Well, my girlfriend has the rifle bug now. She shot my Savage Axis HB with handloads that print under half inch and she wants her own rifle now. She's about 5ft4 so she needs a youth gun. I thought about getting her an Axis youth with their new adjustable stock. We only have access to 100yard ranges right now and soon 300yard max and she asked about a 22lr for target shooting at 100yards. I have a pretty sweet shooting Mark II FV but I wouldnt call it good for 100yard target shooting. What do you guys think? 22lr with a heavy barrel, thumbhole stock and a decent scope or 223rem Savage Axis?
Youth guns for target shooting
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JFrank
Member
Savage produce several rifles that are ready to UN box and go compete, for ease of load development and extra low recoil the 6 br and 30gr of Varget will send 105 class bthp at about 2850 fps into a very small target repeatedly.
Once you shoot a 6 br you'll be hooked.
Once you shoot a 6 br you'll be hooked.
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Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
What do you shoot most?
Does she do her own thing, or does she like to do your thing?
Can the range be shorter than one hundred at any time?
What does she like?Would she be content with a rimfire when everyone has their “big gun” out?
Does she like the blast of a large gun only once in a while and just wants a rimfire rifle of her own to shoot while you shoot yours? Or while you shoot your larger guns?
Notice there is only one human that can answer most of these questions?
Yes!
I can’t decide! I’d just say which one first!Now, I remember she didn’t want anything to do with the using of the press. Can you keep up with the loading?
One is a lot cheaper than the other to feed.
One will be more frustrating past one hundred. A lot more.
Both would be perfectly happy at one hundred.
Happy Hunting!
Varminterror
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Personal musings to follow: for me, a windy day at 300yrds is a 223rem day for me, while a calm day at 300 is a 22LR day. At 100yrds, I prefer the 22LR, but the 223 is easier. 100 is entertaining with a 22LR, but unless you REALLY enjoy shooting smaller and smaller groups, 100 with a 223rem gets boring, and doesn’t offer any development of long range skills. 300 is my tipping point, however - beyond 300 becomes considerably challenging with a 22LR, so if you’re wanting to shoot 400 with a 22LR, you have to REALLY want it. But a 223rem gets interesting at 300-400 yards and beyond too, so that hand off is pretty smooth.
I’m curious, however, as to why you feel that Mark II FV can’t hang at 100yrds? Honestly, between our FSS Sporter barrel and BSEV heavy barrel, I’m not 100% sure which actually shoots smaller. My boy shoots his FSS out to 300yrds with a cheap Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40. Better ammo shrinks the target considerably.
Another option beyond the factory youth models would be to buy a Boyd’s stock and cut it down to fit her LOP. Also, mind your manners with buying youth models. Even at 5’4”, she might comfortably fit standard LOP’s. My wife isn’t quite 5’4” and she owns a dozen rifles, all with standard LOP (~13.5”).
So sure, if you can swing both, a heavy barrel bolt 22LR and a 223 stick shift could be fun. If you can really only buy one, I would figure out what’s up with that FV and shoot it short, then buy a bolt 223rem for her.
I’m curious, however, as to why you feel that Mark II FV can’t hang at 100yrds? Honestly, between our FSS Sporter barrel and BSEV heavy barrel, I’m not 100% sure which actually shoots smaller. My boy shoots his FSS out to 300yrds with a cheap Bushnell Trophy 3-9x40. Better ammo shrinks the target considerably.
Another option beyond the factory youth models would be to buy a Boyd’s stock and cut it down to fit her LOP. Also, mind your manners with buying youth models. Even at 5’4”, she might comfortably fit standard LOP’s. My wife isn’t quite 5’4” and she owns a dozen rifles, all with standard LOP (~13.5”).
So sure, if you can swing both, a heavy barrel bolt 22LR and a 223 stick shift could be fun. If you can really only buy one, I would figure out what’s up with that FV and shoot it short, then buy a bolt 223rem for her.
I have a great deal more fun shooting 22s at 100 yards and then I do any of my bigger rifles. Especially shooting off the bench or prone...
I do like to bring the bigger guns out and lay down a few groups at a hundred just for confidence sake, But after that pretty much all my shooting is either going to be off hand or sitting, since that's probably 80% of the shots in the field I take, and then at least it's a bit more challenging as well as better practice...
You might also take a look at the Boyd's at one stocks. I'm fairly happy with the thumbhole @one I just picked up, and it goes from compact enough for my daughter to fit, to at the edge of its adjustment long enough for me to be 100% comfortable.
If I have a complaint it's that the pistol grip is a little small, and quite honestly I'm probably not going to stick my thumb through the whole very often unless I'm shooting off hand.
I do like to bring the bigger guns out and lay down a few groups at a hundred just for confidence sake, But after that pretty much all my shooting is either going to be off hand or sitting, since that's probably 80% of the shots in the field I take, and then at least it's a bit more challenging as well as better practice...
You might also take a look at the Boyd's at one stocks. I'm fairly happy with the thumbhole @one I just picked up, and it goes from compact enough for my daughter to fit, to at the edge of its adjustment long enough for me to be 100% comfortable.
If I have a complaint it's that the pistol grip is a little small, and quite honestly I'm probably not going to stick my thumb through the whole very often unless I'm shooting off hand.
I’m not entirely sure. When I was shopping she looked at the Ruger American and the Savage axis. I told her we either needed a 6.5 or 223 which they didn’t have. We walked down to rimfires and she saw the thumb hole guns and says what’s wrong with those. I like those. I said they are 22lr. Her reply was what’s wrong with that? I told her I have two 22s she can use my target one. She says she wants her own. I offered her to use my other savage 223 and even buy a youth stock and she said she wants her own.What do you shoot most?
Does she do her own thing, or does she like to do your thing?
Can the range be shorter than one hundred at any time?
Would she be content with a rimfire when everyone has their “big gun” out?
Does she like the blast of a large gun only once in a while and just wants a rimfire rifle of her own to shoot while you shoot yours? Or while you shoot your larger guns?
Notice there is only one human that can answer most of these questions?
Yes!
Now, I remember she didn’t want anything to do with the using of the press. Can you keep up with the loading?
One is a lot cheaper than the other to feed.
One will be more frustrating past one hundred. A lot more.
Both would be perfectly happy at one hundred.
Happy Hunting!
I have a savage 22lr heavy barrel with a target scope and she enjoyed shooting 1” blocks from 100 yards I painted green and was really good at it. She grabbed that all on her own, loaded up and began shooting. I will let her decide what she wants and likes. We did have fun sitting there with both my 22s seeing how could hit the blocks first and how many. She has also shown interest in shooting steel and paper at longer ranges.
oh and she would only go with me. I told her yesterday she is free to shoot without me and she says she won’t go. I asked why and her reply was she doesn’t want to waste her ammo. I said oh but you want to waste mine and she smiled and said well yeah!
It just doesn’t shoot tight at 100. It’s probably the ammo and crappy stock. I am either getting a Boyd’s spike camp, thumb hole or rimfire hunter for it.
She shouldered a full size gun and can’t get her cheek right. She’s got short arms. She said it feels too big. When we got into Ruger American she said those fit better but she didn’t like them. Idk what she didn’t like.
d2wing
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I would look at a CZ 457 target model or MTR. Or a Tikka 1X 22. And good quality target ammo. It would be cheaper and more fun than a centerfire. I prefer shooting my .22lr over anything else. 17 HMR shoots real well in most rimfires but is more expensive. Cheaper ammo and guns are ok at 25 yards but frustrating over that depending on how accurate you want to be.
Mine used to do both, but a broken collar bone and fibromyalgia led to 1 frustrated season of pronghorn and a whole lotta 92 clone being fed, now, even if it's to just move one outta the way, any time she picks up a gun is a "moment" lol! Still.....she is a mild enabler (not to our level) but any day not shooting is a day wasted, any day your better half doesn't empty a mag is a glass half empty.... Just saying...
For her fit, it's likely the grip, @LoonWulf can verify but I believe the Ruger American line (that I've handled) have quite a bit smaller grip. Aftermarket stocks may or may not fix that and fit/likeability counts for a LOT vs your nicer target platform....
I think Ruger really screwed the pooch on the stock design of the American, They aren't particularly attractive and while they feel okay they don't feel good.... At least most of the people have talked to about them.
The thin forend coupled with the bulbous bottom and thin wrist of the grip kind of makes for an awkward hand angle. Might be worse for smaller shooters since the trigger reaches actually pretty long too....
I think the Savage Axis is a less attractive stock but actually fits in my hand better than the American does.
The thin forend coupled with the bulbous bottom and thin wrist of the grip kind of makes for an awkward hand angle. Might be worse for smaller shooters since the trigger reaches actually pretty long too....
I think the Savage Axis is a less attractive stock but actually fits in my hand better than the American does.
Varminterror
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I sometimes suspect Boyd’s pays firearm manufacturers to produce the ugliest, ungainliest polymer stocks on their budget models, just as extra motivation for buyers to upgrade to their laminate stocks.
Demi-human
maybe likes firearms a little bit…
I guess. lol.There’s the answer.
A lucky guy you are…
She does have about 2k 22lr from finding her dads stash so that will save me money on ammo. lol.
That's what YOU think, that right there is how addicts start (including the reloading world) that 2k won't last long and by the time it's between 25-50% gone, she'll be eyeballing your stash if you're lucky!!!
Boomholzer
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1) Gift her your CF rifle she likes
2) Let her direct you if she wants to continue to shoot
3) Don't confuse barrels
2) Let her direct you if she wants to continue to shoot
3) Don't confuse barrels
KsSkaEnthusiast
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- Jun 23, 2020
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- 241
if she really wants something cool and you handload a 22 hornet or something of that sort could excel at that range..
stillquietvoice
Contributing Member
She's to like and fit is pretty critical to good shooting. Your doing right letting her choose "her gun", my wife didn't like the axis 2 I bought for her to try out, didn't want to spend too much, if she didn't like centerfire rifle shooting.
I think her biggest 2 issues were that it wasn't blue walnut and steel, and she was mad that I picked it up on a Saturday after work, the drive made me late to our grandson's birthday party, but only a few minutes. When I arrived the party hadn't even started yet, was held at an indoor blow up slide place, he was busy playing, too busy to notice I was late.
My main concern is she wont stick with it like she hasnt stuck with any other hobbies she has decided to do. Thats why I offered to get a youth stock and outfit my old axis for her to use so she didnt spend a ton of money for something she will get bored with. I told her get what she wants, but we have to make sure it fits her properly and not just look cool.
BigBL87
Member
Have you looked at the At One from Boyds? With her stature being a big factor in looking for a stock, having the LOP and cheek weld adjustability would probably be a big perk. It's more expensive than the other stocks you listed but still cheaper than most other aftermarket stocks, especially ones with that kind of adjustability. The other nice thing is if she doesn't stick to it as you think may happen and you end up with the gun, you aren't stuck with a youth sized stocked rifle. They also offer the At-One in a thumbhole setup if she really likes that too.
As an aside, have you done any trigger work on the Axis? If not, I'd highly recommend the M*CARBO spring and shim kit. Super cheap and easy to install, but HUGE difference and makes them alot more fun to shoot.
Skylerbone
Member
You should see my wife’s wedding ring set; she hasn’t done anything with them apart from carrying them on her finger! Choose to make her happy whether she sticks with shooting or not. Saving a few hundred for her displeasure is a harder road by measure. (Yes she did choose her own rings, my input was limited to paying).
I was lookin at the AT One for my 22lr. I have an axis with accu trigger, heavy barrel and a boyds classic stock and an Axis 1 my buddy was supposed to work on the trigger but its a standard barrel. I figured if I could find a youth stock for cheap and put on the standard Axis we wouldn't be out much if she quit. Some of these ebay guys want $100+ for a factory stock. I may just break down and say the heck with it and order her an AT one, slap it on the standard barrel and say here ya go. If she quits I should be able to flip the stock. I dont use the standard gun anyways unless its for coyote hunting during the winter which is seldom.
I want her to be happy. At first I was against it cause I know she will get bored with it but I told her I told her if she wants her own rifle to buy it but it has to fit her otherwise she wont enjoy it. I told her see if she enjoys it and then I will do all her upgrades like stock, scope, bipod, reload, etc. She asked how much I sank into some of my rifles and I told her between creating reloads, scope, etc. probably $1k each. She said she doesnt want to spend that much because she will only go a few times a year. See where i'm going with this. lol. I am open to trying it and buying her some stuff. When I bought my Beretta Waterfowl gun she then wanted her own shotgun. See where I'm going? This is why I wanna be cheap for right now.
Skylerbone
Member
My wife has pistols and rifles she has yet to shoot, purchased by me, and occasionally test fired by me. My objective is always to keep others’ hands off my firearms first and foremost so buying a few others, having the kids build their own ARs; it’s just less headache for me.
Maybe what she really needs is a training/live fire coarse to empower her own interest rather than feeling like a tag along. Few people enjoy being the least proficient in the room at whatever the game is. It’s only money...lol.
Maybe what she really needs is a training/live fire coarse to empower her own interest rather than feeling like a tag along. Few people enjoy being the least proficient in the room at whatever the game is. It’s only money...lol.
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