Hunting With Heavy/Bull Barreled rifles.

**ady** · 12-12-2020, 07:09

I used to hunt with my fathers 308 bull barrel, the rifle shoots like a dream, but after a while of carrying it i came to hate the rifle with a passion. For me, it got to a point where no position of carry was ever comfortable. I never did much walk and stalk with it, because of the weight. None of my hunting rifles are heavy barreled.

I got one of these slings to try and fell in love with them. I know have one on every rifle and they are available locally.

https://www.futurama.co.za/butler-cr...e-sling-brown/

**MyLani** · 12-12-2020, 07:41

Spend a day walking after Buffalo with a double rifle and no sling, and you will realise why they used to have Gun Bearers on those hunts "back in the day"

**WoodsieEC** · 12-12-2020, 07:49

My hunting rifle leaves a checkered print from the strap in my shoulder after a very short period of carry.

Still wouldn’t swop it out for a lighter options. The accuracy of my heavy barrel far outweighs the inconvenience of carrying it.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**BEX** · 12-12-2020, 08:53

My .308 Howa 24" bull barrel with steel silencer and lead in the synthetic stock to balance it weights in at 8 kg, the only time it bothers me is when I have to carry it while carrying a Bushbuck out of the bush, but then it is primarily the length that bothers me.

**Messor** · 12-12-2020, 12:30

Terrain, that is about it, carrying a heavy rifle with a proper sling on open to semi open terrain is nothing difficult. You get to thick brush with near zero visibility where you are only carrying the firearm in your hand, and then many folk suffer, especially those that doesn’t keep fit or exercise.

As mentioned I have done many clicks in a day carrying a heavy barrel 308 and it bothers me absolutely none, but there were times when I tracked in devil bush with hours of carrying the rifle in hand, then you can feel the weight.

I think a heavy barrel 6.5 like T-stone uses is just about perfect for his terrain, a stable and accurate combo he can rely on, but I would rather carry my sporter profile 270 or 338 in dense bush, they have hunting scopes and weighs nothing, pointing then because easier when working through dense bush where the rifle is always in your hand.

The topic then in a nutshell, nothing wrong with a heavy barrel for hunting, as long as the terrain allows it, with the added bonus for many it would also be their practice rifle and they would know it very well.

**kayaker** · 13-12-2020, 02:27

Not for me. I get good field accuracy from sporter weight rifles, no need to carry heavy rigs around. For mountain hunting I use a Kimber Montana .308 which is sub 6lbs with its VX2 2-7 scope. When ascending steep mountains and carrying meat back down you start to feel extra weight!

I had a Howa varmint .308 but never hunted with it much, it was a bear to carry and very unbalanced while slung. Accurate as hell, but I have lighter rifles that shoot sub MOA. Its a trade-off- an ultralight can be very accurate but they are often tough to shoot well. Heavy rigs are stable to shoot but suck to carry, especially in steep terrain and long distances. There is a role for lighter and heavier and rifles.

**264WinMag** · 13-12-2020, 08:29

I also have a 308 with a 26 inch bull barrel and silincer. With proper sling you can carry it all day.

In thick brush/ sekelbos length and weight start making a difference.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**264WinMag** · 13-12-2020, 08:30

Originally Posted by BBT

Not available Locally
The guys comes and sells specially at huntex.
I bought some last year
The guy s

Off topic - LA Arms in The Moot (PTA) had stock of the slogan slings.

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**treeman** · 13-12-2020, 21:26

Originally Posted by 264WinMag

I also have a 308 with a 26 inch bull barrel and silincer. With proper sling you can carry it all day.
In thick brush/ sekelbos length and weight start making a difference.
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

**************************
I find it kills me within minutes when it comes to any bend down and weave through trees and under branch's terrain.
I have a old .303 cut to 16 inch's for that stuff.

I tell you what, I have never been so wrong about a weapon as I was about the old Lee Enfield .303

**pre 64** · 14-12-2020, 07:43

The weight of a rifle can become a factor if carried all day. If you have carried a large caliber rifle [heavy] or a bull barreled rifle you may not be too uncomfortable until you take up a sporter and realise what a pleasure it is to carry.
Just don't stuff up a sporter with a x24 scope that weighs more than the rifle itself.
More of an issue is rifle length as Treeman noted. I hate the awkwardness of a suppressor stuck on the end of a barrel.