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Thread: First rifle for woman?
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11-03-2019, 12:17 #11
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11-03-2019, 13:34 #12
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Re: First rifle for woman?
Recoil shy means she's not an experienced shooter. Small/medium bodies mean nothing. Shooting with recoil is a skill, not something to do with size. Rather solve the problem she has, as it will show in other shooting as well. Recoil shy means just one hotter than expected load and even her 6.5 Creedmoor is suddenly not an option anymore, meaning you're back to square one.
You can't buy better shooting. You train for it. Train her out of the recoil problem and doors will open up like you won't believe.
PS to answer your question, get her a .308 Win with a suppressor. Platform is absolutely perfect for shooting up to 300m, components are cheap and available anywhere and you can load it like you want to. Once she's comfortable with a light load, you go heavier and heavier until she's comfortable shooting hotter loads, increasing range and application of the rifle.
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11-03-2019, 13:59 #13
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Re: First rifle for woman?
Is the woman married or have a partner. i.e. what is the likelihood of most of her shooting/hunting being in the company of her partner? And if so, what calibres does she already have access to
Reason I ask is, a .308 or 6.5CM might be a great calibre for my small framed wife, but I have both which she can use, so I would lean towards perhaps a .223 for my wife...then between us we have another calibre.
If she however specifically wants a calibre to herself just because or she is single, thats another story?
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11-03-2019, 14:35 #14
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It is for my wife, I have a 12 gauge, a 6.5x55 and 22lr. While the 6.5x55 would probably work for her she shoots left handed, which is the primary reason for getting her own gun other than she really wants one.With reloading the 222, 223, 6.5 grendel, 243 and 308 look like good options to me.
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11-03-2019, 14:41 #15
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Re: First rifle for woman?
Then if "doubling" up on similar caliber not an issue due to right hand/left hand situation I would personally lean towards a caliber that had complimentary components in either bullets or powders. e.g. if you got a 6.5CM you could end in the situation you shoot the same bullet and can then buy in bulk, or select a caliber that uses same powder, again buy in bulk.
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11-03-2019, 14:42 #16
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11-03-2019, 14:44 #17
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Re: First rifle for woman?
Good options, I just remember reading fairly recently on gunsite regarding 223 vs 222 and from what i recall the "accuracy" improvement of the 222 over the 223 will not be noticed by 99% of shooters....I stand under correction though. I seem to recall thinking the 223 was probably a wiser choice if I personally went down that road of 222 vs 223.
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11-03-2019, 15:01 #18
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11-03-2019, 21:18 #19
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Re: First rifle for woman?
My rifles group very poorly with the Berdan-primed 55gn FMJ ammo made by PMP and supplied to the Army and others. (I bought a few packs from my LGS and kept them, just to prove that this ammo is available commercially too.)
I would support you buying a 223 as a first rifle for your better half or kids. They are most pleasant to shoot and quite capable if used within limits. They are also very affordable to shoot, especially if you factor barrel wear into the cost calculations.
If using a rifle with the more common 1:12 barrel twist rate, you will easily hit targets out to 200m with little effort, and out past 300m with some skills. Wind reading skills are a definite plus here.
If you can find a rifle with 1:8 twist barrel, you can use the heavier bullets, around 75 - 80 gn, which also have very decent BC numbers. With these you can extend the range as far as your skills alow you to. My son managed to hit a 300mm square plate at 700m with such a 223. It actually shoots flatter out to 500m than may more popular medium- and long range cartridges.
I own three 223 rifles so far, and they get used much more than my bigger calibre rifles. I can think of reasons to add at least one more 223 to my safe.
Yes, it is not a big or dangerous game cartridge, but that is not what beginners should cut their shooting teeth on either. It is a very decent small game, varmint and target cartridge, with mild manners and easy to load. Factory ammo is also widely available and reasonably priced.
Once she has mastered the 223, you can look at adding a bigger calibre.
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