Hunting Washington Forum

Equipment & Gear => Guns and Ammo => Topic started by: Halo on September 15, 2014, 08:55:29 PM

Title: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 15, 2014, 08:55:29 PM: Was thinking of getting my 16 year old daughter a new rifle for her birthday. What do you guys think of this combo?
a Ruger M77 Hawkeye Stainless Compact Laminate in 7mm-08

http://www.ruger.com/products/HawkeyeLaminateCompact/models.html (http://www.ruger.com/products/HawkeyeLaminateCompact/models.html)

For a scope It would definitely be Leupold, probably VX-2 2-7x33 CDS

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/vx-2-riflescopes/vx-2-2-7x33mm-cds/ (http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/vx-2-riflescopes/vx-2-2-7x33mm-cds/)

and a couple boxes of Hornady ammo.

http://www.hornady.com/store/7mm-08-Rem-139-gr-GMX-Superformance/ (http://www.hornady.com/store/7mm-08-Rem-139-gr-GMX-Superformance/)

Also thought of taking it down to Montesano to Northwest Hydroprint and putting the Muddy Girl camo on the stalk just to customize it a little for her, and so she wont be as concerned about me wanting to borrow it all the time. :chuckle: I get the occasional shot at a coyote from the house, (usually out the bathroom window :)) out to as far as 350 yards. I'm betting they wouldn't be safe even if I wasn't home with that, and if she wants to go hunting with me she will be all set up.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: 270Shooter on September 15, 2014, 09:11:46 PM: Sounds like a great setup to me. I too am a leupold fan and I have several, however I'd take a look at vortex, my girlfriend has a 3-9x40 and it is a very nice scope for the money and has a great warranty.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: HawkCreek on September 15, 2014, 09:12:55 PM: I picked up a Ruger Frontier in 7mm-08 for a now ex-girlfriend. I had the Burris handgun scope already just collecting dust and it worked great on that rifle. I would also have preferred a Leupold but the Burris was taking space and the little Frontier needed glass so... I have never handled a Hawkeye Compact but the Frontier was a great little shooter. With 120 or 140 grain Cor-Lokt (dont remember which I was shooting) it would shoot around an inch at 100 yards as long as I shot slow enough to keep the barrel from warming up (sported weight, not a big deal my Remmy 700 .30-06 and most sporter weight barrels are the same way).

I think it's a great set up for smaller framed shooters. For that matter I'm 6'2" and I liked shooting it to!

The GSR at top is mine, just in there to show how small the Frontier really was.
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi252.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh29%2FHawkCreek_photos%2FGuns%2FDSCN1104_zpsd4300904.jpg&hash=68b4045e17eaee6e4335a9b7dd99535ec5656fb4)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi252.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fhh29%2FHawkCreek_photos%2FGuns%2FDSCN1111_zpsef61b8d1.jpg&hash=a500ce32d35f33d3fc5db586b02654ff34ce847c)
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: ROCKWHEELER on September 16, 2014, 02:27:37 AM: What about a savage lady hunter or a tikka t3 compact. Wife has a lady hunter and loves it, things shoots under moa. Ruger makes fine rifles though.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: RadSav on September 16, 2014, 06:03:30 AM: I get nervous combining marginal velocity rounds with 18" barrels. For that reason I am with Rockwheeler on the Lady Hunter or something similar. That extra 2" makes a big difference in the 7-08. Weatherby Youth, Winchesr M70 Compact and Browning Micro Hunter would also be on my list of small guns with a better barrel.

If you do end up with an 18" barrel I suggest handloads with Winchester ball powder or similar made for short barreled military use.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: woodswalker on September 16, 2014, 06:18:51 AM: Another thought would be a Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08 or 260, its also available in .243 and .308. If the regular Model 7 is not small enough there is also the Compact model in .243 and 7mm-08.

Great for the smaller stature and rock solid.

http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-seven/model-seven-synthetic.aspx (http://www.remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-seven/model-seven-synthetic.aspx)
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: MHWASH on September 16, 2014, 10:28:55 AM: I'm not a fan of short barreled rifles for youths. My sons first deer rifle was a Ruger compact .260. I know everybody should wear ear protection when hunting, but its not very practical. His first shot was a miss, and instead of concentrating on the second shot, he set the rifle down and covered his ears. I got him set up for another shot and he killed his first deer. These guns are very loud and have lots of muzzle blast. The rifle we use now is a Marlin XS7 youth 7-08.. It has a 22" barrel short stock and is light enough for them to pack around.

So far 2 now 12yo boys have shot 3 deer and a cow moose with this rifle. Scope is a Leupold 6x.

I find this combo perfect.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: rim_runner on September 16, 2014, 10:50:10 AM: Quote
I picked up a Ruger Frontier in 7mm-08 for a now ex-girlfriend
I got a rem 700 in 243 for my ex-wife. I consider it one of the best trades I ever made :tup:
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: jrebel on September 16, 2014, 10:58:00 AM: The savage lady hunter would be my first choice and only choice. Unbelievable shooters and the comb is made for women. I like the 7 mm 08, .243 or even the 6.5 creedmoor......good luck. Make sure to update us with your final decision and range reports....always good to here feedback.

Also....Happy birthday to your daughter!!
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: huntnphool on September 16, 2014, 11:00:37 AM: Quote from: Halo on September 15, 2014, 08:55:29 PM
Was thinking of getting my 16 year old daughter a new rifle for her birthday. What do you guys think of this combo?
a Ruger M77 Hawkeye Stainless Compact Laminate in 7mm-08

http://www.ruger.com/products/HawkeyeLaminateCompact/models.html (http://www.ruger.com/products/HawkeyeLaminateCompact/models.html)

For a scope It would definitely be Leupold, probably VX-2 2-7x33 CDS

http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/vx-2-riflescopes/vx-2-2-7x33mm-cds/ (http://www.leupold.com/hunting-shooting/scopes/vx-2-riflescopes/vx-2-2-7x33mm-cds/)

and a couple boxes of Hornady ammo.

http://www.hornady.com/store/7mm-08-Rem-139-gr-GMX-Superformance/ (http://www.hornady.com/store/7mm-08-Rem-139-gr-GMX-Superformance/)

Also thought of taking it down to Montesano to Northwest Hydroprint and putting the Muddy Girl camo on the stalk just to customize it a little for her, and so she wont be as concerned about me wanting to borrow it all the time. :chuckle: I get the occasional shot at a coyote from the house, (usually out the bathroom window :)) out to as far as 350 yards. I'm betting they wouldn't be safe even if I wasn't home with that, and if she wants to go hunting with me she will be all set up.

My daughter uses the M77 Hawkeye Compact 7mm-08 and shoots it very well, it's a very nice little gun.

You are welcome to have your daughter shoot it before making your purchase if you would like.

Also have a Remington 700 Compact you could have her try as well.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: b23 on September 16, 2014, 01:27:24 PM: In case you don't have enough suggestions, ;) maybe take a look at the Howa Youth 2-N-1 rifle package. It can be bought in 7-08 and it comes with two stocks, a shorter youth version and the adult size stock.

Weatherby Vangard has some pretty cool youth rifles that come with adjustable length of pull stocks and you can even get them in girl camo colors, too.

Good luck with your search and I'm sure she'll be thrilled with whatever you get her.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 16, 2014, 06:35:38 PM: Dang you guy's have come up with a load of good info & suggestions, some I have looked at some I haven't, YET. Thanks. That's one of the things I love about this sight, the vast amount of knowledge on it. Time for some more research & pondering. :)
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: bigsads on September 16, 2014, 06:57:37 PM: Although I will never tell someone not to buy a Ruger M77, I will say I have a HOwa 1500 in 7mm-08 compact, and it is a nice shooter. I installed the 5 round detachable mag conversion kit. Also, I will repeat on Vortex glass. The Crossfire II is excellent for the money
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: wadu1 on September 16, 2014, 07:08:36 PM: Way to go DAD :tup:, what ever you get her will be great and having it done by Hydroprint and putting the Muddy Girl camo will be a pluss.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 16, 2014, 07:32:49 PM: Ok, I'm not a huge fan of Ruger bolt action rifles but I don't really have anything agaist them, I'm more of a Savage fan, I have a 116FCSAK in 30-06 and a 116 Bear Hunter in .338 and they are both great guns and sub MOA. That being said I have a hard time buying a rifle that isn't stainless. Probably too many years hunting elk in the coastal jungles of Pacific County during monsoon season. :chuckle: That's what keeps bringing me back to Ruger. This is the latest one I was looking at, the Ruger All-Weather Compact.

http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRifleAllWeatherCompact/models.html (http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRifleAllWeatherCompact/models.html)

The main difference between this and the Hawkeye from what I can see is the All-Weather is 1/4 lb lighter with an 1-1/2" longer barrel and a rotary magazine. Not sure what to think about the rotary magazine. more pondering I guess.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: ROCKWHEELER on September 16, 2014, 09:01:34 PM: Also savage model 11 muddy girl only $660 msrp. Showed the thing to my wife now she wants one.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: RadSav on September 17, 2014, 12:03:52 AM: Quote from: Halo on September 16, 2014, 07:32:49 PM
The main difference between this and the Hawkeye from what I can see is the All-Weather is 1/4 lb lighter with an 1-1/2" longer barrel and a rotary magazine. Not sure what to think about the rotary magazine. more pondering I guess.

Ruger's Rotary magazine is sweet! Wish it used the same materials as the 10/22, but it is still freakin great! Wish Sako and Tikka magazines were even half as good! As for the American...not my cup of tea. But for the money they are dang hard to beat in 22" models!!!

If the Lady Hunter, Vanguard Youth, M70 Compact or the Micro Hunter came in stainless we would have no less than one for each of us! Really ticks me off that Ruger dropped the stainless RL/Lightweight in favor of that toy compact >:(
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 17, 2014, 07:20:26 PM: Well, I happened to stop by East County Guns today, and they happened to have a Ruger All-Weather Compact in 7mm-08 for $399 Not a bad little gun for the price. I loaded and unloaded the rotary magazine and it seemed to work great. I think I like it. They even had extra mag's in stock. So then I stopped by Northwest Hydroprint to find out how far out they are, 2-1/2 weeks. I think I may stop by the gun store tomorrow and give Andy some money, again. He's getting pretty good at getting in my wallet, he knows my weakness's. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: RadSav on September 17, 2014, 08:23:21 PM: I think she will really like the short throw bolt too! :tup:
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: bigsads on September 17, 2014, 10:47:03 PM: Andy is a great guy to know and buy from, I looked at that rifle not long ago. I walked out for once without buying something. Nice job keeping money local
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 18, 2014, 06:41:05 PM: Quote from: bigsads on September 17, 2014, 10:47:03 PM
Andy is a great guy to know and buy from, I looked at that rifle not long ago. I walked out for once without buying something. Nice job keeping money local

Ya, I've bought at least a half dozen guns from Andy, and another one today. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 26, 2014, 05:58:18 PM: Well I picked it up today. Ruger American All-Weather Compact, Leupold 3-9X33 Ultralight CDS with butler Creek caps an extra clip and a sling. Bore sighted and ready to go out back to the shooing range tomorrow. Anxious to see how it shoots.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 26, 2014, 07:43:35 PM: Well so much for that plan. Figured I would cycle a few rounds through it to see how it feeds and how that rotary magazine works. Feeds like crap, would jam about a third of the time. Tried the spare clip to see if it changed anything, it did, fed the first two and would not feed any more. Ruger is not impressing me. It's going back to Andy.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: packmule on September 26, 2014, 07:58:27 PM: Before you get rid of it try a very light application of a spray lubricant like WD-40, that often does the trick. This is a common problem with things like rotary magazines and automatic actions that are new.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 26, 2014, 08:15:14 PM: Quote from: packmule on September 26, 2014, 07:58:27 PM
Before you get rid of it try a very light application of a spray lubricant like WD-40, that often does the trick. This is a common problem with things like rotary magazines and automatic actions that are new.
Ya, that's the first thing I thought also, didn't help. It's a pretty cheesey extractor on these things, I think that's part of the problem.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: huntnphool on September 26, 2014, 10:43:30 PM: Get the M77 compact ;)
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Bango skank on September 26, 2014, 11:00:47 PM: Buy this gun for her, and when she is done with it I will do you a solid and take it off your hands for you.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=444482833 (http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=444482833)
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: lokidog on September 26, 2014, 11:10:05 PM: Quote from: Halo on September 26, 2014, 05:58:18 PM
Well I picked it up today. Ruger American All-Weather Compact, Leupold 3-9X33 Ultralight CDS with butler Creek caps an extra clip and a sling. Bore sighted and ready to go out back to the shooing range tomorrow. Anxious to see how it shoots.

Glad to see you got the 3-9X scope, that would have been my suggestion instead of a 2-7X. Sorry to hear of your problems with the rifle though, hope you get it worked out.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: RadSav on September 27, 2014, 03:19:37 AM: Wow! I have never seen or heard of anyone having that problem with the American. Plenty of problems with barrel to stock contact (barrel not centered in stock) but never a feed problem! Ruger's customer service has always been first rate and responsive when I've needed to call them. Worth a try!
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 27, 2014, 02:36:03 PM: Well, went back to visit Andy at the gun store. Tried a couple different kinds of ammo, 2 out of 3 kinds fed like crap and often jammed. It only liked the Federal Fusions and didn't feed them great. He had another identical rifle there so we tried it. It fed all 3 kinds much better, not silky smooth like a $1,000 rifle but ok like the $400 rifle that it is. So a quick switch of the scope and the problem is fixed, I have a different gun. Now to see how it shoots.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on September 29, 2014, 07:09:30 PM: The new gun shoots good. put 5 rounds through it at 100 yards, pretty much sighted in and shoots MOA. Not bad for a $399 rifle. I'm betting once it's broke in a little and try some different rounds and some fine tuning, maybe throw a Limbsaver barrel de-resonator on it that it will be a tack driver.
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: Halo on October 11, 2014, 09:47:21 PM: Tried the rifle out a little better today. I like it. Knocked this buck right over. Not sure I want to hand it over to the kids now. :chuckle:
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: BOWHUNTER45 on October 11, 2014, 09:53:23 PM: Nice :tup:
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: RadSav on October 11, 2014, 09:58:57 PM: Camera angle makes that guy look like the worlds largest Jackalope :chuckle:

Congratulations. Very nice!
Title: Re: Thinking of new rifle for daughter.
Post by: luteai on October 14, 2014, 06:12:43 AM: :yeah: My sons American has a mag that only feeds 2 rounds. The third doesn't rotate up. I'm sending the mag back to Ruger after this season unless there is a quick fix out there.