Let her handle a Browning Micro Mediallion or a Ruger American youth model. The Ruger comes with 2 different lengths of stock insert. Bet she'll fall in love with 1 of them!

While stock fit is critical on how the rifle "FITS" as so many have pointed out, one should also consider the action type along with length/weight of barrel. Think about the cantilever issue.

My youngest daughter just loves hunting with my TCR'83 in 243 just because it is so short and easy to maneuver, even though it still has a 25 inch barrel.

Just to update and thank everyone for the feedback and info!

We spent much of last weekend "playing" with guns! She had fun! We went to Harrisburg PA to the outdoor show and she handled:

- Remington (what's with Remington bringing 40 guns to a show to handle and NOT A SINGLE MODEL 7?)
- Savage
- Ruger
- Mossberg
- Browning
- TC
- Winchester
- Tika

She had fun! Once we got the dealer reps to stop talking to me and talk to her, sheesh.

The winner is: Thompson Center Venture in Weathershield, 7mm-08

I was a bit surprised because she liked this one better than the Venture compact which was an inch shorter. She said she couldn't explain it, it just felt "natural to aim it". I told her "that's what you're looking for!"

Unfortunately they can't actually sell guns at the show, so we have to go to a dealer and order it locally.

Also booked a hunt for October for her to actually use it on! Should be christened on a nice Wyoming mule deer and antelope!

458 win. if she handles that she's a keeper.

Browning micromedalian 7mm08

Congrats to your wife on her gun choice.
I have two 7mm08's a Remington 700 Mountain rifle set up for long rang deer hunting across cranberry bogs and bean fields plus a Remington Model 7 set up for thick Michigan cedar swamp deer hunting.

I have heard a lot of good things about the T/C center fire line of rifles. I have no complaints with my T/C muzzle loaders

:D Al

Congrats on a good game plan to pick a rifle for your wife and the upcoming hunt! Sounds like it worked out just fine. :biggrin:

New rifle, and a hunt to use it on. Jealous.
-Jake

Thanks! It's all a benefit of being out the "old married couple" end of raising kids and having them out of college, all that money that went to tuitions for the last 6 years now comes to us for toys!

I've got 18 year before college tuition is due for my daughter and I'm already putting my "gun" money towards it..... Kind of a depressing thought actually..... lol
-Jake