Stupid to put a 24oz scope on a 5.5lb rifle?

[letrbuck]

Looking at some options for a new rifle. I know some people will say so, but am I an idiot to put a somewhat heavy scope on a 5.5 lb rifle?

Considering a Weatherby Backcountry and Maven RS1...

 

[16Bore]

It’s your rifle.

 

[ramsdude47]

I mean if that's the scope you want at least you're not putting it on a 7.5 pound rifle.

 

[wildwilderness]

You could look at it as shaving rifle weight for scope weight. Now if your purpose was to get a setup as light as possible, that wouldn't be the best scope option.

 

[16Bore]

Big question for me would be how It balanced and handled. I can’t stand an ass heavy rifle.

 

[letrbuck]

I guess I should clarify I dont want an ultralight setup (then I should choose another rifle... but Weatherby only offers that model in 280AI). I've already got a scoped 6lb 7mm08

 

[letrbuck]

16bore, that's what I'm wondering and it could be an expensive experiment

 

[16Bore]

That’s a risk with any of this stuff. Might lose a few bucks here and there. Other option is a different 280AI or rebarrel something to what you want.

 

[tdot]

24oz isn't a crazy heavy scope. I put a 30oz scope in a 6lb rifle for load development, while I was looking for a new scope. I didn't like the overall weight, but the balance was fine. Now that I'm thinking about it, I don't feel the balance was drastically different when I swapped to the final 20oz scope.

 

[Dhbwa]

Scope is right over the action so unless you use a Vortex Razor 4.5-27 ( or similar boat anchor) you won’t majorly affect balance....

 

[JRMiller]

Big question for me would be how It balanced and handled. I can’t stand an ass heavy rifle.

This ^

 

[Desk Jockey]

Far from an expert but perhaps give some consideration to your goal for overall rifle weight and then figure out where you are willing to make compromises. bang for the buck kInes thing.

from my research, The are some 14-16oz scopes That can get the job done. It seems like a 21-22 NF SHV 3-10xis the most rugged “light weight“ choice that offers variable power and reliable dialing.

i Added weight to my rifle in places I cared about. Didn’t go with light weight rings - durability. Went with a detachable box - preference. I paid a weight penalty for some function. The scope is another area where I would carry a few extra ounces for something that was more reliable or high performance.

 

[Dhbwa]

Far from an expert but perhaps give some consideration to your goal for overall rifle weight and then figure out where you are willing to make compromises. bang for the buck kInes thing.

from my research, The are some 14-16oz scopes That can get the job done. It seems like a 21-22 NF SHV 3-10xis the most rugged “light weight“ choice that offers variable power and reliable dialing.

i Added weight to my rifle in places I cared about. Didn’t go with light weight rings - durability. Went with a detachable box - preference. I paid a weight penalty for some function. The scope is another area where I would carry a few extra ounces for something that was more reliable or high performance.

Good and accurate response. On my lightest rifle (5lb Kimber 7-08 Ackley) which is my favorite packing rifle I went with a 3-10 SHV. Didn’t want to but I wanted rock solid performance....

 

[jfs82]

I have a 19 oz (swfa 3x9) on my 5lb 5oz rifle (seekins havak) for a total of 7lbs all up. Your super light rifle bought you weight to play with and still have it be a nice overall weight, I personally wanted a scope I could fully trust more than saving another half pound.

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I have put heavy-ish scopes (SWFA, nightforce) on light weight rifles and didn’t think the rifle was unbalanced, I did think that the larger SWFA scopes were big for scaled down Kimber rifles but weight/balance wise it was no big deal.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Scopes that do well with dialing and tracking in my tests so far tend to be on the “heavier” side when compared to scopes that don’t track and dial as accurately.

Not sure if it has to do with the turrets being “beefier” or other manufacturing pieces but I’ve seen some correlation rhere

I’ve had really good luck with reliability and tracking with some of the “heavier” brands scopes (Meopta, Nightforce, and Zeiss). The three most accurate and consistent scope brands in my tests so far.

I’m a big fan of lightweight rifles and try to keep my scopes right at or less than 20 oz if I can, give or take a couple ounces. That seems to be a good weight threshold on a sub 6 lb bare rifle.

Don’t forget that full magazine, bipod, sling, rings and bases, etc add just about as much weight as the scope does.

 

[16Bore]

I’d take another pound to anything scoped with a SWFA if you could just get rid of the f’n windage turret

 

[Fatcamp]

I’d take another pound to anything scoped with a SWFA if you could just get rid of the f’n windage turret

For all that is holy why won't they modify that scope. Nobody is dialing wind. Damnit!

 

[Dhbwa]

Over on LRH I was chastised for claiming there was no need to dial windage......

 

[PantherCity]

I’ve got an RS.1 on a 5lb Kimber Montana in .338 Fed. I think it’s fine. In my opinion the talk of a rifle’s “balance” is over played, we’re not wing shooting with them. Also adding weight centered over the action won’t throw off the balance. Light rifles with a swift recoil impulse require dependable optics even more.



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