Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Who uses a heavy barreled rifle for deer hunting?

Last season I found myself taking a Savage Precision Carbine (.308, 20" barrel) almost every time I went out. Also have a .270 Sendero that I take from time to time. This year I have been doing a good bit of shooting with a Remington 700p, having thoughts about taking it.

not necessarily advocating a heavy rifle, but what I've found is that I shoot my heavy rifles a lot more at the range. They're more consistently accurate for long shot strings (not as much sitting around waiting on the barrel to cool) and shoot better off sandbags. I develop confidence in the rifle, and then I tend to want to hunt with the rifle that I have confidence in.

I have hoofed the Savage PC around quite a bit. The 20" barrel makes it very portable to me, despite any weight disadvantage. I will admit that I don't care to transport the Sendero anywhere other than to the stand and back. I think its the length of the thing as much as it is the weight (balance isn't great either).

Just curious if anyone else is doing most of their hunting with a "heavy" rifle.

My favorite "deer rifle" at the moment is a 20" .308 heavy barrel M700. Same goes for my father. We don't do a lot of walking around here and are generally within a half-mile of a truck or ATV. I once shot Senderos, but hated the balance, just as you mentioned. My brother hunts a .270win Sendero but is not much of a shooter. I suppose the extra weight out front makes it easier for hit to hit with from a rested position.

As I do a lot of hunting from box blinds, sometimes in relatively tight quarters, I still think that something along the lines of a 10lb 22"-barreled 7mmSAUM or 7mmWSM would be great. It would be easy to shoot, steady to hold, flat enough for quick shots inside of 400yds, and still short enough to turn around inside a blind.

I do a lot of walking and have been known to carry some 8+ plus rifles around. I don't know if that's "heavy" or not to you. My bull barreled 6mm Rem and 375 H&H both are close to 9 lbs and get a little tiring after 10 miles or so. They are accurate so I put up with them though. If the mood strikes, I will carry a lighter rifle at times too. Ruger ultralight 6.5X55 Sweede and some Savage 99s are much easier to carry but not as accurate IME.

It all depends on the situation and my mood.

I regularly carry my FN PBR XP in .308 Win with the 24" heavy barrel when hunting South Dakota West River mule deer. It's a little heavy, but when I need to settle in for a long shot, I don't wonder if the rifle will take care of business, and it's well-balanced for off-hand shooting when necessary as well.

I have a Ruger 77 V in 220 Swift that tips the scale at about 9 1/2 lbs with scope and sling but it never has bothered me much toting it around.What its capable of far outweighs the extra pounds..Oh BTW did I mention I was a Swift fan!!

I have the same set up and carried it a lot of miles back in my walk-around woodchuck shooting days.

Today I often take my Remington 700 XCR (compact tactical rifle version) in .223 hunting. At 20 inches and fluted the barrel's not terrifically heavy, but noticably heavier than a lot of rifles.

My deer rifle is a custom. Pre 64 model 70, Boyds stock, PacNor #4 contour barrel at 27.5 inches. I carry it some good distances, but as has been noted by others in this thread, when it comes time to shoot from a rest at a deer waaaaayyyy out there, it works - and well.



OOPS wrong 'trophy' dont tell my wife I posted this one of her!!!!









Of course, some times I like to go "old School" with my weapons and hunting.....

[img]http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a7/safariman416/DSC01687_0095.jpg[/img]


It is good to note that if the wind is right, Warties are not hard to sneak up on as they are nearly totally blind. A shot such as this one is also easier to do if said wrthog is already dead.... 340 Tyrannosaur style

Anybody looked at a Kimber Classic LongMaster in 308 lately...fluted 24" SS HB barrel books at 7lb 5oz's bare nekkid but feels terrific in my hands ... and allus just barely out my wallet's reach whenever I find one. Oh Well
Ron

I've run Senderos a bit hunting and didn't mind them that much. Some of my sporters are just as heavy. Much easier to hold a 9-10lb rig steady IMO, though I run some 7-8lbers too. I personally don't care for a hunting rig that's less than 7.

Some differ from my opinion, but I think that a comfortable rifle wieght has something and maybe a lot to do with ones overal size and muscle mass. I am 6'3" and a pretty fit 245lbs (see picture of me next to a pretty good sized warthog, above) so a 10lb rifle to me is no big deal and my much travelled and carried 416 Rigby comes in at over 12lbs all up and ready to hunt. Might have to do with hand size as well, don't know for sure. My ring finger is a size 13 so the mitts are a tad larger than some, I suppose (see photo of said mitts wrapped around mule deer antlers above....). Either of my rifles or even my 'lightweight' 9.5lb 340 might feel like a boat anchor to a person of more average size. Regardless of ones size etc. I think it is hard to argue that, especially in windy conditions, a svelte light barreled rifle is going to be as easy to hold steady and solid as one that is at least a bit muzzle heavy. Mine are typically muzzle heavy enough that to carry them balanced evenly and one handed I grip them in fromt of the forward lug and action screw. Might feel aqckward for some, but is pretty normal for me as I have been doing it for years.

All my deer rifles have #3 contours. They very from a pretty heavy 26" 25-06AI, to a fairly light, 22", .243. The stock makes the differnce. I'll take heavy over light any day, but just because I like to actually hit stuff.

I have an H&R ultra hunter in .243win 24" bull barrel. When the mood strikes me Ill take it out to the stand. Cant say its a hell of a lot heavier than my other big game rifles but not something I would carry all day. Its a nice change of pace and laser accurate.

I think my lightest rifles wear number 4 contours, considered heavy weights by most here. SO if I am hunting it will be with a heavy barreled rifle.

Same here. I used my FN PBR XP this year but mine is chambered in 300 wsm for those extra long shots

Not me, by a long shot. Light, lean and accurate are not a problem here.

Last year I hunted with a heavy barreled Remington 700 SPS Tactical in .223.

The 20" barrel was perfect for what I used it for, the rifle is heavy but it totes well and its easy to shoot.

1/2" groups make it tote even better....

I carry my Vanguard Varmint Special in .223 that is .740 at the muzzle.

Yeah, my favorite rifle is a Model 70 with a 28 inch heavy magnum contoured Pac Nor barrel on it...

Yes, love mine and have no problem carrying it about the hills .and it's a shooter.

N8dawg6: I actually prefer heavy barreled Rifles for my Deer and Antelope pursuits anymore.
My first "heavy barreled" Rifle was a Ruger 77 Varmint in 7mm Remington Express (280 Remington!) caliber back in 1979 - this Rifle was a Mule Deer and Antelope killing machine!
Since that first venture into heavy barrel Hunting Rifles I have used many more including a WONDERFUL Remington 700 Sendero in 270 Winchester, a Remington 700 VLS in 260 Remington, a Ruger 77 V/T in 25/06, a custom built 27" heavy barreled pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 240 Weatherby, a Remington 700 Varmint in 308 Winchester, a custom pre-64 Winchester Model 70 in 280 Remington with 25" semi-heavy barrel and several models of heavy barreled Rifles in 243 Winchester caliber.
One of my Elk Hunting partners uses a 338/378 Weatherby custom Rifle with a 30" semi-heavy barrel - this Rifle IS an Elk killing machine! To date this Rifle has accounted for 19 Bull Elk! Some at ranges so long I care not to relay them here and now (would probably create a diversion from your great posting).
The simple fact is if "longer" range is a definite possibility then the heavy barrel Rifles pay for their weight in better "field accuracy".
If you doubt this then just go to any 1,000 yard BR match and count up all the 6 1/4 pound Rifles being used there in!
I Hunt mostly in the west and on public lands - the heavy barreled Rifles come in handy quite often for this longer ranged Hunting.
I have carried my Sendero literally for miles on end and with a good sling and a "Hunters pace" it is not a burden - it IS an asset. And I have never had to rely on a string of shots with this Rifle and its 8.5x25 Leupold variable scope - in fact I don't think I have ever fired more than one shot at a game animal with this Rifle/scope combo.
With a heavier Rifle you will have a steadier sight picture and a less traumatic trigger pull effect under field conditions.
Get a better sling and pack that Sendero - it'll pay off.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy