I have officially caught the hunting bug from my husband and his family. It’s about time I admitted it to myself, after all.
I am looking to get my own hunting rifle so I’m not having to share my husband’s 30-.06 on hunts.
Any advice on which gun manufacturers make plains game caliber rifles that fit women well? I’m looking at a 30-.06, 300 win, or 7mm right now.
Welcome to the addiction. My answer to your question may seem a bit snarky though not really intended to be. I have never once seen anyone ever ask, "What is the best rifle for a man?" It's a silly question, because it's impossible to answer. It presumes all men are built the same and we know they aren't, neither are women. It presumes all men have the same recoil tolerance, they don't, and I doubt women do either.
Consider yourself an individual despite the fact that you share the same gender as roughly half the population. As such you need to try some rifles out for yourself. I bought my wife a Winchester M70 Featherweight in .30-06. A big enough caliber but not too big. A lighter rifle but not too light. She shoots it great. But what's right for her may not be for you.
A few things to consider:
1. A .300WM is a great caliber for PG in Africa. But it is a pretty good kicking rifle, it needs to be a little heavier than a .30-06 to be comfortable to shoot. Do you mind that extra weight when carrying the rifle?
2. Your height and build. This affects what would be the proper length of pull for you. If you're shorter, you tend to need less LOP, and opposite going the other direction.
3. Kind of repeating myself, but there's no perfect rifle for women just as there isn't for men. Handle a bunch of rifles and see what you like.