I carry a rifle all year long in the mountains here. Every month, every weather condition, all terrain, none of it flat.

Whether this statement by 458Win is mathematically true or not I don't care. I can totally understand his point and it is a good one, as I am continually adjusting this or that to decrease weight or manage it in some way better. Or to manage the balance and length or other "feel" issues that develop with various rifles.

Physical conditioning is an absolute necessity for a whole host of reasons, and I sign on to that committment as well. But if I could inflate my rifles with helium and hold them DOWN as I hiked...well, I'd do it!

Having said that, the recoil equation needs to be calculated. I don't own a .416 but can understand the concern some have for managing recoil with an extra bit of rifle weight.

And thus this issue is and always will be a very personal one for anyone who spends long days afield with a heavy caliber rifle.