Need a rifle for the wife...........

Founder

Founder Since 1999
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My wife will be hunting elk for the first time this year. She's sure excited, but we went shooting last month and my .300 Mag is just too much gun. I need to get her something with a little less recoil, but enough gun for elk.

I'm no gun expert. Any help would be great. ??

Thanks,

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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I would also second that 7mm-08 selection. Light recoil without having to use a brake and good bullet selection for medium and large game. If she is petite with shorter arms, look at the "Youth Models" in that caliber.
My oldest grandson, 15 years old, is small for his age and I got him a Marlin X-7 in 7mm-08 and he loves shooting that rifle with 140gr. bullets. Accuracy was superb. Take her into a large gun store and let her try the rifles for proper fit and weight.

RELH
 
Just a plain old good 270 Winchester shooting 130 grain premium controlled expansion bullets, light kicker but flat enough for out to 400 if need be. 3 1/2 inches high at 100, dead on at 300 and top of back hold on an elk out to 425-450.
 
I too really like the 7mm-08 for a first rifle but when considering a "Elk" rifle, i might go with the tried and true 30-06 with a Barnes, Partition, or Accubond loading in the 150-165 grain range.

The '06 loading with the lighter but excellent bullets will recoil considerably less than your 180 grain 300. Later, add a 7mm-08 for Big Deer and she is set.

Browning is making some sweet bolt action products these days.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
>Just a plain old good 270
>Winchester shooting 130 grain premium
>controlled expansion bullets, light kicker
>but flat enough for out
>to 400 if need be.
> 3 1/2 inches high
>at 100, dead on at
>300 and top of back
>hold on an elk out
>to 425-450.

Yep, a quality 150 turns the 270 into a fine elk rifle even for longer shooting... like 400 yards (which is a long ways).
Of course the Barnes TSX or TTSX in 130 gr would work really well too.
Zeke
 
>Brian
>
>A 7mm-08 is what I would
>recommend. Great bullet selection and
>low recoil. Rifle choice is
>up to you.

Another vote for the 7MM-08, maybe pick up a Tikka Lite stainless in that caliber and go kill stuff:)
 
Whew!!! Thanks 30Hart. I was worried that you guys were going to miss my all time favorite, , , .270 Winchester. 130 gr Nosler Ballistic Tips for deer and 150 gr Nosler Partitions for elk.

Now, I have to be honest. I am a certified gun nut and I love coming up with an excuse to buy a new gun whenever I can. I have taken elk with the 300 Win Mag (180 Partition), the 338 Win Mag (225 Accubond), two different 270 Win (150 Partition), and finally, my Browning A-Bolt Micro Hunter in 270 WSM (150 Partition).
Long story short! They all go bang and the elk go down, , , , AS LONG AS I HIT THEM WHERE I'M SUPPOSED TO! A couple times I didn't and the elk suffered for it. No caliber will compensate for sloppy shooting!

I put a 1" thick "Limb Saver" recoil pad on the Browning A-Bolt Micro Hunter to bring the LOP up to fit me and that rifle is a pleasure to shoot, a real pleasure to carry, and about 200 fps faster than my old 270 Win. The truth is that 200 fps probably don't mean a whole lot to the critters I've shot with it but it makes me feel better!
 
My wife with her Browning A-Bolt Stainless Stalker in .270. No problem for her to handle. If you think .270 is too much gun for your wife, then 7MM-08 will work just fine. Browning makes an X-Bolt Micro for those needing a shorter length of pull. They even have one in pink camo if she is into that sort of thing.

6810attherange.jpg



"You can fly a helicopter to the top of Everest and say you've been there. The problem with that is you were an a$$hole when you started and you're still an a$$hole when you get back.
Its the climb that makes you a different person". - Yvon Chouinard
 
Another couple thoughts occurred to me while thinking about foot/lbs of energy - vs - recoil, discussion.
Back in the early 70's we used to shoot the steel silhouette competition regularly. The 7mm-08 became real popular in that crowd because you have to KNOCK DOWN the steel target. Not just hit it, but you have to tip it over.
7mm-08 will knock a Ram over at 500 meters with a solid "body" hit every time.
A 243 will not!
A 25-06 100 gr will most of the time!
A 308 Win 150 gr will!
270 Win, 280 Rem, 30-06,all will knock over the Ram at 500 meters.
You also had to be able to shoot 25 rounds per match without getting "flinchy".
Yep, the 7mm-08 became the caliber everyone used if they were serious competitors.
Of course, they hadn't invented the 270WSM yet!
 
Here's a thought. Have your wife shoulder a couple different rifles chambered in 7mm-08 and 270 and let her pick whichever one she likes the most. Then go kill an elk. Either one will do a fine job with a bullet through the vitals. I shoot a 270. I'll probably get my daughter a 7mm-08 due to the high number of makes that offer youth model guns in that caliber.
 
I would recommend the 308. I added a limbsaver to my 12 year olds Abolt and she handles it just fine with 180 grain bullets.
 
One of the things I've learned with new shooters whether they are wives, kids, or friends is that what you really want is the flattest shooting caliber they can shoot effectively with a good premium bullet that will hold together and penetrate. The reason for this is that because they are just starting out and aren't going to be the greatest shots. With a flatter shooting round you have more room for error with less drop and less wind drift than you do with a slower one. Not picking on anyone's favorites but like a 270 vs a 308. The 270 will be kinder on you if she makes an error in her shot placement and you have a better chance of it hitting the vitals instead of blowing a leg off. Another point that I've seen is people will put a limit on the range of a new shooter and everything is fine until they see a big bull or buck out there a ways and you decide to go for it. Having a flatter shooting rifle, especially in the windy west is just stacking the cards in your favor. Just remember a new shooter is more likely to gut shoot an animal due to excitement and inexperience than a seasoned hunter/shooter.
 
Thanks so much for all the info. I'll have to take her to the store and have her shoulder one and see how it feels. Is ammo for the 7mm-08 easy to get your hands on?

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook!
 
Hello Founder,
"Is ammo for the 7mm-08 easy to get your hands on?" Absolutely!
I reload all of my own centerfire ammunition but I can walk into almost any Wal-Mart in town and find 7mm-08. You may need to go to Sportsmans Wherehouse, Cabelas, or one of the mail order houses, (like Midway) if you want the "premium stuff"! I define the "premium stuff" as factory ammunition loaded with the "better ELK bullets" like Nosler Partitions, Nosler Accubond, Scirroco, Barnes, etc.
There are lots of opinions on what is a suitable bullet/ caliber for elk. The truth is that: if your wife can put a 7mm-08, 140 gr Remington CoreLokt factory load, through the ribs of an elk standing broadside at a reasonable distance (300 yds max), you will recover that elk!
Dang it! I about got myself talked into buying another 7mm-08 now!
Good Luck!
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-12-15 AT 09:30PM (MST)[p]The 7-08 and 140 AB's will handle elk a bit past 300...

My brother shot this one with my 7-08 at 486 yards:

DSC00064.JPG


I killed this one at 629 last year, same rifle, load, etc. bullet passed through.

DSC00699.JPG


Works on deer too...430

DSC00185.JPG


A couple days prior to the deer...it handled an elk pretty well at 70 yards, on a hard quartering toward shot. Broke the on-side shoulder and exited behind the rib cage.

DSC00160.JPG


The 7-08 just flat gets it done...performs way better than most think it should. I was probably the biggest skeptic out there, until I started shooting one. Its fun to shoot, easy on powder, short action, etc. etc. lots to like.
 
My boys, who were all lightly framed and small(5', 100lbs or less) at age 12 when big game is legal here in Idaho. Other than a .243 maybe their first year, we went with .270/.280. I loaded mild 140 accubonds first, then up to 160 accubonds later. I found it was important to keep the recoil modest to avoid that flinch, as it is a buggar to get rid of. These rifles were typically 22", 6.5lb Mtn Rifle, Ruger M77, Tikka Lite type models, that are easy to carry and shoot. Wife will need to enjoy shooting it on the bench to start.

My onlyyy comment against the 7mm-08, is that I don't believe it, or the .308, will ever be good for more than 250, maybe 300 yds, if you wish to stay over 1500ft/lbs of energy. Othewise, I have loaded for and do like the 7mm-08 at that range.

I would avoid a 30-06, i've yet to find one that doesn't kick too much for lightweight shooters, and frankly for this chore would use the .308 instead.
 
I started with and always liked a .308. You can get light loads or even light mag loads readily. I would use 150 grain for deer and 180 on elk. Hard to tell much difference in recoil between the two. Having said that I would like to aquire a 7-08 one day just for kicks. I have killed two bulls with the .308. Both good hits. One dropped like a lead zeplin the other went for a good mile.
http://www.monstermuleys.info/dcforum/User_files/4abc76ff29b26fc1.jpg
 
You might want to consider a muzzle brake for your 300 if she will only be doing limited elk hunting. KDF makes a great break. Drops the recoil of our 300wby's to 30/06 recoil. They can thread the end of the barrel install the break and you can purchase a threaded end cap that covers the threads when you don't want the muzzle brake on the rifle. You can get it all done for less than $250 just a another way to go....

))))------>
 
LAST EDITED ON Jun-17-15 AT 12:45PM (MST)[p]>My wife will be hunting elk
>for the first time this
>year. She's sure excited, but
>we went shooting last month
>and my .300 Mag is
>just too much gun. I
>need to get her something
>with a little less recoil,
>but enough gun for elk.
>
>
>I'm no gun expert. Any help
>would be great. ??
>
>Thanks,
>
>Brian Latturner
>MonsterMuleys.com
>LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook!


"Need a rifle for the wife..........."

Umm, do you have pictures of the wife? I've got a spare LH .270.


haha...


My wife isn't very tall and was initially hesitant (shot them all) to carry either of my .300s. Then I bought one of her own and slapped a muzzle brake on it. We also had the stock whacked a bit to suit her frame.
 
Which ever caliber you choose, look at the Browning BOSS system. Makes my 7mm RM a soft shooter.
 
>Hello Founder,
>"Is ammo for the 7mm-08 easy
>to get your hands on?"
>Absolutely!
>I reload all of my own
>centerfire ammunition but I can
>walk into almost any Wal-Mart
>in town and find 7mm-08.
>You may need to go
>to Sportsmans Wherehouse, Cabelas, or
>one of the mail order
>houses, (like Midway) if you
>want the "premium stuff"! I
>define the "premium stuff" as
>factory ammunition loaded with the
>"better ELK bullets" like Nosler
>Partitions, Nosler Accubond, Scirroco, Barnes,
>etc.
>There are lots of opinions on
>what is a suitable bullet/
>caliber for elk. The truth
>is that: if your wife
>can put a 7mm-08, 140
>gr Remington CoreLokt factory load,
>through the ribs of an
>elk standing broadside at a
>reasonable distance (300 yds max),
>you will recover that elk!
>
>Dang it! I about got myself
>talked into buying another 7mm-08
>now!
>Good Luck!

You make me laugh when you say you are about talked into another 7-08. I now have three of them at our house. Terrific cartridge with extremely lethL results on elk, deer and antelope.
 
Cant beat the 7mm-08. Bought my wife a savage youth model. And she shoots it very well. 140 grain berger over a max charge of 4350....
 
Put a good brake on your gun...problem solved. My 338 Lapua with a brake has less recoil than a 270


Traditional >>>------->
 
270 all the way, but the 7mm-08 is a great gun for the girls.

WP400

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"
 
Founder, I have read here in another Forum that you are still planning to rifle hunt this year with a recently diagnosed broken back.

I don't recall if you ever got back to us if you went ahead and bought one of those we suggested for the Wife, one in another chambering all together, or have held off buying for one reason or another.

I would suggest though, that you not hunt this year with your usual 7MM Rem Mag and heavy loads, it might be the straw that further broke the Founders back.

Instead, if you bought the Wife's rifle or need to buy one similar to those we suggested, i might suggest that you use a known mild recoiling rifle, like we suggested, and then have a topof the line kick pad and a good muzzle break installed on it to reduce recoil even further.

I don't think i need to tell you why some of us are concerned with your plans. 95% of the time, A smaller cartridge in a modest chambering with great kick pad and a good Muzzle Break, is all a guy needs to kill the biggest buck ever walked this earth and there's no sense in pushing it.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 
I went on the hunt Joey. Didn't get to shoot at a buck, but did shoot a round and all was ok. No additional damage to my neck......I don't think. Maybe I gambled with my health too much. Doc said it was a stable break, so............

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
LIKE MonsterMuleys.com on Facebook!
 
LAST EDITED ON Sep-22-15 AT 12:26PM (MST)[p]Yeah, i had read that you were going and as long as you could, can't say i'd have done it any different other than as i suggested, maybe taking a rifle set up and with a reputation for mild recoil.

Glad to hear that you're OK!

So, when are you going to update your hunt adventure series? I do look forward to reading and seeing of your adventures.

Joey


"It's all about knowing what your firearms practical limitations are and combining that with your own personal limitations!"
 

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