Caliber for the Wife

[APEXDUCK]

I second looking at 308 if you want a low recoil and ready available ammo selection. Most all all the bolt gun makers offer a 308 and many offer a youth / ladies version with a shorter stock.

APEXDUCK

 

[Otony]

I am surprised no one has mentioned .257 Roberts yet! It will do what most folks think a .243 should do (uh-oh, i am in trouble with THAT statement).

Mild shooter, but carries more weight than a .243, as in 120 grain bullets.

Just a thought!

 

[felix cortinas]

7 mauser, 7-08 about the same, 6.5 swedish makes good sense. then whatever caliber, "managed recoil" ammo solves lots of problems.

 

[DwarvenChef]

7 mauser, 7-08 about the same, 6.5 swedish makes good sense. then whatever caliber, "managed recoil" ammo solves lots of problems.

I'm favorable to these rounds myself. She didn't like my Rem 700 SV in 308 even though I didn't think it kicked all that much.

I'm doing a search of the area this week for sporterised mausers and such. a 7 mauser or 6.5 swedish would be very nice I think.

 

[DwarvenChef]

Come to think of it, I think she didn't like shooting it (308 Rem 700SV) as it was a bit long and front heavy... How is the used market on the light weight Ruger bolt guns? I don't think she would have issues with one. I'm dragging her off to feel some out at the local shop. Trying to find a shape she likes so I can keep an eye out for one

 

[Kanook]

My wife is 5' 1/2" and she loves her M77 260rem compact. The glass is a Swift scope.

 

[mohavesam]

- SO what was the end result?

synthetic or wood?
metal finish?
action?
caliber?
was weight or recoil a bigger factor?

Guess I just curious what folks choose for a first - anything.

. :?: :?: :?:

 

[Trey Whitley]

Ruger Frontier in 7mm-08. Light, easy to handle, excellent accuracy from a short barrel. And right now people are closing out brand new guns since Ruger discontinued that model.

Use Remington's Managed Recoil loads if she needs to build her confidence some, then load up with the higher sectional density 150-grain loads from Federal (or better yet, hand-load some rounds using a 175-grain bullet).

 

[Anonymous]

"Looking for a sporterised battle rifle or other used system in good shape."


While a good used 30-30 can usually be found fairly reasonable I might suggest that you take a look at a stevens 200. It's available for usually less than $300 new and comes in 243 , 7mm-08 and 308 as well as 270,30-06 and 300 win. I believe. I have a 308 and really like it. It makes up into a very nice hunting rig I fitted it with a used scopechief 4x and it is light weight balanced and shoots really well. The 308 or 7mm-08 would both be good choices.

 

[3DTESTIFY]

I'll second Trey's vote. Ruger in 7mm-08.

 

[DwarvenChef]

Ya getting her to a gun store has been slow with finals going on haha. Going to visit friends in Santa Barbara for Christmas, hopfully I'll be able to get her into a shop down there

 

[wndrbob]

Almost any caliber rifle will take down a hog with proper shot placement. I have been hog hunting for a long time here in S Florida and have taken them with Bow and every thing from a 9mm pistol on up. It all depends on what type of hunting you prefer. Long shots = higher caliber 243 is a great low recoil round and other than shooting them in the wrong place ( hunter error) they go down well. One of my favorite for 100 yds or less is my ruger 44 carbine it will drop them like a rock and if you miss vitals real easy to send more lead down range. Just my opinion but Let her shoot what ever she feels good with only thing is have her shoot it well.
Bob

 

[Ewalker]

I would think that the .243 is top choice for women. I have shot a couple of hundred hogs with everything from .22 mag to .45-70 , probably more shot with .223 than anything . Poor shot placement with even the largest calibers is still a problem, if you get the new super mag and it goes to knocking the fire out of her ,you lose two things accuracy and fun.
I know here you can find .243 about every where but not so much 7-08. Hope this helps it is just my cents worth.

 

[208packinheat]

Just had to give the 7X57 a couple more votes. The Cal is proven for anything south of the Canadian border, and would do nicely on most above, but there are better for the big stuff. As was said here or other topics on this forum, shoots like a much smaller gun yet has received the confidence of the Dean of Rifles, Jack O'conner, who had one fitted for his wife, who shot everything in the lower 48, and some above. In a ruger, can be loaded to rival the .270 Win.

I guess i am a little nostalgic. Love that 'ole 7mm

:wink:

 

[rugerlovah]

any chance you're a handloader? i have experimented w/ H4895 in slightly reduced loads in several standard calibers. in fact, Hodgdon now has a list of "youth" loads with that powder available on its webpage. i have had really excellent accuracy with some of these combinations, and anyone could handle the recoil. for instance, if you drop the .270 w/ a 130 g. bullet down to about 2700-2800 fps, you would be amazed at how comfortable it is to shoot.

no experience with the remington managed recoil rounds, but i think the results would be similar.

 

[Trey Whitley]

no experience with the remington managed recoil rounds, but i think the results would be similar.

I actually had better luck with the Remington managed recoil loads than using Hodgdon's reduced-load formula with H4895 (in 7mm-08 anyway). I'm sure that could be fixed with a chronograph and a lot more shooting/loading/experimenting time than I currently have, but the Remington "factory lite" loads worked so well I haven't bothered trying to make the time.

 

[redoktober]

What about a handgun caliber in a handy lever action? .44 Mag, .357 Mag, .or .45 Colt. My mom is of a slight stature and she finds the .30-30 a bit much. I prefer the .32 Winchester Special or the .35 Remington, myself.

Here are some of the rifles Marlin offers in the 357, 44, or 45 Colt:
http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/ ... 45colt.asp

Isn't hog hunting a short range prospect? If so, any of the above will be good inside 100 yards if you mixed the Marlin lever with some hot hunting loads from a place like Cor-Bon or Buffalo Bore.

If this isn't your cup of tea, I echo the recommendations for a rifle chambered in 7mm-08, .257 Roberts, .260 Remington, or 6.5x55mm SE. Unfortunately, sensible cartridges like these (7mm-08 exempted, of course) aren't all the rage so it's harder to find rifles in these calibers.

If feral hogs are anything like the ones we raised back home, they are tough creatures. You are going to need something that will punch through that tough hide and muscle.

 

[chevy314]

My 12 year old son (5"3", 75 lbs, skinny guy) used his 243 on a Russian Boar last year. First shot to the head dropped the hog, second head shot did the trick. The hog was a 200 pounder.

 

[Anonymous]

I would think the 7mm-08 would be a fair place to start and frankly a good marlin 30-30 with a low powered variable or something like a fixed 4x is a great rifle out to 200-250 yds which takes in about 95% of most hunting situations. I also had a 257 Roberts that was a great rifle . I've shot all three and wouldn't hesitate to use any of them.

 

[MMichaelAK]

Just about any caliber will do, if the shot is placed correctly. Wives are really hard to shut up, but not particularly hard to kill. However, check the legalities of doing so. Some jurisdictions prohibit, or at least discourage wife killing.

Mr Quinn,
just as a note, here in Alaska, you will do more time for shooting a moose out of season than if you shoot your wife in the dead of winter.

6.5x55 Swede or 7x57 mauser or 30-40. Either that or .308 will work wonders.