Lowest Recoil Caliber for Deer?

EightSeven said:
I want to get my other half into hunting. She hates my .303, and didn't seem to enjoy .308 (my chosen "everything" caliber). CGN, what do you recommend?

No oddball calibers that I won't be able to find easily (and in quantity).


Thanks!
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If you are big and she is small, almost any calibre could be unfomfortable if the gun is too big.
 
A few years back I had a middle aged woman, very small stature, attend my Range for Sight in assistance. She was shooting a full sized Win Post 64 Mod 70 in 30:06. After 3 very poor shots, I told her I was going to get her my wife's rifle a Ruger 44 Carbine. A few shots later she was hitting a 2" bull at 50 yards. She had never shot a deer...That fall she got 2 , loves that rifle, and gets her deer every fall. Whenever I meet that neighbor, she thanks me for the advise.
 
A lot of good responses here, but I'm surprised no one has mentioned the 6.5x55 Swedish. That would be my suggestion.
 
cote_b said:
A lot of good responses here, but I'm surprised no one has mentioned the 6.5x55 Swedish. That would be my suggestion.
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Ordinarily, I'd vouch for the 6.5x55 for well, most anything. But since the OP said:

EightSeven said:
No oddball calibers that I won't be able to find easily (and in quantity).
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Not that the 6.5x55 is particularly "oddball", but choice and availability of both rifles and ammunition can sometimes be a challenge.
 
Gatehouse said:
What type of rifle is your 308? How much does it bother her?
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This here ^^

Factory ammo or reloads? If reloads, try some 125 grain bullets at moderate velocities. I wouldn't lie to ya, there will be LOTS of energy at the other end to kill a deer with!

No need to wring the nuts off the cartridge to get it to kill whats at the other end, esp. if you are shooting mainly in close. Lots of the dudes seem to think their manhood is in question if they don't shoot the biggest baddest thing on the line. Since she isn't a dude, she won't be worried about that now will she? :)

.223 worked well for my needs and those of a new to hunting young lady that I helped, this year. She went with the .223 as she was adverse to the recoil as well. Not a caliber for shooting a deer in the bum with, more for being patient and choosing ones shots.

Some form of .243 ammo is usually among the selections at pretty much every boot-nowhere small town hardware store that still sells a bit of ammo, if availability is an issue.

One other thing to possibly do, is to get her out to the range for more trigger time on lighter recoiling guns, and work her way up, as it were. If the .308 is beating her up too badly, is it the gun (ergonomics), the load (lighten up), or her positioning and hold when shooting (send her to the range with another, experienced woman, to work that out, or have someone else have a look and help her). YouTube is full of vids of guys letting women do frikken horrible things with guns, and laughing at the result. Not sayin' you are that, but getting some advice that is not from you, may be helpful.

Cheers
Trev
 
"...hates my .303, and didn't seem to enjoy .308..." Both of which can pound the shooter out of a bolt action. Any of the .24, .25 or .26 calibres with suitable bullets.
"...minimum caliber for deer hunting in Ontario..." Read the hunting regs. Says "any centre fire" as daft and stupid as that is. Means a twit can use a .223 with any bullet. No rule about that either. There are some jurisdictions that have calibre restrictions for any kind of hunting too. .275, .270 or less usually. IT IS NOT ALL OF ONTARIO NOR ALL OF SOUTHERN ONTARIO.
"...6.8 spc..." Too hard to find. Usually in a restricted rifle too.
"...30-30 really doesn't kick much..." Too much felt recoil for the power of the cartridge, out of a lever action.
 
" Northern Ontario" to me, means potential for black bear & moose. If so, I think the 243 would be a little on the light side.

Remington's Model 7 is a "scaled down" bolt action that comes in 243, 260 & 7 mm/08.
Brownings X-Bolt Micro-hunter is also scaled down in size and comes in 243 & 7mm/08, and is also available in a left hand version.

Any of the above are suited to the ladies and those of smaller stature.

The old style 44 Ruger tube feed Ruger carbines are also very light & easy to handle. Buddies mother was using one up until
her early 80's for both deer & moose !
 
My wife really likes the 6.5x55 Husqvarna I got her from Tradeex. It is a very nice rifle at an affordable price.

I'd stay away from semi's, I find the recoil more bothersome as, to me, it feels like getting smacked twice in sequence.
 
Try a different recoil pad. Limbsaver or patchmyer. I put one on my 45-70 that was bruising me with high powered loads, now its recoil feels like only a little more than my 223 with the same loads.
6.5x55 ammo is easily available online from site sponsors. It will easily kill most of what you would run into up there. 30-30 will easily do what she wants. Add a good recoil pad.
 
7.62x39 would also be a good choice. The cz comes really well outfitted for the money, and in the off season, surplus ammo is really cheap to practice with.
The gun store with a badger in its name had one on special last week when I talked to them. Dealer cost clear out.
 
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