Need a low recoil rifle for the wife

[M4BGRINGO 139]

I'd go with either a 223 or pistol caliber carbine.  I've been eyeing the Beretta CX

I have a CX4 in .40 and it does have a fair amount of recoil with stock ammo. The 9mm wasn't as bad. I shoot the .40 all the time, sold the 9mm.

I also have CZ-527's (bolt action carbines) in 7.62x39 and .223, they both have a fair amount of kick. I like them, but not everyone would. Really nice little guns though. A recoil pad would help, but now you're getting close to the price of a cheap AR which will still be a softer shooting gun.

A .223 AR would have the least amount of recoil out of the box and be very easy to find ammo for.

[JonF 79]

Gas operated semi auto soaks up a load of recoil. A plain Jane bolt action sucks up zero recoil.

As does sheer weight. A bolt gun with a heavy varmint/target profile plus light to medium handloads would attenuate the recoil substantially. While you can address the same by putting a heavy profile upper on an AR, you cannot load em light and expect function.

[sure shot 0]

Everyone should have at least one AR rifle IMO.

[FishNJ 2]

AR. With the right buffer all you hear is bang and feel nothing.

[Malice4you 627]

I have a Savage 10FCP-K .223 bolt action which has a pretty low recoil.  It has a muzzle brake and a very soft buttpad from the factory that soaks up recoil, not to mention it is pretty heavy.  I think it has less perceived recoil than some ARs I've shot...and it is plenty accurate.  Rifle was around $850-900.

 

If that's still too much, a .17HMR or .22mag would be the only other cartridges I can think of off the top of my head.  I recently picked up a Savage 93R17TR, a heavy barrel .17HMR bolt action.  The .17 HMR recoils barely more than a .22LR, but with a bit more noise.  I imagine the .22mag is similar, and I plan to get another Savage chambered in it eventually.  Benefit of these rimfires is the rifles are cheap...the Savages I looked at were ~$250-450 depending on model.  Downside is they are non-reloadable rounds...

 

I've never shot a lever chambered in a pistol caliber, but my lever .22LR is a lot of fun.  I imagine the pistol caliber levers are even more fun, and if you reload, you can tailor separate loads for yourself and your wife.  I plan to get a lever in .38/.357 at some point too.

[stifffingers 0]

Go to accurateshooter.com and click on 20cal on left side of page. Then read the featured article on the 20Practical. There is a video for you to watch and listen to mild report. I purchased the custom made upper for my AR and the die and neck reducing sizing buttons. The whole process is as easy as the article states. Your wife will take over ownership of your AR. I had to wait for the upper to be made, about a two to three month waiting list. Don't know how long now but mine is available for $1150. I'm into benchrest shooting now and don't have any time left to shoot it. I enjoyed shooting it when I did.

[MandM 2]

Another +1 for building an AR.

 

.223 is a very manageable caliber, but my $0.02... don't forget to take into consideration the build weight.

 

My GF loves shooting my Franken-AR but her biggest complaint is the weight. She says it's too heavy for her. (In it's current config, it's 8.8lbs unloaded.) She made me promise that the next one I build will be lighter so it could be "her" AR. ("Build another AR? No problem!")

[Rob0115 1,105]

Savage 17hmr is a sweet rifle with great trigger

[jm1827 284]

Savage 17hmr is a sweet rifle with great trigger

I was thinking the same thing...I may have to try one out one of these days.