Deer hunting woman.

Shamon75

Shamon75

New member
Rating - 100%
1   0   0
Location
Alberta
Hi everyone. I am looking for some suggestions for a good caliber of bolt action rifle for my wife to use for deer hunting. She's not very big but she's not a wimp either. Something a little more forgiving and lighter than my .303. Thanks.
 
243

My wife has taken 4 whitetailed deer & one black bear with her 243. All clean one shot kills.

Cheers
Jay
 
I had my wife out shooting with me one day and let her shoot my 223 for a while and then she shot my 270 a couple times. The one thing I noticed is that a regular rifle looked really awkward in her hands. She is 5' 9" and a fairly slight build and a regular rifle has too long a lengh of pull and she was streaching to see through the scope. I think the poor fit of the rifle tends to increase the felt recoil. Later when we were at a gun shop she tried a Browning Micro Midas and a Savage Lady Hunter. She found that they felt a lot more natural. I have ordered a Savage youth rifle in 7mm-08 and will set it up with a scope that has plenty of eye relief.

I had also spoken to one of the ladies at work who shoots a Savage youth rifle in 243 and loves it. She started off shooting her husbands rifles and found it next to impossible to shoot properly.

So for starters I would look for something that fits her and is a bit easier to lug around and most youth models are available in 243 and 7mm-08 which she shoulod be able to easily handle.

G
 
Nothing wrong with a 303 if you can have one fitted for her. My youngest daughter isn't tall, but incredibly recoil sensitive. I got her an SPS in 7mm-08 and put a good pad on it.
 
I got my better half a Savage 243 last year when she wanted to get into hunting.

She likes it, shoots it really well and got her first deer in November.
She also got a very similar outfitted Savage Mark II 22 for practice and grouse.

Seems to work well and IMO 243 is a very good cartridge for deer hunting
 
I suggest to women that I have taught to shoot to pick a rifle that is lighter than average, a bit shorter than standard stock, a good recoil pad, and chambered in a short action caliber - .243, 260, 7mm08 or .308. Most have used the .308, because it is possible to buy "managed recoil" ammunition, and it is still a good moose and elk round with full power loads. Both my sons shoot 7mm08's and have no regrets.
 
My wife used to use a M70 Feather-weight in .257 Ackley Improved. After a short stint with a M700 in .243 I got my 12 year old daughter a tupperware Tikka in 7/08. With a no-gunsmithing Limbsaver there is no recoil worth mentioning, and it is one of the lighter options around.
 
I started my 9 year old son with a Rem mod 7 in 260, loaded 100 gn bullets at 2800 to start off with and he loves it and isn't the least afraid of it. Now I'll work him up to 130 grn AB at whatever it'll do and shoot well, and he's set for nearly anything.
 
g-manz35 said:
I had my wife out shooting with me one day and let her shoot my 223 for a while and then she shot my 270 a couple times. The one thing I noticed is that a regular rifle looked really awkward in her hands. She is 5' 9" and a fairly slight build and a regular rifle has too long a lengh of pull and she was streaching to see through the scope. I think the poor fit of the rifle tends to increase the felt recoil. Later when we were at a gun shop she tried a Browning Micro Midas and a Savage Lady Hunter. She found that they felt a lot more natural. I have ordered a Savage youth rifle in 7mm-08 and will set it up with a scope that has plenty of eye relief.

I had also spoken to one of the ladies at work who shoots a Savage youth rifle in 243 and loves it. She started off shooting her husbands rifles and found it next to impossible to shoot properly.

So for starters I would look for something that fits her and is a bit easier to lug around and most youth models are available in 243 and 7mm-08 which she shoulod be able to easily handle.

G
Click to expand...

Crazytrout said:
First priority is not the caliber, it is making sure the rifle fits.

CT
Click to expand...

AGREED! And, after years of hunting with a 'off the shelf' rifle, my wife expressed her desire to have a nicer custom rifle... So, we placed an order with Prophet River for two Cooper rifles, hers in 243, mine in 308... And, the LOP will be 12.5 inches for my wife's rifle... My wife is 5'0" tall and his will be the first gun FIT for her. Pics to follow in roughly 5 months from now...

Cheers
Jay
 
What sort of ranges will you be shooting at? Short range you'd be silly not to look at an SKS. Easily take deer out to 150 yards with irons and it fits small shooters well with almost no recoil.
 
I agree on the fit. With so many companies offering 'youth' configurations the choices are many. I started my son @ 8 with a shortened Rem 700 BDL SSDM in 6mm. Slowly worked him up in powder charge until he is now shooting full house with no issues. H4895 is a good powder as you can go as low as 60% of max charge with no dangerous ignition or pressure issues.
The .243 is great for deer and the 6.5's will take any of our ungulates at reasonable ranges.
 
Eleanor O'Connor, wife of the great Jack O'Connor, was a well known hunter in her own right. She took most species of game with a little 7x57.

A 6.5x55 would also be a good choice.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom