New rifle for my daughter - need recommendations

[sndmn11]

If I was 18 years old and 5 foot nothing I definitely wouldn’t want to be shooting a lightweight 270

Agreed!
My 5' on a good day better half went with a Weatherby Camilla.

 

[Runningwater]

I certainly won't argue with any of the other rifle recommendations, but thought I'd throw another one out there. Several years ago I ended up getting my 10 year old son a Mossberg Bantam (Patriot?) in 7mm-08. I went that route because I'm old fashioned and its was one of the few kid rifles that had the option of wood. Its been a terrific rifle (and its a terrific caliber), very accurate. They have a trigger similar the the Savage thing, so a decent trigger for an inexpensive gun. The wood stock option is a 12" LOP. The synthetic options have 3 or 4 pieces of stock adjustment so it can be considerably shorter than 12" but be adjusted as/if she grows or if you have other users. So FWIW, we've been very happy with ours, its even got a decent chunk of walnut on it. They come in 243, 6.5 Creedmore, 7mm08, and 308. Ours is a shooter - I shot a nice coyote with it last year. You can get them new for about $350 off gunbroker.
Mossberg Mossberg(R) Patriot™ - Youth | O.F. Mossberg & Sons
As far as the cartridge. 243 is perfect for Pronghorn. Its fine/ok for Mulies but you'd want a good bullet especially with a shorter barreled youth rifle and keep the yardage reasonable. 7mm08 bullet has a lot more umph for Mule deer. Don't get me wrong though, my son's primary rifle now that he's outgrown the Mossberg is a 243 so we've taken several mule and whitetail deer with it.

Good luck!

 

[TwoTikkas]

My daughter just bought her first rifle. She has been using her mother's m700 270. She picked the Camilla in 6.5 Creedmoor. Loves it.

 

[TwoTikkas]

Her first 3 shots with Hornady factory fodder.

 

[howl]

Getting the weight closer back to the shooter helps when they have lesser upper body strength. Short actions work a hair better in that regard. The Weatherby Camilla in 6.5 as mentioned would be a good one to look at. They have the Howa based and the Mark V. 120gr 6.5 is plenty for the target quarry and most shooters don't mind the recoil.

 

[peddler]

Got my wife the Savage Lady Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor the first year they were available, she loves it.

 

[COOTER]

Wow! First I want to thank all of you for your input. I has been great. I think that she may not like the recoil with the 270. It is a great caliber though and versatile. With that said I am now looking at the 25-06, 7mm-08 and the 6.5 Creedmoor. Right now, I think I am leaning heavy towards the 6.5. I am not really familiar with that caliber but from what I reading, it seems to be a great fit for here. Really good ballistics, a variety of factory loads available, low recoil and could handle any game and at any distance she will most likely encounter. Still more research to do.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

I am now looking at the 25-06, 7mm-08 and the 6.5 Creedmoor. Right now, I think I am leaning heavy towards the 6.5.

All are good choices, but I would personally get the 7mm-08 over a Creedmoor. The 7mm-08 has better external ballistics than the Creedmoor in all factory hunting loads I've ever compared (Hornady Precision Hunter, Nosler BT, Nosler AB) and does so with essentially the same amount of recoil. The 7mm-08 also allows you to go higher in bullet weight if you so choose. Just my 0.02

 

[howl]

All are good choices, but I would personally get the 7mm-08 over a Creedmoor. The 7mm-08 has better external ballistics than the Creedmoor in all factory hunting loads I've ever compared (Hornady Precision Hunter, Nosler BT, Nosler AB) and does so with essentially the same amount of recoil. The 7mm-08 also allows you to go higher in bullet weight if you so choose. Just my 0.02

With equivalent charges and bullet weights, the 7mm08 will be faster. That means it will have more recoil. I had to load the 7mm08 down for my wife. She handles .260 120gr in an identical rig just fine.

 

[wannakillabigbull]

With equivalent charges and bullet weights, the 7mm08 will be faster. That means it will have more recoil. I had to load the 7mm08 down for my wife. She handles .260 120gr in an identical rig just fine.

The 7mm-08 has more recoil but not by much. 6.5 creedmoor recoil data is lacking but Swift posts recoil numbers for their ammo. 7mm-08 is at 13.3 ft-lbs and 6.5 CM is at 13.0 ft-lbs. That’s within 2.5% of each other which is essentially the same. Their both good cartridges for what the OP wants.

 

[H82miss]

I vote Savage Lady Hunter. My daughter, also 5' nothin, shoots this pretty well. It's actually a Savage Lightweight Hunter in a Lady Hunter stock. I really like the 7mm-08 caliber, although it does have noticeable recoil in such a light rifle, especially if you only weigh 90 lbs.

 

[JP100]

Hi All,
I am planning a Wyoming antelope/mule deer hunt for 2019 with my daughter (HS graduation present).
She is about 5' nothin.... I am looking at the Savage 110 Hunter rifle with Accufit. Seems like a good choice to be able to have it properly fit her. I can't decide between the caliber. I have narrowed it down to either a 270 or 25-06. Chances are very slim of hunting anything bigger than mule deer. It would be used here in Michigan for whitetails. I do reload for my long guns, but time is hard to come by for load development. So, chances are we would be using factory ammo.

If any you could provide recommendations for caliber and why you feel that caliber would be the best choice.
Thanks in Advance.

I would also look at the Tikka youth rifle.,

.270 is too big in my opinion, its alot of gun in a small rifle. I started off shooting a light .270 and it ruined me, a .243 was my next rifle and I shot way better and still love that rifle, and had way LESS wounded game/follow up shots.
If your only shooting 'deer' a .243 will be fine, I would also look at 7-08, or 6.5x55/6.5 creed/.260

I have used a .243 quite a lot and shot alot of red stags(bigger than Mulies) out to around 400 yards with no issues, same with Tahr(think Mt Goats). I have used my .243 with clients and have seen more wounded game with bigger calibers than my .243. People shoot smaller calibers so much better. Choose a good bullet and you will have no issues.

Nothing worse than too much gun for a young guy/girl starting out.

sorry just saw your updated post, 6.5 would be a much better go to from my opinion, but I would still not over look a .243, my .2 cents

 

[sndmn11]

All are good choices, but I would personally get the 7mm-08 over a Creedmoor. The 7mm-08 has better external ballistics than the Creedmoor in all factory hunting loads I've ever compared (Hornady Precision Hunter, Nosler BT, Nosler AB) and does so with essentially the same amount of recoil. The 7mm-08 also allows you to go higher in bullet weight if you so choose. Just my 0.02

These are the reasons my better half chose the 7mm-08 over the 6.5, and when considering the availability of heavier weight bullets to one who reloads, it seemed like the better choice out west.

 

[muddydogs]

I picked up a 25-06 last year for antelope and deer, its a fun light recoil rifle. I would go the 25-06 over the 243 for a little better ballistics. I know guys are throwing out 243, 25-06 and 7mm-08 but there all real close in recoil. the 243 and 7mm=08 are both 308 cases and the 25-06 isn't a lot bigger. It kind of comes down to what you want for ballistics out of these three.

 

[howl]

The problem is that what may appear the same on a chart is not the same in experience. People are not able to measure by degrees. You cannot measure by and rationalize 2.5%. More is just more. There is a threshold for each person. If you go over it, how much does not matter.

More to the point, what you get with a 120gr 6.5mm bullet is different than what you get with a 120gr 7mm bullet. One of the two is more reliable and has less chance of being over someone's threshold for tolerating recoil. The chance is apparently significant as I have seen the issue first hand with a few people. I never thought anything .270 or under had any real recoil, but experience with others says otherwise.

 

[6mm Remington]

If you can find a good used rifle such as a Ruger MKII or Remington in 6mm Remington, that would be a really sweet cartridge for her. It's got a little more pop than the 243 but still is soft on the shoulder when it come to recoil. I've used the 6mm Remington for everything from coyotes, antelope, deer, and have taken one elk with it also. I'd put a straight 6x36mm Leupold or 6x42mm Leupold on it and she would be all set. A
2.5-8x36mm Leupold would also be a really nice option.

 

[V65Magna]

I would also look at the Tikka youth rifle.,

.270 is too big in my opinion, its alot of gun in a small rifle. I started off shooting a light .270 and it ruined me, a .243 was my next rifle and I shot way better and still love that rifle, and had way LESS wounded game/follow up shots.
If your only shooting 'deer' a .243 will be fine, I would also look at 7-08, or 6.5x55/6.5 creed/.260

I have used a .243 quite a lot and shot alot of red stags(bigger than Mulies) out to around 400 yards with no issues, same with Tahr(think Mt Goats). I have used my .243 with clients and have seen more wounded game with bigger calibers than my .243. People shoot smaller calibers so much better. Choose a good bullet and you will have no issues.

Nothing worse than too much gun for a young guy/girl starting out.

sorry just saw your updated post, 6.5 would be a much better go to from my opinion, but I would still not over look a .243, my .2 cents

I agree. With the right bullet, a .243 kicks like a pussycat but hits like a truck. I started hunting in 1996 with a 700 BDL in .30-06, and in my opinion, that thing was total overkill. I bought a Browing A-bolt Medallion in .243 the following year and never looked back. Within 200 yards, I've literally knocked average sized whitetails completely off their hoofs with that cartridge. I've turned countless groundhogs into yard sales with it as well. The .243 is the quintessential dual purpose cartridge IMHO.

 

[COOTER]

Man all you guys are great. Some much useful information. My head is swimming fro all of it. I actually made a tally sheet trying to take into account everyone's opinions. I even included those who liked multiple calibers. So here is where I am at right now. The 270 is out, I want her to enjoy shooting her gun and have as much confidence in it as she can. I have looked at the 308 vs 25-06, 6.5 creedmoor and 7mm-08 and it is also out. The tally has come down to the 25-06 and 7mm-08. I think I am going to pull the trigger on a 7mm-08.
Thanks again for all the help!

 

[JPHuntingAUS]

The make is more important in some instances to the calibre.

I learnt on a Remington model 700 bdl 270 and never had a problem, shot my first stag at 12 years old no worries. The old man passed it down to me and I intend on doing the same with my first son someday.

My brother owned a steyr model L in 243, that thing had such a sharp kick it's easily the most uncomfortable rifle I've ever shot including all magnums I've shot.

My 14 year old sister shoots a tikka hunter 243 and has shot several deer with it no worries. I'd recommend that hands down. Just chuck a limbsaver on it for extra measure if it's a concern.

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[JPHuntingAUS]

I read an article once that said in Sweden 6.5 Is one the most popular calibre for moose.

Australia is the land of overgun. I know a guy who shot a buffalo 9 times with a 300 win mag and reckons he was seriously undergunned. Three of those shots were from a distance of several feet as the animal was on the ground. Poor shot placement is often used to justify big guns.

Didn't bother telling him that Australia's most prolific commercial buff hunter shot something like 60,000 with a 308

An animal hit properly with a smaller calibre will die just as dead and always quicker than an animal with a canon wound in its gut.

EDIT: sorry I put this comment in the wrong thread. I'll leave it here anyways though as it's probably semi relevant.

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