Wifey wants to join me hunting moose. What should I get her?


Yep- Woodstocked for certain!

My Whelen is fine to shoot being Woodstock Hawkeye, if it were plastic I wouldn't be so enthused about it.

Ruger is a pretty good rifle for cheap 2nd hand... im sure she wont shoot the barrel out.. an if she does good on her!
I would also say .270 Win or 7mm-08 shooting 140grs

WL
 
Anything but a Axis. Lots of good quality used rifles on the EE in your price range. I like the comments of the guy about light loads for practice and full power for hunting.

A 308 sounds about the upper limit of recoil for a small woman. The other question is whether she is mostly going to hunt walking with you. My point being that most women want a rifle and to be included but pass on the actual shooting. On the other hand if she is too walk alone a caliber less than 308 could be leaving her under gunned.
 
don't be cheap, sell some of them dam diamonds if you have to, buy her a Browning A-bolt Micro Medallion or Hunter or X-bolt Micro Hunter. If she shoots left handed, I know where you can get a new in box one in 7mm-08. If you are stuck on Savage look at the 11 lite weight Hunter in 260 or 7mm-08 or 308. Good luck hunting. I sure wish I could get some moose meat!
 
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I have to go with the get her a Micro Midas in 7-08. The Micro Midas feels so great compared to many of the cheaper rifles. The wood and the slender grips --- it just holds better.

The feel will be very important to the user. It needs to work without muss or fuss.

Of course, one wants to ensure that the rifle fits the woman well, so the Micro Midas may be too small, but I have found that they are well loved by many that use them. I do think it is the wood that is comforting to many rather than hard plastic.
 
First is to find a rifle that suits her, then find it in a cartridge she can handle and lastly a quality sleeping bag that will keep her and maybe you too (or two) warm.
Does she want to get right in there for the kill or as an interested observer? Watching, packing, gutting and killing covers the gamut from 1% to 99% involved.
Is it just the two of you or will she be part of a group where cooking is a shared chore and sleeping in an option?
What level has she advanced to in in her shooting history? The learning process is a progression and when someone has difficulty with a 243 there is little point moving to the 7mm08 or beyond.
My wife would go for the drive but would not even shoot a grouse. She was a good spotter but eventually saw herself as an accomplice to murder.
 
I'm thinking since she's small, I was looking at the savage axis youth. Likely chambered in 308. She's a decent shot but sensitive to recoil. Any input would be appreciated. I would like to keep it sub $400 until I know if she's into it or not.

a nice pack board and a 410 and good boots
 
Bill Engavall of the Blue Collar Comedy Team took his wife deer hunting. I hope you don't end up with a similar situation.
Google a You Tube Video "Bill Engvall Goes Deer Hunting" to see what you could be faced with.

Sorry but I don't trust my computer skills to post a link.
 
First is to find a rifle that suits her, then find it in a cartridge she can handle and lastly a quality sleeping bag that will keep her and maybe you too (or two) warm.
Does she want to get right in there for the kill or as an interested observer? Watching, packing, gutting and killing covers the gamut from 1% to 99% involved.
Is it just the two of you or will she be part of a group where cooking is a shared chore and sleeping in an option?
What level has she advanced to in in her shooting history? The learning process is a progression and when someone has difficulty with a 243 there is little point moving to the 7mm08 or beyond.
My wife would go for the drive but would not even shoot a grouse. She was a good spotter but eventually saw herself as an accomplice to murder.

She will be in for most of it aside from gutting and carrying quarters. She can shoot well, hasn't shot anything bigger than a 250 savage as far as rifles go but she's ok with my 870 12 gauge shooting 2 3/4" field loads. I'm definitely thinking a 307 will be my cartridge as once she learns the rope, she's eager to hunt on her own. She likes the pink axis, but I will try and sell her in the marlin and ruger as well. If I get the micro hunter for her I might have to sell off some of my ammo hoard. Or I just justified getting myself a new 1911. Lol.
 
My wife's very first hunting trip period: AKM with folding stock, 1959 Polish model. Put 3 shots in the boiler-room of a huge cow moose at 220 paces. It ran about 1/2 mile through God-forsaken swamp before dying right in the middle of a logging road.

Before I get slapped with an infraction - this was '88 or '89 - so completely legal. Ahhhh, the good ol' days! My go-to was an H&K G3. My son (9 at the time) loved the M1 carbine, but could handle the AK quite well, but it was too heavy for him.
 
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I'd buy her a 257 Roberts.

Any chance she wants you to wear one of these while you're out hunting?

Tell your friends where you're going and when you'll be back. :)

images
 
My wife's very first hunting trip period: AKM with folding stock, 1959 Polish model. Put 3 shots in the boiler-room of a huge cow moose at 220 paces. It ran about 1/2 mile through God-forsaken swamp before dying right in the middle of a logging road.

Before I get slapped with an infraction - this was '88 or '89 - so completely legal. Ahhhh, the good ol' days! My go-to was an H&K G3. My son (9 at the time) loved the M1 carbine, but could handle the AK quite well, but it was too heavy for him.

Sounds like a poor choice of rifle/bullet? Dont know why you'd be pleased by a moose that ran that far after three good shots.
 
Sounds like a poor choice of rifle/bullet? Dont know why you'd be pleased by a moose that ran that far after three good shots.

It was definitely a poor choice, but on the Thursday, she told me she wanted to come with us on the Saturday. It was the only rifle she was familiar with. As far as running that far, a blessing in disguise. I had forgotten to tell her to let anything she shot at bleed out. She was with my friend's wife. When she shot, the moose went down, they ran down to see it, thinking it was down for the count, the moose got up and ran. The gods of luck were with us, because we would have had to pack that moose up a steep hill if it had stayed where shot. Where it died, we were able to drive up to it with my 2WD pickup. Defnitely not a wise series of choices, but a more memorable first hunt I could not imagine.

BTW, that little rifle took several bears, none of which ran more than about 75 feet after being shot.
 
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