I was just noticing how different some of my rifles are. I think I like rifles that feel different from what is considered "best".
I have a savage in 458 win mag that feels stout. The gun balances perfectly on my support hand, on the fore end. I like the solid feel of this gun.
My browing 7mm magnum lever gun has more of the weight toward the stock. It feels lighter, and quicker I suppose. But I don't like it as much. I'm thinking of replacing the barrel with something heavier.

This is a good question that I would like to hear some opinions about too.

What is best for off hand shooting?

Silhouette is the ultimate offhand rifle competition. And those guys often have reverse tapers to their barrels. Putting all of the weight forward so the rifle stays put once it is on target. But standing there shooting steel targets is not the same as hunting. Still, might be good food for thought.

Frank, that's exactly where I was going with my question. I had never herd of a reverse taper barrel. Sounds interesting. Thanks.

The answer is "however you like it". Some like the weight "between the hands". Some like light muzzles, some like heavy muzzles especially for offhand shooting. I say, build it however you like and whatever you can shoot best. I like different balances for different purposes.

If you've ever shot old style muzzle loaders most of the weight is out front. They just seem to hang there. Seemingly this is what the silhouette shooters are replicating.

Well if I was shooting the rifle off hand and that was it's purpose I'd want weight forward.

In my hunting rifle I always look for something to rest it on and I prefer the balance back between my hands.

Muzzle heavy muzzle loading rifles are from the late period; many pre-revolutionary rifles had swamped barrels and they balance perfectly at the natural position of the forward hand. That is with a 42-44 inch barrel.

Of the 2 rifles that I seem to grab most often, the one of a long action balances right at the front action screw, and the short action just about an inch forward. More or less the same location in relation to the grip. Granted they are substantially different in overall weight, but I feel balance is far more of an issue than weight.

I like the balance of a 28" OU skeet gun.
Several truck loads of skeet ammo will do that.

I prefer a bit of muzzle heaviness for shooting.

For shooting I like the weight out front. For carrying, I like the balance point to be the front guard screw of the floorplate.

quote:

Originally posted by dpcd:
The answer is "however you like it". Some like the weight "between the hands". Some like light muzzles, some like heavy muzzles especially for offhand shooting. I say, build it however you like and whatever you can shoot best. I like different balances for different purposes.

read you 5x5, and 10-4.


The rifles I shoot best from benchrest have much of their weight way out front. They just hold themselves on the bags it seems, if the front bag is placed about 4" behind the muzzle-end of the forestocks.

For quick shooting in timber or any other position where the game is running across my front at a very quick "let's get the heck out of Dodge" pace, I prefer the balance point about midway between my hands. This also works best for me when jump-shooting birds with the old Superposed.

The worst rifle I have ever owned for field shooting was a .243 carbine with a 20" Schneider barrel.

The balance point was at the pistol grip or maybe even slightly behind it. It would group okay from the bench...very reliably sub-MOA with Nosler Partitions. But in the hunting field I couldn't hit any side of a very large barn with it, even from inside the barn with the doors closed.

Too bad, it is a beautiful little rig with a really nice custom laid-up leaf camouflage Black on O.D. stock, a good Leupold scope, Canjar trigger, and all the other good stuff. Weighing about 6-3/4 lbs. it was a delight to carry.

But I last took it on an expensive guided hunt in 1988, shot a whole box of ammo at 4 different animals, and never laid a bullet on any of them. So now it is a "looker-come-safe queen" which I never take anywhere except to the range, and only there maybe once every 5-8 years. Basically a total waste of good money and components.

And don't blame my shooting ability per se. With my Ruger No. 1 or my 60-year-old M70 FW, the same guides nick-named me old "Old One-shot" because for several years hunting with them I never fired more than one shot and always had my animal DRT on the ground.

The problem wasn't poor accuracy. With that rifle balance I had NO practical accuracy good enough to call poor or crummy, or even wretched....

I like my hunting rifles slightly muzzle heavy. Works well for me offhand deer blind, or off sticks. I make my own BR stocks and I make the fore ends much longer. When it is on the rest it has about 1" of the fore end on the front rest. I put the butt flush with the back of the rear bag. I like the balance point on it about 2" in front of the front receiver ring.
Like dpcd said"Whatever is comfortable to you".

quote:

Originally posted by butchlambert:
I like my hunting rifles slightly muzzle heavy. Works well for me offhand deer blind, or off sticks. I make my own BR stocks and I make the fore ends much longer. When it is on the rest it has about 1" of the fore end on the front rest. I put the butt flush with the back of the rear bag. I like the balance point on it about 2" in front of the front receiver ring.
Like dpcd said"Whatever is comfortable to you".

I do the same, stocks for sporting and benchrest rifles are just different ball games. I like my hunting rifles to balance on the front receiver ring, and benchrest stocks long and low.

I figure I carry my hunting rifles at least a thousand times more than I shoot them. When I'm carrying a pack and am in bear country, I carry it in my hand. I want the rifle to carry well more than anything else. Balance between the hands works best for me. Regards, Bill