deer/elk combo cartridge for wife

[Baylian]

What do you guys think would be a recoil light cartridge that could be used for both deer and elk for my wife?

Thanks, TJ

[gd357]

How about a 7mm/08? should do the trick.

gd

[PJgunner]

I think the 7-08 should work OK. It's just a more modern version of the great old 7x57 Mauser, and I've never seen anyone complain about the recoil from that round. In fact, if you can find one, my choice would be the 7x57 as it can handle heavier bullets betetr than the 7-08. While you can load 160 and 175 gr. bullets in the 7-08, either one would protrude a bit much into the body of the case, reducing the amount of powder than can be loaded.
factory loads for the 7x57 are a bit hard to find and are underloaded by the factories making it more of a handloading proposition, but properly loaded, it will do anything the 7-08 will do and possibly better it, and still not kick the slats out from under a person.
The late Jack O'Connor's wife's favorite rifle was a 7x57 and she used it on most of the game she shot world wide. For the really big stuff like tiger and elephants, she used a 30-06. The woman absolutely hated recoil.
Paul B.

[M.T. Pockets]

Baylian, what kind of elk hunting did you have in mind ? If you're hunting cows, or in fairly open country and keep shots under 200 yards there are many good rifles out there. The 7-08 as good as any.

If you plan on hunting trophy bulls, or in timber, or if you want to be able to take an open shot at say, 300 yards, you'll want to step up a notch or two. I'd give the .308 some consideration, with a premium 180 grain bullet I'd give it an edge on elk. For deer, there are many bullet choices in .308 and you really can't go wrong.

[Ol` Joe]

The 708 would be a good choice. The 6.5x55 has killed many a moose in the Nortic countries and would be another. The 260 Rem is a modern clone of the Swede and is loaded to a bit higher velocity. Use premium bullets in either for Elk and std cup and core bullets for deer.

[Andy L]

6.5x55 Hand Down. To be specific, CZ550 American. I cant say enough about it.

Whats not to like? Trajectory similar to 270. Penetration simialar to a 180gr 30cal, with 129gr bullets, even more with 140gr or 160gr. Recoil less than most 243s, with 129gr.

I dont know why this isnt more popular here in the US. I bought one for my son and will own one myself soon. They are the perfect combo gun, IMO.

Of course theres a hitch, aint there always? You pretty much need to handload for it to maximimze performance. Factory ammo is loaded to very low pressures due to the old mausers floating around and peoples ignorance to not poke hot ammo in them. But with the CZ, I have played with it enough that I am all most shooting compressed loads out of it with no pressure signs at all. Anyhow, you do need to handload.

[gdaddybill]

You might also want to consider the 308 Win. My wife bought a 7-08 and it's great but I've been able to load several low-recoil loads for her to break in with. There are no factory low-recoil loads in 7-08--and I'm sure someone will suggest that they aren't needed but a full power 140 grain 7-08 isn't that different from a 150 grain 308. If she starts out with the Remington Managed Recoil factory loads in 308 (125 grain core bonded bullet) she may never shoot the full power loads. If she does though, she will likely not even worry about the difference.

[Jack]

Probably all the cartridges mentioned in this thread would be good choices.
If you aren't a handloader, the managed recoil ammo in 308 might be particularly useful to you- use the low recoil ammo for practice and deer hunting, and when you get a chance for elk, use full power, premium bullet ammo.
If you are a handloader, any of the choices would work. In that case, I'd lean towards the 7x57 or 308, personally. Both can be made to be quite low recoil, and there is a good selection of bullets for elk.
The 6.5x55 is also a good choice, but the 7x57 and 308 make bigger holes, and that would be good for the larger species.

[Don Fischer]

There are two fine managed recoil rounds on the 308. One is the 260 Rem the other is the 7mm-08. Personally I like the 6.5x55 and have for a long time. But, ammo is a concideration if you don't reload and then the best choice might well be the 7mm-08.
I never recommend the reduced recoil rounds. If that is what you need to shoot comfortablly, them you need a different cartridge. It makes no sense to me to load down a 308 to a 7mm-08 rather than just buy a 7mm-08.

[Andy L]

Amen on the reduced recoil ammo. Makes no sense. Actually, your not even making a 7-08 out of a 308. More like making a suped up 30-30 out of a 308. 7-08 would be considerable faster and better trajectory than light loaded 308.

Back to the 6.5x55, if you handload at all, this is the easiest round I have ever loaded for. You cant hardly screw it up. I loaded several different loads with the 129gr Hornady, starting at book max and going up in 1gr incriments. The differences were minute. The load I settled on was a grain lighter than the hottest I tried, and like I said its damn near compressed. You cant hardly mess up. It seems to shoot about anything you poke in it.

Pretty neat.

[billy ahring]

I recently picked up a 6.5 Swede myself and am getting ready to start working up loads for it. What Hornady bullet are you using? Also what powder is giving you your best results. Forgot to mention that it is a Ruger 77. Never have been much of a Ruger man but the chambering is what won me over. Looking forward to spending some time at the range getting it wrung out. It will probably spend more time in my kids hands during deer hunts than mine, but with all the good props the round gets on this forum I will probably be looking to spend a little time toting it as well.

Later
Billy

[Andy L]

129gr Hornady SP with IMR 4350 and Fed 210 primers.

Good Luck!!

[Baylian]

Thanks for the replies!! I think I'll get her a 7mm-08. I don't reload or one of the other suggestions would be considered. What rifle do you think would be good for her? What scope?

Thank you, TJ

[gd357]

You should probably let her handle a few and see which feels the best to her. Any good variable scope will probably suffice, right now you can get a hold of the Burris Fullfield II line (3-9) for less than $200, which is a pretty darn good deal. JMHO

gd

[Dan Morris]

On the antique side, my 135lb daughter shoots a ole model 70 in .270 very well. It is topped with a Leupold 6X.
Dan
:)

[PJgunner]

Why not keep things simple and go with a decent fixed 4X scope? My choice would be a Leupold, but whatever floats your boat. I have mostly varibale power scopes on most of my rifles today, but as money becomes available, I'm switching to 3X and 4X scopes for most of them. My reasoning is 99 percent of the time the scope is set at 3X. I use binoculars to spot my game, stalk to a reasonable range and shoot with the scope at 3X. Result? One dead animal, and I haven't messed up by having the scope set at 9X because I was using it instead of the binocs. besides, the fixed power is usually a few ounces less in weight that the variable, and at 7K to 10K feet, every ounce saved means a lot. I've gotten too darned old to be packing Hopwitzers up a mountain side. :D
Paul B.

[Andy L]

Isnt it funny how everyone is different? I agree on fixed power, but the world looks good to me at 6x. :)

However, I still tend to buy 3x9 or 4x12. Sometimes going a little more or a little less can be an advantage. I dont see any big disadvantages in variable powers. My scopes tend to spend alot of time on 6 though....

Different strokes......

[Wahnie]

I didn't have a chance to read the entire thread, but I agree that a 7mm-08 or a .308 would be a good choice.

For optics I would reccomend a Bushnell Elite 3200/4200 1.5-6x - 2.5-10x. Excellent scopes and the Rainguard is a very useful feature.

[Hammerforged]

My wife uses a Kimber 84 Classic in .308 Win. She has taken a couple deer and an elk with that rifle. The reason the rifle works so well is because it is so light she can carry it easily. I put a 2.5-8 Vari III on it because that is the lightest scope available in that variable range. In the winter she wears a thick coat anyway so most of the recoil of the heavier elk handloads are absorbed. The 125 grain Ballistic Tip deer loads are the minimum loads in the Nosler number 5 manual, I believe the velocity is around 2600 fps, but far more important than the velocity is her ability to shoot very well with the load both at the range and in the field. She honestly can group 1" at 100 yards. She killed a big mulie buck with this load at 245 yards.

For elk loads in that rifle, I load 165 grain Hornady InnerBonds, with 44 grains of RL 15. About as hot as I can get. The load is accurate enough, about 1.5 inch @100 yards, on a bad day. A more accurate load is the same powder and charge, but with the 165 BTSP Innerlock. This is a .5" load.

[scalerman]

If you're going to recommend a 7MM round why not the 280 Remington? It does everything the 7MM Magnum will with about the same recoil as the 7MM/08. This would be a good choice in my mind. As most women (at least in my experience) are much cooler under the pressure of the shot why not look at a single shot rifle? The new Thompson Centre has a 28" barrel which really would milk all of the potential out of the 280 and it weighs only 7 lbs. Fairly light for carrying but still heavy enough to help absorb some of the recoil. Just a thought.

[Cossack]

I'll get her a 7mm-08. I don't reload or one of the other suggestions would be considered. What rifle do you think would be good for her? What scope?

Mine is a Kimber Monana in 7/08 with a 1.75 to 6 Leupold VX III. Weighs just 6.5 lbs laoded with 5. Works great for my busted up shoulder. It's a bit spendier than most off-the-racks tho.
Have a look at the Remington Model 7.
The cheaper Remington Model 722 ("mauser") looks good too but is not available in 7/08, is available in 308.