Lightweight Hunting Rifles - Did you buy a rifle you can actually shoot??

[@royal-1664]

One thing ive noticed from over the pond is this trend in America to "snipe" game at 600, 800, 1000 yards. I cannot get my head around that. In England we are known as deer stalkers, we stalk into the deer that we have seen from 800 yards away, all the way in as close as we can get. That is the skill, that is the hunt.

[@tallcip65]

In the eastern US it’s not common to shoot a deer from farther than 200 yards. But out west we see the deer from miles away and the stalk means getting into a position to shoot the animal with as much ease as possible and with the topography we have out here sometimes that means you are not getting within a few hundred yards. Most hunters still don’t take shots outside 300-400 yards and most who try longer shots end up missing.

[@jackbuendgen389]

​@@tallcip65 Perfectly said 👍

[@davidmerriott7356]

Exactly!!! These western hunters suck. I have yet to shoot over 60. I started bow hunting so I’m used to hunting game not shooting something that doesn’t have a chance. There are some tube shows that prove these guys cant even hit on at that yardage.

[@vettepilot427]

It’s not all that way. I build rifles for professional guides who feel like it’s their profession to get clients inside 300 yards, regardless of what rifle you have or how good you think you are. Also, there’s quite a lot of hunters here who are bow hunters who like the spot and stalk to get within bow range. The current trend of “long range hunting” is primarily driven by companies trying to sell products and a few shooters who try to be something that they’re not or attention on social media. But I would argue that it’s not a widespread or generally accepted practice by the majority.

[@tallcip65]

@@davidmerriott7356 the backfire channel did a challenge with some hunters trying to make shots from various distances and scenarios and the results were pretty telling.

[@brucekeller9302]

Excellent point. It takes a lot of practice to shoot the light weight Mags well.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Appreciate your comment, thanks!

[@dombaum1903]

Really excellent video Caylen - great job !!

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Appreciate you! 🤙

[@johnkaraphillis754]

As a 69 year old life long hunter, very refreshing to listen to your view of the majority of gun tubers. They are doing a big disservice to new and inexperienced hunters/shooters. Thanks

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

I agree, and thanks for taking the time to watch.

[@londontasker217]

Man, this video is gold. I went from shooting a Springfield 2020 waypoint chambered in 6.5 Creedmoor to shooting a Bergara Ridge 300 PRC. I put the Bergara in a KRG bravo chassis and it shot lights out. The caveat was that it was like a 13 to 14 pound rifle. I was very confident with it and took an elk and a mule deer that fall. During the off-season, I caught the itch to change my setup and shed some pounds. I put the Bergara back in the original chassis, which made it about a 9 pound rifle with scope and bipod. I went to the range and found out that I could not shoot it for shit. It was a miserable experience. I came home, sold the Bergara chassis on eBay and immediately bought another KRG bravo chassis. I learned that you want some weight in your rifle if you’re gonna go with these magnum cartridges. Don’t get me wrong, there are some guys that can shoot these lightweight magnums. But the lesson learned is that I am not one of those dudes!

[@brianjazek7769]

Glad I'm not the only one

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

That’s a lotta rifle man! Sometimes the stock is the weakest link and I don’t think Bergara’s stocks are up to the task.

[@1776carpediem]

How did you like your Waypoint?

[@londontasker217]

@@1776carpediem great rifle. Wish I would’ve gone with the adjustable stock. I still have it, but after having some poor experiences using the 6.5 Creedmoor on big game, I upgraded to the 300 PRC so the 6.5 is now my wife’s hunting rifle.

[@1776carpediem]

@@londontasker217 I’m happy to hear you like your Bergara as well as your Waypoint. I eyed the Waypoint for a long time but wanted something a bit more than 6.5 PRC. Appreciate the comment, good luck hunting this year

[@jackbuendgen389]

This was a really good video. A smaller caliber and cartridge paired with the right bullet is probably more lethal than a big caliber heavy recoiling rifle that is tough to shoot.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Yessir, that’s the ticket right there!

[@cedorman]

This needed to be said.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Appreciate you, thanks for commenting.

[@LittleCrowGunworks]

This is gold. We tell clients the same thing. Everybody wants an ultralight rifle until they're trying to shoot one...accurately. Then they don't want it anymore. They're nice to carry and that's where it ends. We promote much heavier guns than most people are convinced they need. And we have no trouble saying no. You want a sub 8lb 300 Magnum, find somebody else because we have zero interest in building that rifle. Why? Because you can't shoot it accurately and then it's our fault. No thanks. Great stuff Caylen

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

No one likes being the bad guy, and when students come to classes with rifles like that, they can get miffed about not being able to get it to do what it’s supposed to do. We go down all the rabbit holes; is it the best ammo, is it clean, is there something loose, etc. All to attempt to show that it’s not the rifle, it’s them.

[@LittleCrowGunworks]

@MODERNDAYSNIPER that's exactly right. Even if you can train your brain and body out of flinching, which I have, you STILL can't see what happens once the gun recoils. So you STILL lose your MOST VALUABLE DATA POINT, your previous shot. Instead of a pinpoint follow up shot, you're groping around in the dark and hoping for the best. Screw that. Give me a 10 - 13lb magnum and I'll hammer 3 well aimed shots downrange in 6 seconds or less. Good stuff man. I pride myself on saying things in my videos that are VERY unpopular but VERY true.

[@rosalindstewart7013]

@@LittleCrowGunworksspot on Tim, cheers Yogi ✌️

[@timroessler9551]

Thank tou so much, i am a new " late bloomer" in the shooting world. Probably wont hunt , but love the aspect of knowledge on what you want to do with your rifle and what you using it for etc. Futher more, the way you described what your own body does, if you go hunting, before and after. Its really amazing to hear. So thank you

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

You’re most welcome, and welcome to the shooting community! Make sure you check us out at Modern Day Rifleman!

[@saltyguerrilla]

There is a big underground of folks using 6mm light rifles for animals as big as Moose. Recoil management, bullet choice Trump the old adage “Knockdown power”! Being able to maintain target acquisition, and spot shooting are key to successful longer range kills. Great video!

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

There is indeed. Some of my friends just got back from an Africa trip where they were shooting the 22 Creedmoor and the results are pretty impressive.

[@benjaminconsler5699]

Great video and perspective. I've come to realize that a balanced weight is probably better than the lightest of light. For me, it's 8ish lbs and .30-06. simple

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Appreciate the reply!

[@PrecisionRifleNetwork]

Well said man. 🤙 good video.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Thanks, appreciate the comment 🤘

[@chrisbrook6656]

Great video. Fantastic content 👏

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Thanks for the message and we appreciate you!

[@HazardousRob]

My 7prc is about 8.5lbs and its perfect for me. Not so light that it kills my shoulder, not so heavy that I don't want to take it in the mountains

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Go for it!

[@williamfeldner9356]

My ideal rifle is a 3006 weighing between 7.5 to 8 lbs loaded…. I used several lighter rifles through the years and I found under hunting conditions especially the wind in the West I just could not stabilize the lighter rifle.😊😊

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

That is indeed a good point.

[@liverpool6380]

I love my sig sawtooth 7prc. It’s a little heavier but helps me spot my hits

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

That's what matters

[@rubenrodriguez7266]

Good stuff, Caylen! Seems like every cartridge class has a min weight rifle system that we should be using it in as well. Can we sort of quantify that by saying that there is a max Ft Lbs of recoil that can be shot well and then play with the system weight vs cartridge selection and muzzle device? Side note: I’m also realizing just how much stock ergonomics/fitment matter with recoil management regardless of the caliber in question.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Appreciate the response. I’m not sure if you could quantify it, or if I’d want to really-I just look at the system as a whole and if I can shoot it well and it responds predictably, then roll with it.

[@GeirMeyer]

Words of wisdom..Its all in the training..

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

🙏🤙

[@larrythompson7802]

Recently retired,so I bought a new rifle and scope. Tikka T3X Lite stainless in 308. Plenty of ammo choices. Haven't been hunting since my teens. Hope I made a good choice.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

I think so Larry. The Tikka is a great platform, and the 308 is not only a classic, but generally the baseline cartridge people in the precision shooting world learn on.

[@Accuracy1st]

You made an excellent choice. Try factory Norma 180 Bondstrike and Norma Whitetail 150 grain in it. If you like a lighter trigger pull, you can spend a whopping $8 plus shipping on a new aftermarket spring and install it yourself in 3 minutes. Another $40 you can put a limbsaver recoil pad on it.

[@jamesperrier3059]

This was my first set up. Lights out shooter however those tikka sticks aren’t great at handling recoil. A limbsaver recoil pad made a world of difference for me.

[@Accuracy1st]

@@jamesperrier3059 Stainless Tikka T3x 308 was my first Tikka. Got it on clearance from a big box store for $507 out the door (it's left handed). Sat on the rack for over a year. Got it during summer of 2022

[@timothym2241]

I had one in 308 and my son in law also has one in 308. Excellent hunting rifle. Seems to shoot most all ammo very accurately, right out of the box. A good choice. We hunt whitetail.

[@rosalindstewart7013]

Great vid mate, you got a new sub, cheers from Australia ✌️Yogi

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Thank you! Appreciate the comment, and don't forget to check us out over at Modern Day Rifleman too.

[@elkhuntr2816]

This is a tricky balance I am trying to figure out as a western hunter. I hunt elk, mule deer, and black bear every year in ID as a resident. I want to be effective at longer ranges that are still ethical, probably 600 or so. I have been using a 7mm rem mag, but it is only capable 1.5-2.0 inch groups. Not accurate enough. I am debating between 6.5 PRC and 6.5 creedmoor. I want as light a rifle as possible, but I also want to be accurate at longer ranges. I also need enough energy to kill an elk out to 600. Do I go lighter weight (6lb rifle) and stick with the creedmoor and give up 200 yards of effective range? Or do I step up in weight (7lb) and go with the PRC to get flatter shooting and more energy extending my range to 600? Rifle weight is a big deal, but so is effective range. The creedmoor is NOT flat shooting, so you have to have a very accurate range which is not always possible. The PRC is flatter shooting which is more forgiving of range errors. Its a tough call. Value weight and accuracy over longer effective range? Or pack more weight (potentially limiting how far I can go) and have more range? Its a dilemma. By the way, ID has a 16lb rifle limit. It seems like so many hunters these days want to pack a 10lb+ rifle scope combo which is crazy. More accurate, yes, but you still need to pack it around.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

I’m going to respond to this in a video format my friend. I see your point, however I’m going to give you some other ideas to ponder. Give me a couple days, ok?

[@zerklin1]

My 6.5 prc weighs 9 lbs scoped and with suppressor, everyone loves to shoot it because it has almost no recoil

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Bingo! Good luck this season!

[@jamesmooney5348]

Great video!

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Appreciate you James, good luck this season.

[@jsean13]

Im newer to hunting.. more involved in the precision rifle game. Can you put together a video explaining a good place to start. Im putting together a Solus 6.5CM with a Grayboe stock. Figured staring there would good.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Cruise over to www.moderndayrifleman.com and you'll find the infomation you're looking for!

[@Westerner_]

It’s almost like they got it right near 100 years ago with the original model 70. A 8-9 lb rifle chambered in a pedestrian cartridge like 270/30-06 was (still is) the ultimate compromise for a practical shootable hunting rifle. The best info out there on hunting rifles was published decades ago, Colonel Townsend Whelen wrote what I call the holy bible of hunting rifles decades ago, “The Hunting Rifle”. I own modern carbon fiber composite stuff too so don’t think I’m a fudd but the amount of information still relevant today the old timers knew about hunting rifles is pretty astonishing.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

I agree completely. The precision rifle gear race has definitely progressed us, however it’s important to always remember where you came from.

[@vettepilot427]

Everybody wants an ultralight rifle........until they have to shoot one. When a customer comes to us for a custom build and the first thing they mention is "ultralight" we have an honest discussion about the very real negatives of an ultralight rifle, especially in a magnum cartridge. Ultralight as a primary goal excluding others is a novelty rather than a virtue. It's foolish to carry an ultralight rifle just to miss. The first question is always: "Do you REALLY need a magnum cartridge?" The fact is, for elk and down at ethical hunting distances, you don't. The .308 or .30-06 will cover just about anything in North America that needs doing with correct shot placement and won't "take meat on both ends" as my father-in-law says. They're not new or sexy, they won't win "measuring contests" in camp, but they get the job done, especially with modern hunting bullets. I'll even argue that at closer ranges (inside 200 yards), the .308 is more effective than 6.5 Creedmoor. The next thing that we discuss is: "How light do you REALLY need?" I make a simple offer to my customers, "If you give me 2 lbs of weight, I can build you a better shooting rifle AND save you considerable cost." Ultralight rifles magnify any input into the rifle, even small inputs like breathing, and tend to be more picky about ammo and temperature. Simply choosing a shorter and/or lighter profile steel barrel vs carbon fiber will produce a more consistent rifle AND save you $400+ for almost the same weight. While we want to be conscious of weight with any hunting rifle (which is carried more than shot), there's a huge difference in "shootability" between a 7 lb rifle and a 9 lb rifle, especially in those larger cartridges. We will occasionally get a call from the customer after they receive their new rifle that they're not able to get the same groups that we did in testing. It's always the ultralight magnums that have the issue and require some coaching on how to shoot them well.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Thank you for the input!

[@davidandre886]

Way to not take a stance. I do agree a light big magnum is harder to shoot and you want to learn on something small.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

I guess you could start up your own channel and “take a stance” too… 🤷‍♂️

[@beardedrancher]

Train heavy, hunt light as far as pack and rifle goes. Train hiking with a heavier pack and rifle than what you'd hunt with.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

That’s not how to properly train, I’d suggest looking into the programming offered by Human Predator Pack Mule. Becoming more capable in the mountains isn’t about “carrying heavy things.”

[@beardedrancher]

@@MODERNDAYSNIPER it's the way I've been doing it for 25 years and works fine for me. No need to change it.

[@cayo3955]

I used to see this a lot around October in Arkansas on the public ranges. Guys that shoot a box of ammo @ a paper plate with a .300wm etc once a year call it good then hit the woods, pretty sad. Opening of Muzzle loader season sounds like the civil war btw😂

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Ah, the typical American rifle hunter….

[@revolutionanarchy713]

Agreed!

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

🤙

[@rubenvasquez021]

What are you thoughts on 300wsm?

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

My thoughts on specific cartridges are of little significance; if you can shoot it well, then roll. 👌

[@jamesmooney5348]

Wind wind wind, reading wind

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

And, get closer, get closer…. ✌️

[@jamesmooney5348]

@@MODERNDAYSNIPER Absolutely agree!

[@dinoscungilli6390]

Wouldn't a muzzle brake fix this problem

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Which problem?

[@jonbibb4208]

I don't know why you are saying you are saying that you see a trend in hunter shooting lite ,heavy recoiling rifles when hunters have been doing this for 80 years. At least now they have a muzzle break or a suppressor. 10 years ago no hunter used either of those

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

The subject interests me? 🤷‍♂️

[@ronws2007]

I will go ahead and talk about the elephant in the room that absolutely no one else will talk about because they are afraid of not being macho enough, which is downright silly. Recoil management. Limbsaver Airtech push-on. Since rifle companies have some kind of religious objection to providing reoil pads that can actually re-direct the recoil impulse, one needs to step in and do something about it. Shoot a magnum round and get good at it. But put on a recoil pad that actually does the job. Getting your shoulder bruised accomplishes zero and doesn''t mean anything other than a bunch of fudd horsecrap still abounds. Finally, I can step off the soapbox for a moment.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

If you’re connected to your rifle properly, you don’t need a recoil pad. We’ll spend a 5-6 day long class shooting nothing but 338 Lapua or 300 PRC/300 Norma, 80-120 rounds a day and everyone is just fine. It is skill for sure, so I’m with you on that, but recoil pads aren’t really necessary.

[@Bellicose0311]

I’d still much rather have a heavy magnum and have to hump it and it suck than to have an ultra light and not be able to get a 2nd shot if needed or worse it be so light that my input causes a horrible wounding 1st shot. My 300 PRC is around 19 pounds, I put weights on the krg whiskey 3. I also have a whiskey 3 6mm arc that is around 15 pounds and an accuracy international 6.5creed that is almost 23 pounds. I can hump them all if needed. It doesn’t bother me to have a rifle I can use from hunting to competition, to defense. You can adapt to and get used to the suck, you can’t ever re take a bad shot. Just my two cents.

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Everyone is entitled to their own POV! Only the hits count…

[@Bellicose0311]

@@MODERNDAYSNIPER amen!!!

[@caleb9460]

Do u ever get off the road with those boat anchors? I doubt it.

[@Bellicose0311]

@@caleb9460 I’ve been getting off road since you were shooting bb-guns. I’ve been humping kit for over 16 years. On deployment twice 6 years total active as an infantry rifleman and in the private industry for over 4 years as a PMC and continue to do so on hunts. “Boat anchors” doesn’t bother me at all. If you’re conditioned, and don’t make navigational errors on terrain it’s really not that bad. It’s up to each individual. I choose heavier rifles so I know when I’m set up I’m solid and the heavier rifle allows me to soak up some recoil, especially from the 300 PRC, so if I have to make a second shot, I can far easier than if I carry a featherweight rifle. You can say what you want, but that’s how I do it. I know plenty of other guys that do too at elevation above 9000 feet ASL.

[@caleb9460]

It’s funny to think Hornady invented the 300 prc round for competition shooting because of the lighter recoil.

[@jameswazeter]

👏👏👏

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

#jamezknows

[@brentwinkelman1990]

Shooting a big magnum 100% does not make up for poor shot placement period. Practice on a mild recoiling plaform will only make you a better hunter when you do shoot ur harder recoiling hunting gun but dont skip practicing with choosen hunting setup. Anything larger then a 30 cal like 300WM/300WSM/30-06 is too much gun for 95% of ppl

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

🤘🤘

[@lmbear]

Yeah, who can't shoot a Tikka??? Sorry, I had to fast forward to around 2 minutes and 45 seconds, because you yap too much. Get on with it.. Never mind. Ha ha.. A lot of bs you are spewing..

[@MODERNDAYSNIPER]

Damn son, woke up and chose violence, eh? 😂