Looking for a deer rifle for the wife

icedog said:
... I suspect a .243 would be effective medicine for them.... . You might consider adding the .260, 7mm'08, and the 6.5x55 Swedish to your list of possibilities - all very mild mannered and capable cartridges cartridges..... .
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gtrussell said:
If your going to all this.Get her at least a Browning.
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I have another option for you based on my wife's experiences shooting island deer. Lots of island deer..... :D;)

Browning X-bolt Micro Hunter in .260. (my wife actually shoots custom loads in .308, but if we had it to do over again I think we would get a .260)
It fits her well, looks sharp, is wood/blued and shoots really well. The gold trigger isn't really needed, but seems to make a girl feel special. I topped hers with a Vortex Viper 2-7x32 and she smiles every time we get it out of the safe!
 
Remmy700 said:
So the local gun shop brought in the marlin for me, I couldn't pass it back fast enough. Now I've read some good reviews on this rifle but it's very cheap feeling. Picking up a nice used rifle from a local CGNer on tuesday.

The verdict
Remington model 7 in 260

Thanks for all the insight and advise, really appreciate it.
ET
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You sure thats for the missus?...:D
 
7mmlefty said:
You sure thats for the missus?...:D
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Just because it's hers doesn't mean I can't play with it :D but it is for her. She wanted a shorter LOP, wood furniture, blued and iron sights, even the action is a shorter pull. But at the end of the day a good calibre is a good calibre and it will puts a smile on both of our faces and meat in the freezer :D
 
So I decided against the remmy 7 in 260 and am back on the market so..... I'm meeting the wife at wss tonight after work so she can shoulder up a savage model 111, axis and the vanguard II, the marlin is no longer an option I'm considering.

General thoughts

Axis- cheap but will get the job done.

Vanguard II- little front heavy for my lady

Savage 111- standing out in front of the crowd. Has a little shorter LOP than either of the other options, little better scope than the axis combo and is equipped with the accutrigger :) thinking 7mm08 because they'd have to order in a 25-06.

If anyone knows a reason I should stay away from the 111, please speak up now or the wife will be holding "her new deer rifle" in a couple of hours.

Side note- loving the new property, SRed 3 stellar jays while I was writing this post :)

ET
 
The final verdict

Savage model 111 in 7mm08

So the savage is in her hands and she's all smiles, so were going to have a gun cleaning session this evening and get it all ready for sighting in this weekend.

Thanks again for the opinions and insight.

ET
 
Remmy700 said:
The final verdict

Savage model 111 in 7mm08

So the savage is in her hands and she's all smiles, so were going to have a gun cleaning session this evening and get it all ready for sighting in this weekend.

Thanks again for the opinions and insight.

ET
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Have fun with the new rifle.;)
 
Remmy700 said:
The final verdict

Savage model 111 in 7mm08

So the savage is in her hands and she's all smiles, so were going to have a gun cleaning session this evening and get it all ready for sighting in this weekend.

Thanks again for the opinions and insight.

ET
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well, as long as she is happy! But I wish you had bought her a Browning X-Bolt Micro Hunter. My youngest son has one on it's way here, I can hardy wait to test fire a box or two. I kinda think I'm gonna need to buy one, too! ;)
 
two-dogs said:
well, as long as she is happy! But I wish you had bought her a Browning X-Bolt Micro Hunter. My youngest son has one on it's way here, I can hardy wait to test fire a box or two. I kinda think I'm gonna need to buy one, too! ;)
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The collection is still young :) and since we just bought 5 acres it had to be a budget rifle. Still on her want list is a X-bolt micro and a tikka :)

My ladies got some good taste :)

ET
 
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Remmy700 said:
The collection is still young :) and since we just bought 5 acres it had to be a budget rifle. Still on her want list is a X-bolt micro and a tikka :)

My lady got some good taste :)

ET
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Wait gun cleaning session with the wife?

My wife says: "I like shooting them, not cleaning them! Cleaning and reloading can be your job and shooting can be mine!"

Haha she does clean the house from top to bottom on a weekly basis, so I'll clean her rifle with no complaints.
 
You will like that little rifle --- My grandson is shooting my Stevens 200 in 7mm08 and he loves it. Have some real nice loads worked up for it if you are into reloading

Dave
 
So we went to sight it in this weekend, and it was al over the place. I loctited everything Friday night and cleaned it. Turns out the cheap weaver scope on it was defective so back to wss to exchange it last night, now we'll have to sight it in this coming weekend.

We were shooting 140gr and the wife thought that was a little to much recoil for her, duh! Should of got the 25-06.

So now a couple more questions

Anyone know what twist the savage 11 in 7mm08 is?
What grain of pill are you guys using?

I see you can reload down to 110's, but in factory loads you can only get it down to 120.

ET
 
I also wanted to correct myself, I called it a model 111 when it is actually a model 11. Only difference is short and long action.

ET
 
Not sure on your rifle but the typical twist on 7-08 is/was 9.25"

I can stabilize 168gr bullets with my 1 in 9" twist.

I have shot anything from 100gr to 168gr out of my 7-08's.I have an excel load sheet for 7-08 with weights from 139 to 168 if you are interested.

140's have typically been where the 7-08 shines equaling or bettering the ballistics of some of it's peers due to lower drag bullets than 30cal offerings.It is still a 300+ yard deer rifle in the hands of a competent shooter.Some will even say greater distances can be achieved and have.

A 140 loaded down to 2600 ft/sec or so will be mild on recoil and still be a great game getter.

Used to it's potential it has no issues taking even larger N.American game with confidence aside from the big bears.

I shoot 150gr Swift SC II's for game and 150 SMK for target and plinking.Both were chosen based on accuracy out of my rifle.
 
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