"Lady hunter" rifles

[coloradoan]

I've always read that a straight comb is helpful in mitigating felt recoil. In my practical experience, I do not like the shooting Weatherby-style stocks as much as more typical straight comb stocks. It seems that keeping the butt of the stock in line with the direction of the recoil impulse of the rifle is key.

It makes it hard to understand these rifle stock designs from the Savage Lady Hunter:


and the Weatherby Vanguard Camilla:


I know that women's anatomy is different, and I know that Weatherby in particular has their distinct style of rifle stock. But are female shooters actually better served by the exaggerated monte-carlo style stocks on these rifles? It seems like a tradeoff between ergonomics and recoil mitigation, and I guess the question is whether or not it's worth it.

I suppose a lot of it will depend on the individual shooter. It might also depend on caliber - in a lighter recoiling caliber like 243 Win, maybe the advantage would go to the woman-specific design, even if it accentuated felt recoil a little more.

Woman shooters or guys who know them, what has been your experience with gender-specific rifles?

 

[WCB]

My wife has the Savage Lady Hunter in 7mm-08..recoil part is hard to tell as she shoots 3.5" shotgun shells out of a pump some times and shoots my 7lb 7mm rem mag lights out. So she is not recoil sensitive. However she loves the fit of the gun better than any other rifle she has shot. Ergonomically with it being a little slimmer seems to handle better for her. She is athletic build 5'6".

IMO, watching a lot of women shoot they tend to lay their head over more so a comb like the ones above seem to help. My friend's wife has the Savage Lightweight Storm in 7-08 and shot my wife's Lady Hunter and said she like the feel of it better and they are very similar rifles. She is more recoil sensitive and small (maybe 100lbs and 5' 1") and hasn't put more than 100 rounds down range in her life and commented on the difference in 4-5 rounds.

With that said I think it is more of the gun being designed for smaller frames. Take a women that is 5' 10" maybe it wouldn't benefit them as much. If you took something and shortened the pull and put a raised comb on it like the Savage Accufit stock (which I have) I think it would function the same. I know when my guns have a raised comb they are just more comfortable to shoot plain and simple and I have shot the the Lady Hunter quite a bit and it shoots and feels great.

 

[mr.coon]

Yes, this is old but may help someone. We have a youth 30-30 and .22 in the family, and my daughters had a hell of a time shooting them because of their heads positions relative to their shoulders. I had to cut a piece of a pool noodle in half and vet tape it to the stocks so they could shoot them properly. If it wasn't for reading about the Lady Hunter I would have never thought to raise their cheeks.

If they stay interested in deer hunting, I will buy a Lady Hunter in 7mm08.

 

[Luked]

Yes, this is old but may help someone. We have a youth 30-30 and .22 in the family, and my daughters had a hell of a time shooting them because of their heads positions relative to their shoulders. I had to cut a piece of a pool noodle in half and vet tape it to the stocks so they could shoot them properly. If it wasn't for reading about the Lady Hunter I would have never thought to raise their cheeks.

If they stay interested in deer hunting, I will buy a Lady Hunter in 7mm08.

View attachment 830249
View attachment 830253

Did almost the same thing for my daughter this past season with her AR in 300 Blk. Shes so small in size that she had a hard time getting inline with the scope. A pool noodle and tape worked really well.
My Wife is small also at 5'2" and her Savage in 7mm-08 she uses a youth style stock and she is pretty recoil sensitive being a newer shooter, we also shoot a low recoil round with hers as well that helps.
The Lady hunter for me i dont care for the angle of the butt pad. Might just be me but with it not being straight it seems like it would recoil funny.

 

[TaperPin]

I've always read that a straight comb is helpful in mitigating felt recoil. In my practical experience, I do not like the shooting Weatherby-style stocks as much as more typical straight comb stocks. It seems that keeping the butt of the stock in line with the direction of the recoil impulse of the rifle is key.

It makes it hard to understand these rifle stock designs from the Savage Lady Hunter:
View attachment 262488

and the Weatherby Vanguard Camilla:
View attachment 262489

I know that women's anatomy is different, and I know that Weatherby in particular has their distinct style of rifle stock. But are female shooters actually better served by the exaggerated monte-carlo style stocks on these rifles? It seems like a tradeoff between ergonomics and recoil mitigation, and I guess the question is whether or not it's worth it.

I suppose a lot of it will depend on the individual shooter. It might also depend on caliber - in a lighter recoiling caliber like 243 Win, maybe the advantage would go to the woman-specific design, even if it accentuated felt recoil a little more.

Woman shooters or guys who know them, what has been your experience with gender-specific rifles?

This may sound sexist, but my gut feeling is they showed a dozen women a stock with less drop and these things, and worded a simplistic questionaire that said, “Which of these would you most likely purchase?” without any explanation of the pros and cons of the design. Every gal I’ve ever dated or married would want the cute one with curves.

 

[2Stamp]

(I missed this thread when I came out)
FWIW; I bought my wife a Camilla in 6.5CM when she got interested in shooting. She loved how it felt shouldering it in the store. Went to the range and she HATES this rifle, and I'm not a fan of it either. That stock is absolutely horrid, terrible design. IT bucks like a magnum, and recoils straight up, very difficult to keep on target. I've had it threaded for a suppressor, which helps with the bark of the 20" barrel, and replaced the recoil pad. She still hates it, so it'll get sold.

 

[Bama67]

That Weatherby stock design is awful. Good grief.

 

[Fireflyfishing]

My mom (in her 70's) has a lady hunter in .243 win. She says is beats the tar out of her.

 

[KenLee]

(I missed this thread when I came out)
FWIW; I bought my wife a Camilla in 6.5CM when she got interested in shooting. She loved how it felt shouldering it in the store. Went to the range and she HATES this rifle, and I'm not a fan of it either. That stock is absolutely horrid, terrible design. IT bucks like a magnum, and recoils straight up, very difficult to keep on target. I've had it threaded for a suppressor, which helps with the bark of the 20" barrel, and replaced the recoil pad. She still hates it, so it'll get sold.

I've never watched a lady shoot a Camilla model, but have talked to two experienced female hunters who hated theirs and sold them off.

 

[Obsessed1]

My wife (5-4") shoots the browning micro midas in 243. Fits her like a glove. I also own the youth model savage 111 in 243 but she doesn't shoot it nearly as well as the midas.. she loves her little browning.
I can't see how either of those stock designs would be helpful in recoil mitigation.

 

[TaperPin]

The traditional Mark V stock fits me well and I could be happy using it for standing or sitting shots, but not prone. The way that cheek piece snuggles up to your face. . . it’s like resting against Luluemons.

 

[KenLee]

My wife (5-4") shoots the browning micro midas in 243. Fits her like a glove. I also own the youth model savage 111 in 243 but she doesn't shoot it nearly as well as the midas.. she loves her little browning.
I can't see how either of those stock designs would be helpful in recoil mitigation.

Micro midas is always the choice for a small statured lady's forever rifle, in my opinion.

 

[TaperPin]

What ever happened to the McMillan A-10? I don’t see it anywhere now.