Am I on the Right Track?

[AustinL911]

I'd personally go with 6.5c for the better ballistics, but you're on the right track.

 

[BCSteel]

Where in BC are you ? Different rifles will fit different people differently. One of the biggest causes of 'felt recoil' is in the stock fit. I will say that there is no possible way to get the same rifle to fit a 130 lb woman and a 200 lb man. And I'm not just talking about length of pull, it's everything like height of comb, drop of comb, different requirements like eye relief, and the list goes on. If I were in your shoes, I would find a short action (.243, .308, 7-08, there's more, but those are everywhere) with a cheap synthetic stock that can be easily swapped for a youth stock, since I bet that's what your wife will end up with. I would also find a .22 that she can shoot. Bonus if it's in the same configuration as the short action. Then go out and shoot them both lots, with different types of ammunition if you don't reload, to find out which type each rifle prefers. Then go hunting, you carry the short action, she can carry the .22, and if you find a grouse or rabbit, she shoots it, if you find a mulie, you shoot it. Later on, if you both want to carry a rifle big enough for deer or elk or whatever, get one that fits you, and swap out the cheap stock on the short action and make it fit her.

Old internet name, actually in Edmonton for a few years now.

I guess I never really thought about a gun physically fitting both of us.

I was talking to her last week about the idea of her carrying a .22 and me the deer gun and she seemed to be OK with it.

The reality of it is that I will be doing most of the hunting and she will be mostly coming for the hiking/outdoors/camping. I think I keep trying to convince myself that she will be as into the hunting part as I will but it's just not going to be that way.

I know I seem kind of all over the place but I'm just trying to figure out as best I can what will work and what won't without spending a bunch of cash on things that just don't fit.

I appreciate everyone taking the time to help me out.

 

[Jimbob]

My wife really enjoys shooting a .308 Tikka T3 compact, great great gun. My son shoots a 7mm-08 Rugger American compact, nice rifle but not like the tikka.

If I were you I would buy a 7mm-08 Ruger american compact. The compact has a 18" barrel and small stock that would fit your wife and she would enjoy shooting it. Keep her enjoying every part of the experience and it will help. It is also nice and light so it is a joy to carry. Then as funds are available add another stronger caliber to the mix, a gun that fits you.

If you think you will only need one rifle for the foreseeable future and you will be using it 99% of the time then go with the tikka compact. It has a 20" barrel and a stock with a spacer. This rifle will fit you better than the Ruger but still fit your wife nicely.

 

[kravguy]

I get what people are saying with the one gun size fitting all. I'm sure that matters a little more on how far you think your shots will be. I've had really, really good luck with a Tikka T3 Compact model. First purchased for my son who was 6 years old at the time. The rifle fit him well off the start, and he's been shooting it extremely well. He is 8 now, and has always been bigger size wise. It comes with an extra piece for the stock to make it a bit longer if needed. Reason I say we've had good luck with it, is that my wife will use that rifle when she hunts. She is 6'0" tall. I will use it on occasion and have taken it with me on my Saskatchewan trips. We all seem to shoot it well. Granted, we aren't shooting 400 yards and beyond, but inside of 300 yards it's been on the money for all of us. Seems weird for myself to be able to shoot a gun originally setup for my son so well. I can grab that rifle, throw it up to shoot, and everything is right there.

For a scope, lots of guys like Leupolds on here. I do as well. I've also had good luck with the older Zeiss conquest line that can be found used for under $300.

I had a set of Nikon Monarch 5, and for the money they were decent glass. I certainly didn't have much to complain about them anyway. A step up would be waiting for a used set of Meoptas B1 or the HD models & the Cabelas models made by Meopta which can sometimes be found around the $500 mark depending on size.

 

[Jimbob]

A gun for a smaller person can be used by a larger person but vice versa is not the case. My son cannot shoulder my tikka 30-06 nor will I let him shoot it but I can shoot the Ruger compact and Tikka compact that he shoots just fine though.

I get what people are saying with the one gun size fitting all. I'm sure that matters a little more on how far you think your shots will be. I've had really, really good luck with a Tikka T3 Compact model. First purchased for my son who was 6 years old at the time. The rifle fit him well off the start, and he's been shooting it extremely well. He is 8 now, and has always been bigger size wise. It comes with an extra piece for the stock to make it a bit longer if needed. Reason I say we've had good luck with it, is that my wife will use that rifle when she hunts. She is 6'0" tall. I will use it on occasion and have taken it with me on my Saskatchewan trips. We all seem to shoot it well. Granted, we aren't shooting 400 yards and beyond, but inside of 300 yards it's been on the money for all of us. Seems weird for myself to be able to shoot a gun originally setup for my son so well. I can grab that rifle, throw it up to shoot, and everything is right there.

For a scope, lots of guys like Leupolds on here. I do as well. I've also had good luck with the older Zeiss conquest line that can be found used for under $300.

I had a set of Nikon Monarch 5, and for the money they were decent glass. I certainly didn't have much to complain about them anyway. A step up would be waiting for a used set of Meoptas B1 or the HD models & the Cabelas models made by Meopta which can sometimes be found around the $500 mark depending on size.

 

[Opah]

Do they make a thompson rifle? just swap barrels when its her turn, one rifle two calibers

 

[kravguy]

A gun for a smaller person can be used by a larger person but vice versa is not the case. My son cannot shoulder my tikka 30-06 nor will I let him shoot it but I can shoot the Ruger compact and Tikka compact that he shoots just fine though.

That's what I was trying to get at. He could get a rifle setup for the wife in a smaller package, and still shoot it well himself.

 

[Jimbob]

That's what I was trying to get at. He could get a rifle setup for the wife in a smaller package, and still shoot it well himself.

Ya I thought you made the point well I just wanted to emphasize that you can't go the other way very well.

 

[kravguy]

Ya I thought you made the point well I just wanted to emphasize that you can't go the other way very well.

Yea, couldn't have my wife or boy shooting my 300. I'd be picking up shoulders and wiping tears.

 

[ChukarUp]

I built a 7mm08 for my wife and eventually for my kids ....it soon became my favorite rifle for myself. It is a Rem 700. I had a brake put on it. There is no muzzle jump, and almost no felt recoil. It's a dream to shoot and awesome to be able to see down range after the shot...no guessing if the animal went down on impact. The downside is that it's very loud. I double up on ear protection at the range, but in the field things can be unpredictable.

I just built a Tikka T3 Superlite in 30-06, with a light scope, and I'm honestly a little worried that the recoil will make shooting it quite unpleasant. Hoping to hit the range this weekend. Will let you know. I may have built my rifles a little backwards: light rifle just under 7 lbs with heavy caliber, and heavier rifle at almost 9 lbs with the lighter caliber. It's all fun in the end.

Next project might be a Tikka in 7mm08 or compact 243 and not put a brake on it as to preserve everyone's hearing without the hassle of dealing with ear protection in the field.

Regarding binocs, you can't go wrong with the value vortex offers. For someone newer to glassing I wouldn't recommend going above 10x.

 

[backcountry_hunter]

Do they make a thompson rifle? just swap barrels when its her turn, one rifle two calibers

a few different ones. I tried going this route with my kids but it didn't pan out like you would think.... Problem is by the time you buy quality extra barrels you're almost better off buying separate guns. There's still a number of people out there that specialize in accurizing this platform but it's not cheap and by the time you're done with buying good barrels, you could spend 100$ or 200$ more and have a 1moa gun.

 

[BCSteel]

Picked up the Nikon Monarch 5 binoculars in 10x42 today while they were on sale. Mailing out my paperwork for my gun licence on Monday. Feels good to finally start getting ready to add hunting into my outdoors activities.

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[BCSteel]

So here's an update on how this whole hunting thing has played out for me.

I'm up to 4 guns now lol A used Remington 700 in 7mm mag, a used Remington 783 in .270, a Savage Lite Weight Hunter in .243 and a Savage A22 in .22lr.

I've put many thousands of rounds down the .22 and a dozen or so boxes down each of the centre fires. I'm comfortable with the 7 mag out to 200 and out to 300 with the .270 and .243.

I just recently came back from 7 days of hunting and 3 days of salmon fishing with a friend from Hungary joining me. We saw game every day, about a dozen whitetails (2 of which we had fleeting opportunities on), 3 moose including one that I called in to about 30 yards, a grizzly sow with 2 cubs, a black bear that I put a stalk on and just lost him as he disappeared into the bush and a half dozen mule deer does.

I don't post too much but I do cruise through on a regular basis picking up tidbits of info here and there so thanks to everyone who shares their knowledge openly with everyone else.

 

[vanish]

Talk about jumping right in! Nice.

 

[LIWolverine]

That is excellent!!


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[BCSteel]

Thanks guys, it's all I'd hoped it would be and so much more.