And I don't mean "Momma," I mean my mother. In her mid-fifties, she just finished a NM antelope hunt with a borrowed rifle and we have concluded two things: 1) she's interested in hunting some more with a rifle , and 2) she didn't really like the Ruger Compact .243 she used. I really want to encourage her to continue hunting, I'm trying to put together a list of guns, suitable for a women with little experience, that she can reference when she goes to handle rifles and "try one on for size" before she buys. I'm thinking along the lines of a .260, 7mm-08, 6.5X55, etc. I can reload for her, so ammo availability doesn't really matter.

Here is what I have so far:
-Ruger Compact, (probably won't like it either)
-Browning Micro Hunter
-Remington Model 7
-Winchester Model 70 FW (though availability and $$$ may be a problem)
-Savage youth (though I don't really like the muzzlebreak)

What else is there?

Thanks!

Your's are good choices.
Might want to consider a 257 Roberts also.

Don

With you reloading, I like the Rem M7 in 260.

dr,
how about a tika-t-3,they chamber 6.5x55,dont know about260 rem
708 is always a fine choice, regards

If she is not fond of the Ruger compact try a Ruger Ultra Light in a .257 Roberts.
Another one to consider is a Remington Mountain Rifle in any of the chamberings you mentioned.
Good Luck with getting your Mom outfitted.

How about a Browning Stainless Stalker in 25-06? You can load 100 or 120 grain bullets to make the recoil meet her needs!!!

My daughter shoots a BDL Stainless DM in .260 with the 24" barrel(not made anymore) and I got one for a small framed friend last year and it suits him to a tee! Not a lot of weight and not a lot of recoil. Of the current manufactured rifles, I'd have to lean toward the Remington MOUNTAIN RIFLE in .260 or 7mm-08 as they are light and easy to handle without beating you to death! Easier on the user than the Model 7's. Someone mentioned the Ruger Ultralight in .257 Roberts...................one of the rifles that I owned years ago that I wish I had back! I am not aware that they are still made either. They were not the COMPACTS they were pencil barreled M77's with cut down stock and they were light and useful! Using the 100 grain Noslers in the .260 will help with recoil for the small folks too and the end result of a well placed shot will be a dead antelope or deer or varmint!! Try the .260, you'll like it! GHD

Gidday Desert Ram,

Get your Mum a 260 and if you rteally love her you would make it a Sako 85 which weighs about the same as a mountain rifle but with a stiffer barrel with the weight forward which will help with pointing and recoil.

It is a class act, accurate and light. All you could ask for and as cheap as chips in the US.

You will probably get one for yourself after you have given it a try.

Happy Hunting

Hamish

Take your mom to a gun store and let her try a bunch of rifles on for size. The cartridge choices you mention are all good ones.

quote:

Take your mom to a gun store and let her try a bunch of rifles on for size.

YES! Gun feel and fit is a very personal thing. I bought one of the best shooting rifles I have simply because it was a .30-06 and I didn't have one and it fit me better than any rifle I had ever picked up. If it fits her well and she likes it, she and it will shoot much better than if not.

Plus, you get another trip to the gunstore out of it!

The choice of caliber is, IMHO, secondary to gun fit. You're in the right area with the ones you named. Won't be much difference at all between them.

LWD

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Snellstrom:
If she is not fond of the Ruger compact try a Ruger Ultra Light in a .257 Roberts.
QUOTE]

+ one!

I support a good old 260 any day, in any rifle brand...

but Ruger's ultra lite in 257 is a pretty sweet package!!!and a darn good cartridge...

How about real bluing and real walnut? CZ 550 with a single set trigger in 6.5X 55 or 7 x 57?

VR
Earl

25-06

I agree with the "walnut and blue" for Mom. You might give the new Savage Model 14 American Classic in 7mm-08 a look. You can add a good recoil pad to tame the already mild recoil and get her length of pull correct.

Let us know what she gets........

Good Hunting,

Bob

DesertRam, Way to go! In my area gun stores, the NRA range or at my gun club folks are very helpful to any woman showing interest in shooting. Have you got place where she might try some different guns to see what she thinks?

Of your choices I like the Browning Micro Hunter or Remington Model 7 best, but wouldn't rule out anything she likes. How long is her pull. Make sure she gets a stock that fits. A .257 or any caliber you've mentioned sounds good. You might also let her try a .270 if she's O.K. with the wt. and recoil. I wouldn't rule out a muzzle brake if she uses good ear protection. With a BOSS equipped Browning she'd have the option of using a brake on the range with ear protection, or using just the counter weight/compensator without ear protection when she hunts. The BOSS would also allow her to tune to a bullet weight, within the limits of what the twist rate will stabilize. Let us know what she chooses ...and did I mention, protect her hearing!

I just realized I was assuming something. Every rifle shooter ought to have a .22 rimfire for cheap practice. If she doesn't have one I'd definately get her one.

The Ruger Compact is a pretty fine rifle. So, before a proper recommendation could be made, an understanding of what she didn't like about the Ruger might give some clues as to what she might want in a rifle. My wife who is rather petite finds the compact to be quite suitable, but that doesn't mean it suits others well.

Was the pull too short, too light, recoil, etc.? And what do you think she might be hunting in the future (whitetails < > bears), terrain (open west or timber East), which will greatly influence the proper recommendation.

I would look to a rem 700 in 7-08. Look for a newer one with the R3 recoil pad. The weight will be easy to pack and should be comfortable to shoot.

John

Thanks for all the input fellas.

I'm not too worried about cartridge selection, I only mentioned that so you would see where I was headed. I mostly wanted a complete list of rifles that she should try on for size.

I overlooked the Tikka, so I'll add it to the list. The Sako 85 is a nice thought as well, though I'm not sure she'll like the price tag.

I was thinking mostly of new rifles, but by opening up to used I would definitely have to consider the Ruger Ultralight. My wife has one in .257 Roberts and it's a great little rifle (of course, it needs a decent trigger in a bad way).

I've got a winchester 70 sporter in a 25-06 that's my favorite rifle. It's good looking, flat shooting as anything out there, accurate (.37 100 yd. last group), and should kill anything up to the size of an elk. A winchester might be hard to find, but I like this caliber better than my savage 243 and remington 270.

The 25-06 doesn't kick much less than a .270 Win. A Roberts, .260 Rem. or 6.5 x 55 are better choices for a light recoiling rifle. Stock length can really make a difference. Have her try youth models and other rifles with shorter than average lengths of pull.

My wife loves a handi rifle in 308. heavy barrel. Its short, low recoil, and easy to operate. Simple and accurate. She does not have to worry about a mag or saftey. To bad the new ones dont have an ejector or i would get me one.
she is 55 years old and about 140 pnds

My little wife shoots my 7mm08 just fine but most women don't want any more recoil than that. The 260, 257 and 7x57 are also good choices. My favorite will always be the 7mm08.

Would you please just go buy your Mom a rifle? With all the advice you're getting you can hardly make a mistake! roger

Almost any 260 Rem or 257 Roberts will make her day. The Rem Model 7 in 260 is a nice package but there are a lot of options out there. Good to see you are taking care of Mom.

Roger, I'd love to, but she's only in the "fondling" stage right now. We live some distance apart, so I just wanted to make sure she has a comprehensive list when she hits her local shop.

You need to post a pic of mom with here new rifle when she gets it....with her first kill.

Bob

My wife is 5'1" and weighs 110 pounds. When she wanted to go hunting with me, I built her a Rem. Model 7 in 260.

I had it put into a Boyd's JRS stock and had the LOP shortened to fit her. The stock cost about $75.00 and the fitting job probably cost about $50.00.

The recoil was never an issue. The way I dealt with that was to say "guns kick, just learn how to shoulder it right and you'll do as good as any man." Then I worked with her for 10 minutes on shouldering and now she shoots my friend's 300 WinMag just fine. Same with our boys. In fact our 10 year old daughter shoots my 357 S&W quite well, and the only problem with my Redhawk .44 is her hands need to grow some more. In my opinion, 99% of recoil problems are present Before the trigger is pulled. Some of that is in the hold, most of it is in irrational anticipation.