tryin' to fill a gap with the wife's new rifle

[Matthew T.]

My wife has finally said "maybe" to going deer hunting with me next season. I'm thinking now is a good time to fill in gaps in my hunting rifle collection (which is essentially one gun - a Ruger Model 77mII in 6.5x55). She is of average size and stature and likes the feel of the Tikka T3 Lite.

My quandry is this: I would kind of like a 7-08, but its ballistics are pretty close to the 6.5x55. I have dies, cases, and bullets left over from a previous .243, but I would feel better about her chances of putting the animal down faster with a larger caliber. Should I get one in .270 and start her off with reduced loads? What white tail cartridges would work for her without too much overlap with my 6.5x55?

 

[sixgunner455]

How 'bout you buy her a rifle? Her own, and not part of your collection.

If you want a new rifle, that is a separate issue from setting up your wife for success as a new hunter. Let her pick her rifle, and give advice on the caliber. Nothing wrong, btw, with both of you shooting the same caliber -- then you don't have any worries about your commonality of ammo, or reloading.

 

[Ben Shepherd]

My mother hunts deer (200lb mulies) exclusively with a 243. Has since before I was born.

Works fine. Just stay with a heavy, toughly constructed slug.

 

[Matthew T.]

sixgunner455: yeah, you're right. If I were doing this entirely for me, though, I'd get a .257 Roberts, redundancy be damned.

 

[hoghunting]

Your wife will love the Tikka and the 243, or 7-08 would be perfect for deer hunting. I believe the Tikka is available in the 6.5x55 also.

 

[Sharps Shooter]

Actually, I go along with sixgunner – I’d be looking for a deer rifle for HER, not another rifle to fill a gap in my own collection. And I think another 6.5X55 would be a fine choice. It’s sufficient for deer hunting and both of you being able to shoot the same ammo might be advantageous. Is the Tikka your wife likes available in the 6.5X55?
If your goal is to buy a deer rifle in order to use the .243 loading supplies you have, and that rifle just happens to be your wife’s, there’s nothing wrong with that either. My own wife used a .243 for mule deer for years. In fact, one of the largest mule deer she has taken so far, a huge 5X6, fell to one shot from her .243. That might be distorting things a bit though – my wife shot that buck at about thirty yards and put the bullet behind his left ear. He probably would have dropped just as fast to a .22LR. Never the less, my wife, as well as my dad, have both cleanly taken a good many mule deer with .243s. So have a lot of other hunters I know.