New Rifle for the Wife

[Larry in SD]

No I didn't trade my wife for a new Rifle.

However I did trade my Blued / Synthetic Remington Model 700 SPS .308 in for a Stainless / Synthetic Remington Model 700 SPS .308. When we picked up the Rifle the wife really liked the Rifle but commented on how long and front heavy it was. I said we can fix that and promptly took it to my local gunsmith and had the 24" Barrel shortened to 18 1/2". I got there late yesterday afternoon and all he had time to do was cut it off yesterday.

After cutting it off at 18 1/2" I was surprised when we put the SPS on his scale as it tipped the scale at 6 1/8 pounds (naturally without scope mounts or scope). He is supposed to finish facing off the barrel and putting a new crown on it today.

This rifle will be mainly used for my 5'4" wife but my 5'4" 11 year old grand daughter will use it also. I have over 200 rounds of Youth / Reduced Recoil .308 Ammo on hand with 125gr. Nosler Ballistic Tips.

I am thinking this should make a nice light compact rifle for them to use on Northeastern South Dakota Whitetails. Heck maybe if I am really nice the wife will let me shoot it too.

I haven't purchased a scope for this Rifle yet. At first thought I was thinking a fixed 4x Weaver Scope for this Rifle thinking it would be always the same and simple for them. Would that be a handicap on a rifle of this type?

Larry

 

[muleman]

Hi Larry,
I think your 4x power would be a great combo for what your intending the rifle for! The combo should be great for mid to short range. Don't forget to send in picts of your wife/grandaughter with their trophies!

Enjoy!
Scott

 

[Anonymous]

Fixed 4x a handicap? Pshaw!

I'm a huge fan of fixed power scopes and prefer them- mostly fixed 4x and 6x. Every time I've hunted with a variable power I've made shots with them set on 4 to 6x without exception.

You can accurately shoot 4x to the limits of practical range of a .308 with ease.

I don't really care for the new Weaver and I'll suggest the 4x FXII Leupold as a better alternative or find an M8 4x on Ebay.

 

[DrMike]

Either a 4X or 6X fixed power scope will work perfectly for this rifle. Sounds as if you have taken some sound steps to allow your wife and granddaughter to use the rifle.

 

[jmad_81]

Sounds like a great package!

 

[SJB358]

Very cool set up. My wife shoots a Ruger Hawkeye SS 308. Shoots it very well and it handles really nicely too. Scotty

 

[BK]

One thing to think about... that stock is probably going to be too long for either of them. I don't know if an SPS stock can be shortened, but SPS Compact (or Youth or whatever they call them) stocks shouldn't be too expensive.

 

[Larry in SD]

One thing to think about... that stock is probably going to be too long for either of them. I don't know if an SPS stock can be shortened, but SPS Compact (or Youth or whatever they call them) stocks shouldn't be too expensive.

Thanks guys

I have actually thought about the stock situation. The current plan is to have them shoot it and go from there. If I need to pick up a SPS Compact Stock that shouldn't be too dificult.

Larry

 

[Guy Miner]

Sounds good. The 4x shouldn't be a problem. I do most of my mule deer hunting with fixed 6x scopes on my .25-06 and .30-06 rifles. They've worked fine for shots near and far.

Agree that the shorter stock might end up being necessary. Remington has a "youth" model stock which works well. My son used one until he grew into the standard BDL stock.

Guy

 

[filmjunkie4ever]

Yeah a 4x or 6x fixed power scope would be ideal for such a rifle. My two Savage 99 rifles each have 4x Leupys on them and while I cant hit a nickel at 100 yards with them :grin: I can hit a quarter!!

 

[joelkdouglas]

Or if you intend to keep the stock for a while, you could always order a Bell and Carlson, McMillan, etc. with a shorter length of pull, i.e. 12 inches. Not trying to steer you one way or the other, but one of the greatest improvements in my Rem 700 group sizes was when I switched to a better stock.

 

[Big Squeeze]

4x is fine. Not a biggest fan of Weaver scopes. For being a 4x, their 4x scope is big. They list the scope weight between 9 and 10 oz. But when you look at the fixed Weaver 6x38, it lists at over 15 oz.

That listed weight might not be correct. With its length and objective size, 9 to 10 oz seems too light. A Leupy 1-5-5x20 VX3 weighs in at 9.5 oz. There`s no way that a Weaver of that size will be as light as that Leupy. The listed scope weight for that Weaver has got be wrong.

Ok! You had the barrel shortened to make the rifle lighter and easier for your wife to handle. So don`t make the mistake and put a heavier scope on it. Because if you do, it will for the most part defeat the purpose as to why you had the barrel shortened in the first place.

Spend more and put a 4x FX2 Leupy on there.

 

[BK]

Spend more and put a 4x FX2 Leupy on there.

Yeppers! A Weaver 4x is the only scope I have ever killed. I had it mounted on a Remington 572 .22 rifle, and one day when I took it out shooting, the crosshairs were at about 45 degrees and moving. Whoops!

 

[Larry in SD]

Due to running out of time and $$$ I ended up with a scope for the .308 that we are going to use for the time being. I ended up with a new Bushnell Trophy XLT 3x9x in a trade and that is what we are going to use for the time being.

I am thinking next year though I am going to pick up a 2x7x for this .308.

Larry