Thanks for the link. Most recoil problems lie between the shooters ears. A properly stocked rifle doesn't do any harm either.

7x57 seems to be a clear winner here and I cannot recommend anything else as my wife clearly shoots it best.

6.5 Creedmoor is the clear winner

Well contrary to what I read on this thread, women just like men have different recoil tolerances..Probably best to let her try some different calibers, My daughter loves the 25-35 that I grew up hunting with and she has been 100% successful with it..My grandson who spends his days horseback loves my little tiny 6x45 and considers it the best deer rifle he has ever shot, and its worked perfect for him for years. My neice can shoot a 500 N.E. and has and seemed content with it, damn!! Best to let the little lady pick her own gun out, not you hubby!

The other thing is you can always load a 30-06 or something on that order down to a 30-30 or 25-35 or wherever you want..Harder to load them up..weight is usually a problem with the weaker sex.

Ray makes a lot of sense. If you are afraid of it, they will be too. And, if you make like they should be afraid of it, they will be.

Let them decide. I've seen some mighty little ladies that can outshoot some pretty macho men. And, be less sensitive to recoil too. Bear in mind, it's pushing back against a lot less resistance and if they just go with flow, it's not that bad. (is there a lesson there?)

I have to agree with Ray,

When we bought my wife's rifle (5'-4", 115 lbs.) we had already settled on the 7mm-08. This was partially because that would give us 5 rifles of the same cartridge between 5 shooters and (hopefully) simplify the ammunition in the field. We canvassed the LGS seeing what was in stock and let HER mount and try each option so she could make her choice. She decided on the Rem. 700 youth because every time she mounted it to her shoulder, it fit correctly. On the ammo end, I ended up tailoring loads to each rifle because each one turned out to be more unique than expected. Ex. Her rifle gives 1/2" at 100m with load X and mine (Rem 660) shoots the same load at 4". Oh, Well. It is what it is.

Both my mother and my wife don't like rifles that are kickers, but they have no difficulty at all with big bore revolver.

My petite mother gets moved a few steps back with a 20 gauge shotgun so most long arms are not too good for her. Instead she uses a Ruger Super Blackhawk in .44 Magnum and a Blackhawk in .45 Colt and has no problem with heavy loads in either. As recently as last week she fired exactly one shot from the .45 and removed a crow's head at about 20 yards.

My wife can do the same.

Thanks to everyone for their opinion.

Seems the 7x57, 257 Roberts, 7mm-08 got the most votes but lot's of other calibers got a mention or 2.

I would like an opinion of another avenue to take.

I have both a 7mm Rem Mag and 30-06.

Hornady has their new line of Custom Lite ammunition. Both are loaded with SST's. The 7 mag has 27% reduced recoil and a mv of 2700 fps. Would this be comparable to the 7x57 in regards to recoil/performance?

The 30-06 has 43% reduced recoil and a mv of 2400 fps.

I think the ST is fine for whitetail/hogs.

What about going this route?

quote:

Originally posted by waterrat:
My wife is 4'8' so I cut about 1 1/4" off all her stocks. Her favorite is a 722 in 300 Savage, 20" barrel and loaded to 2450fps with NP. She's killed ton's of brown bears,moose, wolves,seals, and caribou with it. I've offered her my Kimber Montana in 308 and a nice little Mauser 9X57 but she won't budge!

I think I'll have a hard time getting my 12 year old daughter to give up her Rem 700 Classic in .300 Savage as well.







She was 11 when these pictures were taken, currently she is 5'9" tall so I don't have to shorten things for her much anymore. She wants to hunt elk this coming season so she had to graduate to a larger caliber. Until now I had a difficult time getting her to give up her .223 Rem.

My brother bought his 12 year old a Tikka T3 in 7mm-08 for his birthday last summer. He started him out with the managed recoil ammo since he had not shot anything larger than a 22lr. He took to shooting that rifle like a duck to water. Come deer season he was ready and still using the managed recoil ammo. He ended up missing due to buck fever but the recoil never bothered him a bit.

The only advice I could give is to buy some of the reduced recoil ammo and have her try it out. If she still finds it objectionable then you know you need to find something else for her to try.

My wife is 5'3" and 105lbs. She has now shot my 45 Colt lever action, 45-70 with reduced recoil ammo, 243Win, ARs in 5.56 and 6.5 Grendel, 204 Ruger, and the 6.5x55. She didn't care much for the 45-70 but everything else she has enjoyed. She really likes the 6.5x55 "because it's pretty". Whatever it takes to get her out shooting is all I care about. She also likes and has laid claim to my Model 66 .357 mag. I had to go out and buy another 4" GP 100 and she likes that one as well.

You can load either of those two down to a manageable level. I would go with a 140gr in the 7MM and 150 or 165 in the 06. The downside to this is you don't get another rifle

I offer 308 with the following load:

Rem case, Fed 210 Match primer, Cutting Edge 100gr Raptor-Tipped, 42gr RL-7 OAL-whatever fits your magazine. I like 2.800". This load was provided to me from a friend in South Carolina. Pressure wise it is right on 51KPSI-safe for any 308. I have used it in pump guns, AR-10, Single shot H&R, three bolt guns and even my M1A. Recoil is minimal and devastation on flesh is incredible. 3250 from my AR10 and 2980 from a 20" Rem 700.

I bet the Cutting Edge 100gr Raptor would be the bomb in the 300 Savage.

Andy

My wife and I are both 62 and she is 5'3". She is also left handed. After we were married some 37 years ago she decided she wanted to deer hunt with me which was great. The first two years she used my Mod. 70 in 270 and killed two deer with it. It appeared she was going to continue to hunt so we went in search of a left handed rifle for her. Having always been a gun crank we had access to several different rifles in various cartridges from my stash and from friends. She settled on the 243 and we found a left handed Savage so chambered that fit her. Prior to that time...close to 30 years ago...I wasn't much of a 243 fan. After dressing all the deer she's killed with that rifle/cartridge combination I have changed my opinion. I would not discount the 243. Mild of recoil, accurate, readily available if you don't handload and from the results I've seen on deer she's killed it's more than effective.

Lots of good replies. I'm going to try the 100 or 110 gr 308 cal bullets in the wife's 308. Until I get it rebarreled to 6.5 Creedmoor. Need to get a prettier stock for it also. As she has requested her rifle to be prettier.

I think she'd be fine with a .308, personally.

More men would do better if they used "women's" cartridges...

quote:

Originally posted by 9.3 X 75R:
.I wasn't much of a 243 fan. After dressing all the deer she's killed with that rifle/cartridge combination I have changed my opinion.

A friend and myself used to often hunt wild boar using 22/250s rifles and cheap 55gn pills.
I know it doesn't sound right, but careful shot placement did the trick time and time again.
Id love to give the hot .240WBY a run with some -fast- 85gn Nosler-partitions!...

quote:

Originally posted by Gerry:
What a bunch of twattle.

LRx & scutulatus have it right .....

..... it's not about the recoil of the cartridge ..... it's all about the weight of the rifle.

It's about both