Thread: So when is a rifle too heavy?

Originally Posted by GravelBen

Yes and no... A lot of synthetic stocked rifles can feel quite unbalanced and nose heavy (especially suppressed) because the main weight saving was in the butt. Sometimes the better balance and handling/feel of a wooden stock is enough to justify a bit of extra carry weight.

I have a couple of 22lr rifles, one ~5lb synthetic and one ~7lb laminate thumbhole. The extra weight doesn't worry me for that sort of carry but the heavier one (obviously shape etc plays a part too) is so much steadier for off-hand shooting.

Yeah absolutely, but it comes down to specificity, ie a 22 not typically carried anywhere near as far, and shot often, and frequently off hand at small targets. Hence a bit of weight added for increased shootability makes sense, whereas a bush rifle is carried all day and might only get shot once. All that said I don't feel like my tikka is off balance or difficult to shoot offhand.