Building a Gun for the Wife

[Johnny Too-Tall]

The wife absolutely floored me last night by saying she wants to start shooting with me and going to Rondy's "But doesn't want to dress up" Either way its a start and I'll take it. So heres the situation. She wants a light weight short barrel rifle and she likes the browned steel look better. My 36" 13/16 40 cal TN Rifle is too awkward for her. And she loves my Lancaster styles rifles but doesn't like the brass. So my thinking is making a 13" LOP steel Lancaster rifle with a 32" 45 cal 13/16" barrel with a percussion lock (her choice not mine). I think the rifle should be light enough and fit her better. Looking for advice from fellow builders what yall have built in a similar situation. Or should I build a TN rifle with same specs.
Half stocks are out of the question as she not a fan. I have a 28" 3/4" 40 cal rifle I built for the boys when they were younger and its referred to as "Schitt Stick" due to the brown color and she wants a "real rifle" like mine just smaller. What advice ya got.

 

[martin9]

MBS has some of the "youth" 36" swamped barrels by Rice in stock. I'd use one of those. The balance and weight would be far superior to a 13/16" barrel. In fact a 38" A weight swamped barrel would still be better than the straight barrel. I doubt she'll mind the extra length when she feels how well it balances.

 

[Larry (Omaha)]

The wife absolutely floored me last night by saying she wants to start shooting with me and going to Rondy's "But doesn't want to dress up" Either way its a start and I'll take it. So heres the situation. She wants a light weight short barrel rifle and she likes the browned steel look better. My 36" 13/16 40 cal TN Rifle is too awkward for her. And she loves my Lancaster styles rifles but doesn't like the brass. So my thinking is making a 13" LOP steel Lancaster rifle with a 32" 45 cal 13/16" barrel with a percussion lock (her choice not mine). I think the rifle should be light enough and fit her better. Looking for advice from fellow builders what yall have built in a similar situation. Or should I build a TN rifle with same specs.
Half stocks are out of the question as she not a fan. I have a 28" 3/4" 40 cal rifle I built for the boys when they were younger and its referred to as "Schitt Stick" due to the brown color and she wants a "real rifle" like mine just smaller. What advice ya got.

13/16" barrel, and 45 cal for sure. Swamp if you intend to put a little more money in it. I would scout the net for photos and let her pick the style and furniture she likes, then you have your answer. Us guys don't know what she wants, even if we think so.
WTG! She is a keeper!
Larry

 

[The Crisco Kid]

A tapered barrel might be more period correct for a percussion and would balance nearly (note that I said nearly) as well as a swamped barrel. A 45 may be better for rondy shooting than a 40 only because the heavier ball rings steel with more authority.

 

[HSmithTX]

I have a green mountain 45 cal 13/16 straight barrel if you need it, 36 long but easy to cut back. I second the recommendation to let her look at all the pictures and pick what she wants, just don't show her any Lehigh LOL.

 

[ord sgt]

If you build a new rifle for your wife, take some measurements. Length of pull from the butt to the trigger. I know nothing about your wife, but generally, women's arms are shorter than men's. The stock must fit her well. It will increase the enjoyment of the sport.
A swamped barrel will help with balance, especially with offhand shooting.

 

[64Springer]

4 out of 5 dentists agree that 99 times out of 100 these "Wife" rifles are for the husbands.

Unless the Wife plays for the WNBA, a 13" LOP is WAY to long.

But would probably fit the OP perfectly.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

4 out of 5 dentists agree that 99 times out of 100 these "Wife" rifles are for the husbands.

Unless the Wife plays for the WNBA, a 13" LOP is WAY to long.

But would probably fit the OP perfectly.

HAHA Not True I am 6'6" and perfer a LOP of 14.5-14.75. But she likes the LOP that were modern gun is which is 13" so that was what I was going to go with. But I do like your thinking.

 

[64Springer]

HAHA Not True I am 6'6" and perfer a LOP of 14.5-14.75. But she likes the LOP that were modern gun is which is 13" so that was what I was going to go with. But I do like your thinking.

Have your wife make a crook with her finger.

Then measure from the crook to the seam/joint where her forearm meets her upper arm.

That is the correct length of pull for damn near every human.

 

[Johnny Too-Tall]

Have your wife make a crook with her finger.

Then measure from the crook to the seam/joint where her forearm meets her upper arm.

That is the correct length of pull for damn near every human.

Tracking thank you sir. For the record she is 6'1"

 

[jdw276]

Tracking thank you sir. For the record she is 6'1"

Ah, just liike my mother who was 5'11" used to say. I did not raise tall sons to marry short daughters.

 

[64Springer]

At 6-1, I would take her to various stores and let her shoulder various rifle. Doesn't matter what kind.

The first rifle that feels great, whip out a tape measure and check the LOP on that rifle.

Then let her try your rifles and see what drop in the comb feels the best.

So she can see the sights properly. Eye too high. Eye to low. Etc.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Have your wife make a crook with her finger.

Then measure from the crook to the seam/joint where her forearm meets her upper arm.

That is the correct length of pull for damn near every human.

According to that I should shoot a 15.5 inch pull. I find 13.5 to be best. I'm 5ft 11.

 

[Kmcmichael]

I like longer LOP, but on rifle, I don’t find it critical. before I took an oath of poverty(retirement) I got measured for a British style game gun. My LOP was 16”. The gun is great for wing shooting. I can shoot a 13.5 rifle just fine by placing my thumb alongside the stock instead of over. I do however have the physique of an Orangutan, not the handsome sexy ones in the zoo, more like their primitive ancestor.
Length of pull can be very subjective. We have adapted to the shorter pulls because we grew up with them.
I hope your wife decides to shoot with you.

 

[Elfirgnol]

I have thought that a Kibler SMR with the barrel cut off to about 38" would be an excellent woman's or small mans rifle. I'm going to be working on converting a .45 SMR to percussion once I get some other projects out of the way. That might be a good option for your wife, unless you want to do a scratch build.

 

[Col. Batguano]

There are other measurements to be taken too beside those determining LOP. Womens' features are usually slighter and finer than mens, so drop at the comb and heel might need to be less. less cast-off, but more toe-in twist in the butt. Building a custom gun is a very individual thing.

And don't forget to take those measurements with the clothing she is likely to be wearing while shooting, in the shooting position you are primarily building it for.

The main thing you're looking for is how and where her cheek engages with the stock, and how her eye then aligns with the sights (with the head erect and eye looking through the center of the socket) and sights level.