I'm looking for a rifle for my wife (that I might be able to borrow once in a while). She currently shoots a m70 featherweight in .257 Roberts. Now an elk/wildebeest rifle is in order. It has to be fairly light, both to carry and for recoil. I've been thinking something in 8x57, 338-06 or maybe 9.3x62. Any thoughts or suggestions?

Dean

My 338-06 is not light, it has a 24 inch medium wight barrel and it kicks hard (FYI). I think you need to stick to lighter bullets in order to keep recoil down. I would consider a 270 with premium bullets in the 130 to 150 grain range. I have seen a 270 do amazing things to elk, but I don't know if it will break a shoulder and continue to penetrate. If you aren't sold on the 270 I would go for the 30-06 and shoot 165's (probably the best equilibrium between bullet weight and recoil). Sorry I don't know anything about the 8X57 or the 9.3X62, but I would imagine that the 9.3 would recoil at least like a 338-06. The 8X57 should be a lot like the 30-06 (I think) if you use light bullets.

How about a 7mm-08 or 308 Kimber Montana or Remington M700 Ti?

If it's truly for her, then your on the wrong page.

If it's for you then buy what you want and make sure it doesn't kick so hard to put her on her butt.

I second the 270 my favorite non dangerous game gun, when I first moved to Alaska I bought a box of Swift 150gr and they worked great on Moose and boo after they where used up I switched to Nosler Part. and drive them through at 1/2 the cost with the same results.

First, Make sure wife goes with you when you are shopping. It is her rifle and she has to hold it and work the bolt, shoulder it, etc. I had a few rifles in mind for my wife when she wanted a new one last year. When we went shopping all the rifles I thought were perfect for her she didnt like how they looked, worked, shouldered, etc.
She fell in love with the Kimber Montanna in 7mm/08. But this isnt enough jump in performance over what you currently own. Make sure she can make the decision after you first determine she can tolerate the recoil of the caliber you have in mind.

My wife went through this decision a few years back, she chose a M70 Winchester Classic in .30-'06.

I went with her while she visited various gun stores, trying the choices. The M70 was what she preferred, and she chose the caliber after reading Boddington's Safari Rifles.

We then had the rifle restocked to fit her length of pull, and also pistol grip length and curvature.

She usually shoots premium bullets in the 150 to 165 gr range.

jim

Thanks for the replies guys. The rifle will indeed be my wife's, but I like her taste in guns and have been able to sneak a few rounds out of her guns now and then. When she is gun shopping, she tells me what she wants to hunt, I suggest a few cartridges, she buys something that fits her and she likes. The real beauty of this system (done twice now) is that she gets to make her own decisions and I get to try different guns on some one else's nickle.


As for the cartridge for her next rifle.... I have a pet .270 that she can handle, even if the stock is too big for her. Another .270, 7mm-08 etc. wouldn't be a bad thing, but we were both thinking about a bigger jump in bullet diameter. Will have to add the 30-06 to the list and maybe a recoil reducer to the stock.

Thanks again,
Dean

My wife doesn't like recoil much so, I bought her a Model 700 270 win and installed the Sims pad. She can shoot that rifle quite well at the range.

I would suggest a 30-06 w/ a good recoil Pad if Elk are on the menu.

Good Luck

Reloader

How about building a 358Win or waiting for the 338Federal to appear? Both with a Nosler Partition will be effective and relatively mild to shoot.
Cheers...
Con

I'd lean towards a 7-08 or .308, perfectly up the game you plan to hunt, and plenty of compact light weight guns that chamber those rounds.

quote:

Now an elk/wildebeest rifle is in order.

I assume these wildebeest are in Africa, so I would shy away from the more exotic cartridges or wildcats, if you are going to be traveling. Simply for ammo availabilty issues, if ammo were lost/destroyed/stolen.
I shoot a 8lb 30-06 with a Decelerator Pad, and it is a kitten compared to my Encore in .270 win.
So I would agree with reloader on choosing a properly stocked and padded, 30-06, in a M70 type config.

A friend of mine got his wife a 300 WSM christensen rifle, thumbhole stock with a muzzle break . she shot here first elk with it this year scored 353 , he said he set the sticks up and before he could find it in his binos she had it down 1 shot 200 YDS, best thing he ever did now she insists the hole family must do it , I shot the gun myself kicked like a 25-06, im not a big muzzle break guy but in this case it helps the ladys pack a little bigger punch without the abuse, my 2 cents

It sounds like she will be doing a fair amount of hunting around the globe with you. You might want to consider talking with Melvin Forbes of New Ultralight Arms. He can build a light weight gun that will be comfortable for her. He might be able to steer you to the "right" cartridge for her.

maki
First off HER rifle may need to be a little shorter in bbl and stock than your typical off the shelf sporter.
As an allround rifle [non DG] I would take a look at the 308. With 180 grain bullets it will kill any plains type game including Eland.
My wife has used a Remington Model 7 quite a bit. More reciently she has been using a Blaser R 93, both in 308.

She likes her Drilling 12x12x30-06 best of all though.

I'd go with a .280 or 30-06.

Both are a step up from her 257. Both will handle a great variety of game including elk. Both can be built light enough for her to handle without the recoil becoming a huge issue.

My wife shoots a 30/06 and 7mmMag as well as I do. Her favorite is the 30/06 Winchester M-70 Featherweight with a 22" barrel.

If she's to use it on the heavier hooved animals the 7mm x 57 has greater ability than does the 7mm-08 to handle the longer heavier bullets and has less recoil than a rifle of equal weight in 06 or 280. It is totally adequate and not unfamiliar in Africa. roger.

May I suggest a 7X57 Mauser? It doesn’t have that bad of recoil. Over the last 100+ years it has killed about every thing that has walked or crawled on this plant at leased once. It has killed thousands of elephants (the problem is that may have wounded thousands more). It’s a good round if you understand it’s limitations.

CDL in .280 or .30/06 with the R3 Magnum recoil pad.

The modern stock shape on the Kimber 84M really subdues recoil. Have her look at one in 308 or a similar round.



The little rifle above weighs only six light pounds as you see it. I have been shooting it a lot from field positions. It's an all round rifle.
A Kalahari Kimber

It is good that we try to help our wives pick a gun. I had many light weight ideas when my wife wanted her own gun so we went to the store to try as many as we could for fit. She didn't like my ideas much and I left her on her own for a while. She went with a Weatherby deluxe in 7mm Wby. It started out with a 3-9 and now has a 4.5-14x50 LR on it. She has taken moose elk and deer with it. She has shot my 416 Rigby and hit targets at the range and is now showing an interest in shooting a moose with it. She never ceases to amaze me. Good Luck.

I am shooting a .300 win mag with the federal premium 200 gr. nosler ammo and couldn't be happier. I was shooting a .270 and I have had no trouble at all with the recoil on the .300. You can see it under "my new gun" thread in this forum. Good Luck!

"New rifle for wife"


Are you offering to trade someone a new rifle for their wife or unload your wife for a new rifle?

Best,

John

Some women, even relatively "petite", handle recoil just fine. I would have her try a 9,3X62. If she can handle it, she can then hunt almost anything in the world short of elephant, rhino, lion and Cape Buffalo. She might like a good looking rifle as well so have it built on a Mauser action. She'll get history, real world utility, and good looks.

Of all I've seen thus far, I'm still partial to the venerable -06. The beauty of this is that a vintage model 70, or Sako, will weigh enough to dampen recoil without being excessively heavy or cumbersome. It is also a step up from the 308 class, especially with 200 grain bullets, but not so far removed from the Roberts class that recoil should be a problem. The way I see it, it's the best choice short of 9.3 X 62.

My second choice would be a vintage Husky in 8 X 57. Light and effective it would be, but those stocks don't lend themselves well to optics.

My last choice would be the 280 Remington, and this is the route I'd take if you hunt where laws restrict military calibres.

When I was just a young lad of 16, I used to shoot my dad's model 70s in 30-06 and 270.

For the life of me I couldn't tell the difference between the two as far as recoil goes. I'd go with the '06, load it up with 57.5grs. H4350 or 50.5grs. RE15 and 165 Interbonds, and look out Mr. Wildebeest and Mr. Elk.
The rifles I'd look at would be Rem. SPS S/S and the model 70s. Jay

quote:

Originally posted by gotogirl3:
I am shooting a .300 win mag with the federal premium 200 gr. nosler ammo and couldn't be happier. I was shooting a .270 and I have had no trouble at all with the recoil on the .300. You can see it under "my new gun" thread in this forum. Good Luck!

Wait a minute! You have a muzzle brake on the 300.

Do you have one on the 270 also?

A 300 WM kicks like heck.

"New rifle for wife"

I was thinking, that's a great deal.

No muzzle break on the .270, but I do use one on the .300 and will use one on the .375 I am ordering - also from H-S Precision.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
"New rifle for wife"

I was thinking, that's a great deal.

In some cases, it would certainly have merit.

Elenor O'Connor went with Jack all over the world on hunts with him. While he was using a .270 or a 30-06 or even a .300 Winnie, she was using a 7 x 57 to take Elk, bears, African Game, etc. etc.

I don't think your wife could go wrong with a 7 x 57 fitted to her, loaded with decent bullets, and lots and lots of practice

Dean,

I like simple and one of those Kimber Montanas might be just the ticket in 308 shooting a handload with 180 NP's or the Federal fodder with the 180 NP. That combo is not flashy at all but will drill any medium to large antelope/deer that lives.

Mark

P.S. How about that sable????

quote:

Originally posted by gotogirl3:
No muzzle break on the .270, but I do use one on the .300 and will use one on the .375 I am ordering - also from H-S Precision.

I would suggest (if possible) to shoot the 375 H&H without the break to start out with. I find My (Ruger) 300 Win mag uncomfortable but both the (M70s) in 375 I own are much more pleasent to shoot.

Roi

Based on the title of this thread, i thought you were trading your wife for a new rifle....

The 7mm08 loaded with Barnes 140TSX will get up to 2830 fps and do a great shop with penetration and also have managed recoil. My wife shoots mine just fine and she only weighs 97. She would not want to carry it since my barrel is a 20" varmint weight.

quote:

Originally posted by Fjold:
"New rifle for wife"

I was thinking, that's a great deal.

I am looking at doing the same.

The favored pick now is the mod 70 ultimate shadow stainless camo in 300 WSM. I'll put a 3x9 compact leupold on it and get it braked.

A buddy of mine got his lady a rem ss 700 in 300 winny with a brake and says she loves to shoot it.

Gidday Guys
If you are getting new rifles for your wives would I be able to get a couple of second hand rifles for a couple of ex wives.

If so could I have a Sako Forester in 260 rem and a Rem 700 VLS in 223 rem.

All offers considered.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

I would think a nice middle weight bolt action like a M7 or a M700 Ti with the stock changed to fit her would be ideal.

I would adjust the trigger first off. I wouldn't even let her shoot it with the factory trigger.