I would like to hear some reccomendations or opinions for a general purpose rifle for my wife, who is recoil sensitive due to a shoulder injury. It would only be used for as I said ,varmints , probably coyote to about 200 yds, or the occasional deer. Please , no ar, but any action type, or caliber that is available with wood.
]Why does anyone need an assault rifle? My first need is articulated in the US v Miller 1939 decision: every citizen eligible for volunteer or conscript military service, every member of the unorganized militia, should be familiar with his nation's military service rifle, and the service rifles of potential allies and foes as well, to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.
.223 is legal I believe for Deer hunting in your state, cheap inputs if you are wanting to keep costs down. 250 savage or 257 Roberts would be my choice, but I am a quarter bore guy. .243 would also be right at the top of my list.
If it's a legal deer caliber the 223 is good. 243's have a pretty good kick so a 223 with proper bullets would work for deer/ varmints.
Jedman
22-250 with premium bullets for deer (if legal) or .243.
The 55 to 70 grain varmint loads in the 243 are very easy on the shoulder. The 90 to 100 grain are still very mild in recoil.
Last edited by M-Tecs; 09-07-2016 at 08:58 AM.
.223 bolt, falling block or other single shot. Barrel heavy enough to mitigate recoil and twist fast enough to handle the heavy bullets. 1/7, 1/8 or even a 1/9, but I wouldn't go any slower than the 1 in 9. Change out he factory butt plate with a nice soft recoil pad on a stock cut to her length of pull. Fitting is very important, especially where a shoulder injury is involved. Good luck and good for you trying to make this good for her.
I've killed many deer with 223 if legal in your state.
725 makes a good point another is rifle weight a heavy rifle will lower recoil but the added weight may agravate her shoulders and back. As to calibers for what you want to do, A 6mm X 45 would do a nice job here. Another would be the 7.62 X 39 in a bolt action or single shot. 6 ppc is light recoil and known for accuracy. Maybe one of the new 6.5s like the grendal would do nicely also. A bolt action or single shot with the stock adjusted to fit her as to length and check piece hight, and of a comfortable weight. Remeber to adjust the stock length to wearing hunting clothes and gear also.
For deer the 243 can be loaded down or push along with heavy bullets much better than the 22's. Not to say they can't do the job, just that the 243 can do it better. You can buy in any configuration that suits her fancy also!!
Charlie
i was going to say a 7mm-08 in remington model 7, it doesn't hurt me at all. i watch 139gr go to the deer shoulders at 25 yards.
since i am disabled(stroke), i would say a tc encore with a high plains stock and with a MGM heavy factory barrel. a 257 roberts(i'd say yes to that one), 250 savage, 25x30-30, 260rem, 6.5 creedmoor, 6.5x30-30. i would stay away from cartridges like the 243 or the 6mm remington unless she is a real sure shot. meaning an experienced hunter. then you can go with them.
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.243 It will do a better job than a .223 on deer. Less wind effect on varmints.
Check Chuck Hawks recoil table...it's pretty accurate.
For what you purpose the rifle for...id have to say a quality 22/250 would be just about perfect. They'll definitely drop a deer with a good head OR neck shot, and recoil is almost nonexistent. Stick with the best brands...Remington, Browning, Savage, Ruger, etc.
IMHO-22/250 would be perfect if you're wanting to keep the recoil low.
The next step up would be 243 followed closely by a 25/06.
Heavy rifle with light bullets equals very light recoil...just as a light rifle with heavy bullets will rattle a burly man's tooth fillings loose.
It's all about the total package, but a 22/250 is hard to beat if used primarily for varmints, and occasionally on deer...with the emphasis on low recoil.
I'll add a 6mm PPC just for info sake.
For @100 yards...It's the lightest recoil, with the most accurate caliber known to man...but the darn ammo is hard to find unless you reload.
I bought a bull barreled one from a bench shooter that was "worn slap out".
(It will "barely" shoot 1/4" groups!...but with my sloppy reloading, it will easily shoot about 1/2-5/8" groups)
It's no good for competition anymore...but it makes a mean varmint gun for a redneck!
Sometimes the bench rest shooters are looking for a few bucks towards a new build, and what they call "shot out" are so stinkin accurate it's crazy.
-Butchman
Last edited by Butchman205; 09-07-2016 at 12:32 AM.
.243 is pretty gentle and shoots flat enough, .257 Bob is solid. Encore rifles in .243 are light, cheap, and decently sized for most shooters, as is the Ruger American Predator in .243. With the Predator or Ranch model, one could install a brake to lessen the recoil further. Boyd's Prairie Hunter or Featherweight in laminate should do you well enough for the wood.
22-250. With LOP set for her with a soft recoil pad. Kills deer/coyotes like lightning. Very popular for deer in your neighbor state to the south. I love the .243 also but it is a step up in recoil. Best, Thomas.
I vote 22-250. I load a 65Gr Sierra spitzer and it works very well on deer. I go for the heart/lungs. Turns the insides to jelly. Will make a great varmint rifle. No recoil. Very versatile. In my opinion just a lot more gun than the 223.
Thanks everyone, some good suggestions, some I hadn't considered. She has mentioned the 243, apparently had some experience with it in the past, I have none. Kudos on the recoil table, had forgotten about it.
]Why does anyone need an assault rifle? My first need is articulated in the US v Miller 1939 decision: every citizen eligible for volunteer or conscript military service, every member of the unorganized militia, should be familiar with his nation's military service rifle, and the service rifles of potential allies and foes as well, to support and defend the Constitution against all enemies foreign and domestic.
More deer than varmints, I'd go with a 25-06.
More varmints than deer, i'd go with a 22-250.
Just my picks for the situation.
Good luck.
WebMonkey
Retired 19D
Psalm 91:9
Honda 919
My wife hunts with a SKS and also a 357 lever gun, she is 5'1" and 110lbs and she shoots all day
I'd vote for the 243 with a lower recoiling ammo like the Hornady Custom Lite or handloaded to suit needs. I have the 22-250s and the 25-06s and really like both but I think that the '06 is going to recoil more than she may want. One of my 25-06s is in a Remington Sendero so it has the mass to absorb a lot of recoil but at a weight penalty that she may not want. I'm guessing that you can get a 75-90 grain bullet to kill all the deer you want. A 22-250 with a 65 grain Sierra GameKing or a 70 grain Berger (if you have a faster enough spin on the barrel) would meet her needs. 25-06 is my favorite coyote gun and the 22-250 has high marks for varmints.
In 223 or 22-250, the 60 grain partition is a good deer bullet.
But my choice would be the 243.
"When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat." - Ronald Reagan
How about a Browning Bar or Remington 7400 in 243? Soft shooting semiauto action and wood stocks.
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