Women & Guns

[derekwest]

I have a Marlin 30-30 that was purchased in the 1950's by my grandfather as a "gift" to my grandmother (I guess she passed on a lot of deer out of concern of her flinch due to the fact that she was shooting a standard 308 that just didn't fit her). My grandfather took the Marlin down to the local gunsmith to have the barrel cut and the stock shorten; as a result she hunted well into her late 70's and enjoyed every moment of it. I doubt she would have hunted very long without that cut down rifle. Needless to say it is an heirloom (of redneck sorts) for me and I will have my son use it until he outgrows the gun.

That said, gun manufacturers are missing the boat by not offering anything but "youth" and standard sized guns. I can't imagine every female hunter having to go through what my grandmother suffered by shooting the rifles built for adult men.

What rifles would you recommend the petite new hunters that are entering the sport for the first time (yes, I referring to my wife who is starting to regret missing out on my trips)?

Any recommendation would be fantastic.
-Derek

 

[Frederik]

Biggest problem with recoil is not the caliber but the gun fitting the person who is shooting. For example I have a client who has a Blaser 470 NE double shooting it causes me a lot of pain and I just hate shooting it 4 shot max then I cannot anymore.

On the same breath shooting a 458 Lott with 500gr bullets going considerably faster than the 470's 500gr bullet should result in much more recoil and with the Lott being a lighter rifle as well I could shoot it all day about. The gun fitted me well the Lott that is. At a shooting day I picked up a 500 NE double Krieghoff and fired it and it was very pleasant even if it was 2150fps with a 570gr bullets it fitted me.

I also think that a lot of youth and women shy away for shooting for this specific reason we need more women and youth to participate after all grown men are only 30% of the population.