[Hi Ball]

Vicky, when it comes to being small in stature, I know exactly where your coming from, the last thing your body needs, is to be smacked around by recoil from a rifle. Now that is NO FUN!

A person needs to be able to shoot at least 50 rounds a sitting in order to become reliable with a rifle and attain a certain amount of accuracy down range. If sitting down and shooting that rifle starts to hurt after 10 or 12 rounds, then you have to much gun starting out OK. You will develope what is known as a "flinch" and this is NOT what you want to have, trying to nail a big buck at 200 yards.

However, I believe that your going down the right road if you choose a caliber like the 257 Roberts or the 25-06 for the harvesting of whitetail deer, antelope or mule deer out west. Elk hunting Vicky is another subject all together and it takes more gun (larger caliber and more bullet weight) speaking frankly than a 1/4 bore (25-06) OK. Yes, I did shoot a bull elk this past season with my 25-06, however I did have all the ACES (proper conditions) in my hand before the shot was fired and that doesn't happen very often in the high country going after a bull elk. The perfect broadside presentation and no wind to deal with that day.

My wife target shoots with a model 70 caliber .243 for practice at the bench and field positions. The recoil on a caliber like this is a mere 8 to 10 pounds of recoil. A 270 Winchester will have as much as 16 to 22 pounds of recoil depending on the powder load and weight bullet shot. It has taken her a while but she is now shooting her 7mm magnum with a 160 grain bullet once again after 2 cancer operations. I would advise the 7mm magnum caliber for YOU as your elk hunting rifle. You just purchase a PAST RECOIL pad (wearing it over your shoulder) and it will take 50% of that recoil away, putting you very close to the recoil of the 25-06 at 10 to 12 pounds! Once you have done this and trust me, as both our kids growing up followed this routine and my daughter is not big at 115 pounds. She now shoots a model 70 in a 270 caliber for deer and antelope. She hasn't gone after elk as of yet. If she does, she will be using mother's 7mm mag and mom will by then be back to her .338 mag.

No matter what caliber you finally choose, that PAST RECOIL PAD is the ticket to getting rid of 50% of the recoil at a very cheap price, as it is only around $40 dollars. Stay away from the Muzzle Brakes as these are prone to cause you hearing loss as well as those around you. My wife before her operations, used to shoot a .338 Win mag off the back porch with 210 grain bullets, using the PAST RECOIL PAD......Amen. She is 5' 7" and tips the scales at 140lb her age I better not give........I don't like sleeping with the dogs LOL