Have you ever shot a 6.5x55 Swede? It's about the mildest kicking gun I've ever fired (only centerfire that seemed to kickless was a 22-250), and mine has an original steel butplate.

"That is rather high minimum...."
IMHO, you are providing an endless supply of uninformed caca....

I don't do this with many folks, but.....
This user is on your "block" list and the message has been blocked.

IMHO If she can not handle the recoil of a 30-06? She does not need to rifle hunt elk.
Good luck bow hunting.

WK,
My sentiment exactly.

I know it has a small recoil, but it's a bigger gun than a .25-06, look at the Ruger catalog, it ranks the calibers from smaller to larger.

What's with EKM? I don't have any hostilities against him, why is he being so..........?

I didn't mean "Comfortably" as in comfort on the shoulder, I meant it as "I would comfortably say that I could hunt elk with a .25-06", or "I am able to say without any doubt that I could hunt elk with a .25-06."

Since I'm on his blocked list, could someone explain this to him? This has just been a misunderstanding.

I, by no means, want to under gun her. She has been bowhunting for several years and just getting into gun hunting. She has shot 20 guage trap rounds and done fine with it. Since she is somewhat new to guns I don't want to give her one that will turn her off. If the path is to get something along the lines of a .243 for New England deer, get her hooked, then ease her on up in power and if we ever do go elk hunting, oh well have to buy her another gun . I have a .30-06 that is semi-auto and very heavy, it kicks pretty light, she could use this, but the semi-auto makes it hard to chamber a round quietly and when hunting with the guide you can't chamber a round until they tell you to.

The "two gun" path seems to be the best plan. Not sure if elk hunting with guns is going to happen, it just came up and while researching different guns, figured I'd ask.

It has a larger diameter bullet .264 compared to .25, so that's why it would rank higher

That's my point, I'm not taking about recoil. I'm saying that a person could hunt with a smaller caliber than the 6.5x55 Swede to hunt elk with.

Most states have a Minimum for elk as the 243. Yes the 25-06 has been used with good results by good hunters. The 6.5x55 and the 260 would be the next step up in caliber. Thes would be more effective with their heavier bullets of high SD. I have seen a elk pile up in a hurry from the 260 Remwith a 140 grain X bullet. This was well past 300 yards and the bullet exited threough the opposite front shoulder.

Bob why not try installing a sims(etc) recoil pad on your 3006 and then have her shoot it. This will give you/her an idea where her sensitivity may lay. You may be suprised and certainly is the cheapest route to figuring out which way you'll need to go.

I don't disagree a 2 gun arsenal, never a bad thing if only for just in case situations. Personally I'd be looking at the 2506 over the .243, recoil between the 2 are comparble but the 2506 you can go up a bit higher in grain size for different applications. I wouldn't really suggest it as an elk cartridge though but for deer sized down to varmits perfect!! As is the 7mm 08 though it has more real possibilities to be used on larger animals based on the .284 bullet it chucks. 270 win would also apply though the recoil compared to a 280 rem or 3006 isn't enough to worry about and both of these are better suited for the likes of elk, again based on bullet. One other you may consider is the .308win, milder in recoil then the 06 case usersbut still has the benefits of .308 diameter bullets used.

Good luck