Questions about rifle for wife

DAVID1989

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Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 22, 2017
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Calhan, Colorado
So I hope this is the right place to post this. So my wife has recently shown some interest in getting into the long range game. She grew up hunting and shooting so she has some of the basics. My question is more about fit. So she's still deciding whether she wants to go AR-15 or bolt gun and I've already got a thread on an AR build(which I'm doing regardless bc I want a badass Precision AR lol). But I want to have a couple bolt gun options for her too. I've noticed when she gets behind my rifle that the LOP is way too long. So what's some decent factory guns that have the adjustability to fit a female shooter? So far I've looked at the Ruger RPR, Bergara HMR, Tikka CTR(drop it in a chassis) and I've looked into the new Remington PCR(even though it's not out yet, and Remington's qc seems to be hit or miss lately). Since we're not sure if she is going to like this type of shooting I don't want to go the custom route yet. Trying to stay around the $1000 bare rifle mark if possible. Helping her pick a rifle is way harder than picking one for myself. And I really want her to like it and for it to fit her well so she'll enjoy it more. Any advice is welcome.
Thanks guys

Edit- should also note that I've considered buying a barreled action off here and slapping it in a chassis for her. Depending on price and all that
 
the Ruger RPR is hard to beat for the money......itll share the same ergos as an AR15......and accept ar15 stocks and grips

you can also buy a ruger or savage barreled action and drop it into something like a MDT HS3 or a XLR element.........this will likely come out a touch cheaper, and still maintain the AR ergonomics.

plus if you go with a barreled action, and shes not a fan of chassis rifles, you can always drop it back into a "traditional stock"
 
the Ruger RPR is hard to beat for the money......itll share the same ergos as an AR15......and accept ar15 stocks and grips

you can also buy a ruger or savage barreled action and drop it into something like a MDT HS3 or a XLR element.........this will likely come out a touch cheaper, and still maintain the AR ergonomics.

plus if you go with a barreled action, and shes not a fan of chassis rifles, you can always drop it back into a "traditional stock"
Yeah if she decides she wants a bolt gun I'm leaning towards a barreled action and then dropping it in a chassis. Feel like that's the quickest and easiest way to get it to fit her. We're not in any particular rush so she's taking her time picking whatever she gets. It'll probably take her six months to decide between bolt gun and ar lol.
 
Been this route. Still going down it! ha.

If you go into this not knowing if she will love it you will regret it later. Make it special and just for her. That stuff matters.

Second, lightweight is good. around 12 lbs with optics.

Now as to the build, get a custom barreled action, have it painted in her fav color. Id pick a nice little 6mm for low recoil, like a 6x47 or even a 6 dasher if you've been wanting one. Or even better get the same caliber as your primary rifle if its a 6. You can get a rem and put a barrel on it (light palma or me dpalma at heaviest) if you shop around for around $1k. Stock for another $500. Scope for another $800, get a timmney for $150 and have her a badass rifle she can be proud of and show her friends for around $2.5k including some hawt pink paint lol.


Put it in an XLR envy or element. That stock is pretty light and very adjustable, all the while being affordable.

Find a used XTR2 4-20 or SS 3-15 or even a HDMR Bushy if it has 10 mil knobs for around $800.




And worst case if she never shoots it, you have a badss backup hunting/match rifle. win win.

DT
 
Been this route. Still going down it! ha.

If you go into this not knowing if she will love it you will regret it later. Make it special and just for her. That stuff matters.

Second, lightweight is good. around 12 lbs with optics.

Now as to the build, get a custom barreled action, have it painted in her fav color. Id pick a nice little 6mm for low recoil, like a 6x47 or even a 6 dasher if you've been wanting one. Or even better get the same caliber as your primary rifle if its a 6. You can get a rem and put a barrel on it (light palma or me dpalma at heaviest) if you shop around for around $1k. Stock for another $500. Scope for another $800, get a timmney for $150 and have her a badass rifle she can be proud of and show her friends for around $2.5k including some hawt pink paint lol.


Put it in an XLR envy or element. That stock is pretty light and very adjustable, all the while being affordable.

Find a used XTR2 4-20 or SS 3-15 or even a HDMR Bushy if it has 10 mil knobs for around $800.




And worst case if she never shoots it, you have a badss backup hunting/match rifle. win win.

DT
Pretty much leaning the route you said. Pretty sure I'm going to try and find a used barreled action in 6 or 6.5 Creedmoor. I shoot 6.5 so that's kinda why I'm leaning towards that. Shoot the same ammo. If I go new I was thinking about the new bighorn origin action. Pretty reasonable price and it has the barrel nut so I could do caliber changes myself. Barrel contour is still up in the air. Wanna go light but heavy enough for 10 round strings. Not sure how light I can get away with. Either way I'll stick a good brake on it for her. And luckily she isnt a hot pink kinda woman lol
 
I am considering the same if I can get my wife into bolt guns; she likes handguns but the only time she's shot rifles is when we went out with one of my AKs, and its an underfolder so probably not the best choice to start her out on.

If we do it I am pretty much already decided on a Tikka CTR in 6.5 Creedmoor; I think probably with the 24" barrel but she may find the 20" to be handier, and probably with a SWFA fixed 10 power for now until she gets more comfortable. If you'd be dropping it in a chassis anyway the LOP shouldn't be an issue. The Ruger RPR will probably let you get away with a completed rifle for cheaper, but the more bolt guns I handle the more fixated I become on Tikkas. My wife would probably be fine with the OEM stock, but if I go chassis the it'd be a KRG Bravo to mirror my .308 Tikka. This is not entirely unselfish as I want a second Tikka in 6.5 lol, but I think the lighter recoil would be better for her, and with the threaded barrel we can always add a muzzle break if she wants it.
 
My wife did not like to shoot at all until our boys started shooting, now she has 5 of her own guns (2 Revos, .22Pistol, .22 Rifle and a 9mm PCC) and has shot several matches. She has shown a slight interest in the Precision game since it is not as fast as 3Gun and USPSA. We got my 13 year old son a Bergara B-14HMR here off the want ads from a guy whose wife thought it was too heavy for her, I am impressed with it, but my wife also felt it was too heavy, and sometimes she forgot to run the bolt. She is much more at home with the AR15 platform. Not sure she will ever want her own precision rifle, but if she asks, I am pretty sure the right answer for her will be an AR15 in 224Valkyrie.
 
My wife did not like to shoot at all until our boys started shooting, now she has 5 of her own guns (2 Revos, .22Pistol, .22 Rifle and a 9mm PCC) and has shot several matches. She has shown a slight interest in the Precision game since it is not as fast as 3Gun and USPSA. We got my 13 year old son a Bergara B-14HMR here off the want ads from a guy whose wife thought it was too heavy for her, I am impressed with it, but my wife also felt it was too heavy, and sometimes she forgot to run the bolt. She is much more at home with the AR15 platform. Not sure she will ever want her own precision rifle, but if she asks, I am pretty sure the right answer for her will be an AR15 in 224Valkyrie.
That's also the issue with my wife. She's shown more interest in an AR. Comes down to her liking that look. So thinking possibly a seekins sp10 in 6.5 creedmoor. It's just a bonus that I want that as well lol.
 
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I was in the same boat. When I built my rifle my wife thought I was crazy spending that much on a gun. She went out and shot lr with me and was hooked.

Now she's got her own Rpr custom cerakoted, and she paid for all of it. She is a fan of the ar furniture also and likes the adjustability of the chassis over my manners. Just watch out when they outshoot you they let you know!
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I was in the same boat. When I built my rifle my wife thought I was crazy spending that much on a gun. She went out and shot lr with me and was hooked.

Now she's got her own Rpr custom cerakoted, and she paid for all of it. She is a fan of the ar furniture also and likes the adjustability of the chassis over my manners. Just watch out when they outshoot you they let you know!View attachment 6875928
Good looking rifle. She's definitely got it tricked out. Mine finally made her mind up. We're going to get her a Seekins SP10 in 6.5 Creedmoor. It'll be a couple months out but shes pretty excited. She already wants to get it cerakoted another color.