Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Sectional Density vs Caliber

Any of the three will work. Remember the swedes use the 6.5x 55 for moose so caribo is definately in the mix and anything that the 6.5 can do the others can do. Don't over think it.

M M - 10/4

I'll take the higher SD. Thing about relying on the new designs is you have to be careful to account for instances when they fail. High SD is insurance. Of course, if you get heavy enough you find that cannon balls are effective. So, there's that.

For recoil sensitive shooters on game on open ground, I'd go for a 120gr 6.5mm or 130gr .277 of monolithic design. Penetration is assured, and if it fails to open it's not such a big deal out in the open.

If you might get by with something with more recoil, it is important to consider that a heavier bullet will be easier to push to a given velocity in a larger caliber. If you're going to use a 150gr, use it in the .308, not the 7mm08. The 7mm08 is for 140gr and so on down the scale.

If you will handload, and have not bought the rifle, consider a 270 WSM with reduced loads to start.

urbaneruralite,

How many bullets of any design have you seen fail? Which were they?

Isn't that the truth...

Truly the cartridge matters far less than the way the gun fits her, and it's weight. A rifle that doesn't fit her well, is to light, or has a short barrel, will all magnify recoil to the shooter.

The short barrel is more of a perception thing but it's real for shooters with less experience. Likewise, fitting the stock to her, and the gun being heavy enough to be comfortable with out being unwieldy is key. I'd recommend a barrel no shorter than 22".

My wife has been my learning experience, and she now uses a .257 Roberts most, and a .270W during elk season. Length of pull for these are short for everyone else in our house. I actually bought a .308 with a short barrel and fairly light thinking it would be good for her, she hates it.

Big Nate -- WINNER WINNER Chicken Dinner!!!!

Stock F I T can't be over emphasised, especially to a new shooter/youte/female. No discrimination.


BTW I suspect some recoil shy folk may very well benefit from making sure their stocks fit properly.

Being 65 and have been hunting since childhood I 'can',not necessarily like) shoot stocks too long or too short. I 'really' don't like a stock with big DROP at heel.

Jerry

Faced essentially the same question for Daughter #1 for her first elk hunt. We ended up with a .308 Win.

Yest to be finalized is the bullet - 150g AccuBond or 130g TTSX.

Her shooting skill limit her to about 300 yards, maybe 350 at the outside.

As stated by some others, rifle fit is very important, and many rifles do not fit small women well. Cartridge choice between those three makes no difference that can be measured. Remember the Swedish moose hunter surveys of a few years ago, originally published on here by John Barsness. - an exerpt:


6.5x55 # Animals 2,792 # of Shots 1.57 Moose Travel M after 1st hit 43


.308 WCF # Animals 1,314 # of Shots 1.67 Moose Travel M after 1st hit 41