What Is Special About Lightweight Rifles?

Lightweight Rifles

The major rifle manufacturers are exploring the avenues never explored before. Ruger, Sako, Kimber, Remington, Browning, and Weatherby are some of the makers that offer lightweight rifles with thin barrels and synthetic stocks. Besides well known, all these brands manufacture lightweight and long-range hunting rifles. In fact, Kimber mountain ascent 308 accuracies are known as one of the best mountain hunting rifles. Why this rifle stands out is because of what it does not include. In order to provide the shooters with lightweight rifles, it leaves out a number of features. Yet there is no compromise with the performance. The case is also similar to several other rifle manufacturers.

Reducing the weight of any rifle increases recoil, which negatively impacts practical accuracy. Reducing barrel length decreases velocity, and that affects both trajectory and killing power. High-velocity cartridges, the kind most often recommended for mountain rifles, are particularly affected by reduced barrel length. An “all-around” type of rifle can serve as a stand-in for a mountain rifle, but a real mountain rifle is a rather specialized hunting instrument. The hunter shopping for a mountain rifle should understand that it is not a general-purpose hunting rifle. Moreover, a classic mountain rifle has to be reliable and perform accurately.

 

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Kimber Adirondack rifleThe first lightweight rifles were virtually identical to their standard-weight brethren, with the exception of their pencil-thin barrels. Those thin barrels certainly helped those rifles shed a pound or two, but they moved the balance point way back, resulting in rifles that didn’t point naturally and were difficult to hold steady. That lack of balance was exaggerated by heaving chests and nerves–two things that always seem to be abundant at the moment of truth.

The overwhelming choice of most experienced mountain hunters is a bolt action rifle, although a falling block single shot rifle is also an excellent choice. The bolt action is familiar to most shooters and offers faster repeat shot capability. The single-shot rifle is shorter than a bolt action for any given barrel length or can have a longer barrel for any given overall length, which gives it a big advantage as a mountain rifle. Besides Kimber mountain ascent 308 accuracies, Kimber 84M Classic is another good choice for bolt action rifles. Some lightweight bolt action rifles have buttstocks with a shortened length of pull to decrease their overall length, so be sure the stock fits properly before buying. Proper stock fit is always important as it has a big influence on perceived recoil. Lightweight rifles kick harder than standard weight rifles, so the stock fit is doubly important in a mountain rifle.

It is often difficult to pick up the best mountain hunting rifles. For some, it might be Kimber mountain ascent 308, while for others it might be Blaser K-95. At the end of the day, it is all about how comfortable you are with the rifle that you are using.

About Mark Griffin

Hi, This is Mark Griffin, a professional camp instructor, a passionate hunter and wildlife enthusiast. I like to travel & participate in hunting events across the country and abroad. I have been reloading, shooting and hunting for over 15 years now. Beside, a professional Camp Instructor, I am an avid blogger and freelance writer. Plenty of my blogs/articles have been featured on popular hunting forums and web magazines. When not hunting, photographing, writing, or spending time with my 'kiddos', I usually try to master wildlife painting!
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