Rifle "Balance"

[1newmexkid]

My new rifle will have a Varmint contour barrel at 30" which I'm sure will make it front heavy. So, I keep reading that a rifle that is balanced will "ride" better on the bags. With the rifle completely assembled, where do you hold it to find the balance? I know you can move you hand to different places on the stock and eventually the rifle will balance out. Hopefully, what I hope to find is the definitive place to hold the stock.

 

[dmoran]

Place the point on the fore-arm where it would sit on a rest (or bi-pod) onto a scale.
The percentage is that weight divided by the total rifle weight.

- or -

Put a scale under your front rest (or bi-pod) and something equal height under the rear bag.

- or -

Use 2-scales

 

[johara1]

My new rifle will have a Varmint contour barrel at 30" which I'm sure will make it front heavy. So, I keep reading that a rifle that is balanced will "ride" better on the bags. With the rifle completely assembled, where do you hold it to find the balance? I know you can move you hand to different places on the stock and eventually the rifle will balance out. Hopefully, what I hope to find is the definitive place to hold the stock.

2" ahead of the action is good for me jim

 

[LHSmith]

Jim has it right......2"

 

[watercam]

As I am a sling shooter I can offer no advise but there was an article here within the last two weeks regarding rest placement if you care to look back a bit.

 

[4xforfun]

To me,having a balanced rifle will mean diddly squat if you don't place the gun on the rests correctly. I see so many people who run their FRONT rests half way between the end of the forarm and the trigger guard. Sometimes even closer to the trigger guard. I'm talking WAY back. If you are one of those guys don't worry about ballance....it won't matter a lick.

 

[BoydAllen]

There are multiple factors involved in determining how your rifle needs to be balanced. The most demanding situation is if you are going to try to shoot free recoil, which for many if not most situations I do not recommend. If you hold and shoulder the rifle. balance should not be much of an issue. If you are shooting off of a front bag placement can be an accuracy tuning variable with significant effect, and of course the farther forward that it is placed on the forend the greater the weight on the rear bag will be.