Women’s Rifle?

[maxx]

I want to pick my daughter up a new rifle, she is 5’3” and 125lbs. I think she is done growing.

First hunt will be speed goats but her dream hunt is moose. Should I just get a 6.5 manbun for now and then see if she can handle a bigger gun in a few years when she is older or should I go 308 and kind of be done with it.

What’s the smallest gun you would take for moose?

What’s the biggest gun you would have a small frame women shoot?

[Intergalactic]

The bolt action of her choice chambered in 30/06. She can shoot reduced loads for deer/pronghorn and full power loads for elk/moose.

[Runnin' 87]

My first thought is .243 and honestly there ain't a minutes difference in that and 6.5 .

[Tmac3]

7m 08 close thread!

[Quackerbox]

7.08 or the big brother .308. But ive seen quite a few elk taken with kids and a 6.5

And hell naw with a .243 unless you plan on upgrading later. Bullets top out at like 100 and 105 grains. At least all the others start in popularity in the 140s

[DUKFVR]

308!

[TDK]

7mm-08

[El Pollo Loco]

My first thought is .243 and honestly there ain't a minutes difference in that and 6.5 .

Umm wrong.

[El Pollo Loco]

I’d go 6.5, but I’m a bit partial. Ammo is easy to come by, low recoil, good ballistics (better in high wind than .308)….I don’t think there would ever be a reason to go from 6.5 to .308, but maybe someone here will name something. I did lots of research years ago on the two rounds and ended up 6.5.

Furthest DRT kill is 810 yds, with prob 3 dozen kills over 500 yds. I haven’t killed anything huge with it, but have killed aoudad that were north of 300 lbs. My son has shot this gun since he was 6 with no issues.

[El Gato]

this is an impossible question to answer with one caliber

Smaller framed female, especially younger is going to be more recoil adverse and for that reason I would look at the 6.5 variants especially the creed or PRC they both old some ballistic advantages over both .308 and 7mm-08 and in complete transparency I'm a .308 fan.

As she gets older I would try and get her behind a 300 PRC for moose. Much bigger range of bullet weights and good Ballistics all with manageable recoil.

but you will probably go Dane on this and buy her a custome .338 Lap and post pictures of it.

[ReaPeR105]

6.5 Creed is a soft shooter in good bullet configuration and weights. For most things, it's great. I wouldn't saddle her with a big caliber rifle just because she may hunt moose a couple of times.

[aTm8]

I think 6.5 is a little light for moose, but I would rather have see someone that can stack dimes with a smaller caliber than shoot flyers with a bigger one.

6.5s are relatively cheap to come by, and could always move her up when the moose opportunity comes along.

Goes without saying a good brake or can will help.

[TDK]

To be fair 6.5x55 Swede has killed a lot of moose over the years with inferior bullets compared to today’s standards. The 6.5 creedmoor is the ballistic twin.

All the calibers mentioned here are soft shooting, at her size so long as she’s tougher than todays snowflakes she’ll survive.

[Elpatoloco]

I'd go with something real low recoil and consider a new rifle if the moose opportunity ever presents itself. Or if you have a big boomer, get a second stock that is short or you can have cut down to drop your action in when the need arises. Don't break her drive with a hard stomping rifle.

[Spoonbilla]

35 whelen!