Suggestions for a ladie's rifle or carbine?

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What's it for?

A plinker for whacking tin cans isn't capable of stopping a bear.

I'd let her try every 223 you can get your hands on.. a Mini 14/30 can be had a lot cheaper than an M-1 Carbine. Ammo is cheap for either.

Most "youth" stocked rifles are too short for me but the M-1 Carbine does almost feel like handling a .22. Ammo is costly compared to other calibers.

Why not a bolt gun? CZ 527 in .7.62 x 39 or .223 could fit the bill too.

When I was a kid I always wanted a Savage model 180 pump action 3 shot 30-30... that would seem ideal as an all around lightwieght easy to use yet non military looking long arm with reasonable range.
 
I got my first M1 Carbine about 1962.
My wife and I were plinking and I asked her to shoot the Carbine. She said she thought it would kick too much.
I emptied a magazine while holding it one handed like a pistol to show her there was no recoil.

She shot it and the rest of the day I spent loading magazines for "her" rifle.:)

Hazel_shooting_scoped_Carbine.gif
 
"I'd go with an adjustable-stocked AR-15 when the AWB sunsets. That way you can enjoy it even if she doesn't." - she fired an AR once, didn't fall in love with it.

Already bought her an HK93A3 (turned out to be too heavy for her) using the female enticement ploy that it matches my HK91 (babes go for the matching thing!). I love the HK93, thrilled to have it (but may have to sell it and/or HK91 unless I have a financial breakthrough soon) but she isn't going to enjoy shooting it, or the Carbine Conversion Unit for my .45, or the Uzi Carbine (all too heavy).

"What's it for?" - ideally for plinking, mostly, but since we live in south Florida and we get hurricanes occasionally, I want my wife to have something with a little reach to it in case social order breaks down (like it did after Hurricane Andrew) after a hurricane, something that she can use to keep a gang of looters at bay, or back me up with in the same circumstances. TSHTF, basically.

"A plinker for whacking tin cans isn't capable of stopping a bear. " - Where we live, bears are not an issue, unless a hurricane blows all the animals out of the MetroZoo (like Hurricane Andrew did!). We live within a few miles of the Glades, so gators aren't totally out of the question. We live in a good, quiet, low-crime area, but a hurricane could change that. I want a fun plinker that can stop two-legged goblins at a little more than arm's length.
 
lever guns

I totally agree tha lever guns are the way to go as a first carbine. I have a Rossi in .45 colt and I honestly have much more fun with that than any of my automatics, and I'm quite deadly with it. Don't underestimate their capability. As far as semi autos in pistol cailibers go, I would get either a Kel-Tec sub or the Berreta Storm both are supposed to be pretty good. And if you want a real gun, CZ527 are sweet, my dad just got on in 7.62X39 and it is a VERY COOL gun. Also, I like my bushy M17s, for a .223 autoloader it works quite well. It is very reliable and accurate. The choices are endless.
 
There's no such thing as a "Lady's Rifle or Carbine." That's a marketing ploy.

I've known women who had no problem shouldering .300 Winchester Magnum boltguns and I've known men who thought that the recoil sensation from a 7.62x39mm AK was too much.

It sounds like rather than a "lady" we're discussing a shooter of smaller stature and lighter build, for whom rifle weight, length and recoil are more of an issue than for others, and who is potentially less familiar with firearms than others.

To this end, I think Domino had the right when mentioning the CZ527. Bolt action carbines have the advantages of light weight, simplicity and accuracy.

Why muddy the waters with magazines, release buttons, gas systems, or flying cases? Giving a shooter something solid, simple, easy to learn, and above all, accurate and reliable inspires confidence and fosters additional interest in the sport.
 
There is a "Lady's Gun." Most women do not like the weight or recoil of most of the guns we hold dear. They're also physically smaller, so their gun needs to be similarly proportioned.

The guns that I would recommend have already been mentioned, but I'll order them with reasons:
1) Beretta CX4 Storm -- I already stock the ammo. It's light and attractive.
2) AR-15 -- She's already fired one and liked it aside from the way it looks.
3) M1 Carbine -- The same as #2 only more attractive, but more expensive.

I like the idea of a .38 Special lever action. They feel like .22's.
 
Seems to me that one of the new 7.62x39 Enfields would make an excellent light general-use carbine
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I agree. The Enfields are well suited for women because they have smaller frames in general and the Enfield is a small frame friendly gun. Those carbines are perfect for people that don't want the extra recoil or expense of the .303. Depending on how much you shoot, the extra cost of the 7.62x39mm conversion could pay for itself with ammo savings.

I want one but I won't convert one of my Enfields and I can't see paying the price they ask for one. I think it may be a fair price but I can't do it for some reason. I can get unconverted Enfields for less than $100 so it seems that one converted to 7.62x39mm shouldn't cost more than $200. I think the price is close to $500 IIRC. The bbl can stay, the bolt needs to be fitted, the mag well has to be altered and a few other things but it doesn't seem like $400 worth of work to me.:rolleyes:
 
I would go with a Mini-14 as a good plinking rifle that can also serve as a varmit (2 or 4 legged) rifle . The .223 round is pretty cheap to shoot (Wolf 55gr FMJ at $2.10 a box/20 at Outdoor Marksman) and recoil is light. A Mini-30 would work too as the 7.62x39 is also a cheap round to shoot and . The Mini is easy to operate and clean and even makes a good truck gun due to its fairly small size. The stock pull on the Mini is the same as the 10/22.

My Mini-14 Ranch is fairly accurate with 3" groups at 100 yds after a trigger job, muzzle brake and a reduced size gas port bushing. Cutting the barrel to 16" can reduce groups to 1 inch or so at 100yds. Pre-Ban 20 and 30 round mags are widely available for defending against shockwave attacks of enemy watermelons.
 
I've seen pink furniture posted, and other colors also!
I guess some Father's really go all out to get their daughters interested in shooting!:D
 
Don't get her something pre-colored; let her choose her own!
Cavalry Arms furniture...

173942.jpg


Seriously though, consider a Cavarms receiver. It is a pound lighter than a standard lower and an A2 buttstock, and is 5/8" shorter than the A1. I have heard great things about them, and am planning to buy one soon!

You know, theoretically you could have a red buttstock, white handguards and a blue pistol grip...the true American rifle. However, I wouldn't ever advocate the use of pink furniture. I guess that's a way for your spouse to tell you to stay the hell away from her firearms.:D

p.s.
lol, it took you guys half a page to mention the Bushmaster Lady?
 
I vote the M1 carbine. Another gun of interest is by busymaster, called the lady. It is a nice tan color and has a carbon fiber receiver. It weighs 4 pounds. I don't know about the durability of the carbon fiber receiver though.
 
My vote goes for the Beretta Storm. It shoots everything. I use lead round nose reloads in 124 an 147 grain without any failures to feed or extract.
 
It is true that our female soldiers are training with the same AR that the guys use. But those aren't HBAR models which are quite a bit more nose-heavy than the standard issue A2. It seems that HBAR is more of the rule rather than the exception these days in "civilian" AR's. I wish they'd get away from that and go back to the vision of the original M-16. Wasn't being lightweight one of THE most important features in it's development?

Anyway, you might want to add an AR-180B to the list as well. It's lightweight, uses cheap .223, burns cleaner and is cheaper than a standard AR15. I'd also endorse a lever gun. They are a hoot to shoot. Mine's a .44 mag.
 
Well as others have said I think an AR15 carbine (with lightweight barrel) or a Mini-14 are good choices.

In a levergun, how about a Cimmeron 1873 Trapper in 357? The 16" barrel is handy and the 73 toggle action is slick and easy to manipulate. I fine the Win 94 or the Marlin 94 or 95 harder to operate due to the stronger actions.
 
Another vote for the M1 carbine. Doesn't take much hand strength to operate, is small, lightweight, and has that fuzzy warm wood feeling -- not threatening.

Once when my sister was being stalked and staying at my parents house I went there unannounced and found she had armed herself with the M1 carbine, and remembered how to use it based on the one lesson I had given her.
 
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