My wife shot my 416 Rigby this weekend and she didn't tip over, drop it or do any of the other things I half expected. We were at the range shooting a 300 mag (last weekend she shot a box of .223) and I asked her if she wanted to shoot it. She wanted to know how much more it kicked than the 300 mag. I tried to explain they were different and it was going to recoil alot more, but not as fast/sharp, etc., etc. She just gave me "the I don't understand look"...so, I said you don't have to shoot it if you don't want too. She thought about it for a second and then insisted that she wanted to shoot it, so we saddled up.

I explained to her in "clear man detail" to hold it firm against her shoulder and not let it get a running start on her. As she got down behind the scope (mind you she was sitting down at a bench, so she was going to get most of the recoil) I kind of stepped up along side her...at this point I wasn't sure if I was going to catch her or my prized 416 Rigby (in case it went flying). I gave her one more piece of advise.....to hold the front of the gun down and then she was on her own.

After the shot she turned and looked at me (quite speechless..that's a first) - I wasn't sure if she was going to cry or start cussing but she said.."that wasn't bad at all...I want to shoot it again"........now I was speechless (happens all the time). She also proceded to explain in vivid detail how the felt recoil differed between the 300 mag and 416. Anyway she shot it four times and shot a real nice group.

The only slack I cut her was, she got to use a PAST magnum recoil shield/pad (hell I use it too off the bench) and the loads were slightly reduced 350 grain Barnes TSX at 2450fps (still plenty for buffalo). I also shot the load a couple weeks ago, to make sure it would group with my loads and that the recoil would be something that she could handle. I think she would now rather shoot the 416 Rigby over the 300 mag (not as sharp). We will shoot it one more time next weekend and then off to Africa.

You go Girl! That was from my wife.

She is going bison hunting with me come Christmas this year. She has sent me off to get the freezer load every December as a Christmas present, this trip she wants to tag along. I got a 350gr cast bullet load for the Rigby that scoots out the muzzle about 2150 fps for her. although I may have her shoot the classic 375H&H ( ).

We will await the photos of her safari.

Godspeed! and good hunting.

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

MHC_TX, sounds like you have a "Keeper".

Keith

.........A few years ago I made up a load for my wife to use in my Spruceking rifle ,458 Win mas m77mk2 ruger stainless...It was a 300 gr X bullet @ 2520-30 fps ... She shot it off hand and said with a shrug , [that doesn,t hurt at all can I shoot it again ]]] She also really enjoyed shooting my 480 Super Red hawk....Definately a Keeper

quote:

Originally posted by Hog Killer:
MHC_TX, sounds like you have a "Keeper".

Keith

She has her moments.......most of the time I love her to death and there are a couple of days in the month that I would like to try and drown her in the bird bath in the backyard.

This will be her third trip to Africa, in 2004 she made a real nice shot on a cape buffalo from about 40 yards with a 375H&H and two days later she shot a heartebeest in the foot and kind of worked her way up.....it kind of got ugly (she started crying), so I had to step in and help her out. She shoots real good on paper, in fact she could shoot with most men and out shoot some of them, but in the field she isn't always the sharp shooter. We are working on breathing and trigger control (doing alot more dry firing) and focusing where we want the bullet to go. I think part of her problem with misses in the field is she gets to looking at the whole animal, instead of focusing on the exact spot where she wants the bullet to go.

My wife has always gone shooting with me. She's not much of a hunter but she likes shooting. Years have gone by and my new shooting pal is my 17 year old son. We were getting ready to go shoot some sporting clays when she said she would like to go. She took my 20 gauge Weatherby Athena and had a real great time on the course. Last week we went to Beretta in NYC and bought her, her own shotgun. She's picking it up tomorrow.
Now when she goes she'll be using her own gun, cut and fitted for her. I hope she can't beat me.
After 34 years of marriage I think I'll keep her.

Wouldn't it have been nicer to her to have her try the first shot standing rather than at the bench?

Good on her for not falling over and liking it.

MHC-TX,

wait until she starts menopause about age 50. I was ready to either kill or be killed about six months down that road...after a year I didnt' care which...one of us just HAD to have some relief! There is an upside though, it does make 'em horny as hell...

Rich
DRSS
Knowledge not shared is knowledge lost...

I've always taken Pamela to the range to keep her practiced on the house gun, a S&W 357, and we've always had fun with it. But three years ago she tagged along with me and my best friend to sight in scopes for a hunt. Never shot a long gun before and just plain tore up the 200 yard target with my 280 AI and his 300 RUM.

She was hooked. Had to have one for herself.

So, as commanded, I had a nice 260 built on a model 7 and had the stock cut for her. Great gun.

Now comes time for her first hunt. We spot a nice buck with a good rack and she is offered the shot. She gets him in the cross hairs and lays there watching him graze. Then she lays it down and says she can't do it. Immediately my friend has his 270 on him and she jumps up yelling, "Run, run...."

Wouldn't live without her though.

quote:

Originally posted by tom`:
Wouldn't it have been nicer to her to have her try the first shot standing rather than at the bench?

Good on her for not falling over and liking it.

tom,
Yes, it would have and I would have opted for that if possible, but it wasn't an option at the range we were at....must shoot sitting down.

Idaho Sharpshooter,
I'm going to keep one spot on the wall reserved for the menopause phase.....just hope it isn't my head that goes on the wall.


A couple of weeks ago she asked for a list of the animals we could shoot, so I gave her one without the prices (I don't want to buy any diamonds or fur coats if you know what I mean). Next day when I came home from work I saw the list laying under the coffee table and it had been worked over pretty good with a purple hi-lighter......I didn't ask, because I didn't want to know, but it looked kind of like one of her grocery lists.