Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Idea for a deer/hog rifle for my daughter

Do you not listen to any of them either?

Where I you I would CERTAINLY ask the Lord for guidance in rifle selection for your daughter. If you leave it in the hands of God all will be good.

Forget the heathens on the 'Fire.


Cheers

F'in calculus was a cinch...

I am one of those that thinks that handloads cure all ills. There is no reason that a .243 can't be a fat 22 rimfire, or an elk slayer, or a low-recoil and noise deer getter, all with the proper handloads.

My first gun was an H&R 20 gauge single-shot, received when I was 10. It kicked like an angry mule when loaded with waterfowl and goose loads. I haven't shot a rifle as 200lb man that had near the recoil for me as that damnable little 20 did for that 75lb kid. And I never felt the recoil of the 243 or 257 when shooting at animals as a young teen.

I can see why you coddle your daughter though. I imagine you stay tightly wrapped around the finger of her choosing. And I agree, she is pretty. Was going to make a joke about how she'd be prettier w/o the mustache, but it was too obvious. Congratulations for making it through what sound like some horrible bumps and bruises that life has thrown your way, and keeping a positive outlook as well as a great relationship with your kids. FYI, overwhelming data shows that the well-being of children age 6 through adulthood is entirely correlated with their positive interactions with a father.

I didn't take the time to go through all of the comments. I built a 30BR for my Grandson when he was about 8yrs old. It shoots 125 grain bullets out of a 16 twist barrel. He is now a football player for West Virginia and will not allow me to rechamber it for him. He said"Papaw, I have shot over 20 deer and hogs with one shot". He won't allow me to fool with it. No recoil and very accurate. He loves to shoot all my bigbores but loves his 30BR.

That's a pretty good idea. But I also think it's kinda stupid.



Travis

You're an enigma, 'flave.

Get a 223 or 22-250 or if you are dying to spend a grand on a gun send off a 223 bolt gun and get a 6x45 for her. Or load the 243 to 6x45 levels. Or put a can on the 243 it seems to make it quiet and recoil substantially less. That's as uber as I can't think

My grand daughter shoots a 20 for ducks. i bought a Savage 340 in 30-30, she shot it and told her mom it was like someone pushing her with their hand.

Love the 340 because it is easy to clear of rounds when you get back to the vehicles.

I'd go Krico 700 in 5.6x50 rimless and stoke it with 60 Horn SP's....RWS cases for Uber and for lack of all others.

On second thought, go Iowegian and get her a nice 20 gauge with slugs. Legislatures and Dads know best.

Tannerite can fill shorts and rattle window panes...YMMV.

Bar s arent light, that alone will take some of the recoil out.

Thirty years ago, I cut a .243 BAR to fit ladies and the stair step kids coming to deer camp. It worked just fine for each and every one for stand hunting. EDIT: although she is a tall lady, cousin's daughter still keeps the cut down BAR as a loaner. She uses an issue Gd.II .270 BAR.

I disagree with those who think that the gas gun does not reduce felt recoil. I once owned , at the same time, .338-06s in a rebored BAR and in a nice custom Springfield. They weighed about the same. The BAR was a pussycat, the '03 was a thumper, with the same loads.

After reading your story, I understand the reluctance to a cash outlay. Maybe it is time to treat daughter like a self supporting adult. Help her try lots of solutions - from the loading bench all the way to a new rifle. If a new rifle is the order of the day, let her fund it. Two of my three daughters can buy most anything they want. The third has a good job again, but is recovering from a financial disaster, similar to your story, in some ways.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery.

Jack

That is a mental problem. I know because I have that tendency and have to work around it. You have gotten a lot of suggestion on rifles, hand loading, and what not, but none of them are likely to solve the flinching problem.

That takes concentration that comes from practice and lots of it. The idea about the silencer may help or it may not. Sometimes it is not a matter of anticipating the recoil or the blast but an issue called "target panic" where you want to punch the trigger before your sights move off of the target.

If I were you and your daughter is willing, I would get a 22 rifle and have her shoot that practicing breathe, aim, slow squeeze. Don't worry so much about hitting the target at first. Later, take the .243 and load it for her each time but don't allow her to watch you do it. Randomly close the action on an empty chamber and see if she flinches.

It is likely one of those kind of problems that throwing money at won't help....unless the money goes to powder and bullets.

I'd try putting a lot of weight in the existing rifle and a thicker pad after hollowing out the stock to make room for weight. Maybe try a good slug barrel on the shotgun or raise the roof on the stand.

I'm not sure what the availability is these days but I'd get the stock on the existing rifle modified Hydro-Coil (the brand name is long since out of business but like the comb it's a potentially straightforward modification might even try it yourself) style - best done as a custom modification; sometimes the Hydro-Coil style stock needs a little extra length of pull to fit as the stock telescopes.

If she's enthusiastic after handling the Browning then it's never a bad idea to buy a rifle she likes and feels connected with -

I'd worry about the flinch and work on that off season with reduced loads or clay bird shooting in the already acceptable shot gun or something.

My brother bought for his first two kids Walmart special Savages in 243 Win. He cut down the stocks and added a slip-on pad to each. Light guns, loud and snappy with top end loads and 100gr bullets. HIs kids did fine with them Now it has been left to him to take his tiny-for-his-age nephew under his wing and into the field. The kid shoots rimfire very well, but was intimidated with the 243, and couldn't shoot it. We picked a fast powder(IMR4064) and soft bullet(100gr Speer BTSP) and worked up an accuracy load at about 2500fps. It is comparatively mild in noise and recoil, and the wee nephew shoots it just as well as a 10/22. He was proud to pack it last year, though we couldn't get him on anything. He can shoot milk jugs at 200 and 1/2L water bottles at 100 from field positions, so he is good to go. We limited him to 200 last year, but with practice he may be good to 300 this year. I just hope we can get him on something!

Just wanted to illustrate a bit my point about handloading being the easy and inexpensive solution here, since there is a perfectly good rifle already in the mix. And the best solution in my mind, as I am a load loony just as much as a gun loony.

Kinda confused young man? If a rifle suits a hunter and he is confident in it, why should he want to change.
Yes, if he ever has time and we make the Africa or Alaska trip, he will use another rifle.
Sounds like a stupid response to a person's post. You were kidding I hope.

That is what I did and for the time being she will be shooting an AR. If she shows the dedication she needs to and practices then we will revisit the .243 situation. Of course since I've somewhat changed my mind about .223 for deer and hog, if she becomes a dead shot and wants to stay with the .223 AR platform, I'll sell her .243 and get her a S&W M&P.

In response to some recent posts:

I do handload and was loading reduced recoil loads in her .243.

She also will be shooting my handloads with .65 Grain GameKings in the AR.

She has been shooting a .22 for many years, still shoots rabbits with her Model 60 and is very accurate.

I for the the first time fell into the trap that so many men call in to. I was wanting her to shoot what I thought was best instead of letting her make the choice.

I was throwing the idea of a bar out there to see what others thought. I know from personal experience that even without BOSS the BAR can reduce felt recoil substantially. On the other hand, even without my current situation if a less expensive solution is available I'm for it.

Thank you Steelhead for your words of wisdom.

I'm not confused. The cartridge/rifle combo does have merit (as evidenced by your son's success). Especially for somebody like yourself that likes messing with cartridges and is a rifle loonie.

But my point was that I doubt it kills a Texas whitetail any deader than a .223. Which is far more commoner.



Travis

My Grandson, not my Son. Yes, if I shot a deer in the right place with a 22RF it is dead also.

cdb,

The 223 will slaughter deer but I would highly suggest you look at 62gr Federal Fusions, any TSX/TTSX, etc.