my wife is a novice at hunting she stands a 4' 11" what is the best caliber rifle for her?

Answer 1

In my opinion the Benelli R1 with the ComforTech System, in the 30-06. Benelli has the Inertia System that reduces recoil up to 49% . I have one in the 300 Win Mag and it shoots like a 270.
The 30-06 is a readily avaiable round so you can fine it anywhere you go to hunt. You can get factory loads (Federal Premium 160gr. BallisticTip Boatail) this round is VERY reliable and will out preform most handloads. It will also knock a Bull off his feet with the right shot placement, and it is not to Big for white-tail. This is a simi-auto weapon and is as accurate as any of my bolt-actions at long range (350-400 yrds.)
Although the Benelli maybe a little pricy for your budget, that I don't know, but as they say, Performance worth the PRICE!
Remember Buy a Benelli and you'll have it for LIFE!

If it is to pricy for you, here is my second and only other choice:

Browning
Model A-Bolt Eclipse™ Hunter with BOSS®
Item Number 035005326
Caliber 30-06 Spfld.
Action Type Long Action
Magazine Capacity 4
Barrel Length 22"
Nominal Overall Length 42 3/4"
Nominal Length of Pull 13 3/4"
Nominal Drop at Comb 3/4"
Nominal Drop at Heel 1/2"
Nominal Weight 7 lbs. 8 oz.
Rate of Twist 1 turn in 10 "
Ballistic Optimizing Shooting System BOSS
Metal Finish Blued
Wood Finish Satin Finish
Stock / Grip Gray Laminate

The BOSS System on this rifle will reduce the recoil also. You can also shoot the same Federal Ammo discribed above.

Remington 700 BDL = to light of a frame, will kick the @#$% outa ya.
Savage/Stevens/Winchester Model 70 = SAME AS ABOVE.

One other factor you may concider would be the type of hunting and the terrain she'll be Hunting. Don't underestimate your wife's ability to handle either of these 2 weapons. The recoil is very light and they weigh about the same. Both are easy to handle, and will last the rest of her life and some. Not to mention she'll be able to hunt Deer, Elk, Caribou, Bear (all species) and other Big Game etc.

Make sure you take her to a gun dealer/shop and have her fitted for the weapon of choice, no mater what you choose.

Custom made guns may not be what your looking for so I won't mention any.

Good Luck!
HUNT HARD & HUNT SAFE
TIM

Answer 2

There's no telling what caliber she'll want or need. Just make sure the stock fits to keep it from kicking the bejeezus out of her. With the right stock she may be less recoil-sensitive than you imagine.I've known small ladies who'd shoot anything and big men with flinches.
You don't say what she'll be hunting, or where, or even why you're asking. For most whitetail deer hunting in the US, you may find a Remington model 7 or Browning Micro-Hunter will come close to a good fit, and a lighter caliber such as the 7mm08 may be most satisfactory for a beginner.

Answer 3

The question for you... What are you going to be hunting? Now that will be the best determining factor to your caliber selection. Also since she is small you might want to use a semi auto like a Browning BAR ShorTrac or a Remington Model 7400. The reson why I suggest the Browning is that it has a shorter overall lenght that probable would fit her better. With either one of these guns the recoil would be manageable for her. So then it boils down to what your going to be hunting for your caliber decision.

Answer 4

All depends on what she's going to be hunting. Deer hunting I would go with the 243 or 6mm. When I first started hunting many moons ago, I was about that height and shoot a short and heavy 243. I believe it was a Savage. Anyways the heavier the gun, less the recoil.

Answer 5

you should check out a 7.08 caliber rifle. It's powerful enough to kill most anything in North America. Very flat trajectory and not alot of kick. No matter what you buy stay away from automatic rifles and single shot rossie's. The autos are high maitenance and single shots don't tend to zero very well. Just for refernce I'm a gunsmith working in Alabama.

Answer 6

Probably the .243 Winchester or the old .6mm Remington. The old .7x57mm Mauser if you can find it in a modern configuration with a good recoil pad is also a good novice gun.

H

Answer 7

For deer a .243 winchester can't be beat, it has low recoil and doen't make much noise, for varmints a 22-250 would be a good choice and you can't beat a good old .22 for practice and to get used to handling a rifle. Happy hunting.

Answer 8

If your hunting for deer i would say the 270 would be great for her there is hardly any recoil. I also have a website set up just for hunters and you can come there to get some more advice or share stories with others if you like. It is only a week old.
http://marylandhunters.csmsites.com/main.asp

Answer 9

A 30-30 is a good starter weapon for just about anyone of any size. Hardly any kick, plus there are a lot of them around so you can get them for a good price. Once she has gained some experience she can upgrade to a weapon with more range and power as it suits her.

Answer 10

That depends on what she is hunting! If it is deer I would probably look for something like a .223 or a .270, but I would suggest semi-auto to reduce recoil.