Why the heavy barrel?


Byron's quote [Now before you guys in the wide open counrty get fired up and start knee jerking just asked yourself how many called coyotes do you really shoot past 300.]

Byron, I guess it all depends on preference, Out here we have the opportunity to shoot the incoming coyotes from 300 yrds and far beyond and we do, It is far more challenging to shoot a 300+yd coyote than a 50 yd gimme. Probably 80% of the coyotes that we shoot are at are beyond 200+ yrds and 60% beyond 300yrds, (unless they catch us asleep at the wheel(which never happens /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif). Large barrels, high power scopes, rock steady bipods are our choices. Now bobcat etc. hunting is totally different, See there's another reason to own several predator rifles.
 
Quote:
I have a Remmy 7 that will shoot under 1.5" at 200yds for sixty shots, fired in succession, no cool down. Will print 1/2" groups at that range taking your time, letting it cool. Will stack holes at 100yds.

Anyone who carries around a HB rig on a calling rifle makes me wonder. Just not needed, nor wanted IMO........



What does it make you wonder? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

My brother carries a Rem 700 VS. He can shoot that rifle more accuraitely and kill more coyotes than he can with my little Rem 700 classic or my lighter CZ 527's. He just has a harder time with the lighter rifles. I can shoot the heavier rifle better myself also. I carry a lighter rifle because that is what I prefer, and usually when a coyote or bobcat get's in front of me at a reasonable distance, it will fall over and die.

Back to the original question, I guess the factory "Supergenious Guy's" dream up these wonderfull ideas on there own, because that is what they think we need or want. I don't imagine they often talk to knowledgable hunters, or at least listen to them. Just look at some of the sloppy crap they produce. It still cracks me up that a $5 outdoor water valve can be made to tighter tolerances than a $700-900 rifle, much less compare the cost of an automotive transmission to a bolt action rifle on a cost per part basis.
 
I would guess that you should carry and shoot whatever you are proficiant enough with. 'course that's just my opinion also. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Some interesting perspectives.

Someone posted that predator hunting rifles started out as varmint rigs. To take that one step further, I think it may have as much to do with the cartridges.

Seems like far and away, the most popular cartridges are the .223 and the .22-250, very typical varmint cartridges. Seems like #3 on the list would be the .243. Seems to me that most of the .243 hunters are using a rig more like a deer rifle - standard barrel contours stocks and so on. The .223s and .22-250s, while not all the time, are at least more likely to have a heavy barrel.

When I first started thinking about coyotes, I had a Douglass heavy barrel and I mean heavy, that I was going to use. Just carrying the parts around the house was a bear! I ended up with a .22-250 sporter weight barrel on a mauser action. It has a nice feel. Now that I have spent years and $$$$ getting it to feed decently, I am pretty happy with it.
 
Guess I just wonder why anyone would want to carry more weight than they have to. I can understand if they just feel more confident with it, or just plain like it for whatever reason. I don't buy into ANY of the other HB myths. I do not consider a predator calling rifle and a varmint rifle to be the same thing, even though some of the mfg's or hunters may. Have never had a problem killin' anything with a lightweight rifle, or shootin' one well, providin' the rifle is worth a dang in the first place.......
 
I OWN NUMEROUS HEAVY BARREL GUNS NUMEROUS RUGER 77 TANGS, BROWNING VARMINT STALKER, CZ 527 VARMINT 223 17 REM ECT I ALSO OWN 2 LIGHT BARREL GUNS SAVAGE 204 AND REM LVSF 221 FIREBALL THE SAVAGE AND FIREBALL GO ON ABOUT 90% OF MY HUNTS DUE TO WEIGHT I DONT HOWEVER HUNT P DOGS WHERE BARREL HEAT IS A PROBLEM
 
kunas,
I am sure you did not realize it but all caps is a no-no on the internet. It is called "SHOUTING" and makes your posts hard to read.

Jack
 
Big10gauge

Csam asked a question and I gave him my opinion. Thats all. Your absolutetly right about preferences. We have come to what we prefer out of trial and error and we decide on what work best for us individually.

I've hunted quite a bit of wide open country and rarely do I feel underguned with a sporter weight barrel. It is certainly a challenge to shoot coyotes at extended ranges but what flips my switch is calling them into the 50 yard gimme range. I don't get them all there but it is rare that I take a shot at over 200. Heck I don't even feel I called him in unless he is at least that close. I've killed only two coyotes this year at over 300 and neither were that dificult with my little 18" R-15. I've never heated my barrel up excessively on a coyote hunt and a recoil is plenty bearable so the extra weight is of no value to me for this either. I understand the extra steadiness of the heavy guns but I also understand how much of a burden they become for me at the end of a day, So I don't feel the extra weight is justified for me. I can with sticks usually get steady enough to kill coyotes out to a little over 300 yards pretty easily with a 8ish pound rifle. Different strokes for diffrent folks I guess. Some like chocolate and some like vanila. Please shoot what you are comfortable with and have fun.

Byron
 
Welcome to the board Kunas

I would have to agree with Byron on the Varmint/Predator difference. To me it depends on accuracy. There is a big difference between hunting accuracy and match accuracy. For one shot 300 yds and in don't think it matters if the rifle will shoot within the target requirements.

I shoot/carry a heavy barrel all the time anyway for work so I don't think much about it. I like the way the feel on sticks or bipod. Believe a heavy barrel will out shoot a thin one too a point.
 
Quote:
The original question was why do people carry a heavy barrel while predator hunting.

I've yet to have action so good that my lighter barrel has overheated, or that I just felt pounded from the heavier recoil afterward. Barrel life is the same, unless you overheat it. Last I checked, chamber erosion occurs at the same pace regardless of barrel weight.

I'll gladly absorb the "brutal pounding" those big 223's and 243's dish out and not carry a log around.




It could not be said any better.
 
I carry a sporter weight Rem 788 and can still do work at 300+ easily. Sometimes I carry my 13lb .308 with 6-24x tacticool, shooting 125 TNT's just for fun, which I got a kill at a whole 27yds last time out.

I think people have thier preference but don't push it on others.

As far as weight I laugh! In early 2002 I hunted in northern Afganistan carrying a 30lb MG over 100 clicks (KM) at over 10,000ft during a 10 day mission. I also had a 105lb ruck sack on and with total gear I weighed 345lbs. I know this because I was weighed with full kit during static. In 2003-2004 tour I carried a heavy barrel Remmy. I never took more than a few shots with that at the 2 legged varmints at a time. However, the govenment didn't offer it in a sporter package.

I do like my 788 for hunting but also love heavy guns. But if people complain about 3lbs I don't know what to tell you. Mabye you should stay home and have your wife pamper you. If you think about hunting condition- Wet clothing after rain= 3 lbs, caller vs hand calls = 3 lbs, drinking too much beer the week before = 5 lbs. If the new hunter shoots a yote he will not be thinking of how much his rifle weighs. Plus I doubt people are walking 10 miles to a stand. Just my opinion.
 
Quote:

Byron's quote [Now before you guys in the wide open counrty get fired up and start knee jerking just asked yourself how many called coyotes do you really shoot past 300.]

Byron, I guess it all depends on preference, Out here we have the opportunity to shoot the incoming coyotes from 300 yrds and far beyond and we do, It is far more challenging to shoot a 300+yd coyote than a 50 yd gimme. Probably 80% of the coyotes that we shoot are at are beyond 200+ yrds and 60% beyond 300yrds, (unless they catch us asleep at the wheel(which never happens /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif). Large barrels, high power scopes, rock steady bipods are our choices. Now bobcat etc. hunting is totally different, See there's another reason to own several predator rifles.



Big20gauge - After several readings of this odd post I am having a hard time trying to figure out what you are doing or justify doing. Are you saying that you, on purpose, take the long shot rather than get them in to take the high percentage shot? Are you saying that, by preference, you take low percentage shots based solely on the good graces that you have the good fortune to do so just so you can have a bit of a challange to your "shootin" abilities. 50 yard gimmes??? "Gimme" a break.
 
I think my 788 would group .75-1.0 " at 100yds. My Browning Boss normal group after tuning it, was .50" at 100, the barrel measured .80" at muzzle. My Tactical.20 is .80 at muzzle and has shot .25" groups at 100, usual groups are under .50" at 100. Maybe the heavy barrel is better. The 788 would group bigger the hotter the load, my T.20 shot 4375fps, when shooting the good groups.T.20
 
yotekyllr:




Point of Order


Quote:
I never took more than a few shots with that at the 2 legged varmints at a time. However, the govenment didn't offer it in a sporter package.





Brother Grunt, you are mingling your definitions... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/tongue.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif

Those would be classified as BIG GAME! /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Redhound80

p.s.- What unit in Afghanistan?
 
yotekyllr:

Ok "Stud", that's the hunting unit you drew. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

How about your military unit, if you are at liberty to tell? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/cool.gif FOB Orgun-E?? 10th Mountain Division?? SF?? Ranger Batt?? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-006.gif

Thanks for your continued service to our country!

Strike Force!
Redhound80
 
Those "50 yard gimmes" sure put your heart in your throat though. I don't get the same reaction when I pop one at 300. Not that I won't do it (or at least try it) if he won't cooperate but I love foolin''em right to the end. I've seen some pretty experienced guys miss 'em close because of the cardiac factor (not me of course, ok well anyway back on topic)as well as short reaction times. It's all challenging and everyone has their own preferences.
 


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