Thinking of building the wife a "sort of" custom...

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking of putting together a "sort of" custom rifle for my wife.

I say "sort of" in that I'll likely start with a regular action and do up a nice synthetic stock with her LOP, spray the barreled action with Cerakote perhaps, mount up a nice scope.

She hates recoil and heavy rifles with long barrels. I could find something ready off the shelf but thinking I'd like to have some fun on the work bench.

Where to start? On the short list- a Remington M7 in something like 260REM or 7-08 might be ok, especially in stainless.

 

[nvbroncrider]

7X57 or a 6.5X55 on a long M70 SS Classic

 

[Thebear_78]

Hodgeman-

I think you should look at the 308 also. I went round and round when deciding on what caliber to start my son with. For up here the 308 just makes sense. The 7mm08 isn’t a bad choice but really won’t do anything that the 308 wont do equally well.

For lighter recoil loads the 125 Partition and 130 TTSX are very good options for the 308 and can be loaded from mild levels to full bore very easily. The 125 AccuBond @ 2500-2600fps shoots very flat and would make a very mild caribou load. I have been shooing the 130 TTSX out of my sons rifle at 3000fps, shoots flat and hits hard, For practice you can load up some trailboss loads that will kick like a 22mag and can really help familiarize your wife with the rifle and trigger break while still making for accurate plinking loads. Also a fun alternative to a 22rf for small game hunting and killer off season practice.

The main reason I say to use the 308 is that in a pinch you can load it up with 200gr bullets at 2350 and still make the bison legal load in the chance that she can get lucky enough to draw. A decent 200gr bullet at 2300-2400fps would work well on just about anything in a pinch.

You could use the 130 TTSX for everything from mice to moose or load 150s-180s ar reduced rates for moderate range loads that kick very little and still kill effectively out to moderate ranges.

Its not hard to pick up a montana, a model 7, or short action howa and stick it in a light weight stock, cut the barrel back to 18-20” and top with a 6x or 2-7 scope and have a very effective all around big game rifle. The model 70 is very nice but has a lot of extra steel compared to the tubular style actions. The model 7 or short action 700 are especially nice with a wyatt extended mag box. Realy allows you to seat out those longer bullets. I would definately try to get something with a 1-10 twist, so you can run heavier bullets at lower speeds.

 

[6mm Remington]

7X57 or a 6.5X55 on a long M70 SS Classic

Or on the Featherweight model. Putting a synthetic stock on it will even lighten it some more. Nice rounds Jake listed that are very effective and gentle on the shooter.

 

[preacher]

I had one of the first Ruger Ultralights (back in the 80s) in .308, put a Leupold 1x4 on it. It was very light and handy. So light I couldn't hold it still to hit a 2 liter pop bottle at 200yds and so handy it would kick the snot right out of you with factory 150s! ha. I sold it. A good muzzlebrake would have helped. I have had a Kimber 84M in 7mm08 that was a world different, very easy to shoot. Same for a Mod 7 in .260 I had. I just had my Mod 7 (factory synthetic stock) rebarreled to the 6.5 Creedmoor and it is a sweety. It's a gamble on recoil for the .308 in my opinion. Now, if she likes the rifle (fit, looks) she can learn to handle recoil. I know I'm "preachin to the choir" on this one, ha. I've never been to Alaska and you know what game/conditions you run in to more than I, of course. Why don't you make her a "caribou" rifle in a light caliber and an identical rifle in .308 or even .358 for bear/bison?

 

[Thebear_78]

The 260 shines with lighter bullets with high bc for long range shooting, but not for Alaskan game. Alaskan game is going to need bullets in the 120-150gr range and recoil among all three mentioned, 260, 7/08,and 308 is identical with equal bullet weight.

A 7mm08 running a 130-140gr bullet has identical recoil as 308 shooting same weight bullets if all other things are equal, ie same rifle specs and optics.

The terminal benefit of a slighter larger frontal area and flexibility to step up in bullet weight really allows the 308 to shine.

All things equal in a HUNTING platform out to 300 yards the 308 wins hands down. It's just much more versatile than the other two while more suited to larger Alaskan game.


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[Ridgerunner665]

An 8 pound 308 Win (loaded, scoped, and ready to hunt)... Lots of ways to get there, but that where I'd want to be.

I'd prefer a model 70 FW.... Be careful of getting it to light with the synthetic stock... Just keep an eye on things as you go... Shouldn't be hard to hit the target weight.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

On 2nd thought,
A Nosler Outfitter would be pretty much prefect I think....

 

[longrangehunter]

I think you'd be better served with the 260, 7-08 vs. the 308 for recoil since it does go up each time you rise in caliber for a given weight in a rifle. IMO the 243 is a little light for Alaska as a do all one gun for a woman or a young person. But like Preacher had stated you'll want to keep the gun light enough but not too light.

Most of all the cartridges based off the 308 at least allow you the option of necking them up or down if finding brass becomes an issue?

 

[DrMike]

There is an ideal weight for each cartridge. Finding the balance with the load you are shooting takes some time, but the reward can be well worth it. I like the smaller calibres built on the .308 Winchester (.260 Remington, 7mm-08 Remington) and even some of the larger calibres built on that platform (.338 Federal and .358 Winchester). In the larger calibres, one can use lighter bullets and still find that recoil is quite manageable. My grandson is shooting a .260 and handling the recoil (even with the 140 grain Partition) quite well. Stock fit is as important, if not more important, than weight in reducing recoil. Fitting your wife with a good stock may be the key. When that is done, than even such cartridges as the 7X57, .270 and .280 could easily be thrown into the mix.

 

[Anonymous]

Those are some really good things to think about everyone.

Josh- the .308 is one of the rounds on the list to consider. In a light rifle, recoil can be a bit stout but definitely not unmanageable.

I already stock and load .308WIN for a couple of other rifles, so it's an easy choice. I killed my best caribou with one and did a bunch of deer hunting with it.

My son has the 7-08, and I like it as well. Little less boom on the aft end...but not really so much to make a lot of difference. .260 would be new ground for me...not so sure about any advantage it would have other than novelty. The wife isn't a really avid hunter and definitely not enough of one to worry about long range ballistics. Pretty much anything north of the 30-30 will be fine.

I was thinking a short action with an 18-20" barrel. I can't see chopping a .270 off that much.

 

[Thebear_78]

I don't see why everyone thinks the 308 has more recoil. The bullet diameter has no effect on recoil. Recoil is a function of ejecta mass multiplied by velocity. Given equal bullet weights and extremely similar powder charge weights the difference is so little you couldn't tell without some sort of electric monitoring equipment.

Example in a 7.5 pound rifle

308 w/ 130gr @ 2950fps using
46gr of H4895
15.92 lbs of recoil energy
11.69 fps recoil velocity
2.72 lbs/sec impulse

7mm08 w/ 130gr @ 2950
43gr of H4895
15.15 lbs of recoil energy
11.4 fps recoil velocity
2.66 lbs/sec impulse

260 w/ 130 @ 2900
47.7gr win 780
16.02 lbs of recoil energy
11.72 fps recoil speed
2.73 lbs/sec impulse

Both the 260 and 7mm08 have to be pushed at max to reach these speeds and the 308 will get there with a very mild loading.

Given that you live near the biggest woods bison herd in alaska the fact that you can run a 200gr load out of the 308 makes it a no brainer.

308 w/ 200gr PT @ 2300fps
39gr of H4895
18.4 pounds recoil energy
12.48 fps recoil velocity
2.91 lbs/sec impulse

Minimum load to make bison legal. 200gr and 2k energy at 100 yards. Even that isn't too bad as far as recoil is concerned.

I juggled the variables for a long time before I settled on the 308 for my son.


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[Guy Miner]

Rather than a custom, you might want to check out the SAKO 85 Finnlight.

Very light, compact, nearly weatherproof, accurate right out of the box... My friend Dani got one a few years ago and absolutely loves it. I worked up the loads for her, she just shoots it. Took her first whitetail buck with it, no problem. Hers is a .308 Win, I don't know if they're avail in .260 or 7mm-08.

Guy

 

[Anonymous]

I don't see why everyone thinks the 308 has more recoil. The bullet diameter has no effect on recoil. Recoil is a function of ejecta mass multiplied by velocity. Given equal bullet weights and extremely similar powder charge weights the difference is so little you couldn't tell without some sort of electric monitoring equipment.

With those sorts of loads the recoil is basically the same. With heavier bullets the recoil climbs up pretty quickly (180s at 2650 would be right at 20 ft/lbs)....the beauty of hand loading I'm thinking.

The more I think about the .308, the more I like the idea, especially built around some of the great 125 and 130gr bullets available. If my wife ever draws one of those coveted bison tags though... she'll get a new .375!

 

[Thebear_78]

Don't discount the little 308 on bison. I know a guy who filled his tag with a savage 99 in 308 running 200gr Partition. Said it worked like a charm!


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[preacher]

Yep, my hunting buddy has used a BLR .308 since he was in high school! He only shoots factory 150 corlokt ( or hqandloads the equivalent) with that set up he shot a big wild cow bison down in the Henry Mountains, here in Utah. He has shot tons of mule deer and elk with it too. I have had several .308 rifles and none kicked like that Ruger Ultralight did! Bad stock design is all. I was just bumfuzzled that I could not hit that pop bottle from hunting positions at 200! I wonder if a 338 Federal with the 160 barnes would make the energy limit for your bison up there? We have a Hawkeye SS in 338 Federal, had a muzzlebrake put on it after a hand surgery. It is a kitten and pure poison on mule deer with that 185 TSX.

 

[Thebear_78]

Bison minimum 200gr and 2k energy @ 100 yards


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[wildgene]

...you might take a look @ the new Ruger American Predator in, say, 6.5 Creedmoor as a starting point...

http://ruger.com/products/americanRifle ... odels.html

...or maybe a Tikka T3, getting to be quite a few aftermarkets available now...

 

[Thebear_78]

Only downside to the ruger American is lack of aftermarket stocks. The tikka is a little better but still not as many parts as rem 7 or 700.

My son being a left hand shooter, I looked at the ruger American but wanted a different stock. Something I could cut down and add length back on as he grows. Wood is the best choice for that. Boys makes a ruger American stock.

The tikka t3 lights are nice rifles once you replace a few parts. I especially like the fluted models. It wouldn't be a bad choice


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[gerry]

A 260, 6.5x55, 7x57 or 7mm-08 will work just fine on Alaskan game as They do elsewhere. I would be looking at the Rem 700 SPS in 260 Rem with it's 1 in 8 twist which can handle pretty much any 6.5mm bullet out there. Put it into a Mcmillan Edge or Manners stock and it would be very nice. A Rem 700 in 7mm-08 would be really nice too set up the same way. My wife's Tikka T3 6.5x55 has been very good and as it comes from the factory is a really nice package. For those who want to change the stock Manners is putting out some very nice and lightweight Tikka T3 stocks.