Choosing new rifle for teen girl for hunting
- Thread starter Nim Rod
- Start date
Saltydog235
New member
I handload a 150grn Nosler BT in my 7mm08 and it is devastating on a whitetail deer and hogs. I have lot of rifles chambered in different cartridges but I always seem to favor my 7mm08's. I wouldn't think twice about taking on bigger game with it.
tahunua001
New member
my brother and brother in law both use 7mm rem mags and both swear by the 160 grain accubonds for elk. they travel a lot faster and kick a lot worse but I think the 08 would still work quite well.
sourdough44
New member
I do like the 7mm-08 but since no one reloads, and you already have the 243 covered I'd step up to the 308. If needed for occasional practice, you can track down some 'reduced recoil' ammo for the 308. They could be used for some hunting too.
If you did have a trusted reloader in your circle it would be helpful. One gun(among many) I like is the Browning X-Bolt, Micro-Hunter and regular sized.
Back to the 243, with a quality 95-100 grain bullet and reasonable ranges, it should do well with good shot placement.
If you did have a trusted reloader in your circle it would be helpful. One gun(among many) I like is the Browning X-Bolt, Micro-Hunter and regular sized.
Back to the 243, with a quality 95-100 grain bullet and reasonable ranges, it should do well with good shot placement.
243, 308 or 338 Federal all sound good to me. If staying with 243, I would switch to a premium hunting bullet to maximize it's effectiveness. The premium bullet would be better in most rounds.
A 308 AR10, might give her reduced size and recoil do to its MSR shape, gas system and muzzle device.
If you went to an elk rifle, something like 338 Federal or 35 Remington with a nice recoil pad, muzzle brake and possible a mercury recoil reducer might really tame the gun for her.
A 308 AR10, might give her reduced size and recoil do to its MSR shape, gas system and muzzle device.
If you went to an elk rifle, something like 338 Federal or 35 Remington with a nice recoil pad, muzzle brake and possible a mercury recoil reducer might really tame the gun for her.
Well to the best of my knowledge all Military Style rifles in 308 (and the old M-1 Garand in 30-06) are fairly heavy with the exception being the new FN SCAR which costs a LOT.
The M1A is not too bad, but get heavy if you scope it.
The DPMS "AR-10 style" rifles come in calibers from 243 to 338 Federal, but I have owned one myself in 308 and I have a neighbor that had one in 243 and neither own was reliable. In fact his never once got through a mag of ammo without at least 2 jams. My 308 also seldom would go through a mag without at least one jam
I have an FN FAL that is 100% trouble free, but again it’s heavy and a small lady would not like it in all probability.
The FNAR in 308 is a Browning Short Track in 308 with a 20 round box mag but the stock is quite long even in its shortest configuration. It's lighter than the FAL, but scoped and loaded it's still a 1.4 pound rifle.
In military style rifles that would be good elk guns the ones I know of are:
The M-1 Garand,
The HK-91 and clones (CETME and so on)
The FN- FAL
The FN SCAR
The FNAR
The M1A and M-14s
The AR-10 and "clones"
The Dragunov sniper rifle clones in 7.62X54R. This one is one of the lighter full power autos, but pretty long.
There may be a few others that pop up now and then too. But this list constitutes most of the ones you could choose from.
What state are you in Nim Rod?
The M1A is not too bad, but get heavy if you scope it.
The DPMS "AR-10 style" rifles come in calibers from 243 to 338 Federal, but I have owned one myself in 308 and I have a neighbor that had one in 243 and neither own was reliable. In fact his never once got through a mag of ammo without at least 2 jams. My 308 also seldom would go through a mag without at least one jam
I have an FN FAL that is 100% trouble free, but again it’s heavy and a small lady would not like it in all probability.
The FNAR in 308 is a Browning Short Track in 308 with a 20 round box mag but the stock is quite long even in its shortest configuration. It's lighter than the FAL, but scoped and loaded it's still a 1.4 pound rifle.
In military style rifles that would be good elk guns the ones I know of are:
The M-1 Garand,
The HK-91 and clones (CETME and so on)
The FN- FAL
The FN SCAR
The FNAR
The M1A and M-14s
The AR-10 and "clones"
The Dragunov sniper rifle clones in 7.62X54R. This one is one of the lighter full power autos, but pretty long.
There may be a few others that pop up now and then too. But this list constitutes most of the ones you could choose from.
What state are you in Nim Rod?
globemaster3
New member
+1 to Wyosmiths concerns on weight with the MSRs. Although my DPMS LR 308 has been 100% reliable, it's heavy compared to a regular AR or any of my bolt guns. If you're covering a lot of ground huntin elk, it would be a drawback.
7mm 08 is a good round. 270 or 280 would be great as well. 7x57 or 6.5X55 would also work.
If she insists on blonde wood, if you buy a common bolt action, there are companies making aftermarket stocks in a dizzying array of laminate colors, wood types, and styles. A word of caution, though, there are a lot of pretty stocks out there! I find I never like the stocks I own as much as the ones I see online!
7mm 08 is a good round. 270 or 280 would be great as well. 7x57 or 6.5X55 would also work.
If she insists on blonde wood, if you buy a common bolt action, there are companies making aftermarket stocks in a dizzying array of laminate colors, wood types, and styles. A word of caution, though, there are a lot of pretty stocks out there! I find I never like the stocks I own as much as the ones I see online!
.270, with the proper bullets, and the proper shot placement is as good as a magnum "super blaster". Even the .308 along with the .270 with a muzzle brake, could be an option. My daughter can easily handle her .270 Weather Warrior from Savage, and it's deadly accurate, and easy to clean, only it's in a synthetic stock... but practice is the most important part of gun ownership, especially if we're killing animals with them......
just my buck fitty.
just my buck fitty.I haven't yet figured out how you all get previous quotes into a box, but I had to laugh out loud over this one!
"If she insists on blonde wood, if you buy a common bolt action, there are companies making aftermarket stocks in a dizzying array of laminate colors, wood types, and styles. A word of caution, though, there are a lot of pretty stocks out there! I find I never like the stocks I own as much as the ones I see online!"
SO TRUE!!! rofl!
Wyosmith...about 90 miles form you, give or take
"If she insists on blonde wood, if you buy a common bolt action, there are companies making aftermarket stocks in a dizzying array of laminate colors, wood types, and styles. A word of caution, though, there are a lot of pretty stocks out there! I find I never like the stocks I own as much as the ones I see online!"
SO TRUE!!! rofl!
Wyosmith...about 90 miles form you, give or take
For no other reason than cost, I'm trying to dissuade her away from MSR's....but she likes them, and loves shooting her brother's AR-15....
That said, I think she is still leaning towards a 308....I just have very little to none, knowledge of them...on another thread in this forum, someone posted a poll asking about 308 vs .270....that's the thread she pointed me to when I found this site (she found it in google)
We'll keep learning and looking, for now, anything is out of our price range until I get the reverse fixed on my Dodge
That said, I think she is still leaning towards a 308....I just have very little to none, knowledge of them...on another thread in this forum, someone posted a poll asking about 308 vs .270....that's the thread she pointed me to when I found this site (she found it in google)
We'll keep learning and looking, for now, anything is out of our price range until I get the reverse fixed on my Dodge
allaroundhunter
New member
Nim Rod, unless y'all are able to reload (and even then it is difficult to get components), you need to try to explain to your daughter that .308 ammo is virtually non-existent in today's market. I had to get into reloading just to have a chance to shoot my .308... but I do love reloading now
.270 and .30-06 ammo can both be found, and with a muzzle brake are better choices than the .308 right now, in my opinion. However, the 7mm-08 still tops my list.
.270 and .30-06 ammo can both be found, and with a muzzle brake are better choices than the .308 right now, in my opinion. However, the 7mm-08 still tops my list.
2 things, yep that is the way they die. They are usually possible to go get with enough experience, lights, time and raw determination. I'm sure you had the last 2...
I think your bullet may have been the downfall, frankly. The 243 is a pretty small fast round. Core lots hitting bone at full speed likely disinigrate. That is why I would look at bullets first. A Partition, Bonded or full copper will expand, but are tough enough to make some kind of exit hole.
So, I think she should go get her next bull with a better bullet in her 243. Likely these are $55 a box, but I guess that is cheaper than a new gun and a better fit for her. My dad quit on his 30'06 for this same reason. If I were him, I would go back to it, but with better bullets! He had to go to the spendy bullets anyways cause the 270 WSM blows them up at 150 yards!
Thank you allaroundhunter for your insight. I have a son that works in the gun dept. for Sportsmen's Warehouse and I will also get his input...he'll know what ammo caliber's they get in most, and how often, for our area in WY, but since he doesn't hunt (he also works for a meat processor so has no interest in hunting), I value other hunter's opinions more when it comes to helping my daughter choose her next firearm.
Most importantly, it will have to be something she likes and will be comfortable with, followed by efficiency, and cost...and availability/cost of ammo.
She'll have no choice but to use my 30.30 this coming fall unless she gets a good paying job and can afford it herself after other expenses (vehicle care, insurance, etc) but since she is a horse trainer, still in her early stages of starting up, her cash flow can often times be long between paychecks, lol
Most importantly, it will have to be something she likes and will be comfortable with, followed by efficiency, and cost...and availability/cost of ammo.
She'll have no choice but to use my 30.30 this coming fall unless she gets a good paying job and can afford it herself after other expenses (vehicle care, insurance, etc) but since she is a horse trainer, still in her early stages of starting up, her cash flow can often times be long between paychecks, lol
steveNChunter
New member
If she sticks with the .243 and shoots some 105 gr Nosler Partitions she would have alot better results on elk-sized game.
The 7mm-08 is also a good idea if she gets another rifle.
But two other calibers that deserve just as much consideration are .25-06 and 6.5 creedmoor
I cant believe I'm the first person to mention .25-06 in this thread
The 7mm-08 is also a good idea if she gets another rifle.
But two other calibers that deserve just as much consideration are .25-06 and 6.5 creedmoor
I cant believe I'm the first person to mention .25-06 in this thread
UniversalFrost
New member
i was in the same boat for my daughter who was using my first deer rifle that was a .243 (98 mauser GEW that was sporterized long ago and very well done), i had decided to buy her an encore in 308 since it was lighter felt recoil than a 30/06 (at least that was my idea)... turned out that a 308 and lightly loaded 30/06 are the same percieved recoil to her.
ended up getting her a ruger american in 30/06 and she loves it. when shooting federal or american 150gr sp's she really enjoys it and is more accurate with it than with the 165 or 168gr 308's in an encore. right now i am looking at a 7mm-08 or 25-06 encore barrel or possibly a 44mag or 45acp carbine barrel for the encore so that my other daughter can take it into the woods this fall.
ended up getting her a ruger american in 30/06 and she loves it. when shooting federal or american 150gr sp's she really enjoys it and is more accurate with it than with the 165 or 168gr 308's in an encore. right now i am looking at a 7mm-08 or 25-06 encore barrel or possibly a 44mag or 45acp carbine barrel for the encore so that my other daughter can take it into the woods this fall.