suggestions for rifle for my wife...

[Littlehud]

My wife has a 6mm Remington model 600 already, but due to the fact it is difficult to find ammo for even when ammo is available and expensive when you do find it, I am considering a new rifle for her. I think it would be a .223 so we could get and reload ammo for and it would be affordable to shoot. I thought about re-barreling the 600 to a 22.250 but that would cost as much as a new rifle. I am thinking about a Ruger American to keep the cost down, but are there other better options than what I am considering? I already have 2 rifles in .223 and reload for them. My wife is very small, 4' 11 3/4" tall so she needs a youth size rifle. would appreciate a few suggestions to help me come up with the best solution.

Thanks!

 

[M77Fan]

If it were me needing to look at current factory rifles, I would go find a Tikka T3X Lite Compact to try on. If that really does have a 12.5" LOP, it might fit her without her having to struggle with stock length. You might still need a scope with a lot of eye relief, too, if the stock is still a little long. I have cut all my old Rugers down to between 12.75" and some a little closer to 12.5". Especially my cold weather hunting rifles that have to accommodate extra clothing and a pack strap. Before my last sheep hunt, when I was having some difficulty with my bolt versus brass (before I had the bolt face trued), I looked hard at a Tikka. Of anything I looked at at that time, it was a Tikka I would have bought if I had had to. LOP was still a problem, however, on those standard sized stocks, and those plastic stocks are difficult for a person to shorten properly in their own garage. Since then Tikkas have really been coming on in popularity and variations. If I had to replace my old Rugers, I would probably look there.

I have not handled the Savage Lady Hunter, but did not warm up to the Vanguard Camilla when I handled that. But then rifles are just as personal as boots, shotguns, and knives, and what works for one person another will hate. Fit really is everything. Once you get a good fit, other tweaks are easier.

Good luck to her.

 

[DirectDrive]

My wife has a 6mm Remington model 600 already, but due to the fact it is difficult to find ammo for even when ammo is available and expensive when you do find it, I am considering a new rifle for her. I think it would be a .223 so we could get and reload ammo for and it would be affordable to shoot. I thought about re-barreling the 600 to a 22.250 but that would cost as much as a new rifle. I am thinking about a Ruger American to keep the cost down, but are there other better options than what I am considering? I already have 2 rifles in .223 and reload for them. My wife is very small, 4' 11 3/4" tall so she needs a youth size rifle. would appreciate a few suggestions to help me come up with the best solution.

Thanks!

You don't say what she would be using this rifle for.
Target ?
Deer ?
Elk ?

Edit:
6mm Creedmoor ammo seems to be plentiful.
I was at Sportsman's today and they had plenty of it.
Maybe the 6mm Rem could be re-chambered ?

 

[Overkill338]

My wife wanted a rifle to try. She got a Savage Axis in 6.5 Creedmoor. I do not reccomend a CM right now, because you can't get anything for it.

We got my son a Ruger American "Go Wild" in 7-08. Its camo all over, and had a threaded barrel with a brake. Recoil is non-existent, and it is a tack driver. Thats my recommendation!


Plus it has a 1:8.5 twist, so it can handle heavier bullets than most 7's that have 1:9.25 or 1:9.5.

In my opinion (which isn't worth much), the 7-08 is the greatest caliber for deer, thats out there. It's a modern 7x57, and we know that cartridge has taken plenty of game.

 

[DirectDrive]

My wife wanted a rifle to try. She got a Savage Axis in 6.5 Creedmoor. I do not reccomend a CM right now, because you can't get anything for it.

We got my son a Ruger American "Go Wild" in 7-08. Its camo all over, and had a threaded barrel with a brake. Recoil is non-existent, and it is a tack driver. Thats my recommendation!
View attachment 232773

Plus it has a 1:8.5 twist, so it can handle heavier bullets than most 7's that have 1:9.25 or 1:9.5.

In my opinion (which isn't worth much), the 7-08 is the greatest caliber for deer, thats out there. It's a modern 7x57, and we know that cartridge has taken plenty of game.

7-08 is killing elk out here.
It's a great cartridge.
And if you want more power, there's 280 Ackley.
There was some of that on the shelf at Sportsman's as well.

 

[Overkill338]

7-08 is killing elk out here.
It's a great cartridge.
And if you want more power, there's 280 Ackley.
There was some of that on the shelf at Sportsman's as well.

I know it will kill bigger. But I meant it doesn't get any more "ideal" than the 7-08.

 

[Hugnot]

Here is my suggestion:

This is a Ruger M77 MKII, SA, .223, 9 twist, McGowen #4 barrel.

Not cheap but probably much less money than many rifles featured in this forum. It has a laminated (plywood) stock from Richards Micro Fit that I cut down fore & aft, Pachmayr light weight pad with no steel liner and epoxy bedded and finished with 8 coats of Minwax Poly Rub. Bolt lugs lapped in & receiver ring squared up.

The .223 is a real inexpensive round to shoot, easy to find brass, small powder charges, long barrel life, and a wide variety of bullets work in the 9 twist. We shoot 69's & 53 VMax's with all sorts of powders, CFE223, IMR8208, BenchMark, PPVarmint, RS TAC, & VV140. The rifle has a black rubber slip-on pad for when the big man uses it to shoot rodents with the 53 VMax's.

Wifey does not hunt and thinks there should be feeding stations for the animals and veterinary care (MediVet) to fix the sick & wounded. The little .223 is a terror on 300 to 500 yard steel with 69 grain Sierra MK's. She shot up this 300 yard 3 inch steel.

 

[JMW67]

Why not just restock one of the two 223s you have for her to play with dont know what they are but boyds would most likely offer a inexpensive stock for it and they are a good product

 

[Sockeye66]

M77's choice of the Tikka compact is what I would also recommend although I do think another option could be the TC Compass compact that has the option of the spacer to make it a longer LOP. My son's TC Compass is a gen 1 6.5 cm and it's is very accurate, 5R rifling with a 13 1/4" LOP and it comes threaded. My wife's new rifle is a Tikka Superlite in 6.5 cm, it's full length but the vertical grip option fits her hand and makes it easier to control the trigger, the Tikka compact also can have one of these added.

 

[MostlyUselessLurker]

X-Bolt Micro Midas - Bolt-Action Rifle - Browning

Shortened stock, sized for smaller shooters, satin finish walnut, matte blued steel, detachable rotary magazine, short throw bolt, adjustable trigger, bolt-action

www.browning.com

I got that for female that is about an inch taller than your wife. 5' 3/4" tall. Fits her well. Several light recoiling chamberings available.

 

[Ace Quackhunter]

My wife has a 6mm Remington model 600 already, but due to the fact it is difficult to find ammo for even when ammo is available and expensive when you do find it, I am considering a new rifle for her. I think it would be a .223 so we could get and reload ammo for and it would be affordable to shoot. I thought about re-barreling the 600 to a 22.250 but that would cost as much as a new rifle. I am thinking about a Ruger American to keep the cost down, but are there other better options than what I am considering? I already have 2 rifles in .223 and reload for them. My wife is very small, 4' 11 3/4" tall so she needs a youth size rifle. would appreciate a few suggestions to help me come up with the best solution.

Thanks!

If you are set on a .222 I have one in the safe that I don't use. We could trade?

 

[Hugnot]

Every thing mentioned is cheaper than the Ruger M77 MKII wifey shoots. I also did a trigger job and reshaped the stock and put a negative pitch on the stock. It weighs about 9 pounds with scope and she is able to spot her hits - not intended to carry.

The little .223 with 69 grain Sierra MK's is effective on steel targets out to 500 and the 53 VMax's expand well on rodents and with a 1 inch high zero at 200 are about 5 inches low at 300. With the 69's and a 225 yard zero .5 mils gets on at 300 & 2.3 mils for 500. The .223 is an excellent round for casual shooting. If I had to shoot deers with it I would use the 65 gr. Sierra GK. The scope is a Leupold MK-AR 6-18X40 with mil adjusts & mil-dot reticle.

Nothing like success to generate enthusiasm.

 

[skipglo]

My wife has a 6mm Remington model 600 already, but due to the fact it is difficult to find ammo for even when ammo is available and expensive when you do find it, I am considering a new rifle for her. I think it would be a .223 so we could get and reload ammo for and it would be affordable to shoot. I thought about re-barreling the 600 to a 22.250 but that would cost as much as a new rifle. I am thinking about a Ruger American to keep the cost down, but are there other better options than what I am considering? I already have 2 rifles in .223 and reload for them. My wife is very small, 4' 11 3/4" tall so she needs a youth size rifle. would appreciate a few suggestions to help me come up with the best solution.

Thanks!

Savage Axis are real nice and affordable!

 

[COBHEAD]

My wife has a 6mm Remington model 600 already, but due to the fact it is difficult to find ammo for even when ammo is available and expensive when you do find it, I am considering a new rifle for her. I think it would be a .223 so we could get and reload ammo for and it would be affordable to shoot. I thought about re-barreling the 600 to a 22.250 but that would cost as much as a new rifle. I am thinking about a Ruger American to keep the cost down, but are there other better options than what I am considering? I already have 2 rifles in .223 and reload for them. My wife is very small, 4' 11 3/4" tall so she needs a youth size rifle. would appreciate a few suggestions to help me come up with the best solution.

Thanks!

I agree with the Tikka T3X compact and we like the .308.