What do you consider to be the optimum weight of a big bore rifle (.375+) that you would carry personally while hunting? This is a very subjective question with variables such as the level of bigbore/bullet weight/velocity being considered adding to the complexity. How about optimum standard weight of a .375H&H bolt action AND a 416/458 Lott bolt action?

for me...

375.. 9# or so

416 9.5-10...

458lott/500 jeffe 10.5- 11

550 express 11# empty

jeffe

A 375, 416 Rem and 458 win should weith 8.5 to 9Lbs. unloaded, no scope etc. for me...

A 458 Lott, 500 and a 505 should weigh about 10.5 or more stipped...for me....

Hey NorthGaAire

If I were you I'd go with the minimums specified buy Atkinson. He really knows what he's talking about.

Also, the weight of the rifle should depend on your ability to absorb recoil. The less recoil you can handle the heavier the rifle. Further, straighter stock will help lesson the "felt" recoil... By straighter I mean the amount of drop in the stock. Classic English-German stocks that were used on African rifles were straighter than many modern rifles.

I believe what I have said is correct but you may want to cross check with the guys on this bb.

Good Shooting,

Smoker

9.3 x 62 - 6.5 pounds

.375 - 7-8 pounds

.458 Lott or 470 Capstick - 9.5 to 10 pounds

470 NE - 10 to 10.5 pounds

500 NE - 11 pounds.

500 Jeffery - 11 pounds

505 Gibbs - 12 pounds

585 Nyati - 12-13 pounds.

And I am stopping right there.

A better question would be what is the weight of the heaviest rifle you would personnally carry, regardless of caliber.

I have carried a 14 pound gun for the most part of 35 days in Zambia and would rather not do it again. I would rather take a light for caliber rifle and put up with the increased recoil for the few times I would hope to have to shoot it.

quote:

Originally posted by 500grains:
9.3 x 62 - 6.5 pounds

.375 - 7-8 pounds

.458 Lott or 470 Capstick - 9.5 to 10 pounds

470 NE - 10 to 10.5 pounds

500 NE - 11 pounds.

500 Jeffery - 11 pounds

505 Gibbs - 12 pounds

585 Nyati - 12-13 pounds.

And I am stopping right there.

I'll hunt remote mountainous locations out of my backpack for 3-5days minimum. I train hard and consider myself physically fit. But I still find it much easier to carry a rifle no heavier than approx. 8.5 pounds. A 375H&H can be made very light, easy to carry and still be a joy to shoot. On the otherhand, if I'm hunting out of a vehicle or only going out for the day; having a standard weight or slightly heavier weight rifle suits me fine. The heaviest 375H&H I use is a Ruger RSM. The lightest I have is a chopped down "light as I can make it" CZ550. When going uphill and walking for miles this CZ is not too bad but the RSM feels like a truck axle by the end of the day.

As per 500grains above, a great but often overlooked cartridge is the 9.3x62. This thing produces quite a bit of bite on the business end w/ very little bark on the butt end. I'd say that a lightweight CF 9.3x62 is my benchmark for best all around, best weight/ease to carry rifle for most situations if you need to take down something heavy or it bites back. Outside of this, if I need/want something bigger; I prefer to go as light as I can stand weight-wise (recoil) w/ a cartridge big enough to get the job done.

Gary

.375H&H + swing mount + 2,5xscope + braided leather sling = 9&1/4#.
A 6,5# 9,3x62? Must be one of them ugly pre-WWII Thuringian "guild" sporters with emaciated stock (thin comb with cheek piece and "side panels")! They're bloody ugly, I call them Wort Hog Sporters!

I've got a 9 lb 500 A2 (unloaded) if you dare. Of course I will be adding 3 merc tubes to get it to 11 lbs or so but at 9 pounds it is almost as bad as my 45-70 #1. I don't know why that one knocks the snot out of me. More so that anything else I own.

500Grains is right on. Although I would say 14# for the 600 Ok and 12# for the 550 mag

IMHO the best bang for weight is a 470 Mbogo @ 10.5-11 lbs. Will flat ass kill on the receiving end but you won't notice it too much in the field. One of my favorites.

I am a bit long in the tooth, and don't get around as well as I used to but can still get the job done most of the time....I don't want to pack anything more than 10.5 lbs and prefer 9 to 9.5 lbs. in all my rifles, even the .270 etc....don't like short barreled fwt. rifles of any kind as the are bloody hard to hold off hand if your winded a bit...

I can live w/ a 9# scoped .375. My .404 weighs in @ 10.25# scoped & ready to roll. The Lott, even @ 10.5# it kicks, but 10.5# would be all I want to tote for 8-10 miles a day chasing buff.

I like my rifles on that lighter side, so they are about like this with scopes:
375 9 pounds
416 9.5 pounds
450 Dakota 10.25 pounds

I was able to put my 375 M70 Classic Super Express on the scales yesterday and it weighs 10lb 2oz empty with scope and sling. The weight along with the JRS stock and decelerator pad really take the recoil out of it. I was quite surprized at how easy it was. I might re-
evaluate the weight at the end of the season after stillhunting some GA hogs and whitetails
with it. I do love the .375...

My Ruger No. 1 Tropical in .405 weighs about 8.25 pounds with irons. I have ordered a Weaver K2.5, which will probably bring the actual weight to about 9 pounds. At 8.25, recoil is simply not an issue with the factory 300s at 2200, but I can see how it could be when stepping up the 300 to 2450 or loading 400-grain Woodleighs to 2050, so will add a Limbsaver to the butt.

I think proper weight for the 500 3 inch NE double rifle should be around 14-15 pounds! That way it wouldn't just kich the liv'n crap out of me!

Even a doubled 470 was easier on me than that Merkel 500! An eleven pound 475#2 is just about all I can handle!

These are mine:

Scoped .375 H&H Mag. 10 lbs.
Scoped .416 Rem. Mag. 10.5 lbs.
Scoped .416 Rigby 11 lbs.
Scoped .458 Lott 11.5 lbs.
.500 A-Square, without scope, 12 lbs.

All weights are for fully loaded rifles.

Oh, I almost forgot, .45-70, without scope, 7.5 lbs., and it's the only one that truly hurts to shoot.

MR,
i have a handirifle in 45/70 at 6.25... pretty interesting to shot, and dedicated big bore guys find the third shot tough...


it's so light and so "fast" in recoil it near flies UP, no back, when you touch it off...

Harry says it looks like i am shooting a "chipmonk" rifle with i swallow it up in my shoulder

jeffe

jeffe, I feel your pain.

Those mega loads in light rifles with 400+ grainers going out at 1,800+ velocities will rectify your notions of recoil--that is a fact.