Rifle for daughter

[Bearkat]

My daughter has found the joy of hunting this past year and am looking to purchase her a rifle. Her hunting experience is limited to taking an Impala in the Eastern Cape with a 30-06 and a whitetail with a .45 cal muzzleloader. She has also shot a .243 from the bench since then. I offered to let her hunt with .243, but she insisted on using her grandfather's 30-06 as she liked shooting the outfitter's, which was a custom rifle built on a K98 action. Would you all have any suggestions on models to consider? I want something that is CRF and am not opposed to purchasing a used rifle and modifying the stock if needed. She is just shy of 5'-8".

 

[spike.t]

Depends on your budget....

 

[CZDiesel]

If she can handle a 30-06 I’d look at a short action Winchester M-70 CRF in 308 Win. A little more compact, lighter, and easier to get around with than a long action but has all the power and reach! I took my Oryx at 380yrds with a 308 and it never knew what hit him as it fell over

 

[RR 314]

I would think the Model 70--or any clones, would be the ticket. At 5'8" I bet the "standard" 13.5ish" LOP would fit her fine. Then again, if she is comfortable with her grandfather's '06, can she keep shooting that?

 

[Hunter-Habib]

Another vote for the Winchester Model 70 . Preferably a Super Grade variant.

 

[375 Ruger Fan]

My daughter shoots a Win Mod 70 in 7x57. She's also shot a Sako 85 in 7mm RM, suppressed that was an outfitter's rifle. Lots of one shot kills.

 

[Berettaco]

I’d suggest one of the following:
Win 70 featherweight $1000 range
Kimber select $1500 range
Sako 85 $1500-$1800 range
Custom Mauser $2000+
As for caliber I’d go with one of the following - 270, 308, 30-06

 

[PARA45]

I have a Christensen Mesa in 6.5 Creedmore, I’m planning on putting up for sale. I could send you pictures if you like.

 

[mdwest]

I bought my daughter a basic howa 1500 in 308 as her first big game rifle… it’s been great for her so far..

Her mother and I primarily shoot 308 so keeping the cartridge consistent has been very convenient.. and the rifle is accurate, reliable, and affordable..

I didn’t want to invest a ton of money for what I feared might have been a fleeting interest.. but also didn’t want to cheap out to the point of setting her up for failure…

I found the howa to be a nice balance…

Thankfully her interest in hunting remains strong.. and she’s used the rifle successfully and continues to use it..

For what it’s worth, the rifle came complete with a cheap Nikko Sterling scope (promptly replaced with a leupold) and ready to hunt for about $600… I found it on sale when a retailer was going out of business…

 

[Bearkat]

Thank you gentlemen for the suggestions. I like the idea of a .308 vs the long action of the 30-06 for her. Definitely something to consider. I ought to let her use my Ruger RSI in .308, but I would need to put a different scope on it. It has a relatively low power Leupold with an illuminated reticle that I used hunting from tree stands in Mississippi.

Depends on your budget....

Budget is important, and I left it open in the way I posed my question. I would say $1500 or less for the rifle, then add optics. It seems most of the suggestions fit this nicely!

I would think the Model 70--or any clones, would be the ticket. At 5'8" I bet the "standard" 13.5ish" LOP would fit her fine. Then again, if she is comfortable with her grandfather's '06, can she keep shooting that?

Well, grandad still shoots it. Its a nice 1960s era Remington 700.

 

[Beretta391]

I have a Christensen Mesa in 6.5 Creedmore, I’m planning on putting up for sale. I could send you pictures if you like.

I have a Mesa in 308. Small, compact, easy to use. It’s a tack driver with 165 gr nosler partitions. I have had great success in Africa with it. It reminds me of the old Remington 700 Mtn rifles when they were good!! I bet the 6.5 creedmore above would be a good rifle for her

 

[artschool]

I am going to get my girlfriend this

R8 ULTIMATE Rose

www.blaser.de

 

[62flint]

My daughter really likes her 30-06.
30-06, 308, in a M70 gets my vote

 

[rgsiii]

I assume you would want to carry all the guns in one case. If you plan on going back to South Africa and using one gun case, don't get her a gun of the same caliber you are bringing. There is a limit of one gun per caliber.
I believe the all guns in a case should belong to one individual and I would have your 4457 form reflect that.
If she is of appropriate age to import a gun to South Africa, she could bring her own gun case. The age is 21, from what I have read.

 

[Mountaineer]

I chose the 338 federal in a Ruger Hawkeye for my daughter. A little more punch than the 308 and good ammo available.

 

[roverandbrew]

My 15 year old daughter (5'8") loves her CZ550 in 7x57. I would trust her to take most plains game up to Sable cleanly with 170 grain Oryx / 160 Grain A-Frame or North Fork.

 

[BeeMaa]

Find a rifle that fits her first and go from there. My wife had a Savage Ladyhunter that fit her very well, but to each their own.

6.5x55, 270WIN and 7x57 would all be great starters and useful well into adulthood.

 

[freefall]

There's a Dumolin 98 in 7x57 in Homer on Alaskaslist for $750. If it was in Anchorage I might go buy it, but I'm not driving to Homer to look at it.

 

[CoElkHunter]

Unless she's going to hunt DG, I'd buy her a Browning X Bolt in .308, .30-06 or 7mmRM and never look back. Stay away from Hornady's and others proprietary cartridges which are becoming increasingly MIA.

 

[bashaw]

I vote Grandpas 30 06, but a 270 in Remington 700 is hard to beat my 2 daughters and wife have all killed Elk with their 270's