Ruminating on the idea of building/ buying the wife a safari rifle

[ActionBob]

Bob, I'm lazy, I don't want to carry any more weight than necessary, that's why I have the Kimber, lmao. But, I have recently purchased a 9.3x74R Sabatti double and a Verney Carron in 450-400 O/U and will be taking these guns on my next couple of safaris. The 9.3x74R I am taking to SA this fall for a giraffe, zebra, blue wildebeest cull hunt, I'm super stoked for that. Then I'll take the 450-400 to Uganda for buffalo and Zim for elephant next year, so I am coming around to the blued steel and walnut point of view!! lol

Andrew I'm quite sure you are BS'n me on the lazy part I'm sure you are planning a good workout on the elephant and buff hunt with that double

And that cull hunt sounds like a blast! Especially with a light double

 

[Mwag]

I built my bride a 7mm-08. Mountain rifle type, light weight. Recoil is a little stout for her above 140gr bullets. She loves it but wanted a bit more hp for larger plainsgame. In process of putting together a 7mm RM where she will have a brake on it here in states and PH will keep a suppressor for it over there. Should be able to run some heavier bullets a little faster with similar to less recoil than her 7mm-08.

I think her wishlist for our next trip is greater than mine. If wife really enjoys trip it makes it much easier to go often.

 

[Frederik]

I'm going to throw a spanner in the works of your thinking if you want a light mild recoil rifle in a classic caliber.

6.5x55 - 156gr or 160gr bullets at 2500fps plenty of SD mild recoil and between me and my son we have hunted a bunch of game with it from Eland to Springbuck.
Best of all it would be a super gun for white tail back home.

If you need more speed for longer shots 140gr bullets at 2700fps just a tad slower than the needmore.
Hundreds if not thousands of moose gets killed by this calibre every year in Scandinavia.

 

[ActionBob]

How is she with recoil? If the .39-06 is ok with her, I'd go that route. If that's too much for her you might want to go back to the 7x57 idea. The equal of that is the 7-08 which works well in a short action and might balance better with the short LOP that she requires. I have been very impressed with the performance on game, though I haven't taken anything larger than blacktail deer with it. On African PG I' be always used the .30-06 and .300 Win Mag. I would still lean toward those for kudu, zebra and bigger stuff, but it comes down to what she can shoot and reliably place a bullet where it needs to go.

You can come up with some very effective deer adequate loads for a 30-06 with 125 grain bullets and moderate speed such as the factory Federal or Hornady reduced recoil loads.

Of course a Rigby HS in 275 Rigby is a great way to say I love you in the most Classic way possible

 

[CBH Australia]

Weatherby Camilla if budget is a concern. Shorten the stock.
.275 Rigby is said to have taken Elephant in the right hands.
I like 7mm's so 7mm-08 and .280a.i. are in my safe.
Maybe find a Remington model 7 and get a custom stock so it's pretty.
I'd like a .289a.i. in a blued walnut rifle. Mine is C/F , ugly soul less and modern. But it's accurate and I'm infatuated but the cartridge so I'm using it some more.

 

[R eight]

If you want a thing of beauty, a real head turner, that works perfectly out of the box. Then get her a Rigby Highland stalker. If you want it in a conversation starter....then get it in "06. I guarantee you that within 2 weeks of owning it you'll be sick of explaining to every other barstard why you didn't get it in 7 x 57 Either cartridge will work well . But my choice is alway the Thirty Red Neck, 30 Rigby or 30/06.

If you want the most practical hunting rifle ever made then get the Blaser R8.....in a plain old professional model. As to a cartridge....get it in that reliable working mans' cartridge the 308 Winchester. With the right bullet it'll kill anything you or the missus wants. However, as it's going to be for the "Little Lady" you might want to get it in a cartridge with style and panache .....the 30/06 Springfield.

Remember "Happy wife, happy life".

Good luck.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

BYS, you started well, but then the 'all things to all men (women)' took over.
If you want your wife to embrace hunting, buy her her OWN gun man, not something you can use too.
It must be pretty and elegant as well as functional. So... since Rigby already makes a lady Highland Stalker surely this is it. And yes, 275 Rigby is plenty enough.

 

[Tokoloshe Safaris]

Flavor of the day. Two years ago the only rifle that a man should buy his wife (or himself) was a Blaser R-8. Now it has to be a Rigby. I wonder what it will be 2 years from now? Maybe the Ipshi?

Lon

 

[Backyardsniper]

I'm supposed to talk to Clayton today. We are going to discuss some ideas for a custom rifle, we will see where that conversation goes.

 

[R eight]

Flavor of the day. Two years ago the only rifle that a man should buy his wife (or himself) was a Blaser R-8. Now it has to be a Rigby. I wonder what it will be 2 years from now? Maybe the Ipshi?

Lon

Well going with the flow, the vibe….and the feel of the thing….I’m hoping not but maybe….there will be people on here, who identify as “men “ wanting to know what rifle to buy the “husband “ ?

Hopefully it doesn’t get to that…. But if it does any thing in 270 or 6.5 Creedmore would suffice

A couple of years from now you’ll be looking back with nostalgia to the good old days ….when women/ wives were being showered in Rigbys and Blasers.

 

[Flewis]

Surprised nobody mentioned Purdy. They have a nice bolt gun for 50 or so.

 

[WAB]

In 2019 I bought my wife a Rigby Highland Stalker in 9.3x62 for her first buffalo hunt in the Zambezi valley. She hunted hard and well, and killed her bull with a single shot on the fourth day of the hunt. Unlike me, she is satisfied with one buffalo. As a result she has claimed my custom M70 in 7x57 (bliksem). It has proven to be up to the task on everything she has pursued with it.

The bad news is I’ve lost bliksem (I have other 7x57’s/.275’s). The good news is, I have claimed the Highland Stalker.

 

[Philip Glass]

If you look at recoil tables the .308 is the sweet spot. We would have to know more about your wife's recoil tolerance to comment further. It seems she has not shot many rifles to this point so no point in doing anything but putting her on a few different rifles. Get a suppressor for one thing and get to the range with several rifles. Consider 6.5 PRC for her as well.

 

[Kevin Peacocke]

Flavor of the day. Two years ago the only rifle that a man should buy his wife (or himself) was a Blaser R-8. Now it has to be a Rigby. I wonder what it will be 2 years from now? Maybe the Ipshi?

Lon

Cheaper than a Heym 89b!!!!

 

[WAB]

If you look at recoil tables the .308 is the sweet spot. We would have to know more about your wife's recoil tolerance to comment further. It seems she has not shot many rifles to this point so no point in doing anything but putting her on a few different rifles. Get a suppressor for one thing and get to the range with several rifles. Consider 6.5 PRC for her as well.

Good point. The other thing to consider is how serious is she about hunting eland? Kudu, zebra, wildebeest, et al can be effectively hunted with anything in the .308/7x57 class with the right bullet. Eland steps the game up a notch. Those calibers can certainly take eland, but bigger would be better.

 

[Hogpatrol]

Get it threaded for a suppressor. Have your PH buy a suppressor with the right thread pitch before you get there.

I considered that but with new barrel harmonics I'd need to do another load work up to suit the rifle.

 

[geoff rath]

If you want a thing of beauty, a real head turner, that works perfectly out of the box. Then get her a Rigby Highland stalker. If you want it in a conversation starter....then get it in "06. I guarantee you that within 2 weeks of owning it you'll be sick of explaining to every other barstard why you didn't get it in 7 x 57 Either cartridge will work well . But my choice is alway the Thirty Red Neck, 30 Rigby or 30/06.

If you want the most practical hunting rifle ever made then get the Blaser R8.....in a plain old professional model. As to a cartridge....get it in that reliable working mans' cartridge the 308 Winchester. With the right bullet it'll kill anything you or the missus wants. However, as it's going to be for the "Little Lady" you might want to get it in a cartridge with style and panache .....the 30/06 Springfield.

Remember "Happy wife, happy life".

Good luck.

30Redneck (and 7mm Redneck); haven't hard them discussed since shooting the thousand with JR and TZ ... Awesome L/R wildcats.

 

[Philip Glass]

Good point. The other thing to consider is how serious is she about hunting eland? Kudu, zebra, wildebeest, et al can be effectively hunted with anything in the .308/7x57 class with the right bullet. Eland steps the game up a notch. Those calibers can certainly take eland, but bigger would be better.

His post is quite idealistic. I am not saying I blame him but there is just much to consider. 7mm-08 is another good choice for the ladies all things considered.

 

[southern_fowler]

My wife is 4’11” and she loves her Browning xbolt compact in 308 win.

 

[Backyardsniper]

My wife is 4’11” and she loves her Browning xbolt compact in 308 win.

I didn't know they made a compact model.