Guns for women

[Guy Miner]

I'm pretty sure that one of these days I'll tire of the .375's, and my "big rifle" will once again be a .30-06, as it was for so many years.

 

[Africa Huntress]

I received an email that ask me to respond to your thread Gerry

At this point in my life I only use four rifles. 6.5, 7 Mauser, 300 H & H, and a 9.3 x 74R Double. The 9.3 is only used for Elephant ( which I dont hunt anymore for personal reasons ) Hippo and Buffalo.

My mother believes there is nothing in the world, excluding the Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino that she can not hunt with a 300 H & H.

Best Regards

Jamila

 

[Guy Miner]

I'd say she's right.

 

[Palouser]

Great story Dr. Mike. I too am recoil adverse and love shooting ladies rifles! My first rifle was an -06. I shot a pile of game with it, but hated the recoil. After college I bought a 243 and fell in love with the little recoil, but ample killing power! I even took an elk with it and 85 grain Partitions. I eventually sold the 06 and bought a SuperGrade 270. It is heavier than my 06 and shoots lighter bullets and has a better recoil pad. It recoils much less but is at my limit of recoil. I am currently building a heavier hunting rifle chambered in 7x57 AI. I recently bought my daughter a 7x57 and am blown away at how much power it has with very gentle recoil! For those who can handle and shoot the heavy guns well more power too you! I am reserved to smaller bores and am happy with it!

Had to laugh last year that my buck died at 411 yards far quicker than my hunting partners shot with a 30-378 Wby Mag at 160 yards. He was stunned! I can't tell you how many times my friends have told me they are going to buy their kids a 243 for their first hunting rifle and then when they get big enough switch them to a larger more adequate caliber. It only becomes awkward when they realize I am in my mid-30s and shoot a 243 for just about everything.

I dug through my Jack O'Connor books and couldn't find the quote but I know I saw it in the past month, "with the exception of a few hairy chested outdoor writers, most of us shoot like recoiling rifles much better."

I hope that comment doesn't start WWIII with large bore fans! I really don't have anything against large bores, I just realize I shoot small bores better!

 

[DrMike]

There is something to be said for rifles with stout recoil--


"OUCH!" :mrgreen:

 

[Palouser]

That is a great story DrMike, I certainly chuckled when you told us that story when we were hunting. What are the odds of it happening 3 years in a row with the exact same cartridges :lol:

On a related note I know several guys that believe the 30-06 is barely adequate and the 308 is useless for moose hunting but believe a 300 magnum of some sort is good for "600 yards" a quick look at a ballistics table will show those smaller rounds have a surprising amount of energy out there. Both guys used fairly blunt bullets in their guns, I bet both a 308 and 30-06 would have more energy at some point if they were using a 190 gr ABLR compared to their bullets. I know it is an apples to oranges comparison but it would have blown their minds I'm sure.

I had to laugh as I read an article in a hunting magazine about a year ago written by one of the more prominent outdoor writers who was talking about hunting big game in the Bob Marshall wilderness area and stated that a 308 is only marginally adequate for western game and on the low-end of the power spectrum needed to kill big game out west.

 

[Palouser]

I'm not bothered too much with my bigger rifles so I'll continue too shoot em for awhile. I do look forward to loading and shooting the 6.5 Swede and spending some more time with the smaller rifles in my bunch.

I agree though, you don't need the big guys to do most animals in. I sorta enjoy them though. It's a fun day when you shoot the big guys like the smaller bores. Teaches you about any chinks in your technique real quick.

What rifle is your 6.5 Swede? I have been looking for a Model 70 for awhile and I might just have a heart attack if you tell me it is a Model 70.

 

[truck driver]

Fun how Ive shot bigger caliber rifles but my favorite is the only one to cause my arm to go numb. the lowly 30-06, a 1903-A3 in a sporterized military cut down stock. I bet that thing didn't weigh 4lbs and with 180gr factory ammo I thought it had broke my shoulder when it went bang. If I hadn't been shooting from a bench I would have dropped it because my arm and hand went numb. I couldn't use that arm and hand for 15 min. and was in the emergency room when I started to get the felling back in it. Oh and I was a young man in my late 20's when it happened. Sort of cured me to want to shoot magnums. I gave that rifle away. :lol:

 

[gerry]

I received an email that ask me to respond to your thread Gerry

At this point in my life I only use four rifles. 6.5, 7 Mauser, 300 H & H, and a 9.3 x 74R Double. The 9.3 is only used for Elephant ( which I dont hunt anymore for personal reasons ) Hippo and Buffalo.

My mother believes there is nothing in the world, excluding the Elephant, Buffalo and Rhino that she can not hunt with a 300 H & H.

Best Regards

Jamila

Like YH the rounds you like have class, Bubba don't use any of those :lol: Glad you chimed in as well, thanks.

 

[gerry]

I'm not bothered too much with my bigger rifles so I'll continue too shoot em for awhile. I do look forward to loading and shooting the 6.5 Swede and spending some more time with the smaller rifles in my bunch.

I agree though, you don't need the big guys to do most animals in. I sorta enjoy them though. It's a fun day when you shoot the big guys like the smaller bores. Teaches you about any chinks in your technique real quick.

What rifle is your 6.5 Swede? I have been looking for a Model 70 for awhile and I might just have a heart attack if you tell me it is a Model 70.

All I will say is I hope your heart is strong...........

 

[SJB358]

I'm not bothered too much with my bigger rifles so I'll continue too shoot em for awhile. I do look forward to loading and shooting the 6.5 Swede and spending some more time with the smaller rifles in my bunch.

I agree though, you don't need the big guys to do most animals in. I sorta enjoy them though. It's a fun day when you shoot the big guys like the smaller bores. Teaches you about any chinks in your technique real quick.

What rifle is your 6.5 Swede? I have been looking for a Model 70 for awhile and I might just have a heart attack if you tell me it is a Model 70.

Pretty cool little rifle. I think Winchester twisted them pretty right as well. I think they 1-7.87... Should be a zinger with 140's..

 

[Vince]

Oh my.
Good thing is that it's not a left hand action or you'd be needing the defibrillator for me.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

 

[Oldtrader3]

Aside from that wisdom, there is western elk hunting! I always thought and still do that I need a .338 something for elk, especially Roosevelt's in western Washington. just my prejudice showing, sorry!

 

[Palouser]

I'm not bothered too much with my bigger rifles so I'll continue too shoot em for awhile. I do look forward to loading and shooting the 6.5 Swede and spending some more time with the smaller rifles in my bunch.

I agree though, you don't need the big guys to do most animals in. I sorta enjoy them though. It's a fun day when you shoot the big guys like the smaller bores. Teaches you about any chinks in your technique real quick.

What rifle is your 6.5 Swede? I have been looking for a Model 70 for awhile and I might just have a heart attack if you tell me it is a Model 70.

Pretty cool little rifle. I think Winchester twisted them pretty right as well. I think they 1-7.87... Should be a zinger with 140's..

I officially need a defibrillator! I can't even look at the pics anymore! Did they make them when they opened up in SC?

I am going to wake up with night terrors! Where did you find it?

I am glad my tears don't show up over the forum.

 

[SJB358]

It's a Model 70 Classic Todd, just the way I like em! 2.75lb trigger, and man, it feels pretty good. Going to try and get it scoped up soon and put some rounds through it. I found it down in Va. They had a very inexpensive price on the rifle, for what it was.. I almost broke my hands peeling the money outta my wallet thinking that is someone in the know saw it they would try and steal it from me.

 

[Palouser]

It's a Model 70 Classic Todd, just the way I like em! 2.75lb trigger, and man, it feels pretty good. Going to try and get it scoped up soon and put some rounds through it. I found it down in Va. They had a very inexpensive price on the rifle, for what it was.. I almost broke my hands peeling the money outta my wallet thinking that is someone in the know saw it they would try and steal it from me.

Well I'm glad somebody who truly appreciates it got it! If you ever find a second unicorn, please let me know!

 

[gerry]

Oh my.
Good thing is that it's not a left hand action or you'd be needing the defibrillator for me.

Sent from my SGH-M919 using Tapatalk

Have to say that would be one I really would have wanted as well. An old article turned me on to the many merits of the 6.5x55 and I was hooked on 6.5 caliber rounds ever since. The author had a very nice Model 70 featherweight push feed in the old round that was an absolute tackdriver, had I been a right handed shooter I would have tried very hard to find one of them.

 

[Gunner46]

I couldn't agree more. The 7MM & 338 Mag days are behind me. When I really looked at it, I was taking a lot of unnecessary recoil for no so much real gain. I've stepped down to a 7mm/08 and have never looked back. Next in line will be a 338 Federal. Those and my .223 will cover just about anything I will ever chase anymore. (my 1st shot kill has gone up considerably along the way also)

 

[Palouser]

I couldn't agree more. The 7MM & 338 Mag days are behind me. When I really looked at it, I was taking a lot of unnecessary recoil for no so much real gain. I've stepped down to a 7mm/08 and have never looked back. Next in line will be a 338 Federal. Those and my .223 will cover just about anything I will ever chase anymore. (my 1st shot kill has gone up considerably along the way also)

I know guys who can shoot 300 Wbys and 30-378 Wby Mags and have no issues and can shoot them just fine. Me....no way. I am the opposite, I flinch in my sleep after shooting the big guns. Catch myself flinching walking down the street for weeks after 1 shot from an 06 or bigger.

 

[wildgene]

..."Guns for women", what's next, giving them "The Vote"???...

...accountants market "Ladies Rifles", gunsmiths build 'em. Just in case you've never noticed, women are built different from the floor up (maybe that's part of the problem, a lot of "accountants" never noticed women are different). Cutting 9 1/2" off the barrel, an inch off the stock, & drilling a few hole in it to make it lighter doesn't make sumpthin a "Ladies Rifle", it just makes sumpthin miserable to shoot. Chambering it for a smaller, lighter rounds just makes it a little less miserable...

...don't matter who you are, if it doesn't "fit", it's going to be harder to shoot. Generally speaking, & it's a matter of 10ths of inches, a shorter length of pull, smaller hands, smaller shoulders, shorter arms, a different stance. W/ absolutely no scientific evidence to back it up, I'm firmly convinced that 2/3rds of "recoil" is "muzzle blast", getting pushed by the stock doesn't make you flinch, the pressure blast of the bullet exiting the barrel makes you flinch, puts you out of position & allows the stock enough room to smack you, causing more flinch, more smack. Three options, reduce the caliber/ cartridge, build a rifle that allows a more upright stance while maintaining the basics, good cheek weld, supported shooting position, or train to lean into the rifle w/ the same good position, or a combination that allows "Rule #1", "Shoot the biggest bullet you can shoot well" whether it be a .223 or a .470 ( :mrgreen: )...

...let's face it, w/ the plethora of choices in rifles, ammunition, accessories, etc. anyone can become pretty proficient w/ some decent training, instead of the "Here, pull the trigger on this .338/ 12 gauge, it'll make a great youtube vid" mentality...