Sharing a rifle: bad idea?

[matechakeric]

Is it a terrible idea to share a rifle setup with my wife? We will both be going hunting this fall. She is 5'5 and I'm 5'10. She has shot my rifle before and done fine at the range but with a scope dialed in and shooting from any random field rest and position, should I just buy her a rifle or would we be ok as is?

 

[geewhiz]

Have her practice with it and gain confidence and proficiency. No reason that wouldnt work. However, if you need an excuse to buy another rifle, I'm here to back you brother.

 

[TN2shot07]

Have her practice with it and gain confidence and proficiency. No reason that wouldnt work. However, if you need an excuse to buy another rifle, I'm here to back you brother.

X2

I went ahead and bought my wife a rifle. She hasn’t shot it yet but I went ahead and scoped it up and sighted it in, just for when she gets around to it!

 

[VikingsGuy]

If budget is tight or if you are not sure there will be a second trip, it will work. But if there is real interest and you have a few bucks, I would get her her own. Length of pull, eye relief, cheek height, overall build, recoil sensitivity, etc all vary significantly and it will be more comfortable for her to shoot a rifle set up for her. Ask yourself how happy you would be hunting with a rifle setup for a 5’5” woman.

 

[2rocky]

She is the one who you should be asking. If this is her first hunt and she's not sure if she is going to get into it, then yeah, share the rifle. But if she feels like she will shoot more in the off season and likes the idea of her own gun then you better get her her own. You might find a different caliber suits her better than yours.

I'm not opposed to a pair of hunters sharing a rifle makes it quite clear on whose shot it was...

 

[morley.tyler]

If the budget is tight, then move on... but to get sound advice, tell the whole story.

• State/Region
• Animal(s) hunted
• experience level of the hunter(s)/shooter(s)
• Caliber of current rifle
• will she hunt again

 

[huntin24/7]

Everyone having their own rifle setup is ideal but far from necessary. When my wife and I go, I carry the only rifle so it’s less weight for her. She’s a good shot and and our poi has always been virtually identical on every rifle. The fact that we’re the same height with similar arm length probably helps as well.

 

[Dakotakid]

If the budget is tight, then move on... but to get sound advice, tell the whole story.

• State/Region
• Animal(s) hunted
• experience level of the hunter(s)/shooter(s)
• Caliber of current rifle
• will she hunt again

I don’t think I have enough info to really answer the question, well.

My wife says she would not want to use my rifle and she likes to have a second backup person if stuff happened and she says a safe Hunter is the person responsible for her own weapon.

The smart Alec answer is to sell your rifle and buy one that she loves, pink if necessary.

I would add the question of how does your wife handle stress and sometimes chaos? Does she get mad at you if it doesn’t go right.

 

[HSi-ESi]

Lots of variables in the OP question - and when there is some responses to the great questions posed - I think an answer will be obvious.

My wife is left-eye dominant. Comes from a family that hunts, but doesn't hunt like me (they aren't obsessed). When we were dating she wanted to shoot a deer with me - I let her pick whatever gun she wanted (one of my guns, buy a gun, etc). She doesn't like right-handed bolt guns as she shoots lefty and really doesn't like the bolt in her field of vision. She didn't really want to buy another gun (although I am always looking for an opportunity). I have a lever action .308 - so she shot that a bit, liked it and chose that one to use for deer.

I guess I'm saying, let her choose. Layout some options and she'll do great. The only restriction would be in "method of take" - i.e. - as long as it's a legal caliber in your state. Other than that - have fun with the experience.

 

[Don Fischer]

For crying out loud, buy her her own rifle!

 

[JLS]

Ask her, not us. My wife has used my rifle and Ive used hers.

 

[std7mag]

I vote to get her a rifle.
Something that fits her.
While LOP may be close, weman are still built differently than men.
They usually like more droop, castoff & a higher comb. Along with a slimmer grip.

If you can find a Weatherby Lady Camilla, or Savage Lady Hunter, let her shoulder those.

 

[Cheesehead]

The most important thing is to decide whether huntress is a word

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I have one and she shoots tacks!
Hopi Indian and she will scalp ya' too!

 

[Boarmaster]

Buy her a rifle. I would buy one suitable for her but that you might want to use as well. Kind of a spare.

 

[OntarioHunter]

If budget is tight or if you are not sure there will be a second trip, it will work. But if there is real interest and you have a few bucks, I would get her her own. Length of pull, eye relief, cheek height, overall build, recoil sensitivity, etc all vary significantly and it will be more comfortable for her to shoot a rifle set up for her. Ask yourself how happy you would be hunting with a rifle setup for a 5’5” woman.

Well, I don't think there would be a significant difference in those variables for two people so close to the same size. I say you'll do just fine with one gun. At this point you'll be hunting right together. My PH offered me his gun to shoot this fine wildebeest last August. The range was beyond the 30-06 I was using and his gun had a bipod. I was shooting over the edge of a shallow dry wash and that setup would work perfectly. I had never shot the gun or caliber before. He did warn me it had a light trigger. "Whenever you're ready-BANG!" Just that quick and easy. Shot it right behind the ear at 370 yards.

Get her to the range and familiar with your rifle. Don't overdo it. Ammo is too scarce right now and blowing away a lot of it is not necessary anyway. Overdoing it is a good way to promote flinch.

 

[Big Bore]

I don't think sharing is a bad idea. But I think buying her, her own is an outstanding idea. Fuel her instinct and solidify a long-term hunting partner.

 

[Fire_9]

Well, I don't think there would be a significant difference in those variables for two people so close to the same size. I say you'll do just fine with one gun. At this point you'll be hunting right together. My PH offered me his gun to shoot this fine wildebeest last August. The range was beyond the 30-06 I was using and his gun had a bipod. I was shooting over the edge of a shallow dry wash and that setup would work perfectly. I had never shot the gun or caliber before. He did warn me it had a light trigger. "Whenever you're ready-BANG!" Just that quick and easy. Shot it right behind the ear at 370 yards.

Get her to the range and familiar with your rifle. Don't overdo it. Ammo is too scarce right now and blowing away a lot of it is not necessary anyway. Overdoing it is a good way to promote flinch.
View attachment 222989

We get it, you‘ve hunted Africa….

 

[VikingsGuy]

We get it, you‘ve hunted Africa….

Ontario theme song??

 

[BucksnDucks]

I've found sharing a rifle to be fine if the "sharee" is familiar with it and had some range time.
One negative I discovered from sharing with my son is we have very different check weld heights. I need a much higher height and use either adjustable check welds or foam inserts on my rifles. Once we became aware of this, he shoots my rifles just fine.