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Greetings, all!

I have been helping a friend get into shooting over the last year or so. She is interested in eventually, sooner rather than later, getting a big game hunting rifle, ideally capable of killing elk which is the most populous game where she is. She is VERY small, like five foot, one hundred pounds maybe. She is strong and wiry, not dainty, but just very small. She had the stock on her .twenty two cut down as far as possible. She is not the nterested in reloading. Of the generally shelf-available calibers, capable of taking elk, what would be the mildest, most appropriate for someone of her physique?

thanks!
 
Since 7x57 is a reloading proposition I think I would recommend a 308 Winchester and if needed put a brake on it with a good pad.
 
Stock design and fit....plays a huge role in how perceived recoil is felt....
If the stock don't fit well...recoil is felt more regardless of caliber.

As for caliber ...I'd suggest .270 or .308...And make sure the stock fits her...both in length of pull and the height of the comb.
Andy
 
The 7mm-08 folks will be all over this soon ... also the Tika club.;)


In a Tikka...like mine. ;):D

B8FB3510-7A99-49C9-B642-0D54B3AE112B.jpeg
 
Go ahead and tell her to get a Tikka in 6.5 creedmoor so certain members can get their splooging out of the way. Must include pics. Not of the splooge.
 
Oh and 260 rem would do nicely. For the record I view the 6.5x55, the 6.5 creedmoor and the 260 rem as ballistically identical. It would boil down to finding the platform that was the best fit and with the features and price point that works for her.
 
Whoah.

Don't start there. You speak of a .22 she shoots. There is a universe of "training calibers" she must become proficient with before ANYTHING like a .270, .308, 6.5 etc is put into her hands.

"Jumping the gun" (literally) can ruin her new interest. See this:

 
Since 7x57 is a reloading proposition I think I would recommend a 308 Winchester and if needed put a brake on it with a good pad.

Lots of truth here , it was good enough for Jack O'Connor and his wife Eleanor . It has definitely been good enough for me. As much as I love shooting the 30-06, my go to hunting rifle has been a Ruger M77MKII in 7x57 for over 25 years.

It has mild recoil and is a finely accurate cartridge that can be loaded to great performance in a modern action.
 
7mm-08 or 6.5 CM would be my suggestion. Factory ammo is (or was pre covid panic) readily available pretty much anywhere. I have a BLR in 7mm-08 and it is very light at about 6.5 lbs without scope and ammo and had a 20" barrel.
 
My daughter started shooting my 45-70 Marlin 1895 when she was about 15. She's about 120lb soaking wet. Every time we go out to Wolf Creek area she will go through at least a box of ammo. No complaints from her afterward either.
 
Friend started his daughter out with 7mm-08 when she was 14-15 and she is under 100lbs has light recoil and she was able to kill her first elk with it, but this same girl will also shoot 300 win mag with out skipping a beat
 
As this is going to be an Elk rifle, I wouldn't recommend anything less then 6.5X55 Swede ( remember, she will also need good factory loaded ammo here as well) with the 7X57 and the 7 mm/08 being very fine choices, even better would be the .270 win, a much under loved, very seriously capable round, and about the outer limits for recoil for some one who seems to have issues with recoil! .308 would be a good choice, but you are now pushing the recoil limits even further! My Vote goes to the .270, best selection of factory loaded ammo, from powder puff to full nuke, it's got the others beat hands down! For Rifle, I gotta go with ether the Ruger M-77/Hawk Eye, or Tikka T-3 Lite, and maybe have a break installed to tame those big 170 grain loads! If you can find a good 6.5X55 chamberd rifle, in any of those, I would also take that, a very accurate combo and plenty capable of putting Elk on the ground!
My Bride started out with a Tikka .243 win and did just fine, learning to shoot with precision at hunting ranges, and once she was ready, she killed her first elk with it, ONE SHOT, dropped almost where he stood! Now my Wife shoots her Ruger Hawkeye Guide in .30/06 or .338 mag, and loves both!
Note, I don't recommend the .243 Win unless you have the shooting skills to put the bullet exactly where it needs to go, if not, your making the animal suffer while you take follow up shots, or some one else has to finish it off!
 
Greetings, all!

I have been helping a friend get into shooting over the last year or so. She is interested in eventually, sooner rather than later, getting a big game hunting rifle, ideally capable of killing elk which is the most populous game where she is. She is VERY small, like five foot, one hundred pounds maybe. She is strong and wiry, not dainty, but just very small. She had the stock on her .twenty two cut down as far as possible. She is not the nterested in reloading. Of the generally shelf-available calibers, capable of taking elk, what would be the mildest, most appropriate for someone of her physique?

thanks!

Young man, relationships with females are fraught with danger... When you are older, wiser, and more experienced, you will realize:

The best caliber is the one she wants!! ;);):D:D

But if you are looking to make recommendations to her, perhaps a 7mm-06, a 6.5 or 6mm Creedmore, or heck even a 7mm Mauser can work up close.

(I didn't read the whole thread, sorry if I'm duplicating other's suggestions. And I'll bet there are even more choices that exist, it's just all I can think of at the monent.) :D

There is no "best"... there are only good choices, and bad choices!!!
 
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