Hunting Gun Weight

[Urban Coyote]

When picking a muzzleloader to hunt with how much attention do you give to it's weight?

I've got a couple of true Hawken type rifles that are fairly heavy. Recently I've become acquainted with a .54 Lyman Trade Rifle which is shooting well and is is a whole lot easier to pack around. Another lighter gun I shoot the T/C PA Hunter Carbine.

I suppose if you hunt from a stand the heft of your gun might not be so important.

 

[Stykbow]

IIRC my GPR weighs in a bit over nine pounds. I knew the weight when I bought it and thought it sounded kinda heavy, but it isn’t bad to carry at all.

 

[oldwood]

When young , an 8 lb. .50 cal. scratch built long rifle was acceptable , but at 70 , back to scratch built 6.5 lb. .50 cal.. Can't walk all day in the Pa. Mtn.s like when young.

 

[morehops52]

I find my TC Hawken tolerable as I don't hunt rough terrain anymore. Then I bought a Lyman Deerstalker with a shorter barrel and it was an improvement. I tried to take a Zouave hunting and that was a BIG mistake.

 

[deermanok]

I prefer lighter guns now that I'm older.
Most of mine are in the 6-7 pound range, give or take.
They slap a bit harder but I only need 1 or 2 shots in the deer woods anyway, so I can deal with that.

 

[SDSmlf]

When picking a muzzleloader to hunt with how much attention do you give to it's weight?

I've got a couple of true Hawken type rifles that are fairly heavy. Recently I've become acquainted with a .54 Lyman Trade Rifle which is shooting well and is is a whole lot easier to pack around. Another lighter gun I shoot the T/C PA Hunter Carbine.

I suppose if you hunt from a stand the heft of your gun might not be so important.

For big game hunting, One thing to consider is the caliber. Identical gun with bigger hole in barrel is going to weigh less. Simple, less steel, less weight. One of the reasons I’m partial to larger calibers for hunting. I know I will be holding/carrying my gun the better part of the day, while only shooting it once, maybe twice while hunting. The lighter gun will thump you a bit more, but I never notice while hunting. Another big item is the balance point. Get a well balanced gun and it will feel lighter no matter what the scale says. Think swamped or maybe a tapered barrel. Weight and balance are important.

For upland game or any hunting requiring a shotgun, my Pedersoli 12 gauge double proofed in 1978 weighs in at 5.8 pounds (5 lb 12 oz) if I recall correctly. And I love it. Currently produced ones feel like they have a lead barrel by comparison.

 

[Ponderosaman]

For big game hunting, One thing to consider is the caliber. Identical gun with bigger hole in barrel is going to weigh less. Simple, less steel, less weight. One of the reasons I’m partial to larger calibers for hunting. I know I will be holding/carrying my gun the better part of the day, while only shooting it once, maybe twice while hunting. The lighter gun will thump you a bit more, but I never notice while hunting. Another big item is the balance point. Get a well balanced gun and it will feel lighter no matter what the scale says. Think swamped or maybe a tapered barrel. Weight and balance are important.

For upland game or any hunting requiring a shotgun, my Pedersoli 12 gauge double proofed in 1978 weighs in at 5.8 pounds (5 lb 12 oz) if I recall correctly. And I love it. Currently produced ones feel like they have a lead barrel by comparison.

My pop commented on the weight of my new model Pedersoli (saying it was heavy). I just think he’s jealous. The Pedersoli weighs a pound less than my unmentionable shotgun.

 

[morehops52]

Agree with the swamped barrel. Pick up a custom PA longrifle with a swamped barrel and thin wood stock. Feel the balance point. It's a revelation.

 

[SDSmlf]

My pop commented on the weight of my new model Pedersoli (saying it was heavy). I just think he’s jealous. The Pedersoli weighs a pound less than my unmentionable shotgun.

And what is the actual weight? I am in agreement with your Pop. The lastest ‘current’ production Pedersoli double shotgun I weighed was well on the wrong side of 7 pounds compared to my older one at 5.8 pounds. Very noticeable.

 

[cynthialee]

I don't even know what my rifles weights are.
I hunt with TC Hawken or Renegade and both have brass ram rods.

Yeah they are a little heavy, but I like the weight to counter recoil. Ever shoot one of them plastic stock CVA side locks? Kick like a mule.

 

[Rock Home Isle]

What a great question…I love this topic.

This is going to depend on what I’m hunting and the terrain I’m hunting in…

Upland Game, Pheasant, Quail, Doves: I like a gun that feels solid in my hands and is very maneuverable, especially when going after quail. My top choices are my TVM Fusilde Chase, or my Pedersoli Upland 20 gauge double barrel. These guns come in at 7 pounds and 6 pounds respectively. I also love to take out my Brown Bess Carbine or my Pieta 10 gauge Double…7 1/2 pounds.

Waterfowl: Love, love, love my goose hunting. 10 gauge Pieta Double Barrel, or my Brown Bess Carbine, both are 7 1/2 pounds.

Small Game: We do have pockets of squirrels, but there are areas where the rabbit hunting is just crazy awesome. My Brown Bess or my TVM Fusil will be in my hands most times. 7 1/2 pounds and 7 pounds respectively.

Big Game Deer, Antelope: .45 calibre, .50 calibre, or .54 calibre…my guns weigh between 7 pounds and 8 1/4 pounds.

Big Game Elk: .54 calibre one gun is 7 1/4 pounds the other is 8 1/4 pounds. I need to get into shape for this hunt. It’s work to find them, it’s work to get close, and once one is down the work really begins.

 

[Ponderosaman]

And what is the actual weight? I am in agreement with your Pop. The lastest ‘current’ production Pedersoli double shotgun I weighed was well on the wrong side of 7 pounds compared to my older one at 5.8 pounds. Very noticeable.

I haven’t weighed it. The specs say 7.05 lbs. The unmentionable I can’t afford (but want) is 6.7 lbs. The unmentionable I have says something like “This gun is sooooo light, we HAD to do something about the recoil, so we came up with the comfortech recoil reduction system.” That gun is 8 pounds. I think the marketing weighs more than the gun. And 8 pounds doesn’t seem that light to me. But it does kick far less than my cheap break open unmentionable that weighs 6.65 lbs. Honestly, I didn’t think a pound would make a big difference, but the Pedersoli is easier to carry around than my modern gun, which is a plus for me. So your 5.8 lbs. is probably quite nice, but for me, not necessary.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Total weight is only part of the equation. Balance is the other part. The British gunmakers found that the balance point should be between the hands when mounting the rifle. It seems to work. Even a rifle that is not too heavy to carry can be hard to hold on target if the weight is way out there towards the muzzle. This is why swamped barrels are so nice to handle and short straight barrels are easier than long ones. Then of course there is always the caliber and powder charge to think about. Heavy rifles don't kick as hard but then you pack a rifle a lot more than you shoot it. Everything is a compromise and there's no one solution that will fit all of us.

 

[Ponderosaman]

Total weight is only part of the equation. Balance is the other part. The British gunmakers found that the balance point should be between the hands when mounting the rifle. It seems to work. Even a rifle that is not too heavy to carry can be hard to hold on target if the weight is way out there towards the muzzle. This is why swamped barrels are so nice to handle and short straight barrels are easier than long ones. Then of course there is always the caliber and powder charge to think about. Heavy rifles don't kick as hard but then you pack a rifle a lot more than you shoot it. Everything is a compromise and there's no one solution that will fit all of us.

I just checked my Pedersoli and the center of gravity is about an inch behind the wedge, which is technically “between my hands”. But just.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

Well, how does it feel? Do you like the weight and balance?

 

[Ponderosaman]

Well, how does it feel? Do you like the weight and balance?

I love the gun, but a lot of it is just the mystique of a black powder shotgun. The 8 pounder kills everything I point it at. I haven’t had the same experience with the Pedersoli due to the very slight delay in ignition. I do like how it feels, really like how it feels. It feels like I have stepped into 1860 and have bet my life on walking up this dry arroyo in the Sonoran Desert. That I’d better be careful and bold, or today may be my last.

 

[SDSmlf]

I haven’t weighed it. ……. Honestly, I didn’t think a pound would make a big difference, but the Pedersoli is easier to carry around than my modern gun, which is a plus for me. So your 5.8 lbs. is probably quite nice, but for me, not necessary.

But you said your pop commented your new Pedersoli was heavy and I agree with him. Might be something there. That 5.8 pounds may not be necessary to you today, but some day not that far away…… Pay attention to pop.

My pop commented on the weight of my new model Pedersoli (saying it was heavy).

 

[Ponderosaman]

But you said your pop commented your new Pedersoli was heavy and I agree with him. Might be something there. That 5.8 pounds may not be necessary to you today, but some day not that far away…… Pay attention to pop.

Perhaps. The man is a trove of wisdom. My next BP weapon though will likely be a cap and ball open top. And there are other guns in the pipline, so it will be years before I get another BP shotgun, unless I win the lottery.

 

[SOLANCO]

I haven’t weighed it. The specs say 7.05 lbs. The unmentionable I can’t afford (but want) is 6.7 lbs. The unmentionable I have says something like “This gun is sooooo light, we HAD to do something about the recoil, so we came up with the comfortech recoil reduction system.” That gun is 8 pounds. I think the marketing weighs more than the gun. And 8 pounds doesn’t seem that light to me. But it does kick far less than my cheap break open unmentionable that weighs 6.65 lbs. Honestly, I didn’t think a pound would make a big difference, but the Pedersoli is easier to carry around than my modern gun, which is a plus for me. So your 5.8 lbs. is probably quite nice, but for me, not necessary.

I have several British and one German unmentionable sxs guns that average around 6 pounds. You can tote a gun like that all day following a dog. But my Fox 16 GA is about 8 pounds and I will not tote that anywhere but the range or a duck blind. I have not weighed my Pedersoli but it feels light.

You are entirely correct about the big difference a pound or two will make.

 

[Art Caputo]

Balance takes on a higher priority then weight for me. My most used rifles being in the 7-8 pound range. I prefer my smooth bores a pound lighter….6-7 pounds.