Best Hunting Rifles for Women: A Review and Buyer’s Guide

Hunting and loving outdoors doesn’t choose a race, gender or age. It’s quite encouraging to see how much women continue to participate in hunting actively. It is no longer an adult men affair, but many women have become part and parcel of the said activity.

 Recent statistics have shown that more than 10 percent of American hunting community are women. However, choosing the right hunting rifle for women has been quite a challenge for many. That’s why I found it necessary to prepare this review for you.

Buying Guide; What to Look out for When Buying Hunting Rifles for Women

The best hunting rifle for a lady is the one that offers a perfect fit. You won’t be looking forward to beauty but the usability and functionality of the hunting rifle. It has to provide functionality, comfort and aesthetic appeal. Here are the factors to contemplate when selecting the best gun for hunting for women.

Caliber

Many women are small-bodied. For that reason, most are worried about getting a large caliber that would end up overpowering them. There are different calibers fit for women, but I recommend 270, a 7mm-08, .300, and .308. 

While the list is endless,  always consider something that shoots flat and offers manageable recoil. An ideal hunting cartridge should deliver massive knockdown energy and with minimal recoil. Some cartridges such as the .577 tyrannosaur offer insane recoil which is pretty hard to handle even for a man. Thus, you’ve to select the round wisely.

Size Availability

 Women have short arms, and their upper-body strength is not that much as compared to the males and therefore will need a perfect gun size. Most of these rifles will feature shortened stock to ensure a comfortable fit for those with smaller arms and frame. Fortunately, manufacturers are making guns with customized stock tailored for women’s build. Usually, these guns will have smaller grip circumferences, raised combs and cant that’s designed to fit women’s longer necks.

Stock Design and Size

Perhaps you have a gun in your safe, and you’re planning to give up. You can still make it usable by reducing the size of the stock or by replacing it with a new one. Well, the short stock size will allow you to reach the trigger and have excellent forearm support when shooting. Remember, if you’ve to strain to reach the trigger, it’s quite likely that you’ll shoot off-target. 

Also, you must be able to reach the forehand for you to support the rifle in the field. Shorter stock will also allow you to have an ideal eye relief when sighting with your scopes to help you have an accurate target acquisition. The short stock will also help you to adjust the scope’s position correctly without any straining.  

You might think that an ideal stock should possess a lightweight design. It might be a worthy consideration if you’ll be hunting for a long season as it will be easy to carry around. However, the lighter the stock, the greater the recoil. Here, you’ll need to choose a perfect balance.

The Recoil

So what do you do about recoil? The secret still lies in the stock’s design. You need to choose a stock that isn’t too heavy and not too light. Woodstock and synthetic stocks are the options to go for. They have some substantial weight and are excellent in absorbing recoil energy. 

Hence, a lightweight stock and low recoil aspects offer a trade-off. It all depends on the shooter’s decision. But, I consider going with lightweight stock, and I can deal with recoil energy using various fool-proof measures. Using butt pads, muzzle brakes, as well as shoulder pads, really does the trick for me. 

In hunting, don’t ever be deceived that ‘big is better’ because it isn’t always the case. I have shot an elk, mule deer, and black bear among other big game animals, with one mid-range single shot from .270 Winchester. I love it because it shoots flat and packs a good punch.

Intended Purpose

While there is a wide array of best women rifles, your final decision is a matter of personal preference. Also, it will depend on what you’ll be hunting. This goes to caliber options since some are for small animals while others are for the big game. 

On the same note, you have to do thorough research and understand the legality of the caliber you want as per your state’s regulations. Find here regulations on large capacity magazines per state. 

The rifle should fit you well and should be ideal for shooting rest, stick as well as off-hand. Simply put, it should fit and feel comfortable for you when you’re trying it.

Type of  Gun

You’ll probably encounter an unending list of rifle types on the market. It’s full of all kinds of actions ranging from rare pump action to lever action and semi-auto to bolt action. 

For deer hunting, bolt action is quite popular. However, a woman should pay close attention to the felt recoil. Most hunting bolt actions are renowned for their easy operation and high accuracy.

A Review of the Top 6 Best Hunting Rifles for Women

Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 LW

Almost every AR-15 you find out there is going to be relatively small and lightweight. They are renowned for their easy-to-handle size. This Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 LW isn’t an exemption. It features an incredibly lightweight and sturdy design. The LW abbreviation stands for ‘lightweight’. This rifle weighs 6.05 pounds which makes it one of the top-rated lightweight guns for women.

The rifle also offers eight-position adjustable stock. This feature allows you to adjust the stock’s length from 10.5 to 13.25 inches. Equally, the overall rifle’s length is adjustable from 32.25 to 35.88 inches, and therefore allows adjustment of the length of pull and the length of your build and comfort. Also, the stock has a soft over-molding and a pistol grip, allowing you to shoot for a prolonged time without a feeling of fatigue and discomfort.

Moreover, this gun features a 16 inches barrel, which is the shortest you can get without facing the regulations for short-barreled rifles. However, you can get one with 10.3, 11.5 and 14.5 inches. 

For easy sighting, you will need to add your preferred sights to the featured Picatinny rail that extends along the top of the gun.

Pros

• Customizable stock length
• Padded stock
• Lightweight and robust
• Versatile Picatinny rail

Cons

• It is more expensive than most of its rivals.

Savage 110 Lightweight Storm

This rifle possesses amazing knockdown power but low recoil. It also features an adjustable stock from 12.75 to 13.75 inches. The total length adjusts from 39.75 to 40.75 inches. Also, the stock features comb height spacers which are interchangeable contrary to a comb with adjustable height.

However, the spacers aren’t as quick as the ordinary height adjuster. As a hunting rifle, spacer adjustment isn’t a significant issue. The barrel is 20 inches, and the overall length of this gun is relatively short, thereby offering a perfect length of pull for women.

 Also, it is lightweight weighing as low as 5.65 pounds, and is a manageable gun for any woman who’s traipsing through the bushes in a blind. 

The Savage 110 Lightweight Storm offers minimal chances of accidental discharge thanks to the ergonomic AccuTrigger that’s user-adjustable also to offer customized comfort. The Savage 110 Lightweight Storm is chambered for .270 Win, 7mm-08 Rem.223 Rem, .308 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, and .243 Win. With this wide array of choices, a woman can choose the best ammo that fits her hunting.

Pros

• Manageable size
• Lightweight and robust design
• Low recoil rifle
• Elegant construction

Cons

• Feels too lightweight, and this may at times affect its stability.

Ruger Precision Rimfire

This rifle’s versatile design makes it a practical option for plinking, training and competition, and is ideal for hunting small game animals too. This makes it a perfect hunting rifle for a casual shooter and as an entry-level competition rifle. The design features a single chassis forged from glass-filled nylon and applies an accurate cold hammer target barrel that delivers unusual precision use.

Also, it features a Picatinny rail that’s crafted from anodized aluminum. The Ruger Precision Rimfire offers an ideal sight mounting surface. Besides, the 15-inch M-LOK handguard allows easy accessory attachments. The barrel is 18 inches long and possesses a 1/2-28 TPI threaded muzzle. Chambered in .22LR, this gun is ideal for light and medium capacity hunting.

However, despite its remarkable functionality, it only weighs 6.8 pounds for easy handling. This hunting rifle for women comes with a single 15-round magazine though it’s compatible with 10/22® Rimfire magazine. Additionally, this rifle boasts bolt-throw adjustment which enables the user to emulate the Centerfire rifle bolt throw for shooting-training purposes.

Pros

• Upgraded accuracy
• The sturdy single chassis design
• Great magazine compatibility
• Versatile application

Cons

• It is more expensive than rifles with similar features 

Ruger Precision Rifle

This gun is the best option if you’re looking for a long-range hunting rifle for women. It has an adjustable butt-stock, but it’s also folding to allow comfortable comb height adjustment. Just like the Daniel Defense DDM4 V7 LW, it is relatively lightweight but bigger, and dimensions slightly vary caliber to another. For .308 Win which is the smallest configuration, you can adjust this rifle’s length of pull from 12 to 15.5 inches.

The barrel is 20 inches, and overall gun size ranges from 39.25 to 42.75 inches. 

The Ruger Precision Rifle weighs 9.8 pounds which is way more heavier than its rivals. Thus, you may opt to anchor it on a bipod to manage the weight. While it offers a great amount of weight, this rifle won’t pose insane recoil. As long as the user can bear its weight, it’s easy to hunt with it.  

The Ruger Precision Rifle is ideal for women as it features an inline recoil path between receiver and buttock stock that allows reliable recoil management. Moreover, this rifle boasts a patented Ruger Marksman Adjustable trigger that lets you customize the trigger pull between 2.25 to 5 pounds.

Pros

• Added weight
• Free-floating handguard
• Adjustable stock
• Perfect recoil management

Cons

• Heavier than its rivals

Franchi Affinity Catalyst

This rifle boasts a design that’s based on Franchi’s Affinity line of semi-auto shotguns. You may need to know the difference between a rifle and shotgun to understand this design.

It features an upgraded design with an improved stock design. The shape is ideal for women’s hands. Well, the only upgrade that puts this rifle in a unique class is the feminine stock design which is customized to feel excellent in a woman’s hands. 

The drop, cast, length of pull and pitch are personalized to a woman’s build. It is one simple female hunter’s gun that has a high level of control, same with outright pressure. Simply put, this gun has features that allow it to become the industry’s most cost-effective and inertia-driven semi-auto for ladies.

Featuring a higher comb, it offers a better cheek weld bearing in mind the women’s higher cheek-bones. Well, the stock is quite short, thereby reducing the length of pull to ab13.89 inches. Moreover, the rifle is inertia-driven, just like the original Affinity gun. This unique design reduces felt recoil so that any woman can make precise and accurate shots without overstraining the muscles.

The Affinity Catalyst comes in both 12 gauge and 20 gauge. The latter version seems to be quite hard to find, and maybe you’ve to order it. But it’s worth it since the 20 gauge offers about 50 percent less felt recoil than the 12 gauge version. However, you’ll need to choose the best ammo in both cases.

Pros

• Splendid design and finish
• Robust and lightweight design
• Affordable rifle
• Functional fiber optic front bead

Cons

• It’s not readily available, and you may miss it at your gun retailer’s store.

Tikka T3x

This rifle is favorite for many women and men. Its lightweight design and reduced stock size, as well as recoil padding features, make it worth it. Well, this rifle is a manufacturer’s cost-effective brand but offers tons of unique capabilities. The quality of the gun is guaranteed right out of the box. It features a detachable magazine and a universal rail. 

The 20-inch barrel and 1:8 twist rate make it an excellent option for serious hunters. The barrel has unique rifling featuring four grooves which allow more excellent stability of the projectile. For recoil management, this rifle features a sturdy recoil rug that keeps pressure away from screws. Also, the Tikka T3X features a bolt shroud, which is robust to keep the moving parts secure. 

In addition to the fantastic craft on the barrel and receiver, it features a synthetic stock that’s expertly crafted. The gun is foam-filled to ensure reduced noise usually caused by brushing foliage in the woods. Their modular design and non-slip grip make this gun unusually easy to handle. 

Moreover, you can easily modify this gun by purchasing a pistol grip that offers precise geometries to fit your hand and style of shooting. Also, it’s possible to adjust the fore-end width for a comfortable fit. This rifle has significantly reduced recoil as it features a recoil pad and the gun weighs 7.5pounds which is quite manageable.

Pros

• Adjustable pistol grip and fore-end geometries
• Mid-power cartridge
• Excellent Finnish design
• Great recoil reducers

Cons

• Not as readily available as .308 and other popular calibers

See a full review of the Tikka T3X Rifle here.

Most Popular Rifle Accessories for Women

Best Hunting Calibers for Women

You must have the best rifle-ammo combination to ensure stress-free hunting. . High recoil rifle cartridges won’t be suitable for women who love hunting. Here are some of the best cartridges ideal for hunting.

7mm-08

This caliber was first commercialized in 1980 by Remington Arms. As its name implies, it is a .308 Winchester case with a unique neck design that accepts the 7mm bullet. The casing features a lengthened design to improve its ballistic performance. 

The popularity of this cartridge has seen the development of a variety of factory load and bullet weighing around 100 to 175 grains. Also, this cartridge offers a flatter trajectory compared to the .308 because of the bullet’s smaller diameter. About recoil, this cartridge provides a bit more than the .243 Winchester but still manageable. Therefore, it is an excellent combination for new shooters, youth and women.

.243 Winchester

This ammo is incredibly versatile. Its history dates as far back as 1955. Like the 7mm-08, it utilizes .308 casing that is also necked down to accommodate .243 or 6mm bullet. It is popular ammo since most renowned firearm makers offer guns chambered in it. Its bullet weighs from 55 to 105 grains.

Other popular hunting cartridges include the .30-30 Winchester and .30-06 Springfield. All these hunting cartridges have one thing in common, which is low recoil. Most of the remarkable gun makers offer rifles chambered in these calibers.

A Summary Table for Hunting Rifle Accessories

Conclusion

It’s not quite surprising that most gun-making firms have realized that women too need rifles. You need to choose the best ammo and rifle combination for a successful hunt. 

When buying a rifle, women should most importantly consider the caliber, size, stock and recoil. Since choosing an ideal gun is personal, it would be great to try various options and eventually grab your favorite one.