light recoiling cartige for the old man!

thanks everyone for the input and a little about my dad:
he turns 60 this week and because he has been reluctant to go afield after some injuries and the equipment he has i would like to change that. He has been a NRA rifle, pistol and shotgun instructor for 28 years and has "formally" taught me to shoot everything we could get our hands on. For 15 yrs every tuesday night he would be at our local range teaching kids 50' indoor smallbore 4 position rifle shooting. He would like to do some coyote and med game but his aresenal is not good for his current state. He works at an oil refinery, has 6 kids (im the last), 14 grand kids and a dog.
He liked to hunt mule deer in the canyons of califorina 30 years ago and then in eastern wa. he also likes to upland bird hunt and now he is interested in coyote hunting also.

what im trying to do is not change his likes but kind of "remold" them. He can hunt upland birds and just be the blocker or walk the easy stuff. no prob. I want to get him into coyote hunting and that is as physical as you would like to make it. when it comes to deer we can go to north east wa or north idaho and hunt whitetails and the country isnt as rough as the snake river breaks. so im starting with the rifle. from the hard kicking abolt in 30-06 to something better. I say 500yds so that he can also enjoy this new endevour of LR shooting/hunting with me. Let him use my 223 for coyote and then we are going to work on getting him a lighter kicking and lighter weight shotgun. He started getting in better shape this year so i have been talking to him about going hunting and he wants to but doesnt want the expense or hauling the gear. thats were i come in. im 28 and in good shape so as he puts it "your either the mule or the bird dog boy, get to it!" then he laughs and all. so i will haul the gear and i will push the birds. I also have 6 neiphews also to bring up. there dads arent sally's but they arent outdoorsmen either. I've been in the navy for 5 years and am getting out to take care of my daugher (single dad) so i got some work on the family to do. The 6.5's and a custom gun after talking to him are very interesting to him. I dont feel like i OWE HIM ANYTHING i want to have him around and with me so this is what im going to do. Any help would be appreciated and the advice is great. the response to this post is amazing so far. Thanks for all the help.

Thomas
 
Thomas ...... Thank you for your Service To Country - many of us have been there ...... thank you for being a loving son, father and Good American.

The Encore Custom Rifles are easy to order from T/C now with all components available off the shelf ............ Shooter must like a single shot firearm ( I do ). The 22" barrel is a great feature for handling, and they shoot very tight groups. All the rifles new cost $$$ now days ... then comes the scope, Mount, Rings, Sling ..............

When you decide what you want to take a close look at, you'll receive a lot of help here .....
 
I agree that the 7mm-08 is a wonderful round...I recently acquired a Ruger Hawkeye in 257 Roberts. Mild in recoil and outstanding performance on game. There is plenty of ammo available and I would not hesitate to use on whitetail and mule deer. 100 grain bullets are wonderful performers in my rifle.
 
:rolleyes::rolleyes:well here it goes. my dad has knee and shoulder problems so the same old question applies. he turns 60 this year so i want to build him a new rifle. here is the chriteria and what i was thinking.
1. sufficient caliber/cartrige combo to kill mulies and smaller to 500yards
2. as light of recoil as possible (but theres more)
3. no more than 8lb total rifle (all up scope and all)
4. LEFT HANDED (please dont be one of those guys that tells me and the old man for the millionth time to shoot a right handed gun cause you do it)
5. i want it to be fun for him and something thats only his (he's a father of 6 so he never gets what he wants as much as what he can settle for)

i have a tikka 595 left hand 22-250 that i want to use as a donor rifle. I was thinking either 6.5 creedmoor w/ 130gr berger vld's or 7mm-08 w/ 140gr berger vld's. mcmillian sako 75 stock (they actually inlet for the LH tikka 595) benchmark 24" #4 lilja contour with a 3 port muscle break I already have a leupold vx-3 4.5-14x40 LR so i could just keep that.

any input would be greatly appreciated. Im the last of the 6 so i feel like i owe him. I guess him and mom kept trying to get it right then ended up with me!:rolleyes:
I have a browning A-Bolt 25-06 with/BOSS, that I had rechambered to 257 Roberts Ackley Improved....I can't tell you how much I like it for deer and antelope and even works well for prairie dogs...I used to shoot the 378 weatherby mag and tried the 338 Lapau but a botched job on bypass surgery and age forced me to "bite the bullet" and go to the 257 Roberts...Good huntin to your dad!
 
There are several good choices already posted, but for my 2 cents I like the 6mm's. A 1/ 9 or 1/8 twist 243, 243AI or the 6mm Rem versions. I enjoy both the 243s and 6MM's, and with the Amax and VLD projectiles, they will reach out and strike very small targets at long range. Plenty of B.C. for sustained downrange energy on muley and smaller variety, so no need for a hard kicking rifle. Choosing your shot placement means more anyway, and a good 2.5-10x, 4-12x, 4.5-14 or 4-16x scope gets the job done with less weight than the 6-20-24x's.

I do use a 1/8 twist 22-250 with 75 and 80's, but the 22 caliber may not be legal for deer sized game in all areas.
 
My 6mm, loaded down, fits your parameters. The 6mm 100 gr spitzer boat tail is devastating on deer - out to about 3-400 yds. 'Last time I looked, I couldn't find any current offerings in 6mm. 'Didn't search extensively - maybe someone else can point you, if you are interested?

My mentor shot cow elk & deer with a loaded down 243. He got a cow with it, every year, for as far back as I could remember. Mulies & smaller - no problem. 400 yds - well that's up to your dad. 'Plenty of um around!
 
Wanted to say something about the Thumbhole Stock on an Encore - A Great Grip and hold, way beyond the regular ..... total control ... lighter weight over regular ....... and , wood has character - my thoughts.
 
ok here is why i like the 6.5's for this build: bullet selection. I dont want to shoot any heavier than 140gr and not much lighter than 100gr. so lets say for light practice/ varmints 95gr vmax, medium game 120gr amax or nos bt, even elk or black bear under 300yds you can use 130gr berger or nosler accubond and even the 140gr berber hunting vld. 6mm highest normal bullet is 105 and in a 7mm lowest normal is 120 so thats why im kinda settled on the 6.5. I like the 6.5x47 lapua and the 6.5 creedmoor. I handload so i dont care about loaded ammo. 260 rem is good and so is the ackley but you loose case capacity when seating the longer bullets to mag length unlike the two previously mentioned 6.5's. my dad is set in his ways on a bolt gun and it has to be left handed. thats why im pretty set on just rebarreling my LH tikka 595 to 6.5 creedmoor or the 6.5x47 lapua. it already has a leupold 4.5-14x40 LR varmint reticle scope and is light weight. I will probably get the work done at benchmark barrels and if he would like a break i can get them to do that after my dad shoots it. so about $550 out of pocket and the gun is done.
 
:rolleyes::rolleyes:well here it goes. my dad has knee and shoulder problems so the same old question applies. he turns 60 this year so i want to build him a new rifle. here is the chriteria and what i was thinking.
1. sufficient caliber/cartrige combo to kill mulies and smaller to 500yards
2. as light of recoil as possible (but theres more)
3. no more than 8lb total rifle (all up scope and all)
4. LEFT HANDED (please dont be one of those guys that tells me and the old man for the millionth time to shoot a right handed gun cause you do it)
5. i want it to be fun for him and something thats only his (he's a father of 6 so he never gets what he wants as much as what he can settle for)

i have a tikka 595 left hand 22-250 that i want to use as a donor rifle. I was thinking either 6.5 creedmoor w/ 130gr berger vld's or 7mm-08 w/ 140gr berger vld's. mcmillian sako 75 stock (they actually inlet for the LH tikka 595) benchmark 24" #4 lilja contour with a 3 port muscle break I already have a leupold vx-3 4.5-14x40 LR so i could just keep that.

any input would be greatly appreciated. Im the last of the 6 so i feel like i owe him. I guess him and mom kept trying to get it right then ended up with me!:rolleyes:

my favorite is the 6.5 x 55 mauser , gun) i am not a big fan of what i call hybrids !
i always prefer to keep things as simple as possible , but that's just me !!
 
6.5x55 would be excellent. 260, 257 Bob, all nice light recoil effective at long range too. You can up the ante to 25-06 or 257 Wby, but now you are in recoil land again.

I would go the Swede, and use a muzzle brake if REALLY low recoil is desired.

HM
 
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