low recoil hunting rifle build for the wife. (SOLVED*)

[603Country]

If you put a brake on the gun, put hearing protection on your wife.

 

[bjones97]

If you put a brake on the gun, put hearing protection on your wife.

I only got one set of ears. we normally rock some electric earmuffs. If I'm using a break and its particularly concussive I go with plugs and muffs.
I probably go overkill with ear pro but I know to many people that can't hear anything.
Not to brag but I'm the kind of guy who can hear a deer fart next county over.

 

[Wild Bill IV]

Hey I am sure this has been brought up a time or two.
I am wanting to build a low recoil riffle for the wife.
She is super recoil sensitive. no issues with 223 but 308 is a bit much for her.

I am wanting to have something light on recoil and enough power for white tail out to 200 yards.
I kind of like the idea of buying a new upper and letting her hunt next season with me using her ar-15.
But we hunt all over different places. this year I got a buck at 30 yards. last year got a doe at 250 yards.
Any advice?

Current considerations.

• 300 blackout (200 yards may be too much) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 350 legend (200 yards may be too much) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 6.5 grendel (concerned with having enough energy) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 224 valk (concerned with having enough energy) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 243 (probably perfect for the application) (requires new rifle)
• 7mm-08 (not a huge difference between this and 308) (requires new rifle)
• 6.5 cm (probably just fine for application) (requires new rifle)

Please just tell me to just buy one of each lol!
Jokes aside I would prefer 1 gun but if I am better off getting 2 let me know.

PS one concern I have with some of the new fancy stuff like 350 legend and 224 valk / 6.5 grendel is can I still buy ammo in 5 years? what about 10 years? Do those new fangled rounds have staying power?

Thanks!

****I hate leaving forum posts unsolved.****
Based on the sheer amount of votes for the 6.5's over the rest. I have decided to go with a bolt riffle in 6.5 CM and a ar-15 upper in 6.5 Grendel.

Reason behind my choices. 1. If the CM is still a bit much I can put on a muzzle break. 2. I have always wanted to check out Grendel. I think Grendel would be a great choice for white tail and maybe even the occasional hog, or coyote while I'm in the deer stand.

I love the idea of a light and handy do everything rifle and I think I gotta give it to the Grendel. That cartridge is a swiss army knife from what I can see. With that being said I do like the idea of the Creedmoor with a heavier bullet and some more velocity.

I see you have made your choice!!! I hunted with a Rem 700 varmint special in 7-08 for 15 years!! All one shoot kills with the animals being knock off their feet (hooves)!!! Most were killed at 250 to 600 with Sierra 160 SBT gamekings. If your going to take big game down, knock em down with a humane kill!!! And, if your wife sees that once in a lifetime trophy that weighs 300 pounds, like I did at 275 yards, you want sectional density, mass, and momentum (forget high velocity and concentrate on impulse time) The lethality formula includes energy and momentum!!! Therefore, the slower the velocity with a heavy bullet will increase impulse time allow more energy and momentum transfer to the animal!!! This was proven on a 600+ kill on an antelope where I rolled him and he did not know what hit him!!! I also hunted with other hunters with 7MAGs and they were shocked when they seen my 7-08 rock deer at extended ranges!!!!
You could rebarrel the 308 and save some money!!! Or, down load the 308 with 165!!! Velocity doesn't kill!!! This is a fact from all the physics courses I passed and experienced in the field to verify the theory!!!
Of all the guns I have traded for, I would want that 7-08 BACK IN MY COLLECTION and would let my future daughter in law use it in Wyoming!!! I have been kicking myself for 15 years for trading it in for a 25-06!!! Biggest and most stupid decision of my life!!!

 

[DocDoc]

Many states, including mine will not allow a .223 to hunt big game.

 

[Idaho-Lefty]

If you put a brake on the gun, put hearing protection on your wife.

I'm putting, a PVA Jet Blast, 3 Port Brake on My 6.5 Creed to, see Hits and make it shoot, even more, pleasantly !
Now, Shooting 130 gr. ELD-M's at, over 2,800 FPS into TINY "Clusters" with, My Tikka, lefty T-3 and, the Jet blast 3 Port Brake, pushes the Noise "Blast'" at an Angle that, doesn't affect, the Shooter with, "Concussion Headaches" like other Brakes,.. DO ! The .243 Win., is "Enough" for Deer ( Gave Mine, to grandson whose killed, 2 Big Desert Muley's with, the 87 gr Berger H-VLD's ) But, I replaced that, Rifle with, the 6.5 Creed, because I WANTED a Bit more, "Insurance" at, Longer Ranges for, Deer / Antelope as, I HATE "Tracking" wounded, Animals !
For Women / Kids, the Lower Recoiling, 120 -123 grain Bal-Tip's or, ELD-M's, should also work, Fine on Deer, in the 6.5 Creedmoor. The 6.5 Creed is VERY Popular,.. for, a REASON !

 

[Webster]

Hey I am sure this has been brought up a time or two.
I am wanting to build a low recoil riffle for the wife.
She is super recoil sensitive. no issues with 223 but 308 is a bit much for her.

I am wanting to have something light on recoil and enough power for white tail out to 200 yards.
I kind of like the idea of buying a new upper and letting her hunt next season with me using her ar-15.
But we hunt all over different places. this year I got a buck at 30 yards. last year got a doe at 250 yards.
Any advice?

Current considerations.

• 300 blackout (200 yards may be too much) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 350 legend (200 yards may be too much) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 6.5 grendel (concerned with having enough energy) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 224 valk (concerned with having enough energy) (can get away with just buying an upper)
• 243 (probably perfect for the application) (requires new rifle)
• 7mm-08 (not a huge difference between this and 308) (requires new rifle)
• 6.5 cm (probably just fine for application) (requires new rifle)

Please just tell me to just buy one of each lol!
Jokes aside I would prefer 1 gun but if I am better off getting 2 let me know.

PS one concern I have with some of the new fancy stuff like 350 legend and 224 valk / 6.5 grendel is can I still buy ammo in 5 years? what about 10 years? Do those new fangled rounds have staying power?

Thanks!

****I hate leaving forum posts unsolved.****
Based on the sheer amount of votes for the 6.5's over the rest. I have decided to go with a bolt riffle in 6.5 CM and a ar-15 upper in 6.5 Grendel.

Reason behind my choices. 1. If the CM is still a bit much I can put on a muzzle break. 2. I have always wanted to check out Grendel. I think Grendel would be a great choice for white tail and maybe even the occasional hog, or coyote while I'm in the deer stand.

I love the idea of a light and handy do everything rifle and I think I gotta give it to the Grendel. That cartridge is a swiss army knife from what I can see. With that being said I do like the idea of the Creedmoor with a heavier bullet and some more velocity.

Are semi autoloaders legal for deer hunting?

 

[Klong]

Are semi autoloaders legal for deer hunting?

In Texas they are. My 6.5 Grendel with suppressor has taken a good many deer and pigs. I have shot pigs out to 500 yards , coyotes and deer out to 350 yards. 120 grain ELDM bullets.

 

[Lillico]

I don't know what the legislation is in your state, but the best recoil reduction method I have found is to fit a moderator/suppressor/silencer; it has a beneficial effect on the noise level as well. I'm sure the physicists on here can explain why this 'apparent' effect occurs.

 

[nockhunter]

I am going to give my 2 cents, after you made your decision. 6mm ARC, or 6.5 Grendel. gets the job done with minimal recoil. 6mm ARC with 85g-100g bullets, 6.5 G with 100g-120g bullets.

Mike

 

[TrapperBR549]

Here in Missouri what used to be muzzleloader season is now alternative weapon season. Any centerfire handgun qualifies. I put together an AR pistol in 6.5 Grendel and another in 300BO. For most applications I would take the Grendel hands down. I have since purchased an SSK barrel for a Contender in 6.5 Grendel.
I killed one of my biggest deer with it on 12/27 this year. 100 grn Nosler partition went through both shoulders and dropped him in his tracks at about 150 yards.

 

[David Milisock]

Damn near any face rifle in 24 or 26 caliber.

 

[howl]

I built a lightweight 6.5G for the wife years ago. She and the kids love it. The boy-child uses it more than she does.

The kids also use .223. The 6.5G does more than the .223 on deer, but it's not as big a difference as you'd think unless you take hard angling shots or miss a little. I will say the 6.5G does better than .243 I've witnessed.

But if I were to do it over, I'd probably just have got her a bolt action .223. She just doesn't take any challenging shots that the 6.5G makes a difference on.

 

[timeout]

My wife is also recoil sensitive. After our County opened up to rifles for deer season I bought her a Ruger Hawkeye compact in 223. 200 yards max range for a shot at her stand. Started with 60 grain Nosler Partitions. They didn't shoot as well as I liked, but she did kill some deer with them. Switched to 65 grain Sierra Gamekings. They grouped much better and really work well on whitetail. She gets one shot kills and hasn't lost a deer including some nice bucks using the Gamekings. As with any rifle, shot placement is key. She loves that rifle and wouldn't part with it for anything. A 223 with proper ammo and a good marksman will kill deer efficiently and humanely out to 200 yards.

 

[RegionRat]

Are semi autoloaders legal for deer hunting?

Generally yes, they are legal but with magazine limit restrictions during game seasons.
I have never been to a state with a semiauto prohibition for game hunting fur or feather, but I haven't been everywhere...
There are probably more places that prohibit 223, but I have never counted them up.

 

[Mark W]

Generally yes, they are legal but with magazine limit restrictions during game seasons.
I have never been to a state with a semiauto prohibition for game hunting fur or feather, but I haven't been everywhere...
There are probably more places that prohibit 223, but I have never counted them up.

Pennsylvania doesn’t allow hunting with semi automatic rifle. Not sure about shotguns.

 

[RegionRat]

Pennsylvania doesn’t allow hunting with semi automatic rifle. Not sure about shotguns.

See, there is a state I have not hunted....

How about varmint, do they prohibit semi for pesting?

Does PA allow 223 for deer?

ETA: your profile shows OH, how about there? When I grew up in IN, we had no highpower rifle hunting at all, but they have added some limited rifle seasons since then.

 

[Mark W]

See, there is a state I have not hunted....

How about varmint, do they prohibit semi for pesting?

Does PA allow 223 for deer?

ETA: your profile shows OH, how about there? When I grew up in IN, we had no highpower rifle hunting at all, but they have added some limited rifle seasons since then.

I think varmint and small game hunters can still use semi autos in PA.

Here in Ohio, we can only use straight walled cartridges or shotguns for deer. I don’t think they care about semi autos, but there are magazines limits.

 

[Loudenboomer]

Many good low recoiling rounds have been suggested. Looks like you've made a choice also. Another good choice if one were to choose more along the classic rifle side of things. >257 Roberts. For a while I owned a .257 Roberts in the Win Model 70 FWT. Really enjoyed that rifle. Foolishly sold it.

 

[RegionRat]

I think varmint and small game hunters can still use semi autos in PA.

Here in Ohio, we can only use straight walled cartridges or shotguns for deer. I don’t think they care about semi autos, but there are magazines limits.

Thanks. Ohio deer sounds very similar to Indiana in this respect.

I think the OP's wife will be happy with his choices of cartridges. For distances inside 300 yards, she will not have any issues with any of the ones on his list.

I would start her with the bolt rig just to give her time with something quieter to run and less complex to handle in a hunting situation.

 

[TrapperBR549]

Many good low recoiling rounds have been suggested. Looks like you've made a choice also. Another good choice if one were to choose more along the classic rifle side of things. >257 Roberts. For a while I owned a .257 Roberts in the Win Model 70 FWT. Really enjoyed that rifle. Foolishly sold it.

What era? I'm a M70 guy and love the Roberts. My dad was working at FN when they ran a "Shot Show Special" run of them from the South Carolina plant so controlled round feed. I killed a couple deer with it and had my wife killed her Montana mulie with it so I'm pretty sure I won't get it back.
My understanding is they made some push feed Roberts in the 90's but they didn't offer them very many times over the years.