Help with Rifle Build for Daughter

[specter29]

So I have a spare short action in the gun safe. Need help figuring out a rifle build for my 9 year old daughter. She can shoot my 223 and 260 just fine although the 260 is a little heavy for her to carry seeing it weighs in at 14lbs. Just trying to figure out what caliber and stock to go with that as she grows up the rifle can grow with her per se. right now she is mostly hunting whitetail and coyote with me but she really wants to go mule deer and elk hunting with me someday. Any help would be really appreciated.

 

[RT2506]

I think you already have the caliber 260 Rem or the 6.5 CM. With the bullet selection available with proper placement she could take any of that game. If you want to go bigger in caliber put a break on it. I don't like them because the blast makes it mandatory to have hearing protection in place while hunting but they do take recoil down greatly.

 

[Creedmoor shooter]

If you have the stuff to load 260 then stick with it. 260 is plenty for white tail and muleys.

 

[specter29]

any recommendation on reducing weight currently sits with rock creek remington varmint contour barrel and manners t5 stock

 

[trumperman]

I think you already have the caliber 260 Rem or the 6.5 CM. With the bullet selection available with proper placement she could take any of that game. If you want to go bigger in caliber put a break on it. I don't like them because the blast makes it mandatory to have hearing protection in place while hunting but they do take recoil down greatly.

I agree with this, bullet selection is important, that way she can learn and stick to what suits her. Weight is light and she can grow on it.

 

[scottishkat]

Remington makes a Model 7 compact in 243 win can probably be purchased for 500 or less maybe cheaper than doing a re-barrel of your 14 pound custom. They probably made it in 260 rem at one time but not current. LOP is less than 13 about right for small stature. It was recently made in 7mm08 if that's not too much would be better for larger game.

I have a friend who shoots a 7mm08 youth or compact and it slays everything in front of it. He's not small at all.

Good luck and shoot straight

Bob

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

My 10 year old shoots a 300 WSM...it has a brake but is pretty light, and has an ajustable LOP. Her favorite is either a 300 BO or a 6.5 Grendel in a contender/encore set up with a M4 stock on it. Both of these guns we have a SDN-6 suppressor on them and makes them shoot like pellet gun. The noise scares her more than the "kick".

 

[BountyHunter]

Savage lady hunter in 7-08 would be very good setup and save the action

 

[specter29]

Thanks for all the good information currently looking at the Weatherby Camilla and Savage Lady Hunter for her. Going this weekend to cabelas to have try and see what one fits her better. If you have any other recommendations please let me know. kinda leaning toward the 6.5 creed or 7mm-08 caliber for her. Thank you to everyone for all your help (There is nothing like having your daughter want to hunt with their dad)

 

[Bfish22]

Tikka makes a compact 7mm-08 which would be nice. I think the compact comes with spacers to extend the lop when they grow.

My sons first rifle is a tikka 260 hunter that I put a compact stock on for now. His didn't come with a spacer, found it used on gunbroker. He can switch the stocks out when he's older.

 

[Mike 338]

Uhhh, she's 9. Pickup another cheap/light 223 at Wally World, put a pink sling on it and save the donor action for later. If she still want's to hunt coyotes after she discovers boys, that'd be the time to upgrade.

 

[RevJim]

Well, if future elk is in the mix, and light recoil is a plus, I too think either the 6.5 Creedmoor ( better would be the 6.5/284 or a 260 AI) or 7mm08. For elk I'd try 120gr TTSX in both calibers (6.5 or 7mm) and the 120NBT for deer. Either the Camilla, compact Tikka or Lady Hunter would be my pick too, just not sure what calibers they come in. The Tikka T3 Lite SS comes in .270....no flies on this old jewel for either recoil or elk killing! I've had phenomenal accuracy with the 110 TTSX in my .270 and very little recoil. I think all the others mentioned come in 7mm08....I can guarantee you a .308 carbine kicks all in your face, wow! ( Ruger Ultralight, 20"bbl .308= brutal deer killer! ha) The reason I said 6.5/284 is I had one made up in a SA back in the 90's. I had a Mod 700 SA and had a Midway A&B 6.5 260 short chambered barrel put on. Smith reamed it to the 6.5/284 and I put a wood "Classic" stock on it. I only shot the 120 & 125 Nosler BTs and PTs in it. It was a deer killer deluxe! Runs with a 240 Weatherby ( which Weatherby is coming out or is out a Camilla Mark V) Lots of good choices.

 

[Mike 338]

Hey... don't mean to be Dr. Phil here but she's 9. Coyote hunting with dad is about not getting up to early, being nice and warm, long meaningless conversations in the cab of the truck, talking, yes talking. Silly laughing. Hot chocolate in the field after the 2nd stand (with marshmallows but it's gotta be a surprise). Maybe pull over and skip some stones with your girl. Then you gotta show her off to your friends who do hunt seriously on the way back. It wouldn't hurt if children her age saw adults fussing over her. Hopefully they make a big deal about her coyote hunting with Daddy. Get back early enough to wipe down your gear and safety check everything and tell the story of the whole day to Mom, who hopefully isn't some new age crank that can't stand a father/daughter relationship. Good luck with that one by the way. She gets to pick a movie but can't stay up to late. Dad puts her down at night and says prayers thanking God for a safe day of hunting among other things.

Or just get her a 50 Barrett and scream at her for flinching and make her walk behind the truck all the way home.