I know there will be some speculation on this, but I would appreciate the advise of those of you who actually have experience with this cartridge to nominate a ideal weight for a DR that will be carried by the hunter. I am building one that I will leave for my grandson.

My current thoughts are 8.5 pounds.

8.5 to 9 lbs. without a scope.
Cal

8.5

Thanks, Gentlemen.

Are you building a frame or building it on a shotgun frame?

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
Are you building a frame or building it on a shotgun frame?

I have a virtually new 1959 Brno ZP49 to use as the action, and have started work on the first barrel. However, I am not really all that keen on the barrels I bought to use for this DR, and I am seriously considering stopping work, throwing the barrel into the scrap bin and buying a .375 Flanged mag DR. Reason being for buyig is that prices of DR continue to loose support and I am certain that I will find one at a very good price this year or soon thereafter, if I remain in the here and now of this world.

As to the barrels, I learned on the last DR that I built that if you have the least bit of technical concern about a barrel or a set of barrels, then don't use them.

I know of one estate here near me that is about to be settled and among the many (100s) guns are some DRs. Many collectors and users of such guns and rifles are reaching the age where the disposal of these is at hand. I am past the age where a lot of my collector friends have died as a matter of fact. Who knows I may not even live long enough to finish another DR.

Compounding the problem of negative price support of DRs, is the entry into the DR market by firms that are focusing upon the lower end of the price range. I have not seen evidence that these DRs are selling at a rapid pace, or even any pace for that matter.

This is a bit off topic of what you asked, but new topics on this board have been a bit low of late and I throw it into the ring.

My current 88B with claw mounts and Z6i 1.7-10 attached
Weighs in at 10 even

Good info; yes the DR market is soft right now; all the old guys who like them are dying and the young guys don't know what they are.
As for your barrels, what was wrong with them? I have built 6 double rifles and getting modern chrome moly barrels is the easy part.

Young guys struggle to afford high end guns or even homes.

How bout 12lbs on the bench and 8lbs on the hunt! We'll call it Jekyll & Hyde nitro express

I would suggest 9 to 9.5 lbs. on a .375 Flanged. I prefer a little more weight than listed here..