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.308 for female shooters
wvhunt
Member Posts: 822 ✭✭✭✭
Looking at getting my lady a deer rifle and to be honest as we all do ( dont lie) I kinda want what I get her to fit what I like. Ive been wanting a ruger american in .308 and I figured hey why not. Is the .308 a manageable round for a female shooter or should i stick with the ole .243?
Comments
Or just man up and by yourself the .308 and buy her something she wants.
Swede boys kill polar bears with it every year so it will handle North American game.
Let her try one if you can before you write it off. .308 in a light hunting rifle may be a bit much for the average woman. As much as they hate to admit it, apparently for the average man too since I always find local deals on half boxes of .308 and 30-06. [:D]
It has too much punch for the average female. Let her try one first, or else, go with the compromise, the elegant Swedish Mauser. It is .263 caliber, so it is inbetween the .243 and the .270.
Swede boys kill polar bears with it every year so it will handle North American game.
+1
6.5 Swede is a very accurate round and in riles of equal quality will out shoot the .308 all day long. Factory loads are easy on the shoulder, but handloads can be warmed up, quite a bit !!!
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Put a kickez on the rifle and she will be good to go and some are made to fit each rifle. http://www.kickeezproducts.com/
Great advice here but,U may have to cut the stock down.The slip-on or even a screw attached pad will lengthen the LOP.
It has too much punch for the average female. Let her try one first, or else, go with the compromise, the elegant Swedish Mauser. It is .263 caliber, so it is inbetween the .243 and the .270.
Swede boys kill polar bears with it every year so it will handle North American game.
You, Sir, are a wise man!
140gr bullet at 2500-2600fps is a killing machine.
My wife is 5'4" about 120 lbs and handles my 30-06 without a problem. Women are more often tougher than we think.
If you're a handloader, you always have the option of reducing the loads to a more comfortable level with the option of bumping it up if necessary.
If you really think she's recoil shy, there are plenty of other options: 6.5X55, 260 Remington, 7mm Mauser, 7mm 08, even the 243 Winchester.
Looking at getting my lady a deer rifle and to be honest as we all do ( dont lie) I kinda want what I get her to fit what I like. Ive been wanting a ruger american in .308 and I figured hey why not. Is the .308 a manageable round for a female shooter or should i stick with the ole .243?
I highly recommend you consider a 7mm-08. It will take any game the 308 can. It shoots almost as flat a 270, hits A LOT harder than a 243, and has very little more recoil than the 243, AND it comes in several youth models (for those of small stature).
Hope this helped,
Jim
Much better choice than a .243. >>> IMHO
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quote:Originally posted by wvhunt
Looking at getting my lady a deer rifle and to be honest as we all do ( dont lie) I kinda want what I get her to fit what I like. Ive been wanting a ruger american in .308 and I figured hey why not. Is the .308 a manageable round for a female shooter or should i stick with the ole .243?
I highly recommend you consider a 7mm-08. It will take any game the 308 can. It shoots almost as flat a 270, hits A LOT harder than a 243, and has very little more recoil than the 243, AND it comes in several youth models (for those of small stature).
Hope this helped,
Jim
+1
All thou I do not have a 7mm-08 I have shot several the recoil is bliss! and have seen many Elk taken with it. Great choice Jim Rau![^][^][^]
If your lady is really wanting to hunt I would let her be part of the decision. If you are going to buy a rifle she can hunt with in case she decides to accompany you then buy the .308 you want and use the rediced loads if she needs them.
Do not be deceived into thinking a woman can not handle a magnum cartridge. My mother-in-law; 5'1", 130lbs? or less; and my wife; 5'2" 130lbs? or less; both shoot 7x61 Sharpe and Hart. That cartridge pushes a 154 grain bullet just shy of 3100fps. The 7mm Remington magnum is a close second to the 7x61.
FWIW, I have a Ruger M77 Ultralight .308 and I don't care to shoot too many rounds through it at the bench in the summer. Of course that is a light gun, short barrel, terrible recoil pad, and it shoots 180's the best.
Jon
Cartridge (Wb@MV)
Rifle Weight---Recoil energy
.243 Win. (100@2960)
7.5
8.8
6.5x55 Swede (129@2700)
8.0
12.5
.260 Rem. (120@2860)
7.5
13.0
7mm-08 Rem. (120@3000)
7.5
12.1
.308 Win. (165@2700)
7.5
18.1
.308 Win. (150@2800)
7.5
15.8
This why I chose a .243 Win. The last number tells you the story on recoil. It will take any deer, predator, and varmint in the US.
Cartridge (Wb@MV)
Rifle Weight---Recoil energy
.243 Win. (100@2960)
7.5
8.8
6.5x55 Swede (129@2700)
8.0
12.5
.260 Rem. (120@2860)
7.5
13.0
7mm-08 Rem. (120@3000)
7.5
12.1
.308 Win. (165@2700)
7.5
18.1
In all fairness to that chart, I would use a 150 grain in the .308 for a small shooter or even a 125 grain "low recoil" load.
That being said, my wife shoots a Remington 7600 .243 and it works great for her. She has no problem with the recoil, ammo is cheap, and it has plenty of smack to drop deer-sized game. It also is a great small game round with the lighter bullets. [8D]
Jon
This why I chose a .243 Win. The last number tells you the story on recoil. It will take any deer, predator, and varmint in the US.
Cartridge (Wb@MV)
Rifle Weight---Recoil energy
.243 Win. (100@2960)
7.5
8.8
6.5x55 Swede (129@2700)
8.0
12.5
.260 Rem. (120@2860)
7.5
13.0
7mm-08 Rem. (120@3000)
7.5
12.1
.308 Win. (165@2700)
7.5
18.1
.308 Win. (150@2800)
7.5
15.8
That chart defies newtons law.
6.5x55[;)]
Although a great bloke rig,& I use myself.. its nice on the shoulder for half doz plus rounds in the hunt & open too
quote:Originally posted by wvhunt
Looking at getting my lady a deer rifle and to be honest as we all do ( dont lie) I kinda want what I get her to fit what I like. Ive been wanting a ruger american in .308 and I figured hey why not. Is the .308 a manageable round for a female shooter or should i stick with the ole .243?
I highly recommend you consider a 7mm-08. It will take any game the 308 can. It shoots almost as flat a 270, hits A LOT harder than a 243, and has very little more recoil than the 243, AND it comes in several youth models (for those of small stature).
Hope this helped,
Jim
I would go with the 7mm-08 as well. Plenty of power. Very low recoil.
My first high power rifle was a rem 700 308 with a cut down stock and a 20" barrel. I was 14 at the time and weighed all of about 92 pounds. It worked out fine. I strongly recommend the 308 over any of its sister cartridges. If recoil is wanted to be reduced there are several 125 grain bullets that are designed for big game.
308 caliber 125 gr bullets (SD .188) ARE NOT BIG GAME BULLETS![:(!]
Both are short actions and at least the 260 Remington ammo is not all that hard to find. Both are inherently accurate cartridges and really shine if you reload.
The 257 Rbts and some 6.5mm Swedes will come in either a long action(30-06 size) or a Medium action in a Ruger, where the 7mm08 and the 260 come in a true short action. They are harder to find in the store than the 260 and the 260 will do anything they can do and do it better with factory ammo. If you handload they are all comparable but the 7mm08 and 260 will be more accurate due their better designed cases.
Look at the Remington Model 7 also. The Model 7 is a little smaller and lighter than the 700 and if your wife is small you can check out the youth model 7 or Rem SPS 700. If you get a youth model and its just a tad small add a thinker recoil pad and you will not have to cut the stock down, which does not decrease resale value.
if she enjoys shooting the 308, get her one. if she doesnt, get her somethign else. i dont know why in the world you'd want to get her a rifle she isnt going to shoot, unless what you're really trying to do is buy yourself a new rifle and if thats the case then i feel sorry for you that you have to play games to do it...