For the future wife?

[white121]

My fiance and I are getting married in a few months and we are going on a antelope hunt for the honeymoon. I would like to surprise her with her own rifle. This rifle will be used mainly for deer sized game. I was wondering what cartridge would be the best. I need low recoil, and a long range 500 mabey 600 yard capability and obviously good accuracy that would be fun to shoot. I reload so there are not many limits, If I could get some ideas that would be great. I already have a 243ai so I'm leaning towards something different.

Thanks Shaun

 

[stoneman]

Check out the 7mm-08. It has the ballistics of the .308 without the recoil. You can load .284 bullets from 100 to 175 grains.

 

[Forum Boss]

7mm-08 is a good choice. Also the 6.5x55.

Here's a Tikka T3 lite in 7mm-08:

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=117643221

Here's a nice Tikka T3 in 6.5x55:

http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=117700651

Very good brass available in 6.5x55 as well as excellent factory ammo.

 

[treeman]

my vote would go to 250 ackley or 257 roberts with barnes tsx. great bullets and great caliber for new shooters.______treeman

 

[greenheadwoody]

Well since the 243/6mm is out how about a 25-06. I have always enjoyed buying pistols for my wife. Why because they always end up being mine. Maybe my wife needs a rifle... a 6mm or 240 weatherby would be a great gun for her... I'm thinking Savage for the action.

 

[davemastrianna]

I would try the .260 or the .7-08 They offer a great selection of excellent BC and SD hunting bullets. Don't know if you want to go custom how about the 6.5 C.M.??

 

[MrMister]

25-06, may have a little more kick than she might like though.

HAve you looked into the 6mm Remington?

 

[2506]

If she can handle a 243. 7-08 etc. she can handle a 25-06. A 25-06 is made to order for what you want. I shoot a 25-06 a lot and with a 117 Sierra at 3000 fps a 3 inch high zero at 100 yards will let you hold center shoulder out to 350 yards and drop a deer size animal in it's tracks. A 100 gr bullet shoots even flatter and will have just a might less recoil. If she can't handle the light recoil of a 25-06 then there is no way she can shoot well enough to kill an animal way out there. Put a Limbsaver recoil pad on the rifle and teach her how to shoot before you go hunting. Oh! and get at least a 24 inch barrel on the rifle. Those 22 inch barreled rifles in 25-06 just don't get it done.

 

[white121]

I'm actually building this off a browning a-bolt that is chambered in 2506 but the barrel is shot out. the 2506 was a good cartridge for me but I kind of like the 7mm08 so many choices.

Shaun