Silhouette Rifle For Granddaughter...

[Lawdog]

My 10 year old granddaughter has done extremely well in smallbore rifle silhouette shooting and now she wants to move up to the centerfire "Hunter Class".  What I'm looking for is ideas on a rifle/caliber for her.  At age 10 she stands 5'4"(going to be tall like her mother who is 5'11"), weights 100 lbs. even.  She is left eye dominant so she shoots left handed.  She goes thru .243 ammo like it was water in a restocked Savage M99 I have.  I don't believe a 6mm will regularly knock over the "Ram" target so I'm looking to build her a rifle/caliber that will give her the best chance in competition.  Suggestions??  Lawdog

[PaulS]

Lawdog,
I am recoil sensitive, 5' 10" and 180lbs. The 3006 that I shoot with 165 grain bullets is ok for general shooting but with 180 grain bullets it's not fun for me. I also have a custom made .358 Winchester that I regularly shoot 180 grain bullets through and don't find it abusive while shooting at the range. I also shoot 158 grain pistol bullets through it to .33 inch groups at 100 yards.
I would think that a 25-06, 270, 7x57, 280 Rem, 284 Win or 308 would work for her.

PaulS

[kahuna]

Lawdog
Build her a 260 remington.
You can use light bullets for the first three and work up a load
with 140 or 142 for rams.
Recoil is a little more then a 243 but if she is eating up 243
like you say.She should be able to shoot the 260.
Larry

[jhm]

Lawdog:  We all have our favorite light recoiling rifle in a certain caliber I have to give my vote or choice to the 7-08      JIM

[savageT]

My 10 year old granddaughter has done extremely well in smallbore rifle silhouette shooting and now she wants to move up to the centerfire "Hunter Class".  What I'm looking for is ideas on a rifle/caliber for her.  At age 10 she stands 5'4"(going to be tall like her mother who is 5'11"), weights 100 lbs. even.  She is left eye dominant so she shoots left handed.  She goes thru .243 ammo like it was water in a restocked Savage M99 I have.  I don't believe a 6mm will regularly knock over the "Ram" target so I'm looking to build her a rifle/caliber that will give her the best chance in competition.  Suggestions??  Lawdog

Lawdog,

I would give a Swedish 6.5x55mm Mauser a try.  If you know someone that has one, you can try the traditional 139grain FMJ mil load, or go to the commercial loads to see if it is heavy enough to knock down the silouettes.  According to the Europeans, the Swedish Mauser is used for Moose in Scandinavian countries!  I love the 6.5mm caliber and can shoot my m38 carbine all day with little or no discomfort.  However, I will admit in all honesty that I've never shot the "rams" so I can't say with certainty if it is heavy enough.  Perhaps someone else has tried and can offer their first-hand experiences.  Good Luck with your choice!

[doc-and]

You might try 308 Winchester, good range of bullet weights. I've used 168gr for 3banks and 180gr for Rams.  I've seen hard set Rams laugh at being hit with light bullets.  Never lost a Ram to the 180gr MatchKings though.  Been using this rifle since 1978.  My boys at the time were able to shoot these loads off a bench and recoil never bothered them, they were about the same size as you stated you granddaughter is.  Now! their all three over 6 foot and I have to look up to them to look down on them.

My rifle is built on a sa Remington 700, with mcmillian stock and stainless steel barrel.  My scope changes but currently it wears a Leupold. As built my rifle would be heavy @ just under 10 pounds but there are ways to reduce the weight.

To control the weight you could flute the barrel and lighter conture, and have it ported to control recoil.

Just my 2cents.  
doc-and

[kciH]

Two cartridges that have already been listed would be ideal for this.  The 7-08 was brought into the limelight by sihouette shooters, being that the 260 is the same thing, minus a little versatility in the bullet department, I'd say they would both be an excellent choice.  It would boil  down to finding a rilfe that fit here in the caliber you want, which I would say gives the 7-08 and edge, since it's been aroung longer.

[Lawdog]

Kind of an update on what is going on with my granddaughter.  I found a fellow club member that has a 7mm-08 and he is letting my granddaughter shoot it to see if she likes it.  Also she is trying my wife's 6.5 Swede.  She is handling both cartridges so far, firing over 60 shots through the wife's 6.5 Swede two weeks ago.  She fired 40 rounds through the 7mm-08 and her only complaint was the stock was to long and that there wasn't more ammo available that day for her to shoot.  I also swapped the shorter stock from the Savage M99 .243 she has been shooting with another M99 in .308 and she has shot it but would rather shoot the other two.  I'll let you know what she decides.  What I need is a left handed bolt action.  Do any of you have an name and address for a good outlet for just an action?  Lawdog

[Mikey]

Lawdog:  you amy wish to try the Montana Rifleman for that action.  They have been producing their own action for a while and they look very nice.  The quality of their product should not be of concern.  I know there are some factories out there that offer left handed actions but for the life of me I can't remember which ones they are.

As to caliber - I would opt for the 6.5 Swede.  There are a couple of long range 155-160 grain bullets for that caliber that have all the carry anyone would need to knock over the ram (at what, 500 yds?).  Also, the 6.5 Swede is one of europes favorite long range target calibers.  I know that lots of guys drool over the 7mm-08 but as with the 260, the short case may limit the succcessful use of longer bullets like the 175 grainers.  I know that with the 260 the favorite weight is the 120 grainer with the 130s and 140s coming along after.  Also, you don't usually find heavier loads, like the 200-220s in the short 308 case.  

If you can find yourself the left handed action yoru Granddaughter needs I would opt to chamber it in the 6.5 Swede.  Just my 2 cents worth.  Mikey.

[shootingpaul]

I would definatelly go for the .260 caliber, it is the way to go, 7-08 is not bad but your .260 will have the least recoil and will get the rams without problem.  All top guns in silhouette are build today on the 6.5 mm bullet, with the newest one 6.5 TKS which is a custom caliber and can not be shot in the hunter class.  If you will get for her rem.260 then she can shoot it in both classes.
good luck

[blamethewind]

If you are looking for a 700 short action, Brownells in Montezuma, IA will be selling them shortly.  I do not know if they will have left hand models.  They have a website, so take a look.

The 260 would be my first choice for a girl's gun.  Many of the guys here shoot them with excellent results.  The rams sometimes fail to fall, but not often.   Most shoot 140's for rams and 120's for the others.  

I started with a 7x57 on a Mauser 98, then went to the .308, and have now settled on the 7mm08.  All worked quite well.  If Remington made a "medium" action, I would shoot the 7x57 as it has light recoil and ample power on the rams.  It is very easy to load for.  I have used a 98 in 7x57 for deer for many years and find it quite adequte.      

Blamethewind