new hunter here
 

:) Hello, everyone. I have a couple of questions for ya' ll. I am a 5' 3 26 year old female and weigh about 125 lbs. I want to get started in deer hunting and I was wondering if anyone had any suggestions on a good rifle I could use that will not blow my shoulder out of socket. I have shot a 10 gauge and a 12 gauge before and the kick was not sooo bad but still left me sore. Any suggestions would be appreciated. Thanks

RE: new hunter here
 

243 IS THE WAY TO GO.

GO DEEP HUNT HARD.

RE: new hunter here
 

Welcome to the board. The .243 is a great little gun that will take any deer you may get a shot at, as long as you do your job and take out the kill zone. Be sure to get a quality scope to top off your rifle.

RE: new hunter here
 

dixiecups I bought my wife a browning 260 and she love' s it, it' s a short gun because she' s 5' 4" , and the gun fit' s her very well. It also doesn' t have a bad kick to it. She harvested a spike last year with it and it fell in it' s track' s.

RE: new hunter here
 

I second the .260 as a better choice than the .243. I think the .243 is too light.

RE: new hunter here
 

:) Thank you gentlemen, I greatly appreciate any and all advice. I will have to check both of those out. I intend on going soon as gun season opens up down here this year.

RE: new hunter here
 

Welcome to the board dixiecups. Let me suggest the 7mm-08.

RE: new hunter here
 

I too am short. I am only 4' 11" so I have a hard time finding firearms I can shoot. My first rifle was Youth model in .260. I know mainly bow hunt(don' t even want to discuss problems finding a bow that fit). When I do rifle hunt I use my husband' s 30-06 which he has shortened for me. You won' t remember the kick when you put one on the ground anyway.

RE: new hunter here
 

My suggestion is the 25-06, not a hard recoil its fast and alot of knock-down, put money in a good scope trust me

RE: new hunter here
 

My vote goes for either the .223 or .25-06. I only bow hunt, but these would be my choices (have shot them both). While they do not have as much power, I feel that since there isnt nearly as much kick, it will not bother you and you can focus on shooting the gun more than " oh no this is gonna hurt" (not that it is an issue when there is a deer out there). but that is just my opinion