Mrs.Thumbcocker wants a rifle

[fiver]

22-250 makes good 6.5 c-more brass.

my buddies wife shoots a 6.5 Grendel in the AR platform as her hunting rig.
you'd come out pretty well worn down looking like you fell off a cliff into a briar patch if you tried taking it away from her.
she is barely over 5' tall pushing 60 sumthin retirement age.

 

[Winelover]

Another vote for 308W which is Cindy's deer rifle choice.

BTW, I also have a 243W. A 100 grain bullet is my preference for deer. Recoil is just a little less than the 308W, with a 150 grain bullet.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

I am very impressed with the 7mm-08.
It has replaced the 7mm Mauser in today's world. It has all of the attributes of the 7 x 57 and in factory loadings, can exceed the 7 x 57. It fits in a short action, it has plenty of power and is a proven cartridge.

There are a lot of rifles chambered in that caliber to choose from. There is a huge number of bullets to choose from, both jacketed and cast.

 

[L Ross]

Allow me to expand on my rationale for the CZ 527 in 7.62x39. My very first thought was a .308. The platforms that came to mind where 1. Remington Model 7 or Mountain Rifle. Problem, unobtainium. 2. Ruger 77 International. Problem, unobtainium. 3. Winchester Feather Weight. Problem, see 1 and 2. 4. Remington 788, (which was my first choice when equipping a young man to hunt years ago before he fell off the rails). All of the above are hard to find and command a premium price.

Perhaps I was ascribing a certain aesthetical passion to Mrs. Thumbcocker that my wife demonstrates. I have found that women have a well developed sense of style and beauty. An eye for the graceful line, an appreciation of fine wood, a dismissal of brutal efficiency. My wife has always taken pleasure in the appearance of her/our Ruger International .250-3000. Pretty rifles of any caliber are harder to find than primers with rebates on them.

That led me to the 527. Only discontinued this very year, there may still be some around. They are stylish, the 7.62x39 is very cast friendly and I find that both the Lee 312-155-2R and the XCB bullet perform admirably in my rather ugly specimens. The Hornady 123 grain jacketed bullet kills deer with suitable dispatch. I would think hogs would find it sufficient also. There is more than adequate brass supplies around, something that cannot always be said for the more esoteric calibers. And the cartridge is frugal on powder and mild on the ears and shoulder.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

L. Ross, I cannot argue with your assertion that a CZ 527 is stylish, but I'm not sure that's a good criteria.
No doubt the 7.62 x 39 is capable of cleaning taking deer, particularly with the right bullet.

As for certain rifles being difficult to locate and obtain; I think that is only a factor if you're in a hurry to obtain one. Considering the timing, I don't think the OP is looking for a rifle for the current deer season, so there's time to search.

 

[Petrol & Powder]

And BTW, I think CZ makes excellent firearms.

 

[L Ross]

L. Ross, I cannot argue with your assertion that a CZ 527 is stylish, but I'm not sure that's a good criteria.
No doubt the 7.62 x 39 is capable of cleaning taking deer, particularly with the right bullet.

As for certain rifles being difficult to locate and obtain; I think that is only a factor if you're in a hurry to obtain one. Considering the timing, I don't think the OP is looking for a rifle for the current deer season, so there's time to search.

Well TC said deer and hogs and also useable for cast. I took that to mean probably not elk at 250 yards. I could even see shooting the afore mentioned game with cast in the 7.62x39. If asked to do so I would load the RCBS 30-150-ah flat nose gas check whatever the last two letters would be. I believe 2,000 is attainable with the 150 and the RCBS 30-150-CM plain base would also suffice if powder coated. Heck for a powder coater that may be the best choice of all.

While we are swapping the digital version of balloon juice, my take on the 7mm-08 vs the 7x57 was that I knew I wanted to take Elk and Moose with my 7. With Herr Mauser's design I regularly launch 175 grain Nosler Partition bullets at a chrono'd 2,640 fps. Five one shot kills over the years, involving 3 elk, 1 moose, and one feral angus bull, proved to my satisfaction and reaffirmed the recommendations of Aagaard, and Jack O'Connor or that mossy old caliber. If all I was shooting was deer and hogs the 7mm-08 with any old cup and core bullet 150 grains and under would suffice. I don't know the twist of the 7mm-08 but I do know that I can find joy with cast a lot easier in any .30 caliber or fatter than I could with my 7x57 unless I wanted them strictly for plinking, toddling along around 1,200 fps or so.

I wanted the 7x57 just to be different. I could just as well stuck with my pre-64 Model 70 in .30-06 for the rest of my life had not a hunting partner at the time lusted for it so passionately, and waved so much cash in my face that I let it go. My goal was to build a 7 lb. sporter that could deliver the goods without beating me up and my 7 has delivered in every regard save for cast bullets.

Man I enjoy these conversations. They are a splendid substitute for the bull sessions around a campfire with my motley assortment of shooting friends. You ought to here the descriptions of a .69 caliber round ball smacking a buffalo from a 1777 Belgian contract Charleville musket! True story from this year! I need more coffee. This morning I blended Mexican and New Orleans with chickory I wish I could pass the pot with all of you.

 

[Glaciers]

Well L Ross you do have a way with words. No doubt.

I really want a Winchester Featherweight in 7x57 (& Swede) should have bought them 35 40 years ago when I bought the 3 Featherweights I own now, which will be part of my estate.

But you hit a very real point on the female mind. My wife loves guns with a little bit of elegance to them. See shoots a Savage 99 75 Anniversary model in 308 which as been changed to a recoil pad from the brass crescent butt plate. I wanted to put a 1x4 Luepold on it and the answer is NO!! Likes the receiver sight.
After that it’s original Winchester’s. She hates black guns and self loaders of any kind with the exception of 22’s. She’s bought me a medium frame Colt Lighting and a Winchester in the past.

Her enjoyment of guns and shooting is certainly the pleasure of the style, of the firearms. And she can shoot.

It’s a sad thing to here that CZ is stopping there current line of rifles.

 

[abj]

I'm with CW, 350 legend. I have a 243 and have no issues except I think its a little light for deer even though I have killed my fair share with it. The 7-08 is great but I have never cast with it, have to defer to "Fiver" on sevens.
Just got a 350 and the grandkids loved it even with factory. I had them just shoot the factory just to get the brass back for cast. Very mild recoil for a 2000 fps 180. Much less than the 7-08 in my opinion. Maybe a tad more than the 243.
In all honesty, I'm a 35 guy for 100ish yards and less deer hunting but I was very impressed with the 350 so far, but I did just give my granddaughter a new Axis in 7-08, only because my SNL's hunting property has a 200 yd food plot and felt she would be better off with a flatter shooting cartridge. If my wife needed a longer range gun then the 260 Rem or the 7-08 would be fine as I have both. She liked the youth model Axis I gave to my granddaughter and I'm sure she would pick it over the heavier wood stocked 260.
Sorry just proofed my post and didn't really answer your question, so just get all three and let her pick. LOL
Tony

 

[Glaciers]

Yes choices are good!! More guns, more better!

 

[Joshua]

My 7mm-08 with a 154 grain Interlock over a compressed charge of AA4350 did a fine job on my bear this year. At 185 yards that bullet passed through, broke a rib going in and broke one going out.

My Savage 110 has a 20” barrel. So I’m estimating that I’m only getting about 2600 fps at the muzzle with that load. I carried this load and rifle this year during elk season, never got an opportunity to use it. Might be a little under gunned.

My Savage’s stock is very flexible, using a sling to shoot greatly effects point of impact, but it comes with a shim pack that allows length of pull to be reduced.

The only other thing negative that I have to say about these rifles is that the bolt head will rust if you get it wet. Where I hunt is very wet. So my almost new rifle is already rusted up a bit.

If I had it to do over again I would have picked up the Savage in 280AI. I would have formed my brass out of cheap 270. Most of my 7mm-08 is formed out of .308 anyways so I wouldn’t have lost any thing by going down the 280AI road.

What I really should have done was pick up a Tikka in 7x64mm a few years ago when they were being imported. My next rifle may be a stainless Tikka in 7mm REM Mag that I download a bit.

Edit: 7mm-08 would be a great choice. Jacketed for hunting season. Cast for year round practice. If I was you I’d look at a Tikka in 7mm-08.

Second Edit: I just looked and the Tikka T3 light compact has a 12.5” length of pull.

Tikka T3x

The ultimate tool for accuracy

www.tikka.fi

 

[JonB]

Deer and hogs with lower recoiling rifle.
I'd vote 30-30 (my first thought).
but after reading the entire thread, a CZ-527 in 7.62x39 might become my first choice.

 

[Bret4207]

Agree that something loaded to the 30-30 class will work fine. 7.62x39 can almost do that and anything larger will work. Until you mentioned cast I was about to say 250 Savage/257 Roberts/6.5x55 or 08. A 7x57 would certainly do it and work with cast. These days you're going to kind of be at the mercy of whats available. If recoil is an issue, you can always go with a heavier rifle to take up some of the kick.

 

[MW65]

Btw, what does the Mrs like to shoot right now... what is she comfy with?? Any rifles she likes?? Hates??

 

[Ian]

I blended Mexican and New Orleans with chickory I wish I could pass the pot with all of you.

French Market coffee/chickory, boiled in a billy can over an open campfire, is the stuff of legend in my group. It even makes the conversation good when you're out camping by yourself.

A Tikka T3, T3x, SAKO, or Bergara is hard to beat.

 

[CZ93X62]

Since a lady's rifle is the topic, I asked a lady what she would want to hunt deer or hogs with--my wife, Marie.

"That Ruger 223 Rem of yours (77RL). Nosler Partitions or Barnes TSX. Deer around here aren't much bigger than the coyotes. I get our pork at Stater Brothers, I don't want to hunt pigs."

There you have it.

 

[Missionary]

Get her a JES rebore in 308 and load up some 150 FN cast at 1600 fps.
Very versitile caliber and it will not cost you much. Every JES we have shoots cast superbly.

 

[Thumbcocker]

Btw, what does the Mrs like to shoot right now... what is she comfy with?? Any rifles she likes?? Hates??

She likes the #1 in 30-06 and the Tikka hunter in .308. There is Ruger 77 in 6.5x55 in the back of the safe that has her intrigued. She loves her MP 15 that she named "Muffin ". She specified bolt action. Other than the MP we shoot cast exclusively but could make an exception for hunting.

 

[MW65]

She likes the #1 in 30-06 and the Tikka hunter in .308. There is Ruger 77 in 6.5x55 in the back of the safe that has her intrigued. She loves her MP 15 that she named "Muffin ". She specified bolt action. Other than the MP we shoot cast exclusively but could make an exception for hunting.

Sounds like the 6.5 needs to get out and have its legs stretched....

 

[JWFilips]

I Don't Know! A .243 Win with a 75 gr. Boat-tail HP going into the chest of a deer at a good speed! It's not coming out and all the energy is in the animal! Lungs liquefy !