Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting deer rifle for a lady.

I would have to say .270. Ive been shooting one since I was 11 and even back when I was 80 pounds never have a problem with recoil or manuvering it. Also with a decent load will stop any deer and most elk dead in their tracks.

I'm with the guy that suggested the Savage 99 250-3000, Great Great choice. Almost the same as .257 Roberts almost no recoil either way. A .243 would work fine also. Depending on her size and what kind loads you use. A .270 or a .25-06 can still thump you pretty good. I'd still go with the 250 Sav for the cool factor and if you can find a carbine it might fit her better. If you have to modify the stock any, I'd use something else--not a classic.

7-08 all the way.. It's all the gun she'll ever need in the lower 48!!

Got pards with .270's that I swear recoil as hard as my -06's.

One pards .270 in a Rem mtn rifle that kicks the living hell outa ya. Everyone that's ever shot that.270 say's the same thing "it's not enjoyable to shoot in any way shape or form".

The .260 is another great choice!

7-08 is my choice....for my wife, and for me. No need for it to be a ladies rifle...I just love shooting it and she does too.

260, 25-06, 270, 308, etc all work great too....

A 25-06 or 243 Win. would be great for a petite lady.

I'm in the 260 Rem, or 7mm-08 Rem group. Both are light recoilers. Especially if you load a 120 gr or 130 gr bullet in the 7-08 which should be more than adequate for whitetail.

I would like to toss in the 7X57, this is a great rifle and is good for deer, elk and moose, it's killed them all. Mine has knocked deer flatter than a fritter.

My daughter has been using my 25-06 the last two years with excellent results. Two nice White-tail bucks in two shots.

CK

The 25-06 is something I always wanted but never acquired, I had my chance but decided to go with the 6.5-06. I have never taken game with it but have no doubts it could do the job. Congratulations to your daughter, good shooting and I know the 25-06 will serve her well.

.260 Remington is worth a look.

If you handload, I'd recommend a light bolt-action rifle with a 22-inch barrel in 7x57 for a number of reasons.

For deer, you can load a 120 grain bullet at about 2550 to 2600 fps and the recoil, even in a 6 lb. or 7 lb. (with scope) rifle, will be negligible... especially if you add a good recoil pad.

For black bear, elk or moose, you can load a heavier bullet at the same muzzle velocity and the 7mm Mauser will get the job done with ease... and the recoil will still be fairly light.

And if she needs to have it, a fully loaded 7x57 is slightly more powerful than a 7mm-08 due to the 7mm Mauser's larger case capacity.

But... as a "factory load", it is vastly UNDERLOADED (no more than 46,000 C.U.P.) due to the weaker old 1893 and 1895 7x57 Mauser rifles still in use around the world.

Speer's #3 Reloading Manual gives 50,000 CUP loads for use in MODERN RIFLES ONLY. I've fired their H4350 load consisting of 50.0 grains of H4350 behind a 140 grain bullet in my Ruger #1 International with the full Mannlicher-type stock & 20" barrel... and, trust me, it is noticably "hotter" (louder report & greater recoil) than the majority of loads given for the 7x57... but the recoil was STILL not "unpleasant".

Mrs. Jack O'Connor used a 7x57 caliber rifle for almost all the big game hunting she did... and it downed all kinds of large game animals with good shot placement for her.

Just as Theodore Roosevelt found out at San Juan Hill during the Spanish-American War, the 7x57 (aka the "7mm Mauser" or ".275 Rigby") is a hard round to beat.


Strength & Honor...

Ron T.

dont forget about the 7x57, aka 7mm mauser

Several years ago my wife took over the hunting rights of 'our' Win mod 70 25-06. That allowed me to collect a few more rifles, searching for a replacement. I may have found it, I have just ordered a Rem 7 CDL in the 260 caliber. I will probably get the 25-06 back now.

If recoil MAY be an issue, go with a 243 Winchester or a 257 Roberts. The 243 will have less recoil than the 257, but if you reload, you can make a tame 257.
If a custom rifle is doable, the very best rifle for a lady is a 250-3000. Don't know about ammo availability for the 250 as I reload for mine. That may be an issue if you don't reload.

Don

Brings back memories........
I started my wife out with a 788 Remington in 308 because it was cheap and I didn't know if she would keep at it long term.
That was back in 1981, she now says I will have to pry it out of her bony fingers, etc.
We reload and use 125 gr Sierra flat base at 2900 fps.
I cut the stock down to fit her and installed a 1" pad.
I bought her a Browning 257 Roberts Lever once and she rejected it. I also tried the Browning Lever in 7mm-08, she could not notice any difference in recoil. (factory ammo)
Her older sister copycatted her and wanted to hunt too.
Her boss had a 270, so she decided she wanted one too.
She wouldn't admit it at first, but now says the recoil is a wee bit much for her with factory ammo.
My other sister in law used to shoot a 30-06 with handloads but had a double masectomy and now shoots a 243 because she lost some "padding". Bullet selection is vital when shooting 243. Her husband bought her as box of 80 grs one year and results were not good.
whelennut

I would look no farther than the 257 Roberts. my daughter, dad, and I whacked 8 critters with the "Bob" this year...only one of them ever took a step.. and that was actually a doe fawn that MAYBE weighed 60#'s!! 6 with 100gr Interlocks and 2 with the 100gr TSX.

I'm very small and love my 7mm-08. It's a great gun for whitetails.
Good luck with whatever you choose!

anie,

The 7-08 or the 257Roberts are my picks. Beyond those two, small good looking ladies can generally handle just about any rifle cartridge a man can if the rifle fits. Often, ladies have better vision and have an open mind giving them an advantage over bigger and uglier men who are generally old dogs w/ bad habits. I've seen several small good looking ladies become beautiful marksmen(women) w/ the ability to outshoot most men. That is a joy for those of us who appreciate it, and it really pisses off the others who don't.

GVA