Ladies Rifle

Peter Eaton

Well-Known Member
Michelle is thinking about getting ther FAC after coming on a few stalks and a cull. She has shot my 6.5 x 55 but finds it a wee bit to much kick for her which saps here confidence. She has shot my .223 and likes that as less recoil and less bark. I need to find her a rifle that is milder in recoil, I am thinking maybe .243 with a mod. Any suggestions please?


Pete
 
My daughter uses an unmoderated Ruger77 Mk1 Full Stock in 243.

She's 5ft 5 Size 10/12 and is very happy stalking and shooting with it.
 
Pete

A couple of thoughts:

If you don't have a moderator on the 6.5x55, then consider putting one on it.
Have a close look at the recoil pad on the 6.5x55, an option might be to put a top of the range recoil pad on your rifle.
Try downloading your 6.5x55 so that you have a mild, but still deer legal round.
If you and Michelle are significantly different in stature and weight, then maybe a second rifle is the way to go so that both rifles are a good fit.

Well done on getting Michelle so enthusiastic.

Good luck. JCS
 
Thanks for the replies so far. ...and JC, the 6.5 is moderated but even so it tends to flip moe than recoil. I am getting a new stock which should help alot as the Tikka plastic fantastic stok it has certainly doesnt help ( loookin as the PSE stock ). Michelle came out over the weekend on Remmy 700s ground wiht a few guys off the forum on a cull and loved it even thugh she didnt get to shoot anything, though hasnt beaten my 3 blanks on a trot yet ! She realised that she had been missing out on alot of as she never realised that the world is a different place when sat in a high seat at dsuk or dawn with the huge amount you see and here around you. She likes the though of getting her own gun now as has shot my .223 and 6.5x55.
What I have said to her is to apply for an FAC and put down she wishes to buy .243 and either ask for or the use of my rifles, 6.5x55, .223 and .17 HMR which will allow her to use them too.

Chhers

pete
 
get a .338 lapua mag, then when she realises it's too much gun, you give her the 6.5 and keep the mag to yourself.. everyone wins, you have a mans gun, she has a ladies gun.

:rofl:

just kidding mate.. .243 is a great cal for ladies, JCS is right too, a down-loaded 6.5 is fine too, but I'm guessing she'll want her own anyway.
 
Well I use a .243win and .308win.

I think it is more a good choice of rifle to match the person (and practice) than the calibre itself.

My old .303 was a P14 which was a pig compared to a Lee Enfield - both being 303 of course.

Julie
 
We can all be flip about what would suit but when I used to teach Shotgun shooting my ex wife hade me realise that pair of bumps women have up front means they are slightly differant shape in the shoulder so a different shaped butt pad may help a lot.:rolleyes: would have thought a nicely loaded 120 grain would not be too much.
 
I use a .243 there hardly any recoil from it. If it has a moderator on it there is very little recoil.

Stacey
 
The 6.5x55 would be one of my first recommendations:(

For any person - male or female; stock fit can be critical. Most factory stocks are a bit long for most.

I would suggest tweaking stock - likely cheaper option than a new specific rifle and have a look at a milder load if possible - PMC 140 grain factory rounds used to be very sweet and very accurate in a Tikka 595 and Browning Euro, but havent seen them in a long time.

A steady 140 grain may be easier than a warmer 120 grainer.

Do let us know how you get on.
 
Go for it Michelle. A old trick to find out if the stock is too long is to hold the butt in the crook of the arm ( right angle ) and then try to place the second joint of the index finger on the trigger in the position normally used for shooting. If you are not comfortable or can't reach get the stock adjusted by a good gunsmith.
 
My sister shoots a 270!
I learnt to shoot on one from the age of 14, whilst no lady I can sympathise with the control aspect, as a gangly 9 stone teenager trying to tame an unmoderated 270.

stock fit is important but then so are many other aspects. by this I mean length of Pull.
Is she able to comfortably grip the stock on your rifle? smaller hands give less control on the pistol part. which is a big part to controlling recoil and maintaining rifle position.
As a kid I found wrapping the sling of the 270 around my left forearm and then holding the fore-end a huge benefit to controlling the flip and recoil.

try getting a recoil pad for under the shirt. some of the new materials are very good (if a little pricey!)
recoil isnt calibre specific.
my 243 has as much felt recoil as my 270, even with the moderator (PES 650g overbarrel) it tames the flip but doesnt completely remove the recoil.


if you homeload try some lighter bullets at lower speeds on the range to get her used to it
 
The stock design can do wonders in eliminating muzzle flip. This helps keep the scope away from the eye.
I would also say put a mod on the rifle and it should be fine. If all else fails go for a 243, practice with
80gr and just use 100 for the deer.
edi
 
Ahh yes the size of the pistol grip............................. a lot of modern stock designs have large chunky club like feeling pistol grips. if one gets the chance to handle a true bespoke English rifle the difference in feel just has to be felt to be believed. One of my intense dislikes of the Remington 700 is the stock feels like an unfinished club. Both Parker-Hale and BSA were reasonable in this respect but the BSA Monarchs and CF2's were not as good as the earlier models.

In fact the top of the comb on my BSA CF2 Stutzen in 270 Win has little knocks from the bottom edge of the frame of my specs where the stock jumps in recoil. The rifle seems to jump up and I am not the only one to have commented upon this.

As for the old addage of trying the butt in the crook of the elbow and if the trigger fingers falls into place the stock is correct.......................... sadly this is not right and is rather simplistic. Stock fit is determined by many things and length of neck, breadth of shoulders and chest all play part. I am not expert of stock fitting but with the various rifles I have used have noticed that older rifles, and I mean 50+ years old tend to have longer length of pulls than modern rifles do possibly with the exception of the P-H 1200V on which I had to have a thinner recoil pad fitted as it was just too long. I wonder if that was intended as the rifle was clearly meant to be benched or shot prone?

I see many shooters who "crawl the stock" which looks most uncomfortable to me. Surely one needs a natural relaxed stance when shooting especially in stalking where stand shots are more likely. The rifle when lifted to the should should come straight to the right place with sights aligned with the eye. The head does not need to move and can continue watching the quarry. Just watch how many on shouldering the rifle then move their head about to find the correct sight picture :rolleyes:. Being relaxed will help with felt recoil too surely.
 
I know that modern calibres leave some people cold, but I would also seriously consider the 6.5x47. Loaded with 120gr 125gr or 130gr bullets it is effective and light recoiling. It is a handloading only proposition though...
 
Thanks all the advise everyone. Lots to think about and consider. I want an all round good deer rifle. I just don't like big guns with recoil. I've shot Petes 6.5x55 a few times now and I really don't enjoy it. His rifle scares the crap out of me to be honest. A part of it is confidence,I know. Just too much recoil.

Got some thinking to do.
Cheerio
Michelle
 
Thanks all the advise everyone. Lots to think about and consider. I want an all round good deer rifle. I just don't like big guns with recoil. I've shot Petes 6.5x55 a few times now and I really don't enjoy it. His rifle scares the crap out of me to be honest. A part of it is confidence,I know. Just too much recoil.

Got some thinking to do.
Cheerio
Michelle

Depending what terrain you shoot over, have a look at the CZ 7.62x39 carbine
I use mine for roe and fox and it does do the job on roe at 75 yards.

Problem with the calibre is you need to handload to make it a really effective deer round :(
 
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