strap it on your shoulder and home and walk around with it for an hour, the weight will get old reeeeal fast.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Oldboy 7mm Dakota » 06 Oct 2013, 9:56 am

I use varmint barrels for hunting and it's not so much the carting as the balance of the rifle when you have to take a free hand shot but that's where practice makes a big difference, as you can't sit on the target for too long.

We practice when spot lighting in a vehicle that a quick shot is the best shot. Put the cross hairs on head and pull the trigger as we have seen too many people that ride the target only to get a miss and more misses and get p*ssed off and start doubting the scope alignment. And when they try the kiss and pull method they have started to shoot much better. So it depends on the shooter and his style of shooting if the weight is a problem.

Carrying a 12 to 14 pound is not the best but it is not as bad as most think.

P.S. I am 51 and still don't have an issue with carting a varm rifle. Only a long barrel is an issue with the scrub and trees as you have to bend more when walking under them.

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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Norton » 06 Oct 2013, 4:38 pm

You're doing better than me then Oldboy.

I like to think I'm a pretty good freehand shooter when it comes to my sporter which is a light one.

I'm all over the shop with a heavy barrel when freehand.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Oldboy 7mm Dakota » 06 Oct 2013, 6:52 pm

If I hold still for to long Iam the same . My rifles are pretty well balanced but still a little on the front heavy side but I have adapted my shooting style to compensate for this by not riding the target . Or use a bi pod or shooting sticks.

One rifle my son owns is around 21 pounds and you don't carry that to far, only to some where you can sit and wait.

My 2 new projects are a 6mm br with no 5 fluted 24" finished barrel 2 pound stock and stiller short action and 338 edge with 30" or 32" no fluting as why would you waste your money sendero barrel and t4 manners stock and terminator brake t3ort4 not sure and stiller action both with jewel triggers.

Still will carry edge to where I want to go but wont be doing any free hand with it. It might be a little front heavy some how.

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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Hucka » 06 Oct 2013, 7:48 pm

I'm useless free aiming heavy barrels too.

Gotta be on the bench for me.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Oldboy 7mm Dakota » 06 Oct 2013, 10:01 pm

Hucka
No one is hopeless just have to practice like any sport.
Find a stance that works for you and stock fit that's right for you.
Many people use a stock that is to long for them, a palm swell that is to fat for there hand and so on.
I shot clays for many years and know that gun fit is one of the most important things to becoming a good shot and constant.
I also use to bend and fit stocks to people and you would be surprised on what a difference it made to there scores.
One old guy I knew as he is dead now brought my gun from me,he had been clay shooting for 35 years and never shot any greater than b grade scores.Within 8 months of buying my gun he had shot him self to double a grade. My length of pull was 13 and a quarter and my stock was bent down and right, almost a sporting stock on a high rib gun. It fitted him like a glove and that was all he needed to reach his potential . Imagine how good he might have been if he had the gun 30 years before.
So check the things I have mentioned and you never know .
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Hucka » 07 Oct 2013, 6:39 am

Yeah I'm sure I could be better at it.

More than happy to practice lots at the range ;)
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Warrigul » 07 Oct 2013, 10:25 am

Honestly, if you are in a ute or have to walk only a few miles then a heavy varmint is fine. It is allright to say you get used to the weight but we have enough junk to cart around and I for one don't want to spend weeks conditioning myself prior to a hunt. It can be done but isn't pleasant, especially up (and worse) down hills.

Accuracy, well if you need a heavy barrel to make you shoot better freehand then you are doing something wrong, get a .22 and practice flat out at 75 meters freehand and you will get better.

If you really want to walk a lot and only take a few shots here and there a sporter is a better choice. I leave the .300WM at home unless I am sit and wait deer shooting. I take the TIKKA T3 light in .243 if stalking or walking gullies etc, I purpose bought the TIKKA just for this use, my gambrel, hooks and pulleys are titanium and ultralight material(thanks to a marine engineer mate). Every bit is worth it but I am not an exteme clothing or boot freak either.

Just my humble opinions and ultimately a person should not let a fact like having a heavy rifle stop you from having a go and enjoying yourself. Nothing worse than sitting at home.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Oldboy 7mm Dakota » 07 Oct 2013, 5:57 pm

Warrigul
I have had many sporters and I agree with what you are saying but you should be able 2 shoot with both.
I have a 7mm Dakota with 28 " carbon barrel and braked ps brake is a little on the heavy side and looking to buy a lighter one.
Package comes in at just under 11lb not to bad but balance not quite there yet, but lighter brake will help that. I use my rifles for practice and a bit of long range and game shooting that why i have gone with these heavier barrels and a light barrel wont last as long with 5 to 6 down the tube 1 after the other and wont constantly group as well as heat starts to take it toll on the barrel. 22 is great practice I agree but with no recoil and then shooting larger cal with recoil does change the game.
Walking in the bush with all the gear does take its toll on you whether it be a sporter or varmint .But if you are hunting you only walk slow and stop and start any way. Hills are always a challenge, but I pace myself and will sit or stand for while looking for game at different areas on the side of the hill. So by doing these things its not that bad with a heavier rifle as i am to old to run up hills now and after having a heart attack 2.5 years ago i have to pace my self packed up or not.
PS my boy gives me the sh*ts some times getting on the radio asking me if I am alright and how far away are you, have you got your spray and so on.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by redrum » 07 Oct 2013, 6:44 pm

Oldboy 7mm Dakota wrote:PS my boy gives me the sh*ts some times getting on the radio asking me if I am alright and how far away are you, have you got your spray and so on.


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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Warrigul » 07 Oct 2013, 8:11 pm

Thanks for the advice old boy, I chose a lightweight for a reason and have been more than happy with it for the past four years, I have heard all the arguments against sporter barrels but as far as heating up goes I have only once strung more than two shots (four) on deer and it is more than accurate enough and doesn't give much away to my target rifles out to 300m. It is a good man that can get more than four aimed shots away at a fallow, usually they need to be at least hard hit by the first one or they are off.

Trust me if you ever have to walk hard ground all day you will be cursing that 11lb rifle.

Once again just my humble opinions. As I originally said a sporter is far more suitable for general use in the field but Elek shouldn't let the weight of his Varminter stop him from getting out there.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Oldboy 7mm Dakota » 07 Oct 2013, 10:32 pm

Warrigul
I agree with you totally about hunting and a sporter lighter in the field but as I said if you want to use a rifle for target practice and everything else a heavier barrel is better.
My boy and I shoot a lot of steel from 500 to 1500 yards and we would kill a sporting barrel . Barrel life on the Dakota wont be great as it is pushing a 180 berger at 3220 fps, hope to get 1200 plus and when it dyes will go 26 " not 28 this time.
I was going to build a 375 cheytac on a 408 stiller I had but decided to swap it for 300 stiller and build a 338 edge instead as the cheytac was going to come in at around 24lb and I wasn't to keen on carting that around the scrub to find some where to sit and wait and most of the good spots are not assessable by vehicle.Edge should coming around 15 still heavy but. But manageable for a 1/2 hour walk to a good spot to sit and wait.
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Re: Hunting with heavy barrel rifles?

Post by Warrigul » 08 Oct 2013, 9:07 am

Oldboy 7mm Dakota wrote:Warrigul
I agree with you totally about hunting and a sporter lighter in the field but as I said if you want to use a rifle for target practice and everything else a heavier barrel is better.
My boy and I shoot a lot of steel from 500 to 1500 yards and we would kill a sporting barrel . Barrel life on the Dakota wont be great as it is pushing a 180 berger at 3220 fps, hope to get 1200 plus and when it dyes will go 26 " not 28 this time.
I was going to build a 375 cheytac on a 408 stiller I had but decided to swap it for 300 stiller and build a 338 edge instead as the cheytac was going to come in at around 24lb and I wasn't to keen on carting that around the scrub to find some where to sit and wait and most of the good spots are not assessable by vehicle.Edge should coming around 15 still heavy but. But manageable for a 1/2 hour walk to a good spot to sit and wait.
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Look, I have fullbore, varmint and F class rifles, and have shot them all to a high competitive standard,but honestly I think long distance, heavy barrelled exotic toy rifles, barrel life and 1500m steel targets are just not relevant.

Neither does a half hour stroll to a stand count as walk around hunting.

This is way too far of topic for me, see ya.
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