7mm08 or 243 for the old lady

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rrotzetter

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Buying a gun for the woman says she wants to try hunting with me having a hard time deciding between .243 win or 7mm08 rem. I want her to be able to kill the animal easily but I also don't want to scare her off it with a bigger recoil what do you guys think ? she's fairly small like 115 lbs ish
 
First, take her out with some of your guns an see what she is comfortable shooting. Size has little to do with comfort when it comes to recoil, but proper technique does.

Would you treat your guy friends any differently? I doubt it. Start her off small and work up to where she is comfortable. My wife is 5'5 and 115 and she shoots a 3006 and a 12g. She gets insulted if people suggest she use a gun with less recoil.

Doing that, you can perhaps get to a .30 cal cartridge like .308 which offers a lot more then 7mm-08 or 243 in ammo selection, price, and availability. Their is also no question it a suitable cartridge for large game.
 
rrotzetter said:
Buying a gun for the woman says she wants to try hunting with me having a hard time deciding between .243 win or 7mm08 rem. I want her to be able to kill the animal easily but I also don't want to scare her off it with a bigger recoil what do you guys think ? she's fairly small like 115 lbs ish
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I would start her off with a 243, you will likely want to get a downsized light weight rifle for her. You can always move her up to the 7mm-08 at a later time. there will be guys that will tell you that the recoil ain't much different, but take my word for it, it is noticeable. I have Browning A-bolt Micro Medallions in 243 and 7mm-08 and 308. There is a noticeable step up in each. Also have one in 257 Bob, it's nice and mild, if you wanna go that route. If you don't want to risk a flinch development, for your gal, (a good idea on your part) start her at the bottom cal suitable for deer. My oldest son at age 12 started with a Micro in 243 and knocked deer down for yrs with it, (head shots from free hand). Good Luck, my friend. Read on, you'll hear all about those 10yr old 80 lb super Kid's and or 110 lb lil honey's in hot pink mini skirts that can shoot a 30-06 & or 300 Win Mag all day long......la....la.... la...... her first gun sure as hell don't have to be her first, last nor only gun, like so many seem to wanna preplan for other's!
 
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Hmm come to think of it she shot my m14 just for fun at the range and she seemed happy with it saying that though the 2 stage trigger definitely helps for anticipating the shot I was acually wondering about that too how come more rifles font offer that ?
 
243 Win
  • Excellent varmint cartridge ( + )
  • Excellent deer cartridge ( = )
  • Excellent accuracy ( = )
  • Very low recoil ( + )
  • Widely available ammo ( + )

7mm-08 Rem
  • Great deer cartridge ( = )
  • Very good large game cartridge ( ++ )
  • Excellent accuracy ( = )
  • Low recoil ( = )
  • More difficult to find ammo ( = )

I would get a 243 Win if you're looking for a varmint/deer rifle,
get the 7mm-08 Rem if you plan on hunting larger than deer game,
and consider a 270 Win if you don't reload and want a 7mm-08!

Alex
 
what kind of animals are you planning on hunting? IMO, the 243 is far from an 'excellent' big game cartridge, though it'll do in a pinch. The 7mm08 would be FAR more preferable, especially when loaded with a 120 TTSX or the like - recoil will be very very similar to a 243 with 100+ grainers, but I'd be way more confident with it. Any you also have the option of bigger bullets, in the event that she 'grows into' recoil, and wants to try elk hunting or the like.

Speaking for myself, the 25-06/.260 class is the smallest rifle that I'd want to carry on a hunt - and only then with ultra-premium bullets like the TSX, GMX, a-frame, etc. Just a better margin for error; real-world conditions don't always offer perfect broadside opportunities, and I just wouldn't trust a 243 for a quartering shot. And I almost always have an elk tag on me, too, so whatever I carry, I want to be able to take a shot of opportunity on a larger animal while I'm on my deer hunt.
 
If you think on hunting elk or moose with your wife, I'd step up to the 7mm-08. Bigger bullet selection.

Dont get me wrong, I think the 243 is great....I have one and it will be what my boys bite their teeth in on. My wife shoots a T3 LS 270WSM with 140gr Accubonds.

I know that Remington makes the Model 7 - has a shorter LOP for youth and women....or maybe a youth Savage model is the same.
 
rrotzetter said:
Hmm come to think of it she shot my m14 just for fun at the range and she seemed happy with it saying that though the 2 stage trigger definitely helps for anticipating the shot I was acually wondering about that too how come more rifles font offer that ?
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2 stage triggers if set up properly and the shooter becomes used to them - work great. The problem is a good clean breaking single stage trigger feels so much better and has become so much more popular... the double stage was a military leftover... you won't find double stage offered on today's hunting rifles.

The 7mm 08 is more versatile... especially if you hand load.
 
My petite wife wanted to do the same, join me deer hunting, so I got her a .243 H&R single shot, compact model. It fits her "compact" frame.
She was recoil shy so I loaded up a bunch of light recoil loads using Trail Boss and off we went to the range. Started on the lightest and moved up gradually to full hunting loads within 45 minutes. She's happy and no longer recoil shy.
 
http://www.ballisticstudies.com/Knowledge+Base/.243+Winchester.html

note that their idea of 'medium' game (90-130lbs) is a little different, being based in NZ

sums it up nicely:
Regarding game weights, the .243 is ideal for game weighing between 40kg and 60kg (90-130lb) and reaches the limits of versatility on, but is adequate for, game weighing 80kg (180lb).
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...we have many deer that are more than 180lbs; would you really expect her to hold her fire if a big buck walks out at 200 yards, offering only a tough through-the-shoulder quartering shot?
 
I would lean toward the 7mm-08, 308win if she could take the 30 cal recoil.
Few others would work too.
The famous little blonde swede and the old mauser.
Ya,all know these two cousins. :)
 
It sounds like she'll likely be hunting big game with you. If that's the case, you're far better off going with the 7-08 rather than the .243.

Or, as was suggested by Bearkilr, go right to the .260 Rem and never look back.

The .260 offers the best of both cartridges, rolled into an flat-shooting, hard-hitting thing of beauty.
 
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