Deer rifle for my wife

[NateG]

My wife recently expressed some interest in going deer hunting with me. (It'll probably have to wait for next season, unfortunately) She's pretty small, and not one for too much recoil, and I don't have a rifle between a .22 and .30 caliber. So my question is this: what would you say are some of the lightest-recoil cartdidges that can be used on deer? (In VA the requirement is >.224") I'll probably handload for it, so limited factory loads aren't a big problem. My thinking right now is a .243 or 6.5 Swede. How do they compare? What other cartridges should I consider?

 

[Art Eatman]

Between the .243 and the Swede, the .243 would do better as a dual-purpose critter, if varmints are in your itinerary. If not, the Swede would be a bit better because of the heavier bullets.

You could look at the .257 Roberts, I guess...

Any or all will work just fine, particularly for a handloader.

The mainest thing is that you tweak the rifle for a proper fit for her.

Art

 

[mete]

6.5x55, 260, 7mm-08. These are all excellent for deer ,accurate and light recoil. Make sure the gun fits her. If you are ahandloader you can start with reduced loads and work up to full loads as she gets used to it.

 

[mustanger98]

NateG:

My wife recently expressed some interest in going deer hunting with me. (It'll probably have to wait for next season, unfortunately)

That would probably depend on how well she can shoot, the season dates, and if/when she can take the hunter safety course (if necessary).

She's pretty small, and not one for too much recoil, and I don't have a rifle between a .22 and .30 caliber.

My gun shop is owned by a married couple- they're friends and neighbors of mine- and she is a small petite lady. (I'm 6' tall and that's a head taller than her.) She shoots a Remington Model 7 in .260 and told me she likes it. Her husband tells me he's not a recoil junkie either (neither am I) and we both shoot .243Winchester.

So my question is this: what would you say are some of the lightest-recoil cartdidges that can be used on deer? (In VA the requirement is >.224") I'll probably handload for it, so limited factory loads aren't a big problem. My thinking right now is a .243 or 6.5 Swede. How do they compare? What other cartridges should I consider?

In light of my comments above, along with the fact that I've never used a .223Remington on deer, I'm going to recommend .243Winchester or .260 in a Remington Model 7. This rifle comes with sights on the barrel, so she won't have to be in any hurry to scope it. Or, Savage makes their Model 10GY (Youth) in .243Winchester and it should make a good rifle for a small lady. It should be to be had for much less than MSRP too. (I have their Model 11 in .243 and it's a good shootin' rifle. The Model 10GY looks just like it.)

http://www.savagearms.com/10GY.htm

Here's a link to an article (w/ photos) a guy wrote about his wife hunting with a Remington Model 7.

http://www.clcweb.net/Shooting/Remington_Model_7/remington_model_7.html

Editted to add:
I don't recommend a 7mm-08. I shot a match with a .243 and the match director ain't as big a guy as I am. He was shooting a 7mm-08 and just the 20-30rds for the match was beating him up pretty bad. Shooting well enough to make a humane kill takes practice. If she don't want to practice with it, she probably won't shoot it enough to get good with it.

 

[Smuggs]

Depends on the range. The .243 is used a lot in this part of central Ky but I have also had good results from a .44 mag carbine. While I have not had any experiance with them personaly a marlin carbine in .357 mag should take deer sized game up to 100 yards (about 50 more than I normaly see them) and have the ability to use .38 spl so that even a recoil sensitive shooter can get used to the rifle and slowly bring up the power level till using full strength loads. The final decision will depend on the range you normaly take your shot from and what is comfortable to the shooter.

 

[Dale Taylor]

The 6.5x55 is excellent choice and harvested many deer and hogs for my family. Recoil not noticible. [email protected]

 

[dakotasin]

you should look at the 7-08, 260, 25-06, 257 roberts, and for rifles you want to look at the remington m7, ruger compact, winchester featherwight.

don't be too quick to sell her short on recoil - women handle recoil much, much better than intuition or most men. the big thing is to get a rifle that fits well, and isn't too heavy.

if i was setting my wife up w/ another big game rifle, it would be a remington m7 in 7-08 w/ a leupold vx-2 2-7.

good luck.

 

[twoblink]

M1A with a bolt buffer, and a limb saver. It'll be a pussycat.

I'd go with the .243 though.

How small is "small"? My wife is fairly small.. 5'2".

 

[AlleninAlaska]

243, 7mm-08, 260 or a 308. 25-06 or a 270 as second choice. Look into the Tikka T3 Lite rifles.

My daughter started with a 7mm-08 when she was 10 years old. Loaded some of the very first Barnes X 140's down to about 2500 FPS for her.

 

[Colt46]

Go for the swede

It's a pussycat of a round and will get the job done. The .243 is the minimum caliber for deer and I don't like it's max bullet weight of 100 grains. Not enough sectional density for optimal penetration.

 

[mustanger98]

Colt46:

The .243 is the minimum caliber for deer and I don't like it's max bullet weight of 100 grains. Not enough sectional density for optimal penetration.

I don't know what your opinion of optimal penetration is, but I've seen what a .243 with 100gr PowerPoints will do to a deer. In one side and out the other. The deer didn't walk 50 feet. My buddy who owns the gun shop- he shoots deer with a .243 and he's described much the same performance on a bigger buck than the one I'm remembering. .243 will do the job with a point-blank of 200yds and not much drop at 300yds.

Inside 100yds, I wouldn't hesitate to use a .357 carbine with a good 158gr SP.

 

[R.W.Dale]

I would reccomend one of the various bolt action carbines chambered in 7.62x39. recoil is nonexistant and ammo is so cheap you won't bust the bank getting extra practice in. This round offers plenty of power for 200yd shots on whitetail 300yds if you're good. In fact at 300 yds a 123gr sp round from the x39 still has more oomph than a 357 magnum handgun at the muzzle.

 

[45crittergitter]

Another vote for the Tikka T3/T3 Lite in .243. My wife, who is recoil and weight conscious due to arthritis, loves hers.

 

[crackerjack]

choices

I set a 260 Rem in model 7 for my daughter and she is very pleased with it. Recoil is very manageable. If you use Nolser partion in 125 g , they are deadly, and would be my first choice for low recoil and upon skinning no one will guess the caliber. I suggest to use the 20 inch barrel. Recoil is acceptable with a 140g softpoint.There is little comparsion between it and the 243 other than recoil.The 7/08 is a very good caliber but I perfer the 260.
Good Luck choosing

 

[sumpnz]

If your wife is a right handed shooter, I cannot recommend the CZ 550 highly enough. I have one in 6.5 Swede and just this past Friday took a very large cow elk with it. I used Barnes 140gr XLC bullets handloaded to 2850 fps. You can also get those in I think S&B factory loads, though they'll be lighter at probably 2600 fps. That elk only ran 38 yards (paced off), and the shot was 110-120 yards (paced off at 140 but that was down one hill and up another so straight line distance was shorter). No exit wound though. I'm sure on a deer it would have exited, even on a "Texas

You can get the 550 in .243 and 6.5 Swede along with a number of other calibers. It's controlled round feed (Mauser style) if that matters to you. The American style is really nice with its longer barrel (23.6") and straight stock. Some like the Lux style with its hogsback stock, but I don't think they're importing those anymore. You can also get a Full Stock style that has the Mannischler (sp??) style stock that goes all the way to the muzzel. Those have a shorter barrel (20" IIRC).

Here's the website for the American model.

 

[NateG]

Thanks!

My wife and I will probably be going to the gunshow in November in Chantilly (on opening weekend of rifle season... who planned that one out?), so now I've got a bunch of calibers to try to find a cheapie in. Any suggestions there?

I think the contenders are:
.243
6.5 Swede
.260
7.62x39 (if, somehow, I find a cheap used CZ 527 carbine for sale... but I doubt anyone'd be willing to part with one.)

I wish the contenders included:
.25-06
7mm08
.270

As for selling my wife short on recoil, she'll try most anything once (well, she hasn't wanted to try 180gr loads in my mosin-nagant), but she doesn't enjoy the recoil much. So, since this will be her rifle, I'd like to get her something that she can practice with a bunch as well as take hunting, so, even with light loads, that probably rules out the heavier cartridges.

I realize that I could probably load up some really light loads of just about anything so that she could gradually get used to the recoil of hunting loads in whatever caliber. However, I'm still hoping that she'll be able to go this season, so it'll probably have to be one of the little guys.

Another question: Say I get one of the 6.5/.243/.260 cartridges, what would you say is the minimum load for shooting whitetails out to about 100 yards? Or factory hunting loads that aren't too hot?

Thanks again,
Nate

 

[NateG]

Mmmmm... CZ 550 [/homer]

sumpnz, why did you have to remind me of that one? I've been lusting after a CZ in 6.5 swede for a long time now. However, with getting married, going on our honeymoon, buying a house, and getting a dog, the ol' checking account just couldn't handle that right now... hence going to the gunshow to look for a cheapie. Of course, if I find a good deal on a CZ in 6.5 at the show... well...

I've got a CZ 452 Lux, and my wife really enjoys shooting that, so finding a 550 Lux in 6.5 Swede (or the full stock version... be still my beating heart!) would make my day.

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

6.5mm Rules

I've started women and kids on the 6.5x55 Swedish and its ballistic twin, the .260 Remington. Recoil is never a problem. Getting the rifle back so I can use it is.

The .243 is a good round, I guess, but nowhere near the penetration and power of a handloaded 6.5mm, if you believe in energy and sectional density.

 

[mustanger98]

For .243Winchester, I'd recommend Winchester (grey box with deer head), Remington CoreLokt's (green box), and Sellier&Bellot. All those in 100gr SP. I've shot all three and they give good accuracy at 100yds and actually farther than that.

Not having shot 6.5x55 and .260, I can't speak to those, other than what my friend at the gun shop tells me about her's.

The .243 is a good round, I guess, but nowhere near the penetration and power of a handloaded 6.5mm, if you believe in energy and sectional density.

Again, I must reiterate that I and my local hunting friends have seen .243 penetrate, expand, and exit deer with devastating results. And as I've said somewhere around here, one of those deer was out at 147yds and didn't walk far at all.

 

[Colt46]

Will you get that kind of performance

Colt46:


I don't know what your opinion of optimal penetration is, but I've seen what a .243 with 100gr PowerPoints will do to a deer. In one side and out the other. The deer didn't walk 50 feet. My buddy who owns the gun shop- he shoots deer with a .243 and he's described much the same performance on a bigger buck than the one I'm remembering. .243 will do the job with a point-blank of 200yds and not much drop at 300yds.

Inside 100yds, I wouldn't hesitate to use a .357 carbine with a good 158gr SP.

From any angle at maximum effective shooting range? What about damaged meat? Do you have to rely on premium bullets to get optimal efficiency?
The .243 is immensly popular and harvests many more deer each year than the 6.5mm. It does have limitations as a big game rifle though. Those people that understand what it's capable of do just fine with it.
I prefer the Swede. For beginners it makes more sense. Low recoil, accuracy, and legendary performance on large game will certainly give someone new to the sport a bit of confidence and more opportunity to take a shot they might not risk in a lesser caliber.

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

Another question: Say I get one of the 6.5/.243/.260 cartridges, what would you say is the minimum load for shooting whitetails out to about 100 yards? Or factory hunting loads that aren't too hot?

Remington loads the 140 gr Corelokt for both, and it's a pretty soft load. For minimum recoil, though, the 120 gr. Accutip in 120 gr is a pussycat.

On the handloading side, Sierra has Varminter bullets at 85 gr and 100 gr, I think, and the MatchKing comes in 107 gr.

 

[mustanger98]

Will you get that kind of performance... From any angle at maximum effective shooting range? What about damaged meat? Do you have to rely on premium bullets to get optimal efficiency?

You mean like those "Texas inema" heart shots? If you've read another thread here, you know that the general consensus is that's a last resort shot on already wounded game. Place the bullet (of any caliber including 6.5Swede) in the upper lungs/spinal area and that problem shouldn't occur. To 100yds, this would seem an easy shot to make for an experienced shooter new to hunting. The way I sight in, the rifle has a 250yd point blank because, according to the trajectory tables, it's only 4-5" low at most at that distance.

Premium bullets? I hunt with Winchester 100gr PowerPoint and it does the job, as do Remington CoreLokt. Damaged meat? You'll get that with any poorly placed shot from any caliber.

The .243 is immensly popular and harvests many more deer each year than the 6.5mm. It does have limitations as a big game rifle though. Those people that understand what it's capable of do just fine with it.

Right. And I understand we're talking about shooting deer in this thread. That part about understanding your rifle was covered in the hunter education course I took and I expect it should be covered in any such course as a big part of every hunter's responsibility. It should go without saying.

I prefer the Swede. For beginners it makes more sense. Low recoil, accuracy, and legendary performance on large game will certainly give someone new to the sport a bit of confidence and more opportunity to take a shot they might not risk in a lesser caliber.

I never did knock personal preference or 6.5. I'm simply discussing what I know. And I learned not to take any shot I'm not sure of and I advise any beginner's to do the same. Lesser caliber had nothing to do with that as bullet placement was drilled into me from an early age with any caliber.

How large is "large game"? Again, we talking about Eastern Whitetails.

 

[Guns_and_Labs]

Again, I must reiterate that I and my local hunting friends have seen .243 penetrate, expand, and exit deer with devastating results. And as I've said somewhere around here, one of those deer was out at 147yds and didn't walk far at all.

No question as to .243's lethality. Heck, if you're good enough for a headshot, .223 will do it too. But a raking shot, or close range impact on the shoulder... we've all heard or seen them blow up. The 6.5's advantage is penetration. That's what it was designed for, and what it's used for.

IMHO, the .243 is an incredible varmint rifle, and an expert's (small) deer round, but I wouldn't start out my little deer hunters on a round where they have to worry so much about presentation.

 

[sumpnz]

I've been lusting after a CZ in 6.5 swede for a long time now. However, with getting married, going on our honeymoon, buying a house, and getting a dog, the ol' checking account just couldn't handle that right now... hence going to the gunshow to look for a cheapie. Of course, if I find a good deal on a CZ in 6.5 at the show... well...

I got mine for $450 shipped off another member of this board. I also saw one in 6.5 Swede for a similar price around the same time at a gun show in Tucson. And sorry, mine is not for sale.

If you can find them, the Husquvarna rifles are very nice and usually in the $300-400 range. A lot of them are in 6.5 Swede, though many are also .270 and .30'06.

 

[Dale Taylor]

Good advice about Husquvarna. [email protected]