Picking out my first rifle

[superdown]

Don't get a short magnum - son's .325wsm kicks harder than my .338

While i certainly would not recommend a short magnum in this situation.A lot of the felt recoil really depends on the rifle it self i had a blr lighting in 300 win mag and it kicked like a mule couldn't shoot more than a few rounds but my a-bolt in 325wsm and my fiancee's a-bolt in 270wsm are both a pleasure to shoot.In contrast my remington 700 mountain rifle in 270win and my mothers ruger compact ss lam 308 win were two worst recoiling SOB's i have ever had the displeasure to shoot.

[Igor]

I would choose the .30-'06 over all of the others mentioned.  Personally I shoot a .270, and have for 35 years.  I bought each of my sons a .30-'06 when they were 12 years old.  One has had his for 25 years, the other for 21 years, and they are still extremely accurate rifles.

There is nothing a .308 can do better than an '06.  The '06 is way more versatile if you decide to start reloading.  And, they are both .308 caliber, so I can't see any reason not to pick the .30-'06.  The .270 is a great caliber, but the .30-'06 is way more versatile as far as ammo choices go.

As far as brands go, I believe the Browning A-Bolt is a very good choice.  The combination of detachable magazine, tang safety and 60º bolt throw make it a perfect hunting rifle, IMO.

Just my 2¢.

[huntnphool]

 Felt recoil will be less in the 7mm-08 (about 12 lbs) than the 30-06 (about 17 lbs) with like rifles, and shot placement is more important than the difference between a 140gr .284 or 150gr. .30 caliber. Less recoil often lends to less flinching, better form, better confidence and better accuracy.

[Jonathan_S]

RadSav's post about making sure it's a gun the GF really enjoys shooting is crucial.

My wife has shot every weapon I own.  .45/70 fire breathing, 400 grain rounds, 12 ga turkey shells, .300 WSM and Win Mag with 220 grains but she doesn't enjoy it.  She won't shoot those ones enough to be proficient and she flinches after a few shots.

Her rifle is a .243, Savage Axis Compact.  She is small so it fits and she can fire a box of ammo without the slightest development of a flinch.  She has shot 600-ish rounds through it and is extremely confident and comfortable.  If she was elk hunting and a bull was at 150 yards, I would rather her shoot it with her .243 than my .300 WSM or Win Mag.

[pianoman9701]

Maybe I missed a post. If so, please understand my lazy reading deficit.

I haven't seen any suggestion that you put together an AR in .308. I believe you could build a great functional .308 for a grand plus glass or use the open sights, depending on which part of the state you're hunting. This would have 1/4 the recoil of a standard .30-06 and be a solid home defense rifle, as well. It would be a very appropriate firearm for just about any big game in North America and fun for her to shoot.

I know you said she's rugged and all, but it still needs to be fun all the time or she'll eventually lose interest. That wouldn't happen with an AR, IMO.

[Mark251]

I would suggest heading to your local gun shop and shouldering different rifles. Or better yet, head to the range with a friend or two that have rifles you might considering. "Fit" is important.  Shooting a rifle that doesn't fit you well will make the recoil seem more harsh than a rifle that does fit.  I've had a Ruger American and it didn't fit well - recoil seemed substantially more than other rifles of the same caliber.  If you can afford it, the Tikka T3 Lite is a great rifle.  Since it is a light rifle,  you will feel more recoil than with a heavier rifle but they build a great rifle. Or, if you don't mind packing around a bit heavier rifle, the Weatherby Vanguard is also a great choice.  As for caliber, the .270, .308 or the 30.06 are all great rounds and ammunition is available almost anywhere.  Any of those calibers will do what you need it to do.  Find a rifle that you like, that fits well, and spend some time practicing at the range. Good luck!

[shootem]

.270, .308, .30-06 will all do the job you started with. Ammo for all 3 is everywhere which is critical. Stay away from unusual calibers if you only have 1 option. Make sure you fully understand the "light" load options and how versatile any caliber can be. The light loads for each caliber will be easy to shoot for anyone. What is most important for you? Do you want the lightest caliber for her that will still kill an elk at 300 yds when loaded up get the .270. Or do you want a caliber that can be loaded up for almost any North American animal but still shoot light enough with the reduced loads to keep her going then go with the 30-06. I vote for the 30-06 if you want to stick to 1 rifle. Now if you want 2 rifles for North American hunting we can really get going.

[MountainWalk]

No need to buy a niche gun. Keep on truckin with Papa '06. He'll never forsake ya. My ex and my wife, both previous non shooters learned to shoot on one. Tip: buy some Remington managed recoil loads (125gr) for practice. Sooo light kicking. Come gun season, stoke up with full power hunting loads. She'll never feel it come the Big Moment.  They shoot to the same point of aim as your regular loads. 

[fremont]

Ruger American 7mm-08.   

This or in 308.

[nastybynature]

Bought my 8 year old (now 9) a Savage Axis youth 7mm-08 and he does well with it. That is one flat shooting cartridge. I have a 700 30-06 for myself. 

[KFhunter]

Yeah, I've been looking at those. There are a lot of pretty nasty corners of the internet discussing whether .270 and .308 are appropriate for elk. My conclusion is that the gf should be able to just suck it up and shoot the 30-06. It's really not that tough of a round.

Maybe the ladies here can weigh in.

Hornady makes a custom lite ammo and Remington makes a managed recoil round,  start her off with the reduced recoil stuff to boost confidence.
Most ammo manufacturers are probably making it

[Mark251]

Managed recoil ammunition is a great way to start folks out and it's readily available in popular calibers.  I started both stepsons off with .270 and 30.06 managed recoil rounds and they became comfortable shooting very quickly.  They moved to standard loads after a brief period of time (and practice at the range). I'd stick with a caliber that is versatile and ammo is widely available - .270, .308 or 30.06.  Any of those calibers can be sufficient for deer and elk when shooting appropriate loads. Begin with managed recoil rounds and then move to standards loads.  Just my advice....
Good luck!