A Guy Out West
Well-Known Member
As above, pick the caliber first, then the iron. 257 Roberts, 260 Rem, 7/08, or a 25/06.
Best hunting rifle for women?
- Thread starter Mrs Dama dama
- Start date
the prowler
Well-Known Member
Sako85 hunter in 223cal
Unfortunately finding factory non-lead ammunition for any of these will be well nigh impossible in the UK.
Regards
JCS
Sako75Hunter
Well-Known Member
If it makes any difference, Mrs Dama Dama, hasn't been on to look, since Monday evening 
Mrs Dama dama
Member
I appreciate everyone's advice and comments. Thank you againIf it makes any difference, Mrs Dama Dama, hasn't been on to look, since Monday evening
@Lateral - I have a life outside stalking and shooting, but thanks for checking up on me 
I will try and make sure I login more often!I've been tempted to ceracoat my rifle pink several times. It's a nice colour!
As far as which rifle is concerned, maybe try a few and see what you like? There are a few shops around who will let you try before you buy, especially second hand guns. Steve Beaty at Ivythorn springs to mind in my area. He usually has a good selection of guns, has a test range and will help you find what's right for you. I guess it depends where you're from as to whether he's a viable option?
I appreciate everyone's advice and comments. Thank you again
I'd flippin hope so
I just found it amusing, that with all the "discussion" that was going on, you were missing it all
alberta boy
Well-Known Member
I put together a 458x2 for a buddy of mine a few years back . He ordered a Rosewood laminate stock for it from Richards Microfit . He thought it would be the colour of Rosewood , unfortunately it came out a delicate shade of pink . He's a bit hesitant to take it out around people he doesn't know , and the fact that I started calling it " The Reluctant Rose " didn't help much either . On the upside , it's a very accurate and powerful rifle . Besides , he's 6'4" and about 280 pounds , no one usually says anything anyway .......... except me .
AB
Simple advice for ANYONE buying a rifle. Men or Women.
What are you wanting to shoot or hunt?
For deer anything above .243 will cover all the bases, IF in Scotland I would consider now to go to another 6mm calibre instead of .243 due to bullet weight and pending legislation changes, just to be safe. For this I always recommend 6.5 creed or .270 even the .308 ( even though I don't like them for many reasons). I don't recommend 6.5x55 though (again many reasons but mostly many better options than the Swede)
For vermin. Small frangible calibres are the best, 22-250 or .223 but all the small fast rounds are great from 17hmr to even .243. fast small bullets that break up quick are safer and accurate, .243 is a bit defunkt though in this category but the beauty is that you can run heavier bullets in windy conditions. I personally use .223 or run 100gr in my .243 for foxes, I have a rarely accurate and fast .243 rifle shooting 100gr though and .243's are notoriously fickle with ammo.
For target shooting you don't need too big . 6mm Creeds or br or Saum or .260 REM, 6.5 grendal or Creed, 6.5x47 Lapua (my favourite wish I owned one now). Cheaper to run and not barrel burners but also amazing out to and past 1000yrds and for hunting.
If you can try a few different set ups or Cal's go for it to see what your comfortable with.
Dont think you have to need the biggest calibre you can, don't dismiss smaller calibres either.
Here is what I have to give you an idea and why. I will give you full set ups cost and pros and cons.
1. Tikka T3 (standard) .270, cost me new with Stalon Moderator just over £1000. Scope is a Zeiss V4 6-24x50 ASV, accurate with dialing to 700yrds longest shot on a stag (wounded by a guest) was 570yrds. Shoots 130gr Prohunter reload speed is 2950fps SD 9.0. Also shoots 110gr Barnes BTSx at 3220fps at an SD of 20 (non lead are hard to stabilise), both bullets group sub quarter MOA at 109yrds or 100m
Pros, balanced weight with everything on it. I have shot over 1000 deer with this rifle 190 deer with it this year so far. Very accurate sub 300yrds without much in the way of adjustment. Low maintenance needed due to stainless barrel. Recoil is moderate and very comfortable to use, female guests have felt real comfortable with it. Ambidextrous stock, ideal as I shoot lefty but right hand action.
Cons. I sometimes feel it's a little too damaging on smaller Sika and Roe and because of that I wonder if my 6.5 creed is a better all rounder rifle calibre.
2. Tikka T3x CTR 6.5 Creedmoor. Bought new with Stalon W110 moderator £1250, scope is a Zeiss V6 2-12x50 with ASV turret. Shoots 140gr Sierra Game Kings reloads at 2750fps with SD of 2. Sub quarter MOA at 100yrds and groups 2 inch on target at 750yrds and under 3 inches at 1000yrds.
Pros. Amazingly accurate shooting for both target and hunting. Great variety of bullets and not found one it doesn't like. Very versatile. Very little recoil and well balanced.
Cons. A little heavy to carry for hunting but you get used to it.
3. Browning About 2 .243. Cost new with Atec 6mm mod £550. Shoots 100gr Prohunter reload at 3160fps with a SD of 2. Currently has a Pulsar Digex on it as my primary night rifle but normally has a day scope and has shot big and small deer alike and a lot of fox. Normally my early stalking season rifle.
Pros. Very lightweight but immensely fast and accurate with current load. Long 26 inch spitter barrel allows for good speed and and accuracy.
Cons. Synthetic stock is thin so I have to use a cheek riser, very fickle with ammo and won't shoot any boat tail bullets only flat base ones, best being Sierra Prohunter 100gr. Recoil is sharp and had to modify the non adjustable factory 4lb trigger by replacing the spring with a 1.5lb spring. .243 is going to be a kind of defunkt calibre in Scotland due to lead ban as there are better smaller Cal's to choose from for vermin.
4. Tikka T3x .223. cost £1000 new, bought DPT mid from a friend. Shoots 55gr blinking green tip at 3075fps with SD of 9.1. sub quarter MOA at 100m, currently housing a Meopta 3-12x50 scope. Main foxing and Roe deer rifle.
Pros. Amazingly accurate and versatile safe for foxes and Roe causing minimal damage. Almost no recoil and very quiet. Loves most .224 ammo upto 55gr due to twist rate can't really go bigger. Very cheap to reload.
Cons. Fickle in the wind so gave to be careful at longer ranges. Should have bought a Supervarmint so I could work bigger bullets but hey ho.
I have some rimfires I can discuss them if anyone is interested but thought I would post my centrefires just to be relevant for the OP
What are you wanting to shoot or hunt?
For deer anything above .243 will cover all the bases, IF in Scotland I would consider now to go to another 6mm calibre instead of .243 due to bullet weight and pending legislation changes, just to be safe. For this I always recommend 6.5 creed or .270 even the .308 ( even though I don't like them for many reasons). I don't recommend 6.5x55 though (again many reasons but mostly many better options than the Swede)
For vermin. Small frangible calibres are the best, 22-250 or .223 but all the small fast rounds are great from 17hmr to even .243. fast small bullets that break up quick are safer and accurate, .243 is a bit defunkt though in this category but the beauty is that you can run heavier bullets in windy conditions. I personally use .223 or run 100gr in my .243 for foxes, I have a rarely accurate and fast .243 rifle shooting 100gr though and .243's are notoriously fickle with ammo.
For target shooting you don't need too big . 6mm Creeds or br or Saum or .260 REM, 6.5 grendal or Creed, 6.5x47 Lapua (my favourite wish I owned one now). Cheaper to run and not barrel burners but also amazing out to and past 1000yrds and for hunting.
If you can try a few different set ups or Cal's go for it to see what your comfortable with.
Dont think you have to need the biggest calibre you can, don't dismiss smaller calibres either.
Here is what I have to give you an idea and why. I will give you full set ups cost and pros and cons.
1. Tikka T3 (standard) .270, cost me new with Stalon Moderator just over £1000. Scope is a Zeiss V4 6-24x50 ASV, accurate with dialing to 700yrds longest shot on a stag (wounded by a guest) was 570yrds. Shoots 130gr Prohunter reload speed is 2950fps SD 9.0. Also shoots 110gr Barnes BTSx at 3220fps at an SD of 20 (non lead are hard to stabilise), both bullets group sub quarter MOA at 109yrds or 100m
Pros, balanced weight with everything on it. I have shot over 1000 deer with this rifle 190 deer with it this year so far. Very accurate sub 300yrds without much in the way of adjustment. Low maintenance needed due to stainless barrel. Recoil is moderate and very comfortable to use, female guests have felt real comfortable with it. Ambidextrous stock, ideal as I shoot lefty but right hand action.
Cons. I sometimes feel it's a little too damaging on smaller Sika and Roe and because of that I wonder if my 6.5 creed is a better all rounder rifle calibre.
2. Tikka T3x CTR 6.5 Creedmoor. Bought new with Stalon W110 moderator £1250, scope is a Zeiss V6 2-12x50 with ASV turret. Shoots 140gr Sierra Game Kings reloads at 2750fps with SD of 2. Sub quarter MOA at 100yrds and groups 2 inch on target at 750yrds and under 3 inches at 1000yrds.
Pros. Amazingly accurate shooting for both target and hunting. Great variety of bullets and not found one it doesn't like. Very versatile. Very little recoil and well balanced.
Cons. A little heavy to carry for hunting but you get used to it.
3. Browning About 2 .243. Cost new with Atec 6mm mod £550. Shoots 100gr Prohunter reload at 3160fps with a SD of 2. Currently has a Pulsar Digex on it as my primary night rifle but normally has a day scope and has shot big and small deer alike and a lot of fox. Normally my early stalking season rifle.
Pros. Very lightweight but immensely fast and accurate with current load. Long 26 inch spitter barrel allows for good speed and and accuracy.
Cons. Synthetic stock is thin so I have to use a cheek riser, very fickle with ammo and won't shoot any boat tail bullets only flat base ones, best being Sierra Prohunter 100gr. Recoil is sharp and had to modify the non adjustable factory 4lb trigger by replacing the spring with a 1.5lb spring. .243 is going to be a kind of defunkt calibre in Scotland due to lead ban as there are better smaller Cal's to choose from for vermin.
4. Tikka T3x .223. cost £1000 new, bought DPT mid from a friend. Shoots 55gr blinking green tip at 3075fps with SD of 9.1. sub quarter MOA at 100m, currently housing a Meopta 3-12x50 scope. Main foxing and Roe deer rifle.
Pros. Amazingly accurate and versatile safe for foxes and Roe causing minimal damage. Almost no recoil and very quiet. Loves most .224 ammo upto 55gr due to twist rate can't really go bigger. Very cheap to reload.
Cons. Fickle in the wind so gave to be careful at longer ranges. Should have bought a Supervarmint so I could work bigger bullets but hey ho.
I have some rimfires I can discuss them if anyone is interested but thought I would post my centrefires just to be relevant for the OP
Foxyboy43
Well-Known Member
Excellent post from Tulloch and good advice for you across the spectrum.Hey! I am looking for some advice for the best rifle for women? Looking to purchase my first rifle in the next few months and would appreciate some help! Thanks
All I will add is that the 6.5x55SE gives considerably more power and bullet flexibility than the .243 with no great recoil penalty, indeed it is my wife’s favourite over the .308 - so it might be a better initial choice for you - your call of course, but do “try it before you buy it”.
In any event, having wound your way through the assorted views, advice, debates and disagreements, I do hope the inevitable headache soon goes away. It may well come back in spades should you ever seek advice on reloading, bullet choice, shot placement…..
Choose well Ma’am, I wish you well on your endeavours, may your aim be straight and the wind always to your face.
As now there is no such thing as man and women, just squishy organic lifeform of varying sizes I suggest you have a feel of both wood and plastic stocked rifles. Anything in a classic deer killing calibre will do. Im not a big..err..squishy organic life form and have rifles weighing up to (I guess) 9lbs.
These are Tikka, Shultz and Larsen, Sauer, Heym. Basically, there isn't a truly bad inaccurate new rifle on the market..the company would go to the wall if they produced one.
Sauer 100 and Tikka T3 are competitively priced and accurate.
These are Tikka, Shultz and Larsen, Sauer, Heym. Basically, there isn't a truly bad inaccurate new rifle on the market..the company would go to the wall if they produced one.
Sauer 100 and Tikka T3 are competitively priced and accurate.
norcan
Well-Known Member
If I could get my wife into hunting with me, I would choose a
Tikka T3x Forester in 6,5x55.
Adjust the stock to fit her LOP.
Attach a higher quality recoil pad.
Maaaybe an adjustable cheekpiece.
Svemko Magnum Suppressor.
6x42 or 8x50 scope.
Tikka Ringmounts.
Done everything I could to reduce recoil, so she would become a better shoot, and shot more.
Tikka T3x Forester in 6,5x55.
Adjust the stock to fit her LOP.
Attach a higher quality recoil pad.
Maaaybe an adjustable cheekpiece.
Svemko Magnum Suppressor.
6x42 or 8x50 scope.
Tikka Ringmounts.
Done everything I could to reduce recoil, so she would become a better shoot, and shot more.
6 mm SAUM not a barrel burner? That’s an 5-800 round barrel!
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Depends on how much your pushing it .
You wouldn’t go to the effort and expense of building a saum and then run it like a .243 as you may has well get a .243. Even then 800 is conservative run hot it is 5-600 rounds by all accounts.
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