New rifle for my daughter..Help Guys!

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trays7940

Beginner
Feb 21, 2006
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being 6'4" and 250, I have always baught a rifle with a big punch and did not worry about recoil. Iam now about to buy my daughter her first rifle because she has expressed a great intrest in shooting and I want her to have a great experience.
What caliber would you guys suggest?
I need something that will put down Texas deer from about 200yards in and not alot of kick. Something fun to shoot so she will practice and not get kicked around and quit. Something fun from the bench as well as great on medium size deer and probably antelope.
I Know that the .243 will probably be the answer to most out there but, I was wanting something different to add to my rifle collection, also. I was looking at the following and would love any information and suggestions from you guys.
22. 250, .243, 25.06, 6.5x284, anything else?
I am just having so trouble believing that a 100g bullet will do a good job on deer...I know, I have poweridse... :)
My daughter is 15yrs old and is an athlete not a little girl but not big either.. something a boy would not mind bringing home to mom.. :) Thanks for the help guys!!!!!
 
I bought my daughter a rem mod 700 youth in 243 and it's great. The 100gr bullet really puts them down. She's had it 4 years and she's 12 now. With your daughter being 15, I would lead toward a 7/08. This gun with a 140 gr bullet will do the trick with little recoil and muzzle blast. Any quality rifle will shoot in this caliber. Good luck with your search......
 
trays7940

Congratulations to your daughter!
The 7mm-08 with a 120 gr BT will have light recoil and kill deer like lighting.
You might also want to consider the 257 Roberts.

JD338
 
I know a boy about your daughters age. He maybe, soaking wet, weighs 100lbs. His rifle is a 6.5x284. He shoots that very well. Sorry, I don't know what he shoots for bullets, but I watched him take a nice hog with it.
 
trays7940":12z1sndq said:
being 6'4" and 250, I have always baught a rifle with a big punch and did not worry about recoil. Iam now about to buy my daughter her first rifle because she has expressed a great intrest in shooting and I want her to have a great experience.
What caliber would you guys suggest?
I need something that will put down Texas deer from about 200yards in and not alot of kick. Something fun to shoot so she will practice and not get kicked around and quit. Something fun from the bench as well as great on medium size deer and probably antelope.
I Know that the .243 will probably be the answer to most out there but, I was wanting something different to add to my rifle collection, also. I was looking at the following and would love any information and suggestions from you guys.
22. 250, .243, 25.06, 6.5x284, anything else?
I am just having so trouble believing that a 100g bullet will do a good job on deer...I know, I have poweridse... :)
My daughter is 15yrs old and is an athlete not a little girl but not big either.. something a boy would not mind bringing home to mom.. :) Thanks for the help guys!!!!!
Click to expand...
................OK! Here we go! BTW, I`m 6'3" @ 240 lbs. and love my own compact rifle.......First the rifle itself! For your daughter, I would only consider the various compacts that are on the market. They will have a shorter LOP therefore easier to shoulder, they are lighter, more manuverable or easier handling and quicker to the target....... Shorter rifle barrels from 16.5" to 20" are the best bet for your daughter. Which one, then becomes a matter of personal taste, ie; real wood, laminated wood, synthetic, composite or overmolded stocks and stainless or matte barrel Stay with a compact here.......................The caliber? A 100 grainer in a 243 will handle the deer and is available in the more compact rifles. The 25-06 though an excellent round for deer and for long range plains hunting, to my knowledge is not available in a shorter barreled compact. The 6.5/284 is certainly gaining in popularity, while IMO the rifle selection in that caliber may not be the best. The 22-250 IMO, is not large enough for deer. More a varmit caliber. Although that is NOT to say deer cannot be had with that round. I know in certain states, there is a minimum caliber for deer............Caliber alternatives? For your daughter, to cover a broader spectrum of game, as she may grow to hunt more than just deer in the future, IMO my friend, the 7mm/08 cannot be beat!! It is extremely versatile, fun to shoot and it is available in a wide variety of compact rifles......Such as the 20" tubed Browning micro hunter, the 16.5" tubed Ruger Frontier (mine), Savage, I believe makes a compact. The new Howa M1500`s in the Ranchland line are excellent values with 20" barrels. Weatherby makes a compact in their Vanguard. The Remington M7`s are a great compact too!...........Lots of different rifles to choose from and I believe that they all are available in the 7mm/08!............Have fun shoppin!!!
 
I have to agree with Big Squeeze, find a rifle model that fits her then look for those calibers mentioned. Again, the 7mm-08 is a perfect choice and a multitude of bullets are available to use.
 
Find a Model SHE likes (not you), cut it down to her size, and put a big recoil pad on it. If the rifle she picks is PINK too bad, it's her rifle. Mount it with a straight, simple 4x scope, preferably a leupold or something of similar quality. Tell if she can't see it, it's too far to shoot at.
I'd recommend a .270 Win, or a 7mm-08, either one, and load it with 140gr accubonds. She could shoot everything from coyotes to elk with that one rifle, and that one load.
 
I would go with a 260 in a Tikka T3 lite and load it with the 130 gr ab and she would be good for everything up to elk that would be the cats meow.
 
A good friend of mine has a daughter thats 11 and shoots the 7mm-08 with 120 gr BTs. I think she killed 4 deer this past season.
 
Do you reload? If so I`d look at the 260 Rem or 6.5x55. Both are so close ballisticly the rifle would be the only reason I`d choose one over the other. The 100 gr Nosler Partition is designed for deer in these cartridges and moveing up to 125 or 140 gr bullets lets her hunt larger game if the chance arises.
I`ve been shooting both at deer here in Michigan very successfully with the 129 gr Hornady as my bullet of choice but, I would have no problem if I only could find 100/120 gr bullets. I have heard lots of good about the 120 gr as a deer bullet as well as the 100 BT and the Hornady 100 gr SP.
 
I guess any of the cal. suggestions here would work. The 243 is easy to find in a wide variety of rifles and will do the job. I cant handle the recoil myself and would like to try the 7mm-08 as it has a reputation for low recoil. Lots of bullet options too. Cal. is not the most important thing. Gotta go with Antelope sniper- find a rifle that fits her- period. Then go out and hack off the stock(if needed) and put a good limb saver pad on it. One other thing I would suggest is hearing protection. The brain registers loud noise as pain. Hlep avoid that flinch. A bolt action is best. Regardless how tempting a cheap single shot might be avoid them. IMHO as a FAS instructor the hammer and sometimes goofy safety make them not the best option, of course it can be done safely. CL

ps: If you run across an old bolt action in 250-3000 Savage and you reload dont be afraid to pick it up. They will kill any deer that walks out to 200 yards. Usually very accurate and minimal recoil. Before the 243 came along they were THE light game cal. (there- thats my shameless plug for the old 250-3000 :) )
 
+1 with buckfever,

My wife shoots a M7 youth .260 ( it's her late season cow elk gun ) I like the caliber so well I've had another one built in a M700. The recoil is less than that of the 7-08 ! ( of which I have as well in a M700 ) Either caliber will take care of whitetail no questions asked. B/C of the 6.5's is AWESOME. A 6.5-284 would be an excellent choice but may have issues finding one ??
If you go the 7-08 direction and hand-load then you have a plithora of bullets to choose from. Remington even offers reduced recoil loads in that round. ( possibly in the .260 now too ) ??
If your in an area you can go and she can put her hands on several different models / brands I'd say what ever she is comfortable with...

Let us know what you decide...
 
257 Roberts!!! My baby girl is now 22 years old. She got started with my 257 and now has her own mini arsenal which includes a 270 WSM and a 300 WSM. But the 257 got her into shooting...
 
trays7940 +1 on the 7mm-08. 120 grain to 140 grainers. Doesn't Nosler make it in their 48's? That would be a great starting rifle. :lol: (just kidding)
 
I'm always partial to something that is going to work for longer ranges. I would look at something like a 7-08, 260, or a 243 because they all are popular, you can get ammo for them at walmart or the local dealer and they all produce low to moderate recoil and are deadly accurate cartidges. The short action is a plus for someone with a small stature and I would also stay w/ these calibers because of the selection of bullets available. If you ever plan on shooting anything bigger than deer, cast out the 243, and if you never do, cast out the 7-08. 6.5x 55 would also be a good choice. I'm not a big fan of carbine rifles because of the velocity loss, but there is something to be said for the rifle fitting your daughter. Don't even think about a Panther for a biginning rifle, never good to teach someone to shoot w/ a semi automatic rifle.

It may be legal to shoot deer w/ a 22-250 in Texas, but IMHO the 22 cal isn't a good choice. A limbsaver recoil pad will make a big difference in felt recoil. Also, you don't have to give her the lightest rifle on the market. A 7 or 8 pound rifle/ scope combo is light enough.

Great to hear about more daughters hunting!!! ;)
 
My Wife uses a 6.5X55 Swedish Mau. that is excellant, a 6.5X55 is a great
choice but the variety of rifles is more limited. The 7-08 is avail. in many & would be good also. I have to believe the new Lim. Ed. Rem 700 in 260 would be in the running & I believe that twist would handle a 130Acc. or 125NP just fine & they will handle any Deer just fine out to the limits that
I believe you would want her to shoot.
 
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