Gun For Wife

[robie]

Need some advice. I shoot an old model 70 30-06 and there is no chance I'm going to make her shoot it. More than likely she will never want to shoot again.

She is going on her first deer hunt this fall and I'm gun shopping for her.

I found a nice savage in a .243 for $500 and they are running a $75 off deal. Good little gun with a scope on it:
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/11trophyhunterxp
She held it up and had it felt fine to her.

I'm fine buying it but wanted to hear your thoughts on buying a nicer gun like a Remington Sendero in 7mm or 300 and putting a muzzle brake on it.

She will never be carrying it or hunting without me so I'm not worried about the weight, I just like idea of her having a gun that will handle anything vs the .243 which will be a little light for elk.

I don't have a .243 to take to the range but I have a buddy with a Savage 300 with a muzzle brake we can take to the range for a real world test.


Long way around to ask what do your wives shoot? Lighter load/caliber or bigger caliber with a brake on it?

 

[packmule]

My wife shoots whatever I do. What she tends to grab the most is a Remington 700 XCR 270wsm with 1.5# timney, if the hunting doesn't call for stretching a rifle out very far she likes her Remington 700 MTN DM 7-08 with 1.5# timney. She's started using my 700 MTN SS in 7-08 as a truck gun to keep her wood stock 7-08 from getting dings.

On the bigger w/ brakes, she came out and tried her hand at 1000yd shooting on Sunday with us getting ready to head to Colorado and was perfectly fine shooting a 300RUM & 300 Tejas. Folks tend to be more timid about the blast than the recoil with the brakes.

 

[Hilltop]

I bought my wife one of the new savage youth models in 7mm-08 earlier this year for her up coming elk hunt. She is recoil sensitive- hates my 12 guage even with trap loads. She loves the 7mm-08 and finds little difference in kick to her .243. It has more of a boom to it so it takes a little getting used to but they come with a great recoil pad so you feel very little. My wife is 5'4", and about 130 pounds. I would also consider the 25-06... It was a toss up for me on which one to buy. Both are great but the 7mm-08 has just a touch more energy for elk.

 

[robie]

Thanks for the info packmule.

My wife is pretty small framed (5'6", 120) and I'm don't want to start her off shooting something that will beat her up. She shoots her 20 gauge just fine, but a large caliber rifle is a different story.

 

[robie]

I bought my wife one of the new savage youth models in 7mm-08 earlier this year for her up coming elk hunt. She is recoil sensitive- hates my 12 guage even with trap loads. She loves the 7mm-08 and finds little difference in kick to her .243. It has more of a boom to it so it takes a little getting used to but they come with a great recoil pad so you feel very little. My wife is 5'4", and about 130 pounds. I would also consider the 25-06... It was a toss up for me on which one to buy. Both are great but the 7mm-08 has just a touch more energy for elk.

Thanks Hilltop. Nice thing about that savage it has lots of options on calibers.

 

[wa-hunter]

i got my girlfriend a ruger compact in 308. she really likes it. short and easy to carry around and has good enough balistics with not to much kick for most game. for long range (300+) she just uses my 300wsm

 

[woodtick]

Anything based of the 308 case is ideal for youth or smaller recoil intolerant women. Like Hilltop and Packmule have suggested and I'll 1+ it is the 7mm-08. I love that round and the 260 Rem. Both have been in my favorite calibers list for the last several years, my niece shoots a 7mm-08 and has killed a couple deer, antelope and an elk with hers. My wife on the other hand has an ego and she usually shoots her Custom 300WSM. Both of them weigh less than 120lbs, one is just more sensitive to the recoil.

Happy Hunting!!

 

[robie]

Thanks guys. Sounds like I just need to take her to the range and see what she feels comfortable with.

If she is fine with my buddy's 300 then it sounds like a win win for me! If not I have a few buddies that are gun nuts that I can borrow from.

 

[SansSouci]

Hi robie,

If you hand load there might be more options.

I think that the guys advising you to go with the 7MM-08 Rem are on to something. The 7x57 has killed everything on our continent, so the 7MM-08 Rem ought to be an excellent choice.

 

[robie]

Thank you Sans. No I don't hand load, I think my wife might leave me if I pick up another hobby!

I'm going to ask around about borrowing one.

 

[packmule]

And the 7-08 isn't exactly a short range gun, I trust mine out to 500. I would go with a light rifle bc if for some reason she decides she doesn't want to hunt much, you'll have a rifle that I'm sure you'll love to carry around with you.

 

[mcseal2]

I start thinking 260 or 6.5 Creedmoor if I want a lighter weight rifle for a lady. The newer Ruger American Predator in 6.5 Creedmoor would likely get my vote if my wife hunted on foot as much as I do. Since she doesn't I'm having a custom Winchester M70 built for her in 270 win. Light recoiling in a 9.5lb rifle and still capable to decent range on larger game. I've use one a lot and with a tough bullet they work well (140gr accubond).

On a side note for moderate range I picked up a CZ 527 in 7.62x39. It's sure no elk gun, but for a cheap to shoot deer rifle out to 200yds it has it's merits. I like it as a kids gun. More bullet weight than a 243 but very low recoil. Best of all it is fairly cheap to practice with, steel case ammo for plinking runs under $250/1000rds. Sometimes considerably less. Hornady makes quality SST loads for hunting. Worth a look if range and big critters aren't of extreme importance.

 

[Musket Man]

When is her hunt?

 

[robie]

Thanks guys lots of options. I think I see what I can do to get a couple guns together for her to shoot. But it sounds like I can get a lot more energy down range for not to much recoil out of the 6.5 or the 7-08.

Her hunt is in November. Some of her cousins have invited her to come up to Missouri or we will go out on our land here for some of our Texas baby deer. I would love for her first deer to be one of the large body Missouri whitetails but we shall see how it plays out.

 

[packmule]

Where are y'all at in Tx?

 

[robie]

We are in houston.

 

[jlmoeller]

Take a look at the savage lady hunter in 6.5 creedmoor.

Jason Moeller

 

[robie]

I've looked at it. Nice gun.

Little more than I wanted to spend if it was going to be just a gun for my wife until she tells me she like shooting rifles.

Take a look at the savage lady hunter in 6.5 creedmoor.

Jason Moeller

 

[Sfjeeper]

And here when I read the title of this thread I thought it was an exchange program. Oh well...

 

[robie]

Ha ha. Im going to keep my wife and trading my gun for anyone's wife would leave me with two women i can't figure out.