Varmint/ deer gun for mama

[snoopy]

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.

[Gofaaast]

.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.

[Jedman]

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

[M-Tecs]

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.

[725]

.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.

[Mica_Hiebert]

I've killed many deer with 223 if legal in your state.

[country gent]

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.

[birddog]

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

[tdoyka]

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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[dverna]

.243 It will do a better job than a .223 on deer. Less wind effect on varmints.

[Butchman205]

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

[mcdaniel.mac]

.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.

[Texas by God]

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.

[floydboy]

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.

[snoopy]

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.

[WebMonkey]

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.
:)

[43PU]

My wife hunts with a SKS and also a 357 lever gun, she is 5'1" and 110lbs and she shoots all day

[tstowater]

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.

[Sweetpea]

In 223 or 22-250, the 60 grain partition is a good deer bullet.

But my choice would be the 243.

[Moleman-]

How about a Browning Bar or Remington 7400 in 243? Soft shooting semiauto action and wood stocks.

[Houndog]

I'm in the .243 camp for the purposes you asked about. I built a model 7 Remington for the Grandson and it weighs a hair under 7 pounds including the scope, sling and ammo. I load his ammo with 85gr bullets so recoil is fairly light and it kills just fine.

[jmort]

.243 makes sense

[longranger]

300 BLK.bolt action Wish it was around when I was teaching my kids and grand kids.I would limit shots on deer to 150 yds. with bullets 110gr-135gr.Accurate,nothing for recoil. .308 based cartridges will have significantly more recoil,more energy,more velocity.300 BLK is 30-30 performance in a shortened .223 case with pointy bullets.She will shoot a lot more .300 BLK cartridges and be comfortable at the same time,comfort = better shooting.Plenty of factory ammo and is cast friendly,cheap to reload,inherently accurate.

[jlchucker]

Why not just a plain old, good old, 30-30?

[HABCAN]

Hands down vote: .257 Roberts or 6.5x55 Swede, with a stock that fits her...........handloaded with cast and a moderate powder charge such as 18.0 grs. IMR4227, increasing and varying the loads up to full charges as she becomes accustomed to it. It worked for my daughter as she grew.

[Driver33]

My vote is for the .243. Have put a lot of meat in the freezer with mine an recoil is very mild. HAve had good results with 85gr seirra game king

[Texas by God]

And how about the .250 Savage? My wife's favorite- 87 gr Speer kicks little kills big! Besst , Thomas.

[Good Cheer]

About '92-'93 or so, once knew a gunsmith in Spring, TX that built a 6mm x .223 (whatever the correct name for the cartridge is) for his small son to hunt with.
It worked. Low recoil. Accurate.

[Earlwb]

Yes I also would suggest a .243 as well. But if the .223 is legal for deer hunting that is s good choice as well as the 22-250 too. But the .223 would offer cheaper practice ammo as well as factory hunting ammo too.

[Rick Hodges]

When deer are on the agenda I like the .243. I know people use the .223/5.56mm but I feel a lot better with a 6mm. Recoil in most full size rifles is very light.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Savage 99 Top Safety Featherweight .243 - 55 or 60 grain for everything smaller than deer, 85 grain Nosler Partition for deer, put a SOFT (LimbSaver, Kich-Eez) recoil pad on it. High quality ear protection, the noise is worse than the recoil with a .243. Cut the stock to fit her. My wife is very happy with hers.

[Ithaca Gunner]

Like many, I would suggest a .243 Winchester, .257 Roberts. As for the gun, I would think a bolt gun of her choice would work out nicely with a decent 3-9/4-12X scope, I like scopes close in power to the binoculars I carry.

[SSGOldfart]

My vote goes to a 243 Winchester if your wife is going to hunt deer,you might want to teach her shot placement,unless you plan on tracking a lot, I 'm also handicap and very recoil sensitive due to a Brian aneurysm but I have shot a few deer with the 243,which can be loaded down for teaching her to shot,I also download the 30-06 for practice,which has less recoil than a 243 full load. If you want more info pm me.

[SSGOldfart]

Btw a 22-250 is not legal for Deer in some states.
If memory serves me correctly Tennessee requires a minimum.243 caliber, I think there wording is "must be larger than.224" so all 22's or out including the 22-250.

[Wayne Smith]

Wow, lots of ideas, most of them good. One question, though. How do you hunt? Will she be carrying it? Rifle weight may be as important as caliber. If stand hunting it may be less of an issue.

[Loudy13]

.243 and there is a rubber boot you can add for recoil, or have a recoil pad installed. My daughter shoots a 243 and and the recoil boot made it enjoyable for her.

[snoopy]

Thanks again guys, I know its kind of a vague question, but I do appreciate the suggestions. The rifle will likely be used and I can keep the info in the back of my head while perusing the racks. She will most likely stand hunt for deer, but not always, she is a great still hunter. I think I will contact some buddies and see if anyone has a 243 I can borrow, A friend has a cz in 7.62x39 that I may try. The coyote part of this equation is why I really haven't considered the 3030, I don't have a scope on mine and I really feel it would be necessary for her, same with the sks that she also shoots at short range. I'm thinking bolt action would be simpler, safer, and easier to find in any of the calibers mentioned, absolutely not ruling anything out at this point. With the exception of the 270, I've always been a 30 cal guy and just don't have any experience with the other smaller ones, although I've always wanted a 22-250, maybe if she didn't like it then.....................sarc.

[Shawlerbrook]

A 243 bolt gun with a good recoil pad. If needed many ammo makers make light or low recoil, but if the gun fits properly, you probably won't need it. My wife is 5' & 110# and she shoots a Browning A-Bolt Micro in 7-08 with no problem.

[OnHoPr]

Btw a 22-250 is not legal for Deer in some states.
If memory serves me correctly Tennessee requires a minimum.243 caliber, I think there wording is "must be larger than.224" so all 22's or out including the 22-250.


Ah, just for the heck of it for the morning coffee at the :coffeecom and throwing a little hitch detail loop hole in the air. You could always get 5R5 to swag you some .228s and get a rifle chambered in the .22 Hi Power.



Just a thought on all being mentioned. If you go small and fast in cal shot placement will be more crucial especially if you download them. This might not mean so much watching a food plot. When still hunting the .250 Savege & 257 bob, .260, 7-08 & 7x57 will have more of a grace hit zone especially when the larger bone is encountered. Just look at the factory offerings of the 7x57 which may be less recoil than the 30-30 because of the make and condition of the mauser milsurps and they have been killing deer for decades.

I don't know why the 6.5x57 ever faded away. If you look at ballistics from the 243 to the 06 that cartridge fits in there almost perfectly as the medium. It can go from long range antelope and Pdogs to short range moose with only marginal recoil. Back in the '70s I would have like to done a nice bubba job on a mauser with that cartridge.

[Ithaca Gunner]

I don't have a problem with recoil and have for the most part sought out my hunting rifles based on performance and availability of ammunition. For me, that's been .308 and .30/06 bolt guns, both great performers and ammo available about anywhere with a good variety of bullet weight and type. Based on this logic and given your wife's recoil sensibility, the .243 Winchester certainly fills the ammo availability part, (and gun selection too). Performance, I've never owned a .243 myself, but know many who do and swear by it for deer, my brother uses an older M-70 varmint model as his favorite groundhog eliminator.

[rwadley]

I believe this changed recently. https://www.tn.gov/twra/article/hunting-equipment-methods


Btw a 22-250 is not legal for Deer in some states.
If memory serves me correctly Tennessee requires a minimum.243 caliber, I think there wording is "must be larger than.224" so all 22's or out including the 22-250.

[white eagle]

if you a handloader get her a 220 swift
take's coyotes like a bolt from above and lays deer out without fuss

[nockhunter]

Factory gun, 243w. Load 85g Sierra HPBT game kings, or Speer 85g to 3000-3100fps, stay off the big bones and she will have no problems killing any white tail in North America.

Mike

[Three44s]

Another vote for a good pad and the best I know of is the Simms.

Then carry a bigger gun and the first step in my opinion would be the .243Win.

But better still for tracking sake would be a .25 or 6.5mm ......... and a logical one would be the .260 Rem.

For point of reference I installed a Simms pad on a 99 Sav in .243 and it feels like a .22 so by that token if I did the same to a .260 it would raise the bar on recoil but not to anything objectionable.

Three 44s

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Savage makes a 'Lady Hunter' that might be just the thing, good trigger, stock designed for the ladies. Again soft, soft recoil pad with stock shortened for fit, if necessary. Ear protection makes a great difference in shooting comfort AND perceived recoil. An excellent trigger, under 3 lbs, will also add to a good experience and helps tremendously in the field, where sitting, kneeling or offhand shots might be taken. 243 is still the most practical, available, relatively low cost, effective, and legal in most all states where rifles are normally used. The Simms, also known as Limbsaver IS the best pad.

[Bigslug]

The Ruger Gunsite Scout in .308 comes ready to screw on the 5/8-24 thread muzzle brake of your choice. Also comes with spacers to drop the stock down to youth/ladies size or run it up to NBA center length. Comes with rings for a standard scope so you can take off the silly scout rail and fill it's holes with plug screws, which Ruger will send you if you don't have any 6-48's laying around from your last 700, 70, Howa, etc...

[rintinglen]

176359And now for something completely different... The 7mm TCU.
My brother, the scoundrel, has built two on TC frames. Every now and again you see them on Gunbroker. They are light, light recoiling and capable of very good accuracy.
Now, you have to reload in order to shoot them, they are only single shots and they take a little extra effort in making ammunition. However, .223 brass litters the ground of most ranges, so you should be able to accumulate a mountain of brass, should you be so inclined.

[BossMaverick]

6.5x55 is a light recoiling round that often gets overlooked, but its also a semi-rare chambering for production guns. Then it falls back to the other good suggestions, such as .243. 7.62x39 is a light recoiling round with similar performance to .30-30. I personally wouldn't get it for a hunting rifle but its an option.

Get a rifle that has some weight if she does mostly still hunting.

[shoot-n-lead]

223 of some persuasion...with Barnes bullets.

[mcdaniel.mac]

6.5x55 is a light recoiling round that often gets overlooked, but its also a semi-rare chambering for production guns. Then it falls back to the other good suggestions, such as .243. 7.62x39 is a light recoiling round with similar performance to .30-30. I personally wouldn't get it for a hunting rifle but its an option.

Get a rifle that has some weight if she does mostly still hunting.
CZ sells beautiful rifles in 6.5x55, including I believe their 550 Lux with Mannlicher stock.

[Edward]

If you have a AR15 I have several uppers chambered in 6 x45 ,1 for hunting and 2 target killers .Mine shoot great using 223 brass sized to 6mm and use every thing stock but the barrel .Target barrels run 80gr Bergers and I shoot Partitions for hunting . Zip for recoil and easy to load (cost wise):lol:

[HandgunHTR]

176359And now for something completely different... The 7mm TCU.
My brother, the scoundrel, has built two on TC frames. Every now and again you see them on Gunbroker. They are light, light recoiling and capable of very good accuracy.
Now, you have to reload in order to shoot them, they are only single shots and they take a little extra effort in making ammunition. However, .223 brass litters the ground of most ranges, so you should be able to accumulate a mountain of brass, should you be so inclined.

Another vote for the TCU in a Contender. Very easy on the shoulder and it will put down deer, hogs, or other varmints with authority out to 200 yards. If you want to step up to the Encore, then the 6.5 Grendel is another good choice. I am using one this year here in TX.

[flounderman]

the model 7 Remington in 243 is all you need. I have killed a lot of deer with the 243. I built a 260 with either a model 7 or mountain barrel on a 722 action and that is about all I have used since I first used it. 120 grain 6.5 and not a lot of recoil and if I can see it, it isn't safe.

[MarkP]

Remington M SEVEN in 243;

[CASTER OF LEAD]

I have to throw my vote in the hat for the .243 Win. . I own a Rem.788 in .243 kills deer with ease. 100 Sierra BTSP Gameking over 34.7 gr. Of 4064 is its deer hunting diet. Used to shoot Sierra 85 gr BTHP for groundhogs. I can't remember Powder charge of hand ,but it as well was 4064 . Mild recoil and drops deer like a bad habit as long as the shooter is doing their job. Very little wastage of game . As it was told to me as a young lad." You can eat right up to the bullet hole". Just my .02 - Caster

[rfd]

absolutely a .243win - a varmint and deer classic caliber! not to mention it ain't shabby in the super accuracy department, too.

[CASTER OF LEAD]

absolutely a .243win - a varmint and deer classic caliber! not to mention it ain't shabby in the super accuracy department, too.

Yes they are. Mine is a tack driver, as long as I don't mess the shot up that is. Lol - Caster

[Blackwater]

Lots of possibilities in the light recoiling area. If she's got shoulder problems, she'll also probably want the gun to be light in wt. and short to boot. That makes me think M-7 Rem. and Ruger Ultra Light, and .243 and 6mm. Rem. come to mind immediately. My son's 6mm. killed over 30 deer stone dead in their tracks from ranges of 12 to 350+ yds., so it's very deadly on deer, and each year, more than a few elk fall to it as well. For elk, if that's a possibility, I'd probably use Nosler Partitions or Barnes TSX's or TTSX's, and would likely go with the Barnes bullets. It's "light" for elk, admittedly, but in hunting game, it's really all about bullet placement MUCH moreso than it is what caliber you're using. The only caveat in that is you have to pick a bullet that'll penetrate reliably to the vitals, and ideally, out the other side.

The hotter .22's like the Swift and .22/.250 are other, slightly lighter kicking options, if they're legal in your state. Again, with .22's in particular, it's all about bullet choice and once again I'd go with the Barnes or Nos. Pt.'s, even for deer in this caliber. The .223 is also effective out to about 200 yds. IF your bullet selection is good. Common "varmint bullets" simply don't reliably penetrate all the time, though when they do work, they can work rather spectacularly with good shot placement.

Even the little .22 Hornet and the WMR and LR's have been used to good effect, given very good shot placement! So much depends on how good a shot she is, or can be developed to be. And in her situation, the more the gun kicks, the harder it'll be for her to shoot without flinching or other accuracy destroying effects. If she's really sensitive, I think I'd go with the little Contender Carbines in whatever caliber you find attractive. Then, just make sure she can shoot consistently and well, and that is easily accomplished with a .22 LR or something like the .22 Hornet as a spare barrel on the same frame.

All sorts of good answers here. Main thing is to find one she LIKES! It's amazing how simply liking a gun's looks and fit and ease of operation affects most women. And if she likes something, and you don't, go with what she LIKES. She'll almost certainly shoot it better if she simply likes it. And that's the final arbiter when it's trigger time, always. The little Contender Carbine is a single shot, but you never get more than one good shot anyway, so ... it's not nearly the "problem" most think it is. In fact, knowing you only have one shot can make you shoot better, and not get in too big a hurry, which is something that literally plagues some hunters. One bow hunter locally wins all the matches, but put a deer in front of him and he goes to pieces and misses, and this went on for 20+ years before he finally calmed down and got one! See if you can get her to freeze when she first sees a deer, and calm down before raising her rifle. That's the best advice I have ever given or used. One simply HAS to shoot better and more accurately when we've calmed down than when our hearts are beating fast. It's pretty well universal.

[Mohawk Daddy]

Cheap option: look at an H&R single shot with wood stock in 22-250 or 243. These turn up on Armslist for $200-$275 frequently. I know because I'm in the same state you're in. 223s seem to bring a premium. Light, easy to carry, not the best triggers in the world, but if she doesn't like it, you can fix it or flog it off at a gunshow. The CVA break opens are nice little rifles for the price, but no wood available, although they do offer a "youth" option.

[Lloyd Smale]

go with at least a 243. Yes a 223 or 22250 will kill a deer. But most women and young children are not the marksmen that many of us are and because I can kill cleanly with one doesn't mean a inexperienced hunter with a good case of buck fever is well armed with one. Bottom line is if you cant handle the small amount of recoil a 243 has you need to put in more time to master it or find another hobby. Even guns like the 243 and 250 sav ect are marginal. I armed my son and first wife with 250 savages and spent more time then I want to admit tracking marginally hit deer they shot. Best advice is to buy two guns. A 22 centerfire for varmints and something 7mm or larger for deer. Even if you have to down load it a bit. A 30 cal 150 grain bullet at 2500 fps is a much better deer round then any 24 cal gun.

[rfd]

add a lace-on or velcro strapped kick killer recoil pad to a .243 rifle butt stock and the recoil will barely be noticed. promise.

[Leslie Sapp]

I recently handled one of the CZ 7.62 x 39 rifles you mentioned. A local gunsmith had bought it for his 8 year old son. It's like having a bolt action with 30/30 ballistics in a youth model action. It would likely be a good choice for you.
That being said, my wife shoots a model 7 Remington in .260 and loves it. We upgraded her from a .243 many years ago, as we hunt in very thick, flooded swamps and can't afford to have an animal go very far.
I took over her .243 and have used it now for at least 30 years, but have to tell you that in my opinion, it's not a beginners weapon. It has a tendency to blow up at close range, and if you use premium bullets, sometimes the they don't expand well at longer ranges. In open country it's not as big of an issue, but here a deer running 50 yards after the shot can easily be lost.

[Texas by God]

Not sure if it helps but two of my antelope hunters got nice bucks yesterday with .243s and 80gr bullets. 260 yds with a Hornady SST and 300 yds with a Nosler ballistic tip. Rem mod 7 youth and a beautiful lefty 700 BDL. Best, Thomas.