A Rifle for HER

[EDELWEISS]

Well, whatever the final decision is, its going to be her choice--this isnt my first rodeo...

 

[Clayton]

Well, whatever the final decision is, its going to be her choice--this isnt my first rodeo...

You're a wise man.

 

[Dwight Beagle]

You're a wise man.

Yep.

 

[CAustin]

The Ruger M77 Compact in 308 doesn't weigh much and the recoil low! Great little rifle.

 

[browningbbr]

My wife owns a Browning BSS in 20ga and a Browning BT-99 Plus and shoots both well. She "struggled" with bolt action rifles, but took to my TC Encore like a duck to water because of it's simplicity - just like her other two break-actions. It is now "her" rifle and she's used in to hunt bear in Idaho, antelope in WY and plains game in the RSA. Even though it's chambered in 7mm Rem Mag (sometimes considered a "heavy" recoil), she's very comfortable with it. Lesson learned: comfort level is far more important than caliber.

 

[fsrmg1]

I would take her to a well stocked gun store and have her try on a number of firepoles. Like cloths, she'll quickly know what is for her and what is not. She'll quickly find something that feels right (fit, balance, weight) for her.

Calibre wise, if you're into serious hunting, I would start at 6.5mm and go up to 30. I would probably give serious consideration to a feather/light weight in either 6.5x55 or 7x57 (or their modern counterparts).

That aside, I do have a sweet spot for the 250 Savage.

 

[Velo Dog]

Sturdy? You're a brave man Velo Dog!!

You will note that I did not say "large" (because she truly is not a large woman at all).
I meant "sturdy woman" in a context that would pertain to a woman such as Konan The Barbarian's girlfriend, Valaria and similar "type A" females.
At least that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

 

[PHOENIX PHIL]

You will note that I did not say "large" (because she truly is not a large woman at all).
I meant "sturdy woman" in a context that would pertain to a woman such as Konan The Barbarian's girlfriend, Valaria and similar "type A" females.
At least that's my story and I'm sticking with it.

Oh I buy it.......but I live in Arizona near the beach....

 

[EDELWEISS]

We are in Merry Land, so finding a "well stocked" gun shop is problematic. For a number of reasons, maybe not even good reasons, I have narrowed the choices down to a few -- not the least being too much info is too much info to make a good choice when you really don't know what you don't know.

To further complicate the matter I have a Gemtech HVT762 suppressor in paperwork jail. Its a heavy can (28 oz's; but its a quick detach so she wont be carrying mounted till we get in the blind). My thought is the suppressor will work like a muzzle break as much as sound suppressing.

Heres what I'm thinking
Rem Model 7
Rem 700
Ruger M77
Ruger No1
Tikka T3

And MAYBE
Merkel KR1
T/C Encore

Cartridges under review
7mm 08
6.5x55
7x57
308 is the gold standard. If she can tolerate the recoil/weight/rifle. I'm also playing with lighter weight bullets/loads.

I like the concept of the Encore/Merkel's ability to swop barrels, so she can grow with the gun.

 

[EDELWEISS]

I'm thinking a relatively short barrel, under 20 inches (where ballistics permit), perhaps as short as 16 inches. Blast wont be a problem with the suppressor mounted.

 

[Art Lambart II]

The 6.5x55 and the 7x57 are great cartridges with proven track records but their selection of factory ammo is very limited. They are also old cartridges so ammo manufactures have to take older weaker actions (Non Mauser) into account so the factory loads are well short of their pressure and velocity potential. The 7-08 is a modern cartridge with a large selection of of standard and premium factory ammo. If your a hand loader the 6.5x55 and the 7x57 are excellent choices, if not the 7-08 is the round your looking for, my wife has one and loves it.

 

[Ray B]

When I was 14 I got a Rem 700 308 Win for my birthday. That rifle has traversed the US, from California to Maine to Alaska. For nearly 30 years I have used it for gun handling and live fire for hunter education classes so in addition to the thousands of rounds fired, it has been used, bordering on abuse by over a thousand students. I don't know about current production Remingtons, but that 1962 production has withstood the test of time. The 308 is the optimum for a short cartridge, particularly with the 130-150 grain bullets designed for big game recoil is on par with the 7-08 but there is the potential for 180 gr loads with near 30-06 performance for elk and other large game. I still marvel at the wisdom that went into purchasing that rifle/cartridge for me.

 

[rinehart0050]

I strongly endorse your supressor! We shoot suppressed almost exclusively now. It's great how they reduce not only recoil, but also the bark - leads to less flinching in my opinion.

Personally, we like silencerco. Their newer omega can handle up to 300 mag rounds on full auto and is actually very light weight. We used it on our safari in July and it worked great.

 

[bassasdaindia]

You and I discussed this , my choice would be either the 6.5x55 or the 7x57
IMHO the 6.5x55 is more versatile, it shoots a 140g well at longer distances and the heavier 156g do well in the thicker bush .

6.5x55 is my first choice for ladies or children.

 

[D.M.V]

How about a 243 Winchester

 

[Witold Krzyżanowski]

My sugestion 7 x 57.
Witold

 

[AZDAVE]

Ruger #1 RSI is 7x57. Has a very elegant look handles quickly and you can load 120gr to 175gr to hunt most any deer and most plains game that she might be interested in. Or the CZ 550FS in 6.5x55 for all the same reasons.

 

[Dwight Beagle]

I own a 6.5x55 in a modern action so it can be loaded to its potential. My 26 year old daughter has a 7mm-08 which of course has the same ballistics as the 7x57, the only caveat being the really long heavy bullets aren't that feasible in a 7mm-08. With that in mind I don't think it matters one flip which of those cartridges you choose, you certainly won't be able to tell a difference on hogs. I feel a .308 has noticeably more recoil but since she will have a suppressor available, that point is moot. I'm a fan of 6.5's and 7mm's.

 

[gizmo]

I'm a huge fan of two calibers for women and children getting started into hunting. A 243 or a 270 loaded to light loads such as a 130 gr bullet work very well and will kill just about anything one could want. A 243 with 100gr premium bullet will kill just about anything. The rifle I use for just such occasions when I'm guiding is a Ruger 77 in 243. I have done some work to the rifle such as pillar and glass bedded it as well as floated the barrel. I put a premium scope and quality rings on it. That rifle is deadly and an absolute tack driver. It had killed literally hundreds of boar and at least a dozen or more deer. I find myself often using it to cull with because it is a stone cold killer but doesn't do tremendous meat damage. There's probably been 1000 rounds out through it total and its every bit as good today as it ever was. My only gripe, which is minor, is that the trigger is a touch heavy for my taste. That being said the rifles I hunt with have stupid light triggers and as far a loner guns for various clients are too light. Here is a pic. It's a great gun. With a little minor work they can become the most accurate guns you will ever own. Additionally, never once not one time, have I ever had a miss fire or fail to feed etc... That's saying a lot as this gun gets the piss beat out of it under some of the worst conditions you can put a rifle through.

 

[bassasdaindia]

We are in Merry Land, so finding a "well stocked" gun shop is problematic. For a number of reasons, maybe not even good reasons, I have narrowed the choices down to a few -- not the least being too much info is too much info to make a good choice when you really don't know what you don't know.

To further complicate the matter I have a Gemtech HVT762 suppressor in paperwork jail. Its a heavy can (28 oz's; but its a quick detach so she wont be carrying mounted till we get in the blind). My thought is the suppressor will work like a muzzle break as much as sound suppressing.

Heres what I'm thinking
Rem Model 7
Rem 700
Ruger M77
Ruger No1
Tikka T3

And MAYBE
Merkel KR1
T/C Encore

Cartridges under review
7mm 08
6.5x55
7x57
308 is the gold standard. If she can tolerate the recoil/weight/rifle. I'm also playing with lighter weight bullets/loads.

I like the concept of the Encore/Merkel's ability to swop barrels, so she can grow with the gun.

from time to time I see Winchester Mod 70's chambered in 6.5x55 on Gunbroker , the Winchester Mod 70 offers a fantastic action and are great rifles , this is the direction that I would be heading in .