I apologize if this has been asked before, but I could not find anything by doing a search. I am interested in buying my first varmit gun for coyote hunting. I have found a gun I like in 22-250, but it does not have the heavy barrel. I was wondering if some of you guys with experience could tell me if there is a significant advantage to the heavy barrel, or will the standrad barrel do me just fine? I have never owned a heavy or bull barrel rifle. I am told it helps with heat (dont think I will have a problem with that), and accuracy? Does it add that much to the accuracy? Any help is greatly appreciated. I realize I can google it or something, but I live in Ky and you guys seem to know what is happening. Thank you.......
I have had heavy barrels, they are fine for the target range. But for hunting I prefer the sporter barrels. They're much lighter to pack around all day. And they are accurate.
Its a personal preference and with the two rifles I coyote hunt with....one is standard....one is heavy. My 22-250...which is the standard barrel...is my primary varmint hunting rifle. It's lighter & more comfortable on the sling than the bull barrel gun. The heavy barrel has a tendancy to be top heavy on my shoulder & I'm constantly having to grip the sling & adjust while walking to a set. So....in my opinion & experience.....considering the amount of ground I cover...going from set-up to set-up....I would prefer a standard barrel to varmint hunt with. The accuracy difference between the barrels is a non-issue....unless your planning on hunting prarie dogs or such..where you may want the heavy barrel for heating issues of shooting a lot. For yote..and most other varmints....your not really going to be doing a lot of shooting. Also.... you may stretch the distance occasionally...but for most yote hunting / calling yotes..... your shots are not very long distance. But....again....its just a personal preference.
Heavy barrel guns sit better in shooting sticks and don't move around as much and make long shots easier, but far as more accurate I have light wieght barrels that shoot just as good so I would say not really,in most hunting situations light guns are just as good, and much easier to carry. It is just a matter of what you like.
I like the heavy barrel to hunt with.The differance in weight does not matter to me.On longer shots I think it make a differance.If it puts one more yote down and it weighs 2 pds. more I can carry that.Just a thought.
I second that chuck. I also carry a heavy barrell and it has not been a hassle for me at all. Plus, it is alot more stable on those longer shots. But it all comes down to personal preference. I know some guys that refuse to carry a heavy barrel.
The heavy barrel helps when firing several shots in quick succession because it doesn't heat up as fast as a light barrel. The heavy barrel will be less sensitive to change in bullet weight also. For predator hunting, the light contour barrels do just fine. I have a pencil barreled 98 Mauser in .25-06 that shoots one hole groups with 90 grain Sierra "Gamekings".
I have both a heavy and a sporter that I hunt with, like carrying the sporter best. Like the others have said, it's a personal choice.
To me, it depends on what your definition of a heavy barrel is. Unless Chuck has a different Savage than he had last time we hunted together, I don't call that rifle a heavy barrel. The heavy barrels I have had and seen are considerably heavier than that rifle. My Savage 243 is not a real light sporter type barrel, but it is a long way from a heavy barrel. That being said, it is accurate enough to shoot tight groups at 100 yds and maintains accuracy at long range.
Al is right,the barrel I was talking about is not the barrel you would use to target shoot but it is not a sporter barrel either
Heavy barrel helps with accuracy with successive shots. As the barrel heats up, shots will start to stray with a sporter barrel. But in hunting, there are no such thing as successive repetitive shot strings. You'll be fine with a sporter barrel, and it will be more comfortable to carry in the field.
