Good
Well-Known Member
That's way-cool man. I hope my daughter enjoys the things I enjoy when she's a teenager. We'll see. 
Daughter's new 338 Lapua (from Kirby)
- Thread starter RDM416
- Start date
Help Support Long Range Hunting Forum
RDM416
Well-Known Member
Iron Worker, Yes, that is my back yard. Right out the basement door just a few feet from my reloading bench, pretty handy. I told my wife I was building a stone picnic table....... she figured out pretty quick I really built it for a shooting bench
Thanks for all the kind comments. Yep, it is a lot of gun for 14 year old girl, and yep, it is quite a bit of money. The way I look at it, she is 14, and wants to shoot and go hunting with dad. I figure I have 3 or 4 years at best before she is off to college and other interests so I am making every effort to use what time I have with her. Maybe some day when I will likely be dead and gone, she can pass along that rifle to her son or daughter along with a few stories about the hunts she had with dad.
Thanks for all the kind comments. Yep, it is a lot of gun for 14 year old girl, and yep, it is quite a bit of money. The way I look at it, she is 14, and wants to shoot and go hunting with dad. I figure I have 3 or 4 years at best before she is off to college and other interests so I am making every effort to use what time I have with her. Maybe some day when I will likely be dead and gone, she can pass along that rifle to her son or daughter along with a few stories about the hunts she had with dad.
Well those are normal dreams an aspirations for your daughter. Only thing is were not living in normal times. 15.6 trillon in debt Obama care is going to tax our a$$es off and beings your wealthy enough to have a range in your back yard Obama and his minions will be targeting you . Oh this sucks ,most vital election of our lives is a mear 3 months away .
RDM416
Well-Known Member
Iron Worker,
I don't disagree. However, all I know to do is do what I can (vote, and be active in my community and church) prepare for the worst (stockpile food, guns, ammo and things necessary to live "off the grid") then enjoy life (go shooting and hunting with my kids).
I don't disagree. However, all I know to do is do what I can (vote, and be active in my community and church) prepare for the worst (stockpile food, guns, ammo and things necessary to live "off the grid") then enjoy life (go shooting and hunting with my kids).
Fear of the living God is the answer to all of life hurdles .
phpd1295
Well-Known Member
All things being equal most girls can and will out shoot boys. Boys are just most likely to shoot more so they shoot better because they have more practice. Girls and women have better fine motor skills than boys/men. Women are better at precision skills like sewing and other things that require precise manual dexterity and attention to detail. Men are better at things that require gross motor skills and strength like football and other sports. If you start a girl off in shooting and get her a rifle that won't punish her shoulder she will almost always have better trigger control and shoot better than most boys. At longer ranges this difference shows. My dad would take me and my sister out shooting at the national forest and we started out about the same. I liked shooting a lot more then she did and I got a lot better than she ever did but she really didn't like to shoot that much. Good thing for my pride.
lonegunman762x51
Active Member
While doom, gloom and economic collaspe are all great subjects, this is still a shooting forum.
That is a very nice looking rifle, I'm working on a nice 338 RUM project myself, not for the kids, they are grown and have to buy their own toys.
What scope?
That is a very nice looking rifle, I'm working on a nice 338 RUM project myself, not for the kids, they are grown and have to buy their own toys.
What scope?
RDM416
Well-Known Member
Well said Lonegunnman; thanks for getting back on topic. The scope is one I had on another long range rig that does not see much use. It is a Night Force NXS 8-32X 56mm, MLR.
Phpd, You are exactly right about girls and shooting. The boys lose the strength and testosterone fueled aggressiveness advantage when shooting. In our 4-H club I coach, we won both state championships this year, one a precision event the other a sporter event. The five person team?? 3 girls, 2 boys. Boys up show for the first practice at 4-H and cop the attitude of "I don't need you to teach me how to shoot, I've been doing this since I was 10!" (now they are 12) Then the girls who listen and do what they are told start kicking their butt, and here they come back....."coach, how did you say to do that??) Great fun!!
Phpd, You are exactly right about girls and shooting. The boys lose the strength and testosterone fueled aggressiveness advantage when shooting. In our 4-H club I coach, we won both state championships this year, one a precision event the other a sporter event. The five person team?? 3 girls, 2 boys. Boys up show for the first practice at 4-H and cop the attitude of "I don't need you to teach me how to shoot, I've been doing this since I was 10!" (now they are 12
) Then the girls who listen and do what they are told start kicking their butt, and here they come back....."coach, how did you say to do that??) Great fun!!
Fiftydriver
Official LRH Sponsor
I get the same attitude alot with adults. WHEN it happens, a husband or boyfriend brings his better half into the shop and if they show any interest in shooting or rifles, most times the guy will blow off the ladies questions like they are embarrassing them with stupid questions.
What really gets them is when I give the ladies my full attention and answer all their questions in detail and kind of blow off the guys snobbish response to their ladies.
Even better is when you can get them both shooting on the range. I remember one time when a younger couple came up, in their late 30s. The guy was what he called a VERY EXPERIENCED long range shooter. His girfriend had never shot a rifle larger then a 223.
He was interested in one of my 375 AM rifles so I loaded up the equipment and headed out to our long range shooting area. Set my gong up at 1300 yards and set the rifle up for the guy. It took him a few shots but he was hitting pretty consistant after 10-15 rounds down the barrel but his groups were nothing to write home about. About 3 times what this rifle was capable of producing on any give day.
He was pretty cocky after that and then I asked his wife if she wanted to shoot the rifle. Before she answered he interupted saying there was no way she could shoot this big of a rifle. She did look a little intimidated for sure. What they did not know is that I also had packed nearly the identical rifle but chambered in 338 AM instead of the 375 AM.
I unpacked that 338 AM and looked the lady square in the eye and told her I would never set up a new shooter on any rifle that would hurt them in any way and that if she concentrated on my instructions and on the reticle and target she would be slappin steel right off the bat.
Her first shot was the obvious close your eyes and yank the trigger that is common the first time most shoot these rifles. Her first shot landed about 5 yards low. I then looked at her and said, now you know there is nothing to worry about from recoil and you can just relax and shoot the rifle.
She agreed with her boyfriend sneering in the background. Her next shot clipped the bottom edge of the 20" gong. I asked her if the shot felt good and she said yes so I gave the scope 3/4 moa up in adjustment. Her next shot was dang near dead center. Third shot was about 5" right of center and her last shot was about 8" low and 5" to the right. Total size of the group for the last three shots was right around 9.5" ctc. Not to bad at 1300 yards.
The boyfriend saw this group that made his look pretty weak and said, well, If I were shooting that rifle I would have shot a much better group as well. Doing everything he could to belittle his wife instead of building her confidence with praise. Knowing the type of guy this was I replied, "All right, your wife has done the hard work, we know the hold" and handed him three rounds, said "Its time to put up or shot up!"
He just kind of looked at me with a timid look but the look his wife was giving him was priceless. One of those, ya shot up and prove it looks!!!
He settled into the rifle. First shot was 5" high of center. Second shot was about 8" low and 5" to the right and his last shot was on the right edge of the gong, around 9" off center. 14-15" ctc group. Certainly not terrible at 1300 yards but dramatically larger then his wifes group. He became much more humble after that.
My point for this story is simple. The future of our shooting sports, our heritage, our way of life with firearms has very little to do with thos of us that are shooting right now. Obviously we have to support the shooting sports and put people into office that will do the same. But the most critical way we have to save out way of living is to get women involved in our way of living. They will be the ones to save our sport, not us. New shooters are the key, make or female, does not matter but every lady we can get involved passionately in the shooting sports is a huge boost to our future. So if you have a little girl or a girlfriend or a wife, take them out shooting, be patient, be supporting, in no way should you EVER be negative with them, always supportive.
Never have then shoot anything that may scare them or hurt them, ITS NOT FUNNY and it ****es me off when I see guys doing this. That is the best way to ruin a lady from shooting for the rest of her life and as such, you have just lost a supporter of the shooting sports thanks to their DUMB *** BOYFRIENDS OR HUSBANDS.
The rifle we put together for Ricks daughter is not a heavy recoiling rifle, especially for an experienced little shooter and I know Rick will pay very close attention to limit her shooting to prevent any flinch from occuring. As she groups up even more, the rifle will turn into a real ***** cat. It was designed well for its design goal so recoil is not a real issue.
Anyway, enough rant on the subject.
What really gets them is when I give the ladies my full attention and answer all their questions in detail and kind of blow off the guys snobbish response to their ladies.
Even better is when you can get them both shooting on the range. I remember one time when a younger couple came up, in their late 30s. The guy was what he called a VERY EXPERIENCED long range shooter. His girfriend had never shot a rifle larger then a 223.
He was interested in one of my 375 AM rifles so I loaded up the equipment and headed out to our long range shooting area. Set my gong up at 1300 yards and set the rifle up for the guy. It took him a few shots but he was hitting pretty consistant after 10-15 rounds down the barrel but his groups were nothing to write home about. About 3 times what this rifle was capable of producing on any give day.
He was pretty cocky after that and then I asked his wife if she wanted to shoot the rifle. Before she answered he interupted saying there was no way she could shoot this big of a rifle. She did look a little intimidated for sure. What they did not know is that I also had packed nearly the identical rifle but chambered in 338 AM instead of the 375 AM.
I unpacked that 338 AM and looked the lady square in the eye and told her I would never set up a new shooter on any rifle that would hurt them in any way and that if she concentrated on my instructions and on the reticle and target she would be slappin steel right off the bat.
Her first shot was the obvious close your eyes and yank the trigger that is common the first time most shoot these rifles. Her first shot landed about 5 yards low. I then looked at her and said, now you know there is nothing to worry about from recoil and you can just relax and shoot the rifle.
She agreed with her boyfriend sneering in the background. Her next shot clipped the bottom edge of the 20" gong. I asked her if the shot felt good and she said yes so I gave the scope 3/4 moa up in adjustment. Her next shot was dang near dead center. Third shot was about 5" right of center and her last shot was about 8" low and 5" to the right. Total size of the group for the last three shots was right around 9.5" ctc. Not to bad at 1300 yards.
The boyfriend saw this group that made his look pretty weak and said, well, If I were shooting that rifle I would have shot a much better group as well. Doing everything he could to belittle his wife instead of building her confidence with praise. Knowing the type of guy this was I replied, "All right, your wife has done the hard work, we know the hold" and handed him three rounds, said "Its time to put up or shot up!"
He just kind of looked at me with a timid look but the look his wife was giving him was priceless. One of those, ya shot up and prove it looks!!!
He settled into the rifle. First shot was 5" high of center. Second shot was about 8" low and 5" to the right and his last shot was on the right edge of the gong, around 9" off center. 14-15" ctc group. Certainly not terrible at 1300 yards but dramatically larger then his wifes group. He became much more humble after that.
My point for this story is simple. The future of our shooting sports, our heritage, our way of life with firearms has very little to do with thos of us that are shooting right now. Obviously we have to support the shooting sports and put people into office that will do the same. But the most critical way we have to save out way of living is to get women involved in our way of living. They will be the ones to save our sport, not us. New shooters are the key, make or female, does not matter but every lady we can get involved passionately in the shooting sports is a huge boost to our future. So if you have a little girl or a girlfriend or a wife, take them out shooting, be patient, be supporting, in no way should you EVER be negative with them, always supportive.
Never have then shoot anything that may scare them or hurt them, ITS NOT FUNNY and it ****es me off when I see guys doing this. That is the best way to ruin a lady from shooting for the rest of her life and as such, you have just lost a supporter of the shooting sports thanks to their DUMB *** BOYFRIENDS OR HUSBANDS.
The rifle we put together for Ricks daughter is not a heavy recoiling rifle, especially for an experienced little shooter and I know Rick will pay very close attention to limit her shooting to prevent any flinch from occuring. As she groups up even more, the rifle will turn into a real ***** cat. It was designed well for its design goal so recoil is not a real issue.
Anyway, enough rant on the subject.
gcamp54
Well-Known Member
What a great Dad. Congrats on the new rifle and the shooter too.
Gordon
Gordon
RDM416
Well-Known Member
Well said Kirby! It is very important not to intimidate a new shooter, especially kids or women with too much gun. As Kirby said, we designed this gun specifically for manageable recoil. It is very mild to shoot. Recoil is far less than her 12 ga O/U that she puts 300 to 500 rounds per week through. My son who is just as big as her, but 2 years younger and far less experienced will not be shooting this gun for a while. He needs to develop a level of confidence before I sit him behind the Lapua.
For the rest of you dads out there. Get your kids shooting early. You don't have to have or spend a lot of money to get going and for them to get good. We have several kids in our 4-H club that shoot a club model Savage 22 that costs less than $300 new. Those kids who have taken it seriously, I can tell you that unless you are comfortable enough in your manhood to get beat by not only a kid but a teenage girl....... you better not shoot against them!!
Elizabeth can beat me badly any day of the week shooting silhouettes or bullseyes with her competition .22. She is not there yet with big bore long range shooting YET. Only because she does not have the knowledge of ballistics and reading wind and conditions that I have. When it comes to control of the rifle and trigger, she is pretty much there. If I set it up for her she has no problem at all with 1000 yard shots. I figure since she is smarter than me, and has a kids ability to work computers and such that she will have my ballistics app figured our pretty quick, and will catch on to reading conditions pretty quick too.
Take those kids shooting! Like Kirby said; they are the future!!
phpd1295
Well-Known Member
You're right Kirby. Here is a pic of my daughter and I shooting at the range back when she was little. I started her off with a little .22 pistol and she loved shooting back then. Note the eye and ear protection on both of us. She is using my over the ear one and I have the foam ear inserts in. Now she is a teenager and her mother has "girlied her up" and she is into clothes and shoes now. Oh well! at least my son still likes shooting! I took my wife shooting a while ago back when I was working night shift so she could protect herself if any thing happened while I was on duty. I took her to a canal bank and set up a few targets we found out there. One was a toilet seat about the size of a mans torso. I had her shooting my .357 colt trooper with a 6" barrel. Since she was a new shooter I gave her some 38 rounds to start off and get her used to the gun. After a while she was shooting full magnum loads with no problem and putting all 6 rounds on target at 15 yards!
Attachments
mtntrapper1
Well-Known Member
Thats really neat how you have brought her up in the shooting sports and been right there with her. Great JOB!!
