Deer rifle for small shooter
10-22-2006, 04:59 PM
#1
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 55
Deer rifle for small shooter
Hello all,
I won a shotgun in a drawing a couple days ago. I already have one, and my fiance is interested in hunting deer with me, so I'd like to trade it in for a good deer rifle. Thing is, she's only 5'2". Can anyone recommend a good compact or youth rifle for around $500? I'm thinking .243 is the best caliber (suggestions welcome), but I can't seem to find a good wooden-stock compact rifle for the price range. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!
I won a shotgun in a drawing a couple days ago. I already have one, and my fiance is interested in hunting deer with me, so I'd like to trade it in for a good deer rifle. Thing is, she's only 5'2". Can anyone recommend a good compact or youth rifle for around $500? I'm thinking .243 is the best caliber (suggestions welcome), but I can't seem to find a good wooden-stock compact rifle for the price range. Any suggestions are appreciated. Thanks!
10-22-2006, 05:05 PM
#2
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 55
RE: Deer rifle for small shooter
Another consideration is keeping the shotgun, since it came with a rifled slug-barrel. I've tried hunting with slugs from a smooth barrel and had a bad experience (the slugs didn't go where I pointed, basically...), so that's why I'm planning on trading for a rifle. I don't want to test-fire the gun so I can get full value on the trade-in, so can anyone tell me whether a rifled slug barrel is good for deer? I assume the range is fairly limited.
10-22-2006, 05:27 PM
#3
Join Date: Oct 2006
Location:
Posts: 99
RE: Deer rifle for small shooter
I bought a Tikka last year for $528. In .243 would be a good choice. I have a Browning BLR-81 in .243 and it is an awesome gun, magazine fed lever action that runs around $500. My 10 yr old son has shot it.
10-22-2006, 05:45 PM
#4
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
Posts: 2,174
RE: Deer rifle for small shooter
Here is all you need to know:
Remington model 700 youth
Remington model 7
Ruger M77 Compact
Those will fit her. The Ruger being the smallest, the 700 being the biggest.
Now as for caliber....Listen close. You can get anything you want, but here are the facts. These calibers will work fine.
.243, 7mm-08, .308. These calibers match the guns above. All will cleanly take deer to 300 yards with the right bullet. As far as recoil goes, the .243 is least, the .308 is most.
NOW the kink in the carpet************ I bought my wife a new gun last year, her choice, and she picked the remington 7400 carbine in 30.06. She is 5'1" - 5'2" and 120 lbs. It is a tack driver in her hands. So let her see all different sizes and styles.
Finally, if you want to think about one more thing to muddy thewater, listen close.
There are two companies making " LOW RECOIL " rounds. Remington and Federal. They use a lighter bullet designed to open up at lower velocities. They also cut the powder charge. What all this means is less recoil felt by the shooter. You can get them in .270, .308, 30.06, 7mag, and others, but I would not recommend them for her. So you like this idea? You buy her a bolt action.308, and a box of low recoil ammo. She now has a .308 caliber that as she shoots and learns to tolerate the recoil, she can go to full standard rounds, but for now she is feeling recoil less than a .243 out of that same .308 rifle. Thats the thing about the low recoil rounds, they have a felt recoil either right at or just below that of a .243. That is a great deal for women and / or kids. And I am saying the same thing about the .270 and 30.06. Recoil at or just below a regular .243. All calibers in the low recoil line up are good to kill game out to 200 + yards. Low recoil rounds will not fully cycle a semi auto gun though. NO semi-autos.
It is something to consider at least.
I hope I have helped..... Feel free to PM me if you need further.
God Bless.
Remington model 700 youth
Remington model 7
Ruger M77 Compact
Those will fit her. The Ruger being the smallest, the 700 being the biggest.
Now as for caliber....Listen close. You can get anything you want, but here are the facts. These calibers will work fine.
.243, 7mm-08, .308. These calibers match the guns above. All will cleanly take deer to 300 yards with the right bullet. As far as recoil goes, the .243 is least, the .308 is most.
NOW the kink in the carpet************ I bought my wife a new gun last year, her choice, and she picked the remington 7400 carbine in 30.06. She is 5'1" - 5'2" and 120 lbs. It is a tack driver in her hands. So let her see all different sizes and styles.
Finally, if you want to think about one more thing to muddy thewater, listen close.
There are two companies making " LOW RECOIL " rounds. Remington and Federal. They use a lighter bullet designed to open up at lower velocities. They also cut the powder charge. What all this means is less recoil felt by the shooter. You can get them in .270, .308, 30.06, 7mag, and others, but I would not recommend them for her. So you like this idea? You buy her a bolt action.308, and a box of low recoil ammo. She now has a .308 caliber that as she shoots and learns to tolerate the recoil, she can go to full standard rounds, but for now she is feeling recoil less than a .243 out of that same .308 rifle. Thats the thing about the low recoil rounds, they have a felt recoil either right at or just below that of a .243. That is a great deal for women and / or kids. And I am saying the same thing about the .270 and 30.06. Recoil at or just below a regular .243. All calibers in the low recoil line up are good to kill game out to 200 + yards. Low recoil rounds will not fully cycle a semi auto gun though. NO semi-autos.
It is something to consider at least.
I hope I have helped..... Feel free to PM me if you need further.
God Bless.
10-22-2006, 06:28 PM
#5
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Aug 2004
Location:
Posts: 1,290
RE: Deer rifle for small shooter
In addition to those suggested, I have seen some CZ rifles that looked like they would fit a smaller frame.
Rifled slug barrels seem to do just fine for woods & ranges under 100. Never tried any long shots with slugs.
Rifled slug barrels seem to do just fine for woods & ranges under 100. Never tried any long shots with slugs.
10-22-2006, 09:08 PM
#8
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: El Dorado, Arkansas
Posts: 2,174
RE: Deer rifle for small shooter
More than welcome A and P. Just holler if you have anymore questions, and be sure to let us know what ya get and how it works out for her.
Good luck and good hunting
God Bless.
P.S. The Ruger is a super sweet compact rifle, and I will be buying one in the .243 for myself before next season. I would do it sooner, but next on the list is the Thompson Center Encore in Stainless / rubber. with a 15 " barrel. That one will be very soon.
Good luck and good hunting
God Bless.
P.S. The Ruger is a super sweet compact rifle, and I will be buying one in the .243 for myself before next season. I would do it sooner, but next on the list is the Thompson Center Encore in Stainless / rubber. with a 15 " barrel. That one will be very soon.
10-22-2006, 09:41 PM
#9
Fork Horn
Join Date: Sep 2006
Location: Utah by way of Pennsylvania
Posts: 395
RE: Deer rifle for small shooter
Remington is offering the 700 ADLs with a Bushnell 3-9X 40 scopes. All this for $399. I have one in a 7 mag and I changed out the scope for a Nikon ProStaff 3-9X40, but the original is pretty good. Just one piece of advice, stay away from the 710. It feels real nice on the shoulder but the trigger is STIFF as anything and the action is sloppy. The .243 is great, but put a recoil pad on the .308 and she will feel less the .243 without one. My 7 mag kicks lees then my .308 in a Rem 760 with the "Hi-Viz" pad.
10-23-2006, 09:33 AM
#10
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,695
RE: Deer rifle for small shooter
Remember the Rem Mohawk. Nice small frame rifle. I saw 3 of them at my local gunshop in that price range. Thay had 2 in .243 and one in a 6mm.
I would go with either .
I wouldnt reccomend managed recoil rounds unless you already had a large caliber rifle, but if your buying one I'd go with the .243. Managed recoil roundsaint got nothingon the .243, the bullets just dont offer the sectional density nor the veloity coupled with a rapid expanding bullet, now that spells trouble in my book.Why ayone would recomend them is beyond me.
I would go with either .
I wouldnt reccomend managed recoil rounds unless you already had a large caliber rifle, but if your buying one I'd go with the .243. Managed recoil roundsaint got nothingon the .243, the bullets just dont offer the sectional density nor the veloity coupled with a rapid expanding bullet, now that spells trouble in my book.Why ayone would recomend them is beyond me.