lightweight 38/357 or similar

[bradaz11]

I'm trying to get my GF interested in shooting, with some success, she has shot with me at my club a few times, and is going to join for a membership. My thought process is if i can get her on side, it's more opportunity to go and shoot and not have to miss one of my only days off work where i can shoot because I'm choosing to see her or shoot.

now she has always disliked my rifles as some are heavy (Henry, Delisle etc), but at the last shoot I was at, she tried out another ladies Marlin, with cowboy loads. and actually enjoyed it, although the buggers had taken away the targets when she shot it so she was just shooting into the bank.

now she is a bit on the wee side so I can understand her needing a lightweight rifle, so my question is, what rifles out there are lightweight, 10 shot and cheap in an underlever flavour? or are there other calibres that can be loaded nice and light, which don't demand high prices?



If you want to see her first time with a Marlin, feel free to add me on FB to see the video linked here
https://www.facebook.com/stuart.j.bradl ... 550275075/

[Sim G]

Marlin 39 Mountie or Winchester 9422/Browning BL22 or Miroku. All in the .22 flavour.

Centre fire, a Rossi 16" Trapper in .38/357.

Or you could build a really light 10/22 with carbon barrels, ally receiver and skeleton stocks.

[bradaz11]

hi Sim, good to see you back on! you've been missed.

sorry, I don't need .22 sugestions, I'm looking after some centrefire underlever, that would be suitiable for other things (like possibly CAS if i can convince her) i have a 10/22 that she has shot a few times and likes.

so the rossi could be viable, but i don't know what they are weight like compared to a winchester made one, Marlin, Uberti or chiappa models. and the 16" would have a less than 10 round mag....

[Alpha1]

GF = I assume means girl friend.
CAS= No idea.
A Winchester trapper 94AE in 38/357 loaded with 38special home loads 148 grain cast semi wad cutters loaded with 3.6 grains of bulls eye or equivalent . My grandson shoots it and he loves it. My full bore rifles are to much for him at present but we are working on it. He finds the .22 stuff to wimpy and boring. His words not mine.

[bradaz11]

CAS is cowboy action shooting. GF is SWMBO, yes.

what does the AE in 94AE stand for?

so roughly how much would a win 94 weigh? I had a Henry big boy I think, in 357 and that was too heavy for her, same as my mares leg is a bit of a lump for her to stand there and shoulder

[forbie]

AE Angled Eject for the cases

[Sim G]

My bad. 20" round barrel Rossi will give you 10 round capacity. Henry's and Ubertis will be about 2 pounds heavier than the Rossi and more expensive. The Marlin 357 carbines are roughly the same weight as the Rossi, can haven optics mounted easier but are more expensive than Henry and uberti!

There's not a great deal of choice to fulfil your criteria. Personally I reckon don't start with a list of "needs", get round some good gunshops and let her have a look. Ask other club members to feel and heft their rifles. Get her something she likes and something she will shoot, that way she'll get into the sport. As she moves on, becomes more proficient and able, the gun can be chosen to suit particular disciplines then. Do not, under any circumstances get her what you think she should have. I made that mistake 25 years ago and my wife hasn't fired a gun since.

Softly, softly....

[bradaz11]

that's brilliant, just what i wanted to know! no one at our club really has 38's apart from one guy with the same Henry I had, and someone with the old type rossi.

ok, i'll take her to somewhere with a choice of Rossi's in stock (amongst other things), get her to have a look at some of them first, not putting any pressure on her for any particular version, and see if she likes any of them , If none of those do it for her, we'll have look at other brands.

I'd love it if she liked an Uberti 93 though

[ovenpaa]

The Winchester 94 is a bit clunky to operate, also does she shoot with open sights or glass. It will make a difference to the choice as some rifles eject from the top, the AE overcomes this.

The ideal rifle would be a Marlin 1894 trapper in .38 with low loads, a delight to shoot and cycle, accurate and light however they are not the cheapest of things.

[bradaz11]

she doesn't shoot with anything atm. I'd like to go for a gun that would do both, but as Sim says, it will be led by what she likes i think.

out of interest, how big a recoil does 30-30 have?