Hunting Rifle for Wife

[fvalmostthere]

Looking at getting my wife a hunting rifle for Maine whitetail and the occasional moose hunt when lucky enough to be drawn. I was thinking 6.5 prc would be better in case of a moose ticket but I do already have dies and brass for 6.5 creed. She just might have to shoot my 270 if she draws a moose.

3 options I have looked at:

savage 110 ultralite in prc - $1400- 500 cabelas points so around $900.

tikka t3x stainless in creed - $800 - 500 cabelas points so around $300 but also not threaded.

howa 1500 barreled action in prc in a bravo chassis - $990

would love any input. She is a new shooter so I don’t want anything that beats her up but it needs to be light enough for her to handle.

 

[Mike Casselton]

Let your wife handle all three and then let her decide.

 

[Hobo Hilton]

You must not have ever choosen a weapon for a woman....

Give her a few blank checks or a credit card, set her up with some of the local Certified Women firearms instructors, let them go out and shoot and let her pick the rifle and the color of her gear.... Let her pick the guide and you just stand back.

She will nominate you for "Husband of the Year"......

 

[jcmullis2]

If you still retain possession of your sack or at least want to maintain the appearance of still having a little sack left buy the howa. Next choice would be a tikka but whatever you do never ever give a woman your cc or a blank check and send her shopping with another woman. She might call you the husband of the year when you’re there but that’s not what she’s saying when you aren’t around. Just saying

 

[MarshallDodge]

I would say Tikka but I agree, let her decide

 

[Rocketmandb]

Let your wife handle all three and then let her decide.

I would actually say to pick the one he wants for himself

And engrave his name on it...

And make sure it fits him (how else is he going to make sure it shoots straight?)

 

[458win]

That’s the best trade you would ever make.

 

[jcmullis2]

That’s the best trade you would ever make.

I have a new mill and lathe in my formal dining room instead of dining furniture so don’t take marriage advice from me.

 

[Wagonhouse]

Yep let her handle each and decide.

A Browning BLR Lightweight in 7mm-08 has worked well for my wife.

 

[JBoomhauer]

I shot my last two Maine whitetails with a 6mm BRA and a 6.5 Grendel. They are not hard to kill. If you want her to shoot well, stay away from the Bigger stuff. Out of your listed rifles I would go with the tikka 6.5 without question.

 

[Totoro]

Having the wifey pick as an aside; the Tikka would be ideal out of the 3 IMO.

But sound advice from members above.

 

[BJames]

Tikka compact if she’s petite. My wife is pretty small (5’3”), a kids gun fits her perfectly. I went with creed for her chambering, it’s pretty snappy for an 8 lb rifle with full house 143 eldx. I would not want to shoot it in prc.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Tikka compact if she’s petite. My wife is pretty small (5’3”), a kids gun fits her perfectly. I went with creed for her chambering, it’s pretty snappy for an 8 lb rifle with full house 143 eldx. I would not want to shoot it in prc.

Ok, cool, glad to see someone else thinking similarly. I typed up a response earlier about the danger of setting your wife up with an ultralight 6.5 PRC platform and decided not to post it, but now I have backup lol. A 6.5 CM is more than enough for moose, and I don't think I'd enjoy shooting a 6.5 PRC in an 8-lb package. Would I do it? Sure. But it seems to me that usually the challenge is getting the Less Enthused (female SO's, non-shooting friends, etc.) to want to come back, and lighter recoil is the surest path to that.

Of the three you listed, the Tikka option is the obvious choice in my mind unless she already shoots heavier-thumping rounds routinely. The action on the Tikka will be smooth, and often the blast off a muzzle break contributes more to flinch in inexperienced shooters than recoil does. Of the three you listed, 6.5 CM Tikka, even non-threaded, seems the obvious answer to me.

 

[diggler1833]

I'd definitely stay clear of the PRC. Even with a good brake, the blast may be a bit much...especially for a new shooter.

I just went through the same process. Ended up with a Savage 110 Timberline in 6.5 Creedmoor. Won it off Gunbroker for $742. It is going to be used by the whole family (wife, F-I-L, daughters etc...).

I hated on Savage for years, but I've yet to own one that wouldn't shoot. The Tikka is going to have the smoothest action, but the length of pull adjustability on the Savage was the deciding factor for me.

 

[tuckybill]

Get the Tikka. Put a Limbsaver recoil pad on it. VERY soft. Get it in .308 and have her shoot the Hornady 125gr light factory loads for deer and 180 factory Nosler Partitions (she might run up on a big moose) for moose. If it kicks too hard for her put a Harris bi pod on it for extra weight. If she is a new shooter start her out with some of your .22s.
A brake makes things LOUD not good for a new shooter even with muffs. Brakes are flinching factories IMHO.

 

[fvalmostthere]

Thanks for the input, probably go 6.5 Creed and figure out the moose thing when we get there. My mom has a tikka in 7mm 08 and it’s pretty snappy. The thought on being threaded was for a suppressor, not brake.

 

[KnowNothing256]

Haha, figure out the moose thing = shoot the moose with a 6.5 CM hunting bullet.

Moosen are big, but not particularly tough, and anything dies with a hole in both lungs. Moosen typically do so faster than bear and elk.

 

[BJames]

Ok, cool, glad to see someone else thinking similarly. I typed up a response earlier about the danger of setting your wife up with an ultralight 6.5 PRC platform and decided not to post it, but now I have backup lol. A 6.5 CM is more than enough for moose, and I don't think I'd enjoy shooting a 6.5 PRC in an 8-lb package. Would I do it? Sure. But it seems to me that usually the challenge is getting the Less Enthused (female SO's, non-shooting friends, etc.) to want to come back, and lighter recoil is the surest path to that.

Of the three you listed, the Tikka option is the obvious choice in my mind unless she already shoots heavier-thumping rounds routinely. The action on the Tikka will be smooth, and often the blast off a muzzle break contributes more to flinch in inexperienced shooters than recoil does. Of the three you listed, 6.5 CM Tikka, even non-threaded, seems the obvious answer to me.

Yep, I’m in Alaska, we hunt/live with, big shit up here. I set the wife up for a cow moose tag she drew last year, figuring with a creedmoor we’ll limit distance to 400 max. Which was honestly, probably the limit for her, positional, on game. She ended up passing up our 1 opportunity, good decision on her part, but now a year later, she smokes clay pigeons at 300 yards positional. Leaving in 3 days for a try at Caribou, I’ll post back if we’re successful. Oh yeah, everybody wants to ask about brown bears . Shoot the fucker in the head and go get a big gun for the follow up. Have yet to see/hear of a cranky bear get really hurt and press the issue.

My thoughts, it’s a fine line between light enough to carry all day vs shootability, especially for the wives. What’s the accuracy requirement? Shooting bug holes is cool and all, but not necessary for applicable target size.

 

[BJames]

Thanks for the input, probably go 6.5 Creed and figure out the moose thing when we get there. My mom has a tikka in 7mm 08 and it’s pretty snappy. The thought on being threaded was for a suppressor, not brake.

The 708 is a damn good cartridge. Capable of moose killing energy, especially for the little ones you have down there . A suppressor will knock down recoil and/or change the recoil impulse, I’m a huge fan. I haven’t experimented with it yet, but with a hunting contour barrel, with adapter, what barrel length/bullet performance limit will one see? The only thing contour would have to play is how short would a smith have to take it for shoulder limits?

 

[gopherslayer]

My wife shoots a M7 in 260. She loves it. Had it for 14 years now.

 

[Blaiz1]

Looking at getting my wife a hunting rifle for Maine whitetail and the occasional moose hunt when lucky enough to be drawn. I was thinking 6.5 prc would be better in case of a moose ticket but I do already have dies and brass for 6.5 creed. She just might have to shoot my 270 if she draws a moose.

3 options I have looked at:

savage 110 ultralite in prc - $1400- 500 cabelas points so around $900.

tikka t3x stainless in creed - $800 - 500 cabelas points so around $300 but also not threaded.

howa 1500 barreled action in prc in a bravo chassis - $990

would love any input. She is a new shooter so I don’t want anything that beats her up but it needs to be light enough for her to handle.

I would not kick aside a rugar american. I have one and can shoot clay pigeons at 1000y its a very accurate gun 6.5

 

[swampbuck]

I really like the Remington model 7 as well but I haven't bought a Remington in over 10 years so I can't say since the bankruptcy. I remember last year around Black Friday MidwayUSA had HS precision stocked model 7 243s for like 699 or something. Should have bought a couple but don't need them.

 

[gopherslayer]

Need has nothing to do with guns…

 

[BuLLet]

Absolutely!

Need has nothing to do with guns…