Ok....so I signed up here several months ago and asked about a tikka vs r700. I went with the tikka and love it. Awesome gun. Now I also how a 17hmr w/ heavy barrel. I know this is not comparing apples to apples...but I can hold (free Hand) my 17hmr way more steady than I can the tikka. So the balance seems really nice on my 17 hmr. I understand completely different guns..... Im wondering if the balance would be similar if I was to get a shorter heavy barreled rifle for woods hunting and have the same ability to hold steady..... does this make sense?
Heavy barrel balance question.
- Thread starter Pecco22
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J E Custom
Well-Known Member
Yes !!!!
A heavy barrel always helps to steady the rifle and minimize movement.
I prefer a short (20 to 22") heavy barrel for running shots and when standing (Offhand) is the norm.
I also like a heavy barrel when hunting Elk in the mountains because I am always/normally a little out of breath and need the weight to steady me down for quick shots. Unlike most, my Elk rifle weighs 13 pounds and has been a huge benefit.
I also like the weight of the butt stock of laminated stocks for balance using heavy barrels.
The closer the balance center is to the shooter the better it will be for running or off hand shots. I consider balance point to be perfect for me if it is between the front action screw and the center of the mag well.
Just my opinion
J E CUSTOM
NoFences
Well-Known Member
Add some weight to the stock near the recoil pad. It doesn't take much and it will change the balance dramatically. I used an old shotgun hull filled with shot on a Savage 12 FV. I was surprised at the difference.
Ok...I will try adding some weight to the butt end of my tikka and see if that help. I'm trying to figure out and make it my go to rifle. Otherwise I may look for a shorter heavy barrel rifle as well. I do currently have a bipod still on my tikka from sighting it in. I assume that's also throwing the balance off on it.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
There's always tradoffs. If you want a long barreled heavy boomer for LR shooting it's never going to handle like Grampa's old Model 70 FW in the woods.
In cover carbine length rifles make sense. When you are shooting across a canyon or out on the plains from a prone position the old addage of Heavier is Steadier and Steadier is more accurate applies.
With shotguns we tend to think of short barrels for the quick "point and shoot" kind of game and longer barrels when we're going to have to swing onto and through crossing birds.
Shooting a rifle over about 20" from a standing unsupported position isn't something most people are going to do well. The longer you stand there holding it trying to steady up on a stationary target the more likely you are to get wobbly.
Now shooting with the over 20" rifle on moving game, from an unsupported standing position is much more doable but it takes many years of practice. Over in "Hog Hunting" you can see some great video of one of the best in the world putting it into practice.
I have pretty limited use and control of my left arm and shoulder due to years and years of injury so barring something unforeseen/emergency situation etc I won't even attempt to take a standing unsupported shot with a rifle anymore unless it's at extremely short range.
In cover carbine length rifles make sense. When you are shooting across a canyon or out on the plains from a prone position the old addage of Heavier is Steadier and Steadier is more accurate applies.
With shotguns we tend to think of short barrels for the quick "point and shoot" kind of game and longer barrels when we're going to have to swing onto and through crossing birds.
Shooting a rifle over about 20" from a standing unsupported position isn't something most people are going to do well. The longer you stand there holding it trying to steady up on a stationary target the more likely you are to get wobbly.
Now shooting with the over 20" rifle on moving game, from an unsupported standing position is much more doable but it takes many years of practice. Over in "Hog Hunting" you can see some great video of one of the best in the world putting it into practice.
I have pretty limited use and control of my left arm and shoulder due to years and years of injury so barring something unforeseen/emergency situation etc I won't even attempt to take a standing unsupported shot with a rifle anymore unless it's at extremely short range.
The bipod will throw the center of balance towards the muzzle but unless you will never take a shot requiring a bipod, it is best to leave it on there. Remember, in hunting we want to take the shot from the most steady position to ensure a clean shot. A lot of my hunting is in the woods so I am less likely to have a bipod. When used correctly, A sling can benefit a shooter greatly in all field positions.
I'm thinking of getting another rifle...one more suited for qoods. Don't get me wrong...I'm capable of shooting my tikka in a wooded situation. But I'm also looking to be the best I can be when shooting. And what I'm experiencing is a steadier aim and hold with my shorter heavy barrier gun vs my longer barreled. Again it's not comparing apples to apples here since they are different guns all the way around. I was just thinking something different for woods hunting might benefit me.
WildRose
Well-Known Member
I suspect the biggest difference isn't so much the balance as it is the total weight of the Tikka. Have you weighed the two?
Shorter barreled actions are handy and quick but as a rule heavier is steadier and steadier is more accurate and a longer barrel adds weight.
I realize that we shoot a shotgun generally much differently than a rifle in that we don't really "aim" the shotgun but longer barrels will swing better and as a result are preferred by most shotgunners not hunting heavy brush whereas the shorter barreled shotguns tend to be preferred where you need to be able to very rapidly point and shoot.
I had to think back on it but decades ago when I was shooting 3 position small bore 50' competition our target rifles were old Remington 513 Target Master, Army ROTC rifles that had a 27" barrel and weighed as I recall somewhere between 11-13lbs.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remington_Model_513
Shooting from a standing unsupported position with them was quite a workout for a 13yo kid but they were very accurate.
i think a rifles balance is probably the single most important aspect to good shooting whether it be close range woods, or long range precision hunting. In my youth, my very best shooting was almost always done with a few rifles, a Winchester 94, TC 50 cal Hawken, and an original 03/A3 Springfield. While one was substantially lighter in overall weight then the other this didn't make as much of a difference as was the common attribute of forward balance. Trying to simulate this attribute in my rifles has stuck with me for several decades. While so have owned and tried a whole host of the featherweights, mountain rifles, and other variants that are rear weight balanced, they don't work well for me. Nowadays, my hunting can find me shooting from close cover, to long range on a given hunt. My pet rifle for several years now provides me with a nice blend of manageable weight and off hand shootabilty in heavy cover, but will deliver the stability to make a confident 1000 yard shot. Interestingly, this rifle , a Cooper 52 in 6.5x284 with a .78" fluted barrel, at 10.5# total weight, doesn't balance and weigh much differently from my old A3 Springfield....
