Adding weight to a rifle...

[nsb]

Idle time on my hands and I have the need to tinker... I've got a .300 RUM RMEF edition from a few years back. I've got a muzzle brake and R3 (Sims) recoil pad on it. It really shoots pretty well mannered, and I've been shooting quite a lot lately trying to work up a nice handload for it.
So anyhow, like I was saying, idle time on my hands, so I start getting the thinkies, and started thinking about the weight of the gun. As near as I can tell, the gun weighs about 8 lbs + the scope. So I got to thinking "What if I added some weight to reduce the recoil even more?" Cuz when it comes down to it, I really don't think I'd give a rat's behind about hauling a few extra pounds around the prairie. If I was gonna be packing in the mountains, it'd be more of a concern to me. For SoDak deer, I'm not worried about it.

So here's my thought: there's a nice hollow space in the stock. I could take the recoil pad off, fill the space with some bismuth or steel shot (guessing I could get a couple pounds in there). Is this the dumbest idea ever? Mostly I'm just thinking all macho man stuff aside, why not ditch some more recoil? Is there a better way to add weight to a rifle than that? Besides adding a big ol' custom barrel?

 

[royinidaho]

I did what you are talking about but added the weight (almost 2 lbs) before I had the Holland brake installed.

Turns out that the added weight works against you. The lighter the rifle the more effective the brake.

I was shooting 250s in it when it was a 338WinMag and the brake sure helped. I wouldn't shoot prone until I got the Holland.

I then rebarreled to 338 RUM and removed the weight. Things got better recoil wise with 250s moving even faster than WinMag velocities.

I now shoot prone anytime I need or want to with 300SMKs going 2730.

I'd recommend against any additional weight.

If you have the thinkies, think about comeing up with a better bipod. The only ones that work half decent are the very short ones and they are useless except on flat terrain with no grass or bench or out of the back of the truck. The taller ones are way too flexible with a heavy barreled rifle.

I've had the thinkies about this for quite a while. Made a couple of prototypes that flopped.

Considerations, wider stance, line of bore below top of bipod and don't necessarily have to fold.

FWIW.