Looking for caliber opinions

M

mlrshooter

Guest
LAST EDITED ON Dec-06-12 AT 10:33AM (MST)[p]Ok - I already know this is likely to open a can of worms... ask 10 hunters what their favorite caliber is and you will likely get 10 different opinions. But, I'm being brave and want to seek your opinion... especially those who've had experience with a lot of different calibers.

I'm looking to pick up a hunting rifle for my finace for Christmas this year. Last year she packed a 30-30 which is fine for deer obviously, but I'm not really comfortable with her using the same rifle for elk for shots outside of 100 yards with a heavy(er) bullet. Where we hunt, the elk are 200-300 yards, easily. That's fine for my 300 Win Mag, but a no go for a 30-30!

She has shot a 30-06 and isn't a fan due to heavier recoil. We all know that when you're pulling up on an animal, you don't feel the recoil. That's a different story when target practicing and I don't want her to develop a flinch for the recoil when she's shooting for real. She does like the 30-30's recoil... what opinions are out there for a rifle that's big enough to handle an elk at 200-250 yards which seems to be her comfort zone when shooting (confidence wise) without a recoil much more than what the 30-30 has?


Thanks in advance!
Mark
 
.270 has always been plenty for me. Recoil isn't bad, even in a light gun.

As long as she's comfortable shooting it, just about any gun will do. A well constructed bullet with proper placement is more important than the caliber chosen.
 
.270 or .280 in long action

7mm-08 in short action.

All much much better than 30-30. Don't make the mistake of then getting her one in a 5.5lb rifle. Look maybe at a Tikka SS, and add a good recoil pad.
 
7mm-08 is a great caliber. I shot one for years and had a lot of success with it. Very little recoil.

You might also look at the .257 Weatherby. I owned one a while back and it was deadly. Although I don't remember how the recoil was, so it couldn't have been that bad!
 
I will put in my 2 cents hard to beat the 7mm-08 I have one & have taken several elk & bucks with it.. my wife also shoots the same gun hardly any recoil.. the 270 is an awesome caliber as well
 
There are many calibers that would work. IMO more important is you get a rifle that fits her well and that she can handle. Get a good recoil pad also. Calibers I would look at are the 7-08,270, even the 308. If she is a smaller frame have her try a few youth models as well. Id go to a local gunshop and have her try a few brands and she what she likes.
 
I killed a bull at 237 yards with one shot with my 25-06 this year.

1444 lbs/energy at 400 yards if you reload... It's good on elk to 375 and deer to 600 if you want to get technical.

It's really the only way to go for someone sensitive to recoil (like me) in my opinion, until you want to shoot elk at 400+ yards.

Research Jack O'Connor... Elk and deer don't notice whether the hole in their lungs is .257" across or .3" across.
 
My wife shoots a cut down model 70 feather weight in 280 remington with a recoil pad. Its a sweet gun and recoil is very very manageable (shes not very big either). I don't think you would go wrong with the 270, 280, 25-06 or the 7mm-08
 
If she isnt a fan of the 30-06 then most guns posted thus far, she isnt gonna like. I recomend a 308. If your a reloader, you can push 150 grain pills @ 2900+ FPS. Thats smokin for small 30 caliber IMO.
 
A few years back I was carrying a .270 Short Mag and loved it, had the bigger punch and very comfortable to shoot. This year my friends wife hunted with a .300 Short Mag with a muzzle break and limbsaver recoil pad...she liked shooting it a helluva lot better than the .308 she was originally gonna use. Just an idea on the muzzle break but I would set her up with the .270 short mag.

good luck to ya

al
 
>If she isnt a fan of
>the 30-06 then most guns
>posted thus far, she isnt
>gonna like. I recomend
>a 308. If your a
>reloader, you can push 150
>grain pills @ 2900+ FPS.
> Thats smokin for small
>30 caliber IMO.

I'm confused are you saying that if you load up a 308 to over 2900Fps with 150 grain bullets it will kick less than a 270 with 130 grains at a standard 2800 to 2900??? Or any 25-06 or 7-08 for that matter??
Justin
 
I respectfully completely disagree. She will not like the 270 wsm. It's a 270 that shoots 3200 fps. If that cartridge kicked less than a 270, it and the 300 wsm would be more popular than the 30-06 given time. You can't beat their ballistics but they can pack a bunch. Muzzle breaks put 7mm's into the category of air guns in regards to recoil so that's not really applicable. I honestly see no advantage in a 308 as a hunting rifle whatsoever.
 
Pick a caliber that shoots 130gr or lager bullet at 2700fps or more and you have a dead elk. Lots of different ones to choice from. I think the most important thing will be finding a rifle that fits here properly.


"Go hunt for meat at Walmart."
 
Buy her a 7mm-08 in the new Thompson Center Dimension. Then for just 200 more bucks you can buy yourself a new barrel and you have a new rifle!! Go check out this gun on their website! Its the gun I am going to be buying for my wife!
 
Avoid any gun with the word Magnum at the end, even if it starts with Short.

While I did help TWSNOW with his rifle this year and I am the one that said for now he might use it for elk, if elk are part of the plan, I respectfully would encourage you to lean toward a 7-08 over a faster .25. The tradeoff here I think is you give up some long range capacity for smaller animals for a more manageable but better option, say up to 300-400 yards on elk sized game. I don't recommend, but you can shoot up to 160-170 gr bullets if needed.

I do think a 7-08 in a 6.75lb-7.5lb rifle with a 3-9-40 or even 32mm scope with 140 grain(TSX, ACCUBOND, etc) will be easy to shoot and kill like lightening because she can practice enough to shoot it well.

If she is very recoild sensitive, then look at a 260 or maybe the 257 roberts, but your range on elk should drop down even more, but still be way out there compared to a Win 30-30.
 
If she cant handle the 30-06, she best stay away from the 7mm, 270, 7-08's.

Imo, the 30-06 loaded with an average load is hard to beat. The recoil isnt bad. The others listed kick harder than the 30-06.

Perhaps a 308 would work. I personally dont like a 308 for elk though. Some get by with it, but my preference is the 300 win mag.

The 7mm-08 can be difficult to find ammunition for and can get pricey.

Ever thought of putting a muzzle break on a 30-06? It will be louder, yes, but reduce recoil. There are alot of options out there for good muzzle breaks.
 
>If she cant handle the 30-06,
>she best stay away from
>the 7mm, 270, 7-08's.

I disagree the average 270win or 7mm-08 will have less recoil than a 30-06 with factory loaded ammunition. Now a 270 short mag and 7mm mag is a different story.

>
>Ever thought of putting a muzzle
>break on a 30-06? It
>will be louder, yes, but
>reduce recoil. There are alot
>of options out there for
>good muzzle breaks.

I do like this idea for light framed shooters if they have a lot of experience shooting and good ear protection. Otherwise the sound can make them flinch.

Justin
 
Another thing to think about is that if you buy her a gun, and its HER gun, she will like it much more than any other gun, even if it has some recoil.

If my dad would have bought me a .338 when I was 12 as opposed to the .270 I got, I damn sure would have fought through the recoil, because it was MY gun.

I think if you buy her a gun, customize it to her, maybe a dipped stock, a fancy sling, anything to make it HER gun, she will be more inclined to get over the recoil. Just a suggestion, I know it would make a difference with my wife.
 
>Another thing to think about is
>that if you buy her
>a gun, and its HER
>gun, she will like it
>much more than any other
>gun, even if it has
>some recoil.
>
>If my dad would have bought
>me a .338 when I
>was 12 as opposed to
>the .270 I got, I
>damn sure would have fought
>through the recoil, because it
>was MY gun.
>
>I think if you buy her
>a gun, customize it to
>her, maybe a dipped stock,
>a fancy sling, anything to
>make it HER gun, she
>will be more inclined to
>get over the recoil. Just
>a suggestion, I know it
>would make a difference with
>my wife.

+1 Just get her stoked on whatever you go with.

This is why there is so much difference of opinion on this subject. Caliber loyalty is similar to peoples' loyalty to car brands.

308's and 30-06's have zero advantages in regards to ballistics and recoil. I think I even read from someone above that a 30-06 typically kicks less than an 07-08, 270 and "most of the calibers listed above"... You serious Clark? That makes ZERO sense.

I own a 30-06 and a 25-06 and am by no means an expert, but I do know how to read a ballistics chart. The first rifle I ever shot/owned was a 308 and our group hunts with 270's, 270 WSM's and 7mm's. ALL OF WHICH KICK MORE AND PROVIDE NO ADVANTAGE TO YOUR WIFE BESIDES AN 07-08 OR .257 caliber.

Both are capable on elk, check out the ballistic charts. I didn't even pull the 30-06 out this year.
 
>>If she cant handle the 30-06,
>>she best stay away from
>>the 7mm, 270, 7-08's.
>
>I disagree the average 270win or
>7mm-08 will have less recoil
>than a 30-06 with factory
>loaded ammunition. Now a 270
>short mag and 7mm mag
>is a different story.
>
>>
>>Ever thought of putting a muzzle
>>break on a 30-06? It
>>will be louder, yes, but
>>reduce recoil. There are alot
>>of options out there for
>>good muzzle breaks.
>
>I do like this idea for
>light framed shooters if they
>have a lot of experience
>shooting and good ear protection.
>Otherwise the sound can make
>them flinch.
>
>Justin


+1 elkmagnet, I'm glad someone noticed what he said.
 
Ballistic charts don't kill elk. Good bullets and well placed shots kill elk. Felt recoil is a product of the fit rifle as well as the energy in the cartridge. Many ladies I've hunted around seem to prefer the short actions. A few even like youth models. Find a rifle that fits and she likes. Sight it in for 200 yards, practice, and your good to go.
 
Id elkmag. That's exactly what I'm saying. Comparing apples to apples the 308 will take less powder then a 270 using the same grain bullet and exact same powder to do almost the same thing. Besides who wouldn't want to have the versatility of all the grains of bullets in a 30 cal. I reload for both and I haven't shot my rem 270 in over a decade.
 
>Ballistic charts don't kill elk.
>Good bullets and well placed
>shots kill elk. Felt
>recoil is a product of
>the fit rifle as well
>as the energy in the
>cartridge. Many ladies I've
>hunted around seem to prefer
>the short actions. A
>few even like youth models.
>Find a rifle that fits
>and she likes. Sight
>it in for 200 yards,
>practice, and your good to
>go.


I agree, that's why I stated above that elk don't care what the diameter of the hole is in their lungs. But u gotta hit the vitals and if she can't shoot a 30 caliber at the range she can't hunt with it. But yes the versatility and bullet choice can't be beat. For the ranges she will shoot elk at as stated by the OP above (300 yards) a 30 caliber is literally useless to her, so THAT is when charts come into play with a smaller, yet still capable round.
 
Best rifle for a youth or woman, hands down the 7/08. my daughter killed her deer at 400 with hers, we used it on two bears this year and it kicks less than a .243 for the record. very efficient effective round.


7My favorite hunts are because they were with friends and family not just because "I got one".
 
I shoot a 7-08 and so does my wife. Mine is in a full sized Remington 700 and my wife's is in a youth model 7 synthetic with a 20" tube. They both shoot fantastic and are easy on the shoulder. My wife has killed 4 elk with hers and only fired 5 shots. We do reload so ammo isn't a problem. If you don't, there's not as much to choose from. It's true that there are tons of bullet weights to choose from in the .308 diameter, but in most cases, a particular rifle won't shoot them all with a high level of accuracy. This is because the rate of twist is geared for a range of bullet weight most likely to be used in that rifle. I've found that once I find a good quality bullet that shoots well, I stick with it and use it for most hunting applications. Like many others have said, there's lots of great choices out there. Good luck!!
 
>Id elkmag. That's exactly what
>I'm saying. Comparing apples to
>apples the 308 will take
>less powder then a 270
>using the same grain bullet
>and exact same powder to
>do almost the same thing.
> Besides who wouldn't want
>to have the versatility of
>all the grains of bullets
>in a 30 cal.
> I reload for both
>and I haven't shot my
>rem 270 in over a
>decade

I thought you were talking about a 30-06? I do love the 06 but it does kick more than most of the guns people have mentioned.

I have never compared a 308 to a 270 but I wonder what the difference in trajectory is at 500yd with the same powder and a 130gr bullet I bet a 308 drops a lot more but that's just a guess.

I do shoot a 300win mag and like the availability of bullets but that's not the most important thing for a shooter like this IMHO.

I'm not trying to open a can of worms but you know...






Justin
 
I disagree, Ballistics do kill elk.. I use Ballistics to kill elk every year.. Ballistic tips that is ;)

I do think ballistics does play a roll, but so does a well placed shot, good penetration by the bullet, appropriate mushrooming, and velocity.

These are tough critters. Thick hair, hide, and can take a hit.

I worry about light, slow calibers not penetrating the elk well enough to do the appropriate damage. They loose so much velocity when they come into contact with bone, hair and hide. I have seen them 'blow up' on impact and not penetrate to make a kill, just injure.

I dont like tracking my critters, so I tend to shoot hotter loads with a 168-180 grain bullet. I'm pushing 3200 fps out of my 300 win mag.

I put a muzzle break on mine to reduce recoil. It helps the dang thing weighs 14lbs.

Good luck and get her hooked with hunting and shooting. You'll have a life long partner in crime.. :)
 
start making calls to your friends and family and see what calibers they may have available for your wife to shoot. a typed opinion is fine, but getting some real world bullets down range will get you the definate answer. don't rush into buying something, even if it is for xmas. hell, you may get some people here that will let her shoot theirs, if they live close enough.
 
Good idea DeepForks.

If you werent so far, I'd sure let her shoot the calibers I have out at the range. Hope you find some folks close by that can help.
 
.308 should have no issues out to 250 yards on elk, and the recoil is modest. Tons of bullet weight options, and reasonably cheap factory ammo avaliable everywhere. Bullet placement is key with any cartridge obviously. I have taken a bull moose with my 308 win at 200 yards, it's my favorite rifle. That said i usually carry my 300 wby for elk if shots will possibly be beyond 300 yards but i don't feel ill-equipped in the least with my 308 for elk inside of that.
 
My 12 year old daughter shoots a 7-08. She can easily shoot 30 shots back to back at the range, pushing 2850 fps. I think with today's recoil pads it takes a lot of kick out of them, and the 7-08 will get the job done. The light kick allows her to work more on accuracy and making an ethical shot then using the wow factor of a gun that she will be afraid to shoot at 300+ yards, that happens a minority of the time. Get a gun she can shoot a lot, be comfortable with, and be accurate with...rather then a gun that you are looking to shock the game to death if you make a bad shot. Good way to scare her away from shooting.
 
the above poster makes a great point about recoil pads. i'd definately get a limbsaver pad for whatever gun you get her. make sure to have good hearing protection too. sometimes, just the noise of a high powered rifle going off can make you jumpy/flinchy, regardless of the recoil. it's never happened to me though:)
 
Thank you for all the great insight and discussion. Lots to think about. She's convinced she wants a 30-30 lever action (I think she likes the lever action more than the caliber itself). Not a lot of lever's out there in calibers other than 30-30 in my budget range unless I trade one of my own rifles. Ah well - I'll figure it out... even if it means she has to get used to a bolt gun. :)
Thanks again.
 
>Thank you for all the great
>insight and discussion. Lots
>to think about. She's
>convinced she wants a 30-30
>lever action (I think she
>likes the lever action more
>than the caliber itself).
>Not a lot of lever's
>out there in calibers other
>than 30-30 in my budget
>range unless I trade one
>of my own rifles.
>Ah well - I'll figure
>it out... even if it
>means she has to get
>used to a bolt gun.
> :)
>Thanks again.

Winchester Model 88 in .308. I own one. They get an A+ in cool factor.
 
I think it really depends on what you are looking to get out of a rifle. My personal opinion is go with a flat shooter. I've come to the conclusion that the 7 mm WSM is a great all around rifle. It shoots flat and carrys decent energy down range. The only downfall is the ammo is expensive and it takes more powder if you are reloading.

I used this Winchester Ballistics Calculator to help me narrow down my search in selecting a new rifle. I'm still caught between the 300 and 7 mm WSM, only becuase I had a 300 and I really liked it...until some dickweed stole it.

http://www.winchester.com/learning-center/ballistics-calculator/Pages/ballistics-calculator.aspx
 
My personal opinion is the 270. My wife loves it. I bought it for her years ago and did not like it so much. Its a Ruger and had the skeleton stock. Well anyways she started shooting kids 243. She drew a elk tag and knew she needed something better than 243. I took the 270 in got a new stock for it which we got made smaller than regular size. I believe it was made down to 11 1/2" which almost made it into a youth stock. Had a trigger job done on it and a new scope put on it. Now my wife can shoot the crap out of it and loves it. I use the Hornady Custom shells threw this gun and it is deadly.

I even use this gun now. A very good all around gun. Have used it on Bears, Elk, Deer, Antelope, and coyotes.
 
>My personal opinion is the 270.
>My wife loves it. I
>bought it for her years
>ago and did not like
>it so much. Its a
>Ruger and had the skeleton
>stock. Well anyways she started
>shooting kids 243. She drew
>a elk tag and knew
>she needed something better than
>243. I took the 270
>in got a new stock
>for it which we got
>made smaller than regular size.
>I believe it was made
>down to 11 1/2" which
>almost made it into a
>youth stock. Had a trigger
>job done on it and
>a new scope put on
>it. Now my wife can
>shoot the crap out of
>it and loves it. I
>use the Hornady Custom shells
>threw this gun and it
>is deadly.
>
>I even use this gun now.
>A very good all around
>gun. Have used it on
>Bears, Elk, Deer, Antelope, and
>coyotes.


Did I just hear "which we got made smaller?"
 
tw sorry you are offended that my wife could not take it all and had to have some taken off to handle it. Small guys usually get hurt feelings when I explain she cant handle that much....LOL
 
>tw sorry you are offended that
>my wife could not take
>it all and had to
>have some taken off to
>handle it. Small guys usually
>get hurt feelings when I
>explain she cant handle that
>much....LOL


hahaha I was making fun of your grammar dude... NOT how much your wife can take... but we can talk about that too if you want, since you brought it up... i'm sure she'd love that.
 
Lots of good info. Good placement is always deadly
I personally like to see them fall on the spot and use a 338
My wife is small and uses featherweight 243
The last couple of bucks she's taken were with my 338. She recently asked for her own
I told her no way cause I see how hard it hits her shoulder. It knocks her back a foot. But with one shot it doesn't faze her

I love shooting 243. And have one for my 11 daughter for next year. But it's not a 300 yard gun
I grew up with a pump 22. Most of my friends had 10/22s
First deer hunted with a 30/30. And remember my first bolt gun was ackward
I bought a bolt 22 for rabbits
And that's what my kids shoot and the transition to a bigger bolt gun was no big deal

It surprises me how many buddies get their kids 10/22s
They dont learn to work a bolt or make the first shot count
 
tw
Thats funny right there....
Shorter stock meant closer to the scope so she could get it opened and could see everything in it.....LOL
 
>tw
>Thats funny right there....
>Shorter stock meant closer to the
>scope so she could get
>it opened and could see
>everything in it.....LOL


Haha I fully understood what u meant in ur original post. Glad she is having success with the new setup!
 
I can't believe no one has mentioned the .260, it is built of the same case as the 308 and shoots an awesome 6.5mm bullets that I am extremely partial to. My wife shoots my 6.5-284 which is a close comparison to the 260 and loves it, recoil is manageable to hardly noticeable, and she shot a antelope last year at 435 yards with one shot and her cow elk this year at 200 yards with one shot, and I have never seen a elk die that fast I reload 140 grain Berger?s for it also. I don't mention the 6.5-284 because it can be expensive to buy if you don't reload but 260 ammo is quite common and savage is chambering them in almost all of their rifles now, and there barrels have the 1-8" twist so they can handle the longer heavier bc bullets. Also you can pick up a brand new savage 111 Trophy Hunter XP at local BI-Marts with a 3-9x40 Nikon BDC scope on the rifle for $429, I know because my friend just bought one in .270, some great advice on here choose wisely and have her shoot something that she will be comfortable with.
 
Bought my daughter a model 7 remington .260 6 years ago always been 1 shot and done with deer. The only down side to the .260 is that few stores keep shells in stock
46cfa7275632b29c.jpg
 
No gun fits your stated criteria better(30-30 class recoil on deer and elk sized game) than a 7mm-08. NONE. Not a .257 anything, not a .260Rem, not a .270Win, not a .308Win, and not even a .280Rem unless she can handle the additional recoil. No bullet is better to match your needs than 140-160gr .284 bullets. No case is more efficient for these size bullets. Bigger bullets aren't necessary, not even for elk. Not saying these other calibers aren't great and if you got any one of them for free then by all means. But if you are going out to buy something, then get a 7mm-08.

A 30-30 is a horrible choice in Idaho, except for some whitetail only hunts in N Idaho. Levers are likely too heavy so just get her a bolt.
 
The 7mm-08 is totally a woman's gun as no self-respecting man would use this caliber. My 10 year-old daughter shootss a 7mm-08 and a 270 and she rolls with a 20 gauge quite well too. My wife loves to shoot the .270 and is her caliber of choice. Therefore, I would recommend the 08 or 270, however the .270 is the perfect caliber across the board, so I would lean that way and you won't be embarrassed if you ever borrow her rifle on a hunt with the guys or at the club.....................

WP




"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"
 
>The 7mm-08 is totally a woman's
>gun as no self-respecting man
>would use this caliber.
>My 10 year-old daughter shootss
>a 7mm-08 and a 270
>and she rolls with a
>20 gauge quite well too.
> My wife loves to
>shoot the .270 and is
>her caliber of choice. Therefore,
>I would recommend the 08
>or 270, however the .270
>is the perfect caliber across
>the board, so I would
>lean that way and you
>won't be embarrassed if you
>ever borrow her rifle on
>a hunt with the guys
>or at the club.....................
>
>WP
>
>
>
>
>"My only regret in life is
>setting my goals too low"
>


You're an idiot. Way too many people on here and in the woods are compensating for something in the groin area with their caliber choice that they can't shoot decent groups at the range with. ONCE AGAIN, DEER AND ELK DON'T CARE WHAT THE DIAMETER OF THE HOLE IN THEIR LUNGS IS.
 
"You're an idiot. Way too many people on here and in the woods are compensating for something in the groin area with their caliber choice that they can't shoot decent groups at the range with. ONCE AGAIN, DEER AND ELK DON'T CARE WHAT THE DIAMETER OF THE HOLE IN THEIR LUNGS IS."


So, twsnow18, are you calling me a idiot because my sarcasm hits a little to close to home or because I prefer a 270 over a 7mm-08???? Last time I checked, the .270 is not over-compensating in any shape or form, so you pal have proven to be the IDIOT with your stupid post! If a lot of the folks on here want to shoot something bigger than a .270 than there is nothing wrong with that either in my opinion, plus the thread started asking for opinions and I gave mine, which happens to be the .270. Sorry to offend you and I sincerely hope you have a Merry Christmas, maybe Santa will bring you a brand new .270!

WP

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"
 
Wow, this thread has gotten interesting! I do appreciate all the comments. Will likely get either the 7-08 or possibly a 25-06. Holding off now until her bday in January... getting broke already!
 
>"You're an idiot. Way too many
>people on here and in
>the woods are compensating for
>something in the groin area
>with their caliber choice that
>they can't shoot decent groups
>at the range with. ONCE
>AGAIN, DEER AND ELK DON'T
>CARE WHAT THE DIAMETER OF
>THE HOLE IN THEIR LUNGS
>IS."
>
>
>So, twsnow18, are you calling me
>a idiot because my sarcasm
>hits a little to close
>to home or because I
>prefer a 270 over a
>7mm-08???? Last time I
>checked, the .270 is not
>over-compensating in any shape or
>form, so you pal have
>proven to be the IDIOT
>with your stupid post!
>If a lot of the
>folks on here want to
>shoot something bigger than a
>.270 than there is nothing
>wrong with that either in
>my opinion, plus the thread
>started asking for opinions and
>I gave mine, which happens
>to be the .270. Sorry
>to offend you and I
>sincerely hope you have a
>Merry Christmas, maybe Santa will
>bring you a brand new
>.270!
>
>WP
>
>"My only regret in life is
>setting my goals too low"
>


I own a 30-06 and a 25-06. I use the 25-06 because it shoots better. A 270 is not overkill by any means, it's a great cartridge for Idaho.

But it sounds like you base your caliber choice around what makes you feel more like a man. So you sir, are the one compensating for something since "The 7mm-08 is totally a woman's gun as no self-respecting man would use this caliber."
 
>Wow, this thread has gotten interesting!
> I do appreciate all
>the comments. Will likely
>get either the 7-08 or
>possibly a 25-06. Holding off
>now until her bday in
>January... getting broke already!


Haha sorry to hijack your thread, but it sounds like you've narrowed it down to 2 very solid choices.

Now do some fact based research (not on a forum) to make your decision between the two. The 7mm-08 is probably better for her because of the ballistics and recoil. But I'm partial towards a .257 because it's not much more difficult to tame then the 08, yet it's useful on elk out to 400 yards, which fits your original requirements. It gives your wife more chance for growth and you won't be trading it out after a year as she becomes a more confident shooter.
 
>>
>Haha sorry to hijack your thread,
>but it sounds like you've
>narrowed it down to 2
>very solid choices.
>

No worries
 
I won a 7mm-08 at the Rocky Mtn Banquet in Moscow, ID 9 years ago. Up until that time, I hunted with a 30-06 I purchased when I was 16 years old in 1966. I love the '06. It shoots well and I have killed a lot of game with it at various distances. I began handloading for the family (who also all had '06s) about the same time. We settled on 165 grain boat tails from Speer, cronographed out my barrel at 2828 FPS. I shot elk out to 400 yds with it with confidence. So...I was pretty skeptical of the 7mm-08. Skeptical, that is, until I got around to getting some brass, some bullets (130 gr), researched what powders worked best and some dies....and then creating a variety of loads and shooting at paper. The first thing I noticed was the recoil....virtually none when compared to my '06. The second thing I noticed was the commendable muzzle velocity....right around 2900 FPS. Then, I noticed the tight groups. I simply don't get the '06 out except at the bench to warm it up a little. It isn't as much fun to shoot....and the 7mm-08 reaches out just as quickly and far as the '06. I would hesitate to shoot elk beyond about 350 yds unless conditions were near perfect...no wind, good rest, perfect sight picture. Deer? You could shoot out to your limits. The 7mm-08 is a perfect kid/small person's rifle for deer and elk sized critters. That's my two cents.
 
Hey Tw, I have killed my six elk and threes muleys with my Mathews bow, so really not over-compensating here. I have killed my 81 whitetails with all different calibers, the most recent this year with my 454 casull pistol. I am fortunate to have many rifles and I just love to pick on the 08, it is a great caliber and has alot of versatility. My daughter who just turned 11, uses our 08, however my wife loves the .270. My son who is 17 rolls with the .270, 08, 25-06 and like to break the .300 mag out sometimes. Like many, I think the 270 is the perfect caliber. Some like the 308 and its a really good whitetail caliber in my opinion, but has a bit more recoil. I carried my dads 30-06 for several days this year in his memory, but its not my favorite caliber, although one of the best ever made! Again, I just think the .270 is the perfect caliber, especially for a woman, which happens to be my favorite caliber too. Really we are splitting hairs wth most of the calibers mentioned as the choices of ammunition made today are just fantastic across the board with so many good bullets choices,
etc. Sorry to pick on your 08, but I love to do it and all my buddies who carry 7 mags, I really get on them.............. when we have the 7mag - .270 banter going, all in fun of course.

Happy New Year to you all!

WP

"My only regret in life is setting my goals too low"
 
It might have been mentioned already {in 62 posts} but I would have a 30/06 built for her and put a nice muzzle brake on it and turn her loose :)


Nim
 

Similar threads

pauns08
Utah muzzleloader BS
Replies
48
Views
2k
LIK2HNT
LIK2HNT
pauns08
Utah muzzleloader BS
2
Replies
109
Views
4k
quest
quest
WannaXbe
SOLD Bergara B14 Ridge 300 wm w/vortex viper HSLR
Replies
7
Views
695
WannaXbe
WannaXbe

Click-a-Pic ... Details & Bigger Photos

Member Gallery Photos and Videos!

D5F8B670-42B5-4D10-963C-DD901FFF6260.png
IMG_1812.jpeg
835C227C-4360-42DF-85AA-854DE4EC52E0.jpeg
F12CF067-ED10-43AC-9E51-41A4CA783FF1.jpeg
D06EA311-7291-4251-8837-7783EF83A099.jpeg
C6205A41-571D-4046-9185-2EF53EC73C14.jpeg
D63C4ECD-5E12-40C6-B839-ABEC2259F348.jpeg
Couple Super Bucks!
Wyoming buck.JPG
B9887A49-534A-4343-BD2C-73D357B4C007.jpeg
PB080077.JPG
C2703431-C944-4C89-89D1-95E17688242B.jpeg

Idaho Hunting Guides & Outfitters

Bearpaw Outfitters

Idaho Deer & Elk Allocation Tags, Plus Bear, Bison, Lion, Moose, Turkey and Montana Prairie Dogs.

Urge 2 Hunt

We focus on trophy elk, mule deer, whitetail, bear, lion and wolf hunts and spend hundreds of hours scouting.

Jokers Wild Outdoors

Trophy elk, whitetail, mule deer, antelope, bear and moose hunts. 35k acres of private land.

Back
Top Bottom