Peddler 76
Well-Known Member
Glad to hear you still hunt with your ex. Not sure i’d Hunt with any of mine.
Background. My grown daughter is an avid hunter (for someone who works, is a full time student, etc.). So I guess you can say, she goes hunting when she can. She has taken a whitetail buck a few years back with her rifle, shot under one a couple of years back with her brother's rifle. Wants to kill a hog, you get the picture.
I bought her a Savage Hog Hunter in .308 about 5 years ago or so. She is shooting full power ammo (my reloads) and recoil is not an issue but the Savage has a pretty thick barrel and some heft to it which mitigates the recoil somewhat. But she commented on this past weekend's hunt that she would like a lighter rifle. I just weighed the Savage and with scope (Bushnell 1-5x32), Ken Farrall 1" rings, Griffin can (the SS baffle and Aluminum can), sling, cheek pad and 5 rounds of .308 weighs in a shade over 10lbs. I'm guessing stripped it's an 8lb rifle.
She doesn't care for the AR platform, she likes bolt guns. Finding a lighter rifle is not a problem but finding one with enough punch without a substantial increase in recoil.
I've shot some kid sized, lightweight .243 rifles that had a pretty good kick. And the single shot rifles are out. Even though I've taken a pretty good sized buck with an AR in 5.56, I think she needs more than that.
So, I'm thinking about one of the rifles chambered in 7.62x39. Most of our shots are limited to 70-80 yards at most. But a 150-200 yard shot could come up occasionally. Her first dear was a 120 yards. We live in the southeast and there’s not many opportunities for long range shots.
I've looked at the Ruger Ranch, the Howa, the Zastava and the CZ. Only the Ruger and Howa are threaded.
But then I saw that they all are also chambered in a 6.5 Grendel.
And there's the option to rebarrel the Savage but I'm not leaning in that direction because when I buy her a new rifle, Pops gets the Savage.
So what do you guys think? Thanks.
The SPS is a cheap choice to buy new just to build off off but with all the QC problems they've had with the SPS up and down the line I could not in good conscience suggest or recommend them for someone looking to buy a new rifle.Whatever you purchase make sure it has a threaded muzzle for a brake. I like the beast self timing brake and I have shot a few others that make the claims. I'd still recommend the beast. The savage lady hunter/lightweight in walnut if you can find one is a nice pkg. It looks good and has a barrel nut too. The accustock/accufit works but is still just a cheap stock that doesn't have the feel or looks. Not threaded
TC has a threaded barrel on there economy lines. They tend to shoot very well. chessy tupperware stock
700 sps threaded barrels are 20". All the shorter barrels put the blast closer to the shooter and a brake will exaggerate that aspect. Lots of aftermarket but might be too heavy at 7-7 1/4# to start.
Ruger has a bunch of threaded barrel options that are sub 7# bare rifle
If she is really into hunting maybe something nicer Like a Montana Kimber or Cooper.
Plenty of options with pretty wood to utilitarian glass/kevlar handles. Prices from ultra budget to damm nice garage your shooting lol. I financed a garage completely when I got out of sporting clays as an example.