i would consider 7 pounds too light for a 375 H&H. a 375 and a 450/400 should weigh 8+ pounds (both are similar in recoil).
having a light gun is wonderful for carrying in the field but seriously reduces the amount a practice you will get due to it being uncomfortable to shoot.
-matt
Haven't fired an X-Bolt....but have the earlier A-Bolt. They are fine.
You carry a rifle a lot more than you shoot it. My .458 weighs 8 pounds scoped ready to rumble. A man-bra over the bench and all is good
A Muzzle brake, in my opinion, is worse that coming to a range with "Hillary Clinton for President" plastered on the side of your truck. Buy an appropriately weighted rifle.
I will willing face a charging buffalo before I would face grumpy old gun guys in either of those situations.To that end... a lightweight .375 H&H is no fun, and tempts you to put a brake on it. A Muzzle brake, in my opinion, is worse that coming to a range with "Hillary Clinton for President" plastered on the side of your truck. Buy an appropriately weighted rifle.
By man bra I assume you mean something like a Paast Recoil Shield.
Haven't fired an X-Bolt....but have the earlier A-Bolt. They are fine.
You carry a rifle a lot more than you shoot it. My .458 weighs 8 pounds scoped ready to rumble. A man-bra over the bench and all is good
. A Muzzle brake, in my opinion, is worse that coming to a range with "Hillary Clinton for President" plastered on the side of your truck. Buy an appropriately weighted rifle.
if you carry your rifle more then you shoot it, then you arent shooting enough. i attend big bore shooting competitions where its expected that you be able to quickly and accurately fire your gun 30-40 times from assorted positions in a variety of situations. any decent practice setting should include firing around 20 rounds in the same manner you hunt, so if your practicing with a sissy pad on your shoulder you better be hunting with the same pad.
my 416 RM tips the scales at 10.5 pounds which is about perfect for that caliber. its been to Africa 3 times and has been hunted with in the USA many times. never have i felt this weight to be excessive or hindering on a hunt.
-matt
Far too light in my opinion. Unnecessary actually. I honestly can tell you that I have never been winded on a hunting trip because my rifle weighed an additional 3 lbs. I have been winded from being out of shape. But that isn't my rifles fault. I mean... If I want to more than make up for that 3 lbs of extra rifle weight, I would get lightweight clothing. Before about the 1970's, hardly anyone ever complained about standard rifle weight. Look at Sports Afield articles from the 1950's and 60's. Dall Sheep hunters in alpine environments wearing heavy wool clothing and carrying a 9.5 lb, blued, wood stocked, Winchester Model 70 in .30-06. So much for the 5 lb stainless alpine rifle necessity argument.
A 9.5-10 lbs .375 H&H loaded and scoped is far more tolerable to shoot. I know guys who shoot light hard kicking rifles just because they think that if their gun didn't kick harder than everyone else's, they would have to turn in their man card. They also feel the need to tell you about their amazing recoil tolerance and how mere mortals cannot withstand such jarring concussions. Smarter, more mature men just laugh and go about shooting their appropriately weighted rifles in comfort.
To that end... a lightweight .375 H&H is no fun, and tempts you to put a brake on it. A Muzzle brake, in my opinion, is worse that coming to a range with "Hillary Clinton for President" plastered on the side of your truck. Buy an appropriately weighted rifle.