Looking at possible Rifle Choices for ME:)

[MightyMiss]

Hi! I'm pretty new to the whole sport of hunting. In fact I haven't actually shot any animals other than game birds. I'm just here looking for advice on a nice rifle for myself. My current rifle is much too small to be used on any game... Varmit gun!!! It is only a .17 calibre. I am looking to hunt large game, mostly Elk and Moose since I don't really care for deer. I'm a small female and currently I am shooting a 300 win mag but I really don't want to hunt with it. It is way too much gun for what I want to handle. I don't find the recoil too bad until a couple of hours after the fact and I don't think I would be able to handle too many shots from that gun... I looked at a Browning 7mm-08 with a composite stock and it seemed nice. Anythoughts on this issue would be very much appreciated.

[Cowtown guy]

More important than calibre is the fit of the rifle. If it doesn't fit YOU then it isn't fun to shoot. You'd be surprised what you could comfortably handle with a good fit.
If the Browning fits you nicely the 7mm08 is a great little round. Some pretty decent bullet weights available and low recoiling as a rule.
Remington makes a youth model that lots of women find just right. It is available in quite a few decent calibres. The 7mm08 being one of them.
Good luck and welcome to our sitcom.

[Matt L.]

Welcome to the forum! As for a rifle, I don't thinkyou can do much better than what Cowtown's recommended. Happy shooting!

[sheepguide]

PM sent

[Jetski]

Long distance shooting and hunting are two different things imo. Anyone can buy an accurate 500 yard caliber and rifle and road hunt some game across a cut block. It takes a whole different skill set to be able to get into position to shoot an Elk or Moose at less than 100 yards for which a 30-30 will do just fine and won't give you a nose bleed touching it off.

[Gonehuntin']

I'd have to agree with the above comments, my wife has a Rem. 700 .308 Youth model and really likes it.I handload and try tame the recoil down a little for her. 7-08 would be an excellent choice, from firsthand experience, it will take up to moose and elk.(with the properly placed shot, of course!

Yup, cowtown said it....get a rifle that fits. Most women are the victim of hand me downs that don't fit and they aren't fun to shoot. The 7mm08 is one of those very versatile cartridges that seems to suit anyone well that is recoil sensitive. Ensure the pull is the correct length and that the rifle balances well. One word of caution about synthetic stocks is that if your length of pull is short, they often can't be cut down to fit.

[rem338win]

Get the 7mm-08 if it fits right and shoot got bullets. Then post pictures of a pretty smile with a big dead critter on AO and your good.
Like it is being said, a rifle that fits with a good recoil pad goes a long way.

[7mm-08]

7mm-08

[MightyMiss]

Thanks!!! I'm not too worried about the recoil since I am shooting a 300 win mag and I was under the assumption that those kick pretty hard... I've never shot anything other than the 300, my .17, some smaller shot guns (.410 and 20 guage) and some .22s. I am, however, concerned about the weight. The rifle I shoot now is just way too heavy. I usually rest it on downfall in the bush or the bench at the range so that I can get a relatively accurate shot. The wobbles are bad.

[James M]

If you want something lightweight, look into the Tikka T3 lite or the Sako A7. Check out different guns at sporting goods stores to see what make and model you would prefer for weight and lenth of pull.

[Cowtown guy]

Originally Posted by MightyMiss

Thanks!!! I'm not too worried about the recoil since I am shooting a 300 win mag and I was under the assumption that those kick pretty hard... I've never shot anything other than the 300, my .17, some smaller shot guns (.410 and 20 guage) and some .22s. I am, however, concerned about the weight. The rifle I shoot now is just way too heavy. I usually rest it on downfall in the bush or the bench at the range so that I can get a relatively accurate shot. The wobbles are bad.

Again it comes down to the fit. If the rifle doesn't fit properly, it feels off balanced and the wobbles get horrendous when you are trying to support it in an uncomfortable position. In your previous post you said that after the fact you do notice the recoil and you don't think you could handle too many shots from that gun.
That is, in my opinion too much recoil. With a proper fit this may go away. It may not. A 300 is alot of gun. Although it is efficient, it is far from necessary for what you described earlier.
In order to be good you have to shoot lots. No two ways around that. If you shoot lots with a gun as you described above then you will develop a flinch sooner or later. We can't outsmart our brains no matter how hard we try and your brain will be telling you it will hurt so you jerk the trigger in anticipation of the recoil.
There are plenty of models to choose from but don't overlook the signs of being recoil shy. We all have our limits. I am a big guy and I draw my line at the 7mm Rem mag. That is enough for me. I don't need any bigger so that is where I'll stay. Yes I can handle more but it isn't comfortable for me at the range, so until I can scrounge up the money for a custom that fits properly I won't go bigger.

[MightyMiss]

Thanks Cowtown. That is a very good point. I see what you mean about the fit. The 300 is definitly not a good fit for me. I also don't like what it does to deer. It is overkill for what I am looking for.

Now that I think of it, it probably does have too much recoil for me and I just didn't recognize it as the recoil affecting me because there are a whole combinations of things happening at the same time. The gun is too heavy, too long and after I'm done shooting my muscles don't necessarily feel sore so much as fatigued.

I do understand that fit is definitly the top consideration, my .17 feels awesome to shoot, but what I am trying to decide is which calibre I should look at once I find that perfect gun. My top two choices are the 7mm-08 and the .308. I was reading lots of posts and lots of guys seem to recommend the .243 for women but the fellows I have been talking to seem to have mixed reviews on it. I have lots of time to do my research and find the perfect rifle which is why I am even on here. I will definity be checking out many stores. I don't want something that I am not going to like. I definitly will look more closely at the fit when I do my shopping around.

One thing I did notice about the Browning is that I really like the feel of the dura-touch armour they have on the composite stock. I was given the opportunity to handle the Tika and the Browning side by side and was impressed with the feel of the browning. I don't think I have ever touched a remington.

Does the make of the gun affect what it feels like when it is shot? I really liked the feel of the Browning at the counter compared to the Tika, but would there be a marked difference at the firing line? Is it possible that I would like the Tika better at that point or does how it feel at the counter give you a good idea of what it would feel like to shoot? I know it seems like I am writing a novel. Shows how naive and new I really am. I just want to invest wisely.

[Cowtown guy]

Every gun feels a little different because the shape of the stock is different. Some have your hand a little lower than others. Some have a bigger palm swell. The thumbhole stocks align your wrist differently. Everything is just a little different and sometimes that translates into more felt recoil because it pushes you into an un comfortable position.
Play with as many guns as people will let you play with. Stand at the gun counter that you plan on buying from and make sure that some body there makes the time to let you try them. It isn't a small investment you are making.
As far as calibre, the 7mm08 and the 308 will do just fine. They have and will continue you to take elk and deer at reasonable ranges for many years. The 308 does have a little more recoil. Check out the link www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm and it will give you a comparison as to the recoil between a bunch of rifles and bullet types. The thing that I like about the 7mm08 is the availability to go to a 120 grain bullet if you want to in a factory load.

Now for the crazy part......wait until you see the discussions when you ask about scope selection.

[MightyMiss]

Okay... I know this will sound like a silly question but what is the difference between the grains? The 300 has 180grain bullets but since I don't know what it means I guess it is irrelevant. Especially since I don't particularly like shooting it. I know that I am going to go with a factory load since I don't have the confidence or the know how to even think of loading my own bullets.

I'm not even ready to think about scopes yet... My .17 has a BSA Sweet 17, but for my hunting rifle...

Man there are so many variables... So confused...

[Cowtown guy]

A grain is a measure of weight. Just think of it in terms of pounds instead of grains. The heavier the object the more force is required to push it around. The more force that is generated, the more force (recoil) is felt.
The smaller 120 grain bullets will have less recoil and fly faster out of the barrel. The heavier bullets are a little slower coming out, but they take longer to slow down at longer distances and also have a little more punch when they hit.
With most modern bullet types, people shoot lighter bullets if they are primarily hunting deer or antelope and pick a heavier bullet if their main quarry is larger, tougher game like elk and moose. Because the heavier bullets pack more punch they can handle smashing the bigger bones of the toughed game. Of course there are some exceptins to every rule before others jump on me about that but this is the general theory.

[Okotokian]

I continually hear posters talk about the importance of "fit", but we rarely explain it in any detail. I wondered how much more than "the gun feels good" does the term really imply. I have all kinds of adjustments and shims for my Beretta shotgun, but have never tried using them since I really didn't know what the point would be.

I came across this little one page article that explains a lot of it quite simply and gives me some idea of how I might adjust my Beretta, and also what I'd look for in future firearm purchases. Perhaps it might help someone else.

http://members.aye.net/~bspen/fit.html

Length of pull is the base measurement for fit. Lots of variables after that but if length of pull is wrong, the rifle will never fit.

[FallAirFever]

That is a good link OKO, Thanks!

MM, one other caliber to consider is .270 win. Very close in recoil to the 7mm-08 and .308.

When looking at rifles there is something else I would suggest to keep in mind, and that is wieght and "design" of the rifle. For example, I had a buddy looking for a rifle a couple years ago, he is a smaller guy with small hands so fit is difficult. He shouldered everything we could get our hands on. He ended up buying a Remington Mountain LSS (Laminate/Stainless steel) in 7mm-08. It fit him great but when we got out shooting it found that because it was a "mountian" design and built to be light it had way more muzzle jump than we expected, because of the short tapered barrel and slim stock. So yes it is great to have a light easy packing rifle but remember in physics for every action there is a equal and opposite reaction, the weight of a rifle helps to soak up some of that recoil. It is a bit of a balancing act I think.

Also, a good recoil pad can make a huge difference. I put one on my 270 and is sure helped with recoil and my shooting. Many rilfes today come with good factory installed recoil pads, but if a rifle you are looking at does not keep in mind the fit if you decide to put one on.

Good Luck, happy shooting!!

[Cowtown guy]

Good link OKO. It may be over the heads of some really new shooters but great info to have and use for sure.

FAF...I think the recoil pad is a great idea also. I think that is why you find the recoil so close between the 270 and 7mm08. Going by Chuck's tables the difference is almost 25% which to me isn't that close. The .308 and the .270 are considerably closer though with the same sized bullets (150's). The 7mm08 comes in at 12.6 lbs, the .270 at 17 lbs and the 308 at 15.8 lbs. The 7mm08 was pushing 140's.

Personally, I hate the .270. I had one and the thing kicked like a mule. Still a great consideration, just not for me. Nothing wrong with the cartridge, it just really turned me off. By the way it did fit properly.

These discussions sure bring alot to the table in the grand scheme of things. The newbies on this board must think we are all nuts discussing these topics twice a month, every month. How long 'till hunting season?

[MightyMiss]

Three months and six days for most animals... Rifle season anyway... Opens Sept 17.

[MightyMiss]

Can't say you're totally nuts... Can learn a lot of stuff reading these posts. Repetition is key!!! :-)

[Cowtown guy]

75 days for some of the mountain zones

[MightyMiss]

I don't think I'll be hunting the mountains anytime soon... 98 days until Sept 17... I think I'll keep thinking in months for mow... Much smaller number. Does the season open on Sept 17 all the time... I'm in Grande Prairie?

[Cal]

Some of the zones out here in slave open sept 1st for rifles. Down south many dont open for rifles untill november. Have to check the zones you hunt. The .270 contrary to popular beleif is not a light kicking rifle. Its not a hard kicker either but in the real world I cant feel a difference between it and a 30-06.

[Huntnut]

I know Corlanes in Dawson was selling Howa's in 7mm-08 that came with 2 stocks-a youth and an adult size,

[MightyMiss]

I see that... I guess I only look closely at the Zones I would likely hunt. These are the 357, 354, 358, 356 zones. I know there are exceptions like moose that have a couple of different seasons. I was just generalizing the opening date to what I would hunt with a general tag (i.e. Antlered Elk, and Deer).

[roger]

hi mightymiss,
this kinda fits your desires,and a another chance to pedal this remington from my gunsafe....


http://www.outdoorsmenforum.ca/showthread.php?t=31505