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Exactly.. What does HE want? That is the first question that should be asked.. Damn near anything will suffice for whitetails @ 100 yds. If it were my old man I would think he would prefer something a bit more nostalgic than a wsm. ??  And if he is going lightweight, whitetails @ 100 yds or less then you could easily use a round that is very pleasant for the old boy to shoot all day long. 7X57, 260 rem, 30-30 and 35 Remington comes to mind. But again, what does HE like?? AK-47 The only Communist Idea that Liberals don't like. | |||
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In his declining years my father carried a remington 600 in .308 with a 2x7 leupold. Very light and handy, with not very much recoil. I carry it now and then myself now. | |||
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I'm with boomy, why do a 35WSSM for whitetail under 100 yards? The man is just going to get older (like us all), give him something he can shoot comfortably for years. I'm sure he will appreciate something light with a lighter kick. You did not mention what he is currently shooting but if you are looking to chop 2 lbs off his rifle, a lower recoil round should be considered to offset the weight loss. | |||
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Sounds like you got a great deal. The plain old 243 is a great whitetail cartridge. The 243 WSSM should be awesome. Use good bullets at those speeds (Partitions, A-Frames, TSX's etc.) Regards, Chuck "There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit" Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness" | |||
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I built a 338 WSSM for a guy with the same [rotator cup]damage as your dad and me. It was supposed to be for these little Blacktail deer hereabouts but so far three elk in three years. I [personally] still shoot either my trusted old [30yrs] 600 Rem in 250 Sav Ackley with kevlar stock and Redfield 1 3/4-5 or it`s clone in 260 Rem Ackley Imp. Both weigh in at a tad over 5lb 12oz. Heck! Treat the old guy good. Hopefully he`ll be hunting for a long time yet. All my hunting pals are dead so it is me and my 1979 Suzuki Brute chugging along the logging roads and not looking DOWN into those deep holes anymore. Aloha, Mark When the fear of death is no longer a concern----the Rules of War change!! | |||
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You might see if you can find him a M700 in a suitable caliber for cheap and have a light syn stock fit to your dad. My M700 with a syn stock in 30-06 weighs 7lb 2oz with a Leupold 2-7 Ultralight scope. Is that light enough? Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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Here ya go, doesn't get any better than that. Chambered in 7mm-08 topped with a 2x7 compact, it's one of the sweetest rifles ever made.  http://www.remington.com/produ...seven-synthetic.aspx  | |||
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358 WSSM should be the ballistic twin of the 358win, maybe slightly better. I will probably load 180gr bullets to about 2400f/sec. The WSSM rifle action is a half inch shorter then the standard short action. I will take weight reduction from anywhere I can get it. Plus I got a great deal on the rifle. New they are supposed to go from 800-900 dollars new. We got this one at 500.00. "though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression." ---Thomas Jefferson | |||
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Has anyone seen the Savage Lightweight Hunters up close. 5.5lb wood stock, 20" bbl. | |||
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Not yet, I have two Savage Sierras, 20" barrels and just a touch over 6 lb. with synthetic stocks. When did they come out with that one? | |||
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If you have a WSSM donor than either a 35 with 35 Rem bullets or a 6.8 WSSM makes the most sense due to magazine length issues. I would go with a mild recoil classic for dear O'l Dad. Kimber makes a nice light 257 Bob still I think. The 6.8 SPC should get some consideration too. Ruger makes a nice light bolt action for that chambering. Deer to hogs its a great round. Consider a red dot sight for weaker eyes. I would say a 30-30 with red dot would be quite practical. 577 BME 3"500 KILL ALL 358 GREMLIN 404-375 *we band of 45-70ers* (Founder) Single Shot Shooters Society S.S.S.S. (Founder) | |||
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You obviously come from a great line of hunters, good luck to your father what ever he chooses. | |||
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There would be nothing wrong with any of the cartridges you mention for deer at the range you specify including the 243 WSSM. Personally, I'd probably just leave the chambering as is. Get whatever stock you like. Barrel fluting does nothing significant regarding weight reduction and there are no other advantages to it other than some think it looks cool. I wouldn't change the barrel length or contour. As for a scope, I've found a 2-7X Leupold adequate even to 300 to 400 yards. As a bonus, they're light and cheap. Just a question; if your father is happy with his 9 lb. rifle why are you trying to get him to upgrade? | |||
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Easy decision. Older Win or Marlin 30-30 lever. Cheap enough, light, handy and for sure will do the job, always have and always will. Or go fancy and get a FW savage 99. Rick DRSS | |||
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If you only knew how much my father hates lever actions and semi-auto's. There is not a year that goes by that we don't hear someone in the woods shoot round after round, presumably missing every time. My dad would always say something along the lines of "cold day in hell" before he would carry one of them. The difficult part of finding him a rifle was that it had to fit his criteria: had to be a bolt action, CRF, not savage and had to be a domestic gun. Oh, and it has to be as light as possible. Between my brother and I, we have a number of rifles that were light enough (including a savage 99 in 303 Savage) but they just did not fit his criteria of a gun. "though the will of the majority is in all cases to prevail, that will to be rightful must be reasonable; that the minority possess their equal rights, which equal law must protect, and to violate would be oppression." ---Thomas Jefferson | |||
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Brass Pro still has Browning A-bolt ii Composite stalkers in 308 and 7mm-08. for 499.99. Just bought one in 7mm-08. nice lite gun. | |||
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Its funny how this topic reads almost exactly like the many threads that discuss "What gun for my 10 year old?" or "What gun for my wife?" | |||
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I am 64. My deer rifle used to be a Remington 7mm Magnum. It's been traded off on a nice little Ruger in .257 Roberts. I shoot 100 grain TSX bullets at 2900-3000 fps. Works great on deer, mild recoil and report, and nice and light and handy. I love big bores but Jeff Smith and Michael458 have really sold me on the light and handy concept. So much so that my .338 Win Mag got traded off for a nice little Ruger .338 Compact Magnum with a 20 inch barrel. God, I wish I had this little RCM years ago when I was chasing elk through the mountains in Colorado. Dave DRSS Chapuis 9.3X74 Chapuis "Jungle" .375 FL Krieghoff 500/.416 NE Krieghoff 500 NE "Git as close as y can laddie an then git ten yards closer" "If the biggest, baddest animals on the planet are on the menu, and you'd rather pay a taxidermist than a mortician, consider the 500 NE as the last word in life insurance." Hornady Handbook of Cartridge Reloading (8th Edition). | |||
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I understand, I took my 11 lb 500 Jeffery elk hunting at 11,000 feet in Colorado (where I live) last year. Got a cow elk at 225 yards, didn't have to shoot her twice lol It's a bit much with my heart condition. I think I'll take either my 8 1/2 lb 270 Weatherby or the 6 1/2 lb 375 Weatherby this year. Regards, Chuck "There's a saying in prize fighting, everyone's got a plan until they get hit" Michael Douglas "The Ghost And The Darkness" | |||
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If he doesn't like lever actions than, if I were him, I would look for a Rem model 7 in 7mm08. If I wanted CRF I would look for a Model 70 featherweight compact. I personally believe that a 7x57 is the ultimate whitetail caliber, 7mm08 is identical. | |||
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I picked up the Mossberg 4x4 in .270. It touches 8 lbs with a scope, but feels lighter. It's accurate, and I like not just the odd look of it, but it shoulders quick and easy. They've gotten good reviews and come, I think, in 4 calibers. | |||
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I just spent 10 days sheep hunting with my 30 Gibbs, pre-64 wood,9 lbs+. Upon returning home I traded a 250 gal propane tank and a 30' Rohn Tower (for a windmill) for a Kimber Montana in 308 Win!!! I'm not a spring chicken either but I do my best to pretend I am. I tend to use more than enough gun | |||
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Got one of those too. Probably one of the best choices I have seen listed. | |||
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I agree with TerryR, the Winchester featherweight compact with CRF and WOOD stock is a hard to beat combo. Short, light, handy and even looks great(blue and wood just go together well). I have one in a 308 that remains unfired...but I will get it scoped and fired one of these days. BTW, most old guys like the 308 Winchester...it has a stellar reputation for getting the job done. | |||
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Given your criteria of bolt action CRF this seems to be your best choice. Top it with an ultralight 2-7 from Leupold and you have a very nice (and nice looking) combination. Your other option would be a Kimber in 308 which is what my wife shoots. Have gun- Will travel The value of a trophy is computed directly in terms of personal investment in its acquisition. Robert Ruark | |||
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Since you picked up the rifle, hope all works out well. I had some surgery a few years ago that could have limited the felt recoil my neck could handle. Weight is also an issue as is how smooth the action is, those are personal preferences. I picked up 2 rifles, a 1943 Husqvarna 9.3x57 and a 1962 Husvarna 1600 small ring '98 action. Both are very mild recoil and very light even w/ wood stocks. Both are a hair over 6lb.. I've been shooting rifles w/ decent recoil for a few years since, but will never part w/ these rifle. They are just too good and a pleasure to stalk with. | |||
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well the domestic gun part leaves winchester [owned by F.N.] and remington and marlin and bushmaster [freedom group from france] out then. | |||
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Savage light weight hunter short action,topped with a compact scope will be just over 6 pounds. | |||
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On Sept. 11 I killed a cape buff in Hoedspruit South Afrika with a 9.3 x 62 shooting 286 grain bullets AT AGE 69. My backup gun is a CZ550 375 H&H. Three years ago I had rotator cuff surgery and now have 5 small clamps in my shoulder. After physical therapy and now regular exercise I shoot just fine. My surgeon said injuries to the shoulder are cumulative. IF YOUR DAD HAS PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT CONSIDER GETTING HIM TO SEE A DOCTOR INSTEAD OF A LIGHTER RIFLE. I PERSONALLY EXPERIENCED THE SAME THING YOUR DAD IS EXPERIENCING. ONE DAY AFTER A DUCK HUNT I COULD NOT LIFT MY ARM. THE ROATOR CUFF WAS TORN VERY BADLY. A LIGHTER RIFLE ONLY DELAYS THE INEVITABLE. | |||
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Just curious....of the many of you guys responding that he should buy X or Y or ABC....did you guys fail to read the OP's post that he already BOUGHT the WSSM?  If you think every possible niche has been filled already, thank a wildcatter! | |||
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Nope, never read a line. Have you?? | |||
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I was wondering how long it would before someone stated the obvious. . Put a compact fixed 4x scope with a heavy duplex reticule. . Make sure the trigger is nice. And he's set. Myself I would go with a Marlin in 35 Rem. But the Winchester 94 in 30-30 is pretty classic. .If it can,t be grown , its gotta be mined .... | |||
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