Short barreled rifle for my wife

[silasbowhunter]

So my wife loves deer hunting. I’m 6’4 she’s 5’3. She needs a rifle that’s hers that’s compact stock, fairly light, and shorter barreled as I’ll put a suppressor ton it for her. She’s shot deer with a 6mm Creed and a 243. She isn’t very sensitive to recoil yet and I don’t want her to be. Applications will be deer sized game: Nebraska mule/whitetail deer, antelope, coyotes, and target shooting.
What caliber is pretty efficient out of an 18” suppressed barrel? Thinking 257 Roberts, 25-06, 25 Creed, 6mm Creed, .243, 6.5creed, 6.5x47, 6.5 grendel. Somewhere along those lines.
What rifle platform? Not opposed to rebarreling something either.

Maybe an Howa mini action in 6.5 grendel? Need some help. Probably be the only rifle my wife ever wants if I get the right one! Any help is appreciated. Thanks!


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[B23]

I'm no particular fan of Savage but I have a family member that is a tiny little thing and she has a Savage Lady Hunter in 6.5 Creedmoor that she absolutely loves so that may be one to take a look at.

 

[Lxhuntinpa]

Kimber adirondack, Tikka compact, Remington model seven, Browning x-bolt compact

 

[DoubleDown]

7-08
Ruger m77 compact or Kimber if CRF desire
Tikka Browning Savage
Sig Cross if chassis desire

 

[wildwilderness]

If you are going to put a suppressor on it I would go 16-18" and look really hard at a 308 (larger bore is less affected by shorter barrel) shooting 125-150 gr bullets. It would be the most versatile "one" rifle.

I am actually building one for suppressed on a manners compact stock and 16.25" barrel on a Rem Model Seven action (the REM M7 is 0.5" shorter than the Rem 700 short action). I will try fast loads with a 124 Hammer, medium with the 151gr Absolute Hammer, and even 200gr + subsonic loads. So many options with 30 cal bullets.

7mm-08 would be another option, or if you like to wildcat a 7mm creedmoor, or 7x47....

the 6.5 Grendel on a mini action looks neat, but imo would waste the suppressor benefits of getting more performance from minimal recoil. The more interesting option for the mini actions are the WSSM rounds. a 25 WSSM would be neat, as well as the common wildcat 6.5 WSSM...

 

[Packin_packout]

I have been down this road twice for my kids...did a savage youth compact and a tikka compact. Savage is nice that as they grow I can easily find bigger stock and swap barrels. From a performance perspective accuracy /stock stiffness etc. The tikka has been better. Pushing 2550 fps w/ 16.25 barrel and 165 accubonds with 308. Don't remember how fast the partition loads were. Savage you can get a threaded barrel online easily ( I had a lathe so just did them all myself ) so you can do brakes / suppressors.

They've knocked down everything you can think of with these setups. whitetail, mule deer, cow elk, kudu, oryx, pigs no issue.

I did the brakes / suppressors because of their initial in-experience and flinch when they switched over from 22's.

Getting a short enough LOP was easier with the savage but my kids even noticed that that tikka trigger / accuracy were better once they started shooting.

 

[OpenCountry]

Wife shoots a Browning Micro Midas in 308 and its been great for her from antelope to elk. It comes threaded for the factory break and thread protector (both included) so recoil hasn't been an issue at all. It likes factory 150 Nosler Accubonds.

 

[wildwilderness]

Check out this thread on the Hobbit rifle

The Hobbit Rifle

I've had a ton of interest in the gun I put together for my kids and I. Rather than addressing the same questions repetitively I decided to start a thread on it. My brother-in-law and I put two of these together a little over a year ago with great success. We wanted a gun with an adjustable LOP...

www.rokslide.com

 

[PNWGATOR]

My wife shoots a Tikka Compact .223 and it’s a much better fit ergonomically for her. The 20” barrel and 12.5” LOP paired with a low recoiling cartridge make a VERY enjoyable delivery system. Paired with an SWFA 6x or 3-9x with a milquad reticle in mils mounted in Sportsmatch rings it’s as reliable and as easy to use system as there is.

 

[silasbowhunter]

Check out this thread on the Hobbit rifle

The Hobbit Rifle

I've had a ton of interest in the gun I put together for my kids and I. Rather than addressing the same questions repetitively I decided to start a thread on it. My brother-in-law and I put two of these together a little over a year ago with great success. We wanted a gun with an adjustable LOP...

www.rokslide.com

The 25WSSM is not a bad idea.. I’m gonna check some specs on it. Also thought of a lightweight AR from DTech in the 6dti or whatever they call it.


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[silasbowhunter]

Good advice everyone. The 308 has me intrigued.. always wanted a handy 308 lol think she’d really benefit from one.. then I could run lighter bullets. Have a fun plinker as well


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[Racethesunset]

If she’s anything like my exes, the lighter the recoil, the better.

Grendel would be a good compromise.

 

[Marbles]

Larger than you are looking for, but 308 does really well out of short barrels. Larger bullets have more surface area for the gas to act on and loose less velocity with shorter barrels (generally speaking). I would stick with a short action loading as this gives you a longer bore for the same barrel length and a shorter action. In effect, you get a half inch shorter rifle with a half inch longer bore for the same overall length. You also get more efficient powder burn, meaning the short barrel has less effect.

Granted, none of those are massive advantages, but personally I think they add up enough to be worth considering.

 

[silasbowhunter]

If she’s anything like my exes, the lighter the recoil, the better.

Grendel would be a good compromise.

I don’t quite get it.. but I don’t think she understands recoil? She’s shot my 7RM and 300WSM a fair amount and she never ever said anything about them kicking, or anything. Was a non factor for her. Yeah I’m just not sure.. maybe I’ll just build her a short LOP 6mm Creed with a 22” barrel and be done with it lol


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[Cayden]

i personally use a Ruger predator however the Ruger ranch rifle has a very short barrel that is what i suggest

 

[silasbowhunter]

i personally use a Ruger predator however the Ruger ranch rifle has a very short barrel that is what i suggest

I got her a Ruger American Predator in 6creed that she used on her deer last year and liked. Maybe I could get a predator and swap out the stock.. not a bad idea!


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[Cayden]

the

I got her a Ruger American Predator in 6creed that she used on her deer last year and liked. Maybe I could get a predator and swap out the stock.. not a bad idea!


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Ruger ranch rifle also has a shorter stock and barrel

 

[Wmmichael20]

There's always the option of a single shot like a tc encore then you could custom order every aspect to fit her. Stock, barrol, finish, caliber..threaded or not...the options are many and with out having a receiver of sorts,the barrel can be longer without loosing performance.

 

[TREE ‘EM]

You’re on a good track with your instincts of using the 6.5 Grendel and Howa mini.

The Ruger American ranch is a good viable option but at present there’s probably better aftermarket options stock wise for the Howa.

 

[wildwilderness]

The 25WSSM is not a bad idea.. I’m gonna check some specs on it. Also thought of a lightweight AR from DTech in the 6dti or whatever they call it.


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Yeah I’ve seen some WSSM in the AR platform, opens a lot of possibilities...