[BowHunter21]

My better half recently started hunting this year and now she's hooked (thank goodness)... This year she hunted with my old Marlin 30-30 and popped a doe with it, but she wants her own gun!! I really don't want to buy another dirty-30.. What caliber do you gun experts suggest for her? Thanks in advance

 

[alexanderg23]

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/59358

here ya go, if the recoil is too much, Rem make reduced recoil ammo.

 

[carbonelement]

243

 

[Sylamore]

What ever she can shoot the best. :thumb:

 

[BowHunter21]

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/products_id/59358

here ya go, if the recoil is too much, Rem make reduced recoil ammo.

Wow, $339 for that aint bad! 308 shoot farther than a 30-30?

 

[BowHunter21]

243

This is what my dad suggested

 

[Arkiehunter74]

Before you make a purchase, ask friends if they have some guns your wife could shoot. Then buy the largest caliber she is comfortable shooting. My wife is petite, so I bought her a .243. In four years she has killed twelve deer and my step-daughter has killed four with it. Of the sixteen deer, seven dropped in their tracks, seven went less than fifty yards, and two went close to 100 yards before dropping. She did shoot one deer this year that I think she hit, but we found no blood or hair. As we talked about it, she wants to go a little larger caliber. she has now tried a .308 (hardly any kick at all) and a 270 (more kick, but she likes it the best). Just let her shoot different ones to see what she is comfortable with and go from there.

 

[Mr. Chitlin]

I really don't want to buy another dirty-30.. What caliber do you gun experts suggest for her? Thanks in advance

If that's what you hunt with it would make ammo compatibility very easy. You could both shoot the same ammo.

Wow, $339 for that aint bad! 308 shoot farther than a 30-30?

The 308 would shoot considerably farther than the 30/30, but with an increase in recoil unless you bought some of the "Managed Recoil" ammo.

243, 25/06, 7mm08, there are lots of calibers available, you'll find that calibers are like women and trucks, everyone has their favorite, though you may not like what someone else likes.

But if you are looking for a reason to buy another gun, you have come to the right place. :biggrin:

 

[alexanderg23]

I have a hard time saying a 243 kicks less than a 308. They use the same casing around the same amount of powder. now 243 bullets weights less, but the 308 is going slower. and after shooting both, call me crazy but I think the 308 kicks less. Maybe its a slower push/kick, compared to a 243 quick kick.

a 308 has about 25% more energy at the muzzle, so I guess that where the kick comes from, but just from personal experience I really can't tell the difference and prefer the 308. I will say that a 308 from that Marlin kicks LESS than a 243 from Rossi break barrel. Probably b/c of the weight and maybe a better pad.

My 12 didn't like the kick of the Rossi 243, and has no prob with the Marlin 308.

And I actually like hunting with that Youth Marlin in a deer stand it's smaller and is so easy to move around and with thick clothes is easier to get on target.

 

[mwells72774]

get her an H&R 270 :wink: or 25-06 and if the stock is too long, buy an after market youth stock

 

[SwampCat]

My ladies don't rifle hunt all the time, but when they do, they shoot a .44 Mag.:up:

Wife, daughter, and DIL all first gun of choice is my Ruger .44 carbine. Light, handles great, small frame, and low recoil - and it puts a big hole in the deer. However, it is a 100 yard gun.

 

[BowHunter21]

Mr. Chitlin: If that's what you hunt with it would make ammo compatibility very easy. You could both shoot the same ammo.

I don't hunt with the 30-30 I have a 30-06, but I bow hunt 95% of the time (reasoning behind my gun ignorance :head but I'm not getting her a bow, she doesn't have enough patience for all that and I'm not ready for gray hairs just yet

 

[storyhunter]

I agree with Arkiehunter. Some guns in different calibers kick more/less than others, due to the stock configuration. Also, a Rem 742 in 308 or 243 is going to kick less than others because the action soaks up some of the recoil. Just be sure she and the gun fit each other. My wife ( 5'5" and 120 lbs) shoots a custom 98 Mauser in 7 x 57 that was built for her and loves it.

 

[BowHunter21]

My ladies don't rifle hunt all the time, but when they do, they shoot a .44 Mag.:up:

Wife, daughter, and DIL all first gun of choice is my Ruger .44 carbine. Light, handles great, small frame, and low recoil - and it puts a big hole in the deer. However, it is a 100 yard gun.

hmmmmm how much do these run?

 

[SwampCat]

They ain't cheap. I do know of a nice one, with scope, for $500. Thought about buying it myself - to keep the ladies from fighting over the one I have, but gun season is over so my priorities have changed.

 

[ursus]

There are a lot of different calibers that would work just fine but my absolute top 2 choices would be a .260 Remington or 7mm-08. If you don't reload the 7mm-08 might be the best option since ammo is easier to find.

 

[shotgun wg]

My wife shoots a 25-06. Low recoil shoots flat and ammo isn't to high. Has enough knockdown for any game in Ar.

 

[No-till Boss]

I had my 16 year old daughter shooting my 243 WSSM yesterday and she didn't notice the recoil.

 

[poke_53]

My gf is about to be shooting a 243 for long range comps. I made the mistake of letting her shoot my 308 and she fell in love. So I chose 243 for her bc of excellent trajectory and lower recoil for quicker follow up shots. Just some data for you here.

308 150gr bullet at 2800fps out of a 7.5lb gun has a recoil energy of 15.8 ft/lbs
308 165gr bullet at 2700fps out of a 7.5lb gun has a recoil energy of 18.1 ft/lbs
308 180gr bullet at 2610fps out of a 8.0lb gun has a recoil energy of 17.5 ft/lbs

243 75 gr bullet at 3400fps out of a 8.5lb gun has a recoil energy of 7.2 ft/lbs
243 95gr bullet at 3100fps out of a 7.25lb gun has a recoil energy of 11 ft/lbs
243 100gr bullet at 2960fps out of a 7.5lb gun has a recoil energy of 8.8 ft/lbs

 

[WillyB71]

I have a hard time saying a 243 kicks less than a 308. They use the same casing around the same amount of powder. now 243 bullets weights less, but the 308 is going slower. and after shooting both, call me crazy but I think the 308 kicks less. Maybe its a slower push/kick, compared to a 243 quick kick.

a 308 has about 25% more energy at the muzzle, so I guess that where the kick comes from, but just from personal experience I really can't tell the difference and prefer the 308. I will say that a 308 from that Marlin kicks LESS than a 243 from Rossi break barrel. Probably b/c of the weight and maybe a better pad.

My 12 didn't like the kick of the Rossi 243, and has no prob with the Marlin 308.

And I actually like hunting with that Youth Marlin in a deer stand it's smaller and is so easy to move around and with thick clothes is easier to get on target.

For the last 20 years I have sighted in both, side by side, for my own hunting & for women & kids who were using my rifles. For guns of the same weight & stock configuration, it's a no brainer.

poke-53 layed it out very well.

Based on availability of factory ammo and the average woman's ability to lean into the kick without flinching, there are two clear choices:

.243 for a more recoil sensitive woman.

7mm-08 if she has more tolerance.