7x57 mauser vs 243 for son

Status
Not open for further replies.
The 7x57mm is a terrific cartridge without a lot of recoil. If the kid can handle an '06, he can handle the '06's smaller, weaker father. However, it's true that the Mauser won't have good sights unless it's already been modified.

At 10, I'd been hunting small game for at least 4 years, and I used a H&R 20 gauge that kicked worse than any .243 ever made. :rolleyes: Any .243 would have been a welcome relief to my shoulder, and I was absolutely safe. Personally, I think a 7.62x39mm in a real hunting rifle, not an AK pattern, would be an even better choice, but if he can hit a paper-plate sized target at 200 yards with an M1, I'd just borrow that, if that's an option.

John
 
My boy, who is now 15 yrs and 140 lbs, went from a 22lr to a model 1893 Spanish carbine in 7x57 @ 12 yrs old and 100 lbs.
I must confess that I handloaded his ammo to 30-30 class, 160 grn bullets @ 2400 fps.
The stock was bubba'd when we got it, and fit him very well.
The military sights are actually very decent for a military rifle, much better than my German 98.
He still has the rifle (and loves it), but now it wears a Boyd's Laminate sporter stock and a Bold trigger,
he can manage 2"-3" @ 100 yds (young eyes) from a kneeling or seated shooting position, which is plenty good around here.
Most shots here are less than a hundred yards.
I do load full power loads now (for an old mauser @ 44,000 cup) 160grn @ 2700fps and he shoots them just fine,
I find his rifle a pure joy to shoot, and he doesn't want it scoped,
we also have a Savage Model 99 in .300 Savage with a scope if he needs a scoped rifle.
 
7mm for a 10 year old might be a bit harsh. Toss a rubber butt pad on there if his arms are long enough. Get some downloaded ammo (10% under max) to start him out so he don't develop any bad "flinch" habits early. :)

I've been working my boy up through calibers for the last 5 years, he's 15 now and can handle a 12 gauge with 00 buck and a 45 ACP semiauto handgun comfortably.
 
Mauser!!

I would go for the 7X57 Mauser for a few reasons.

If it is a "bubbed" military rifle, the process of refinishing, and upgrading it, is next to restoring an old car the greatest father son activity ever. (ok maybe building a boat).

When a young person puts time in to a project they naturally developed a sense of pride in both the project and themselves. A rifle that a young person has pride in will be treated better and safer than one that is simply given to them.

That rifle will become his heirloom. No one pawns the rifle that they built with their father and shot their first deer with. Your grand kids could very well hold that rifle and hear stores about sanding the stock and rubbing a gallon of oil into the stock.

The 7X57 Mauser really is about a perfect caliber, anything you have ever read about a 7-08 applies to the 7X57. 139 grain bullet going 2600 fps will cleanly kill any deer and yes elk. The recoil in a properly fitted rifle is very manageable.

He is ten now, by spring he will be 10 1/2 or 11, perfect age to start learn how to shoot a deer rifle. Till then a good 22 rifle is the perfect tool to learn the basic skills and safety with.


For the record I am currently building a 7X57 on an old "bubba-ed" 98 Mauser it will have a 20" barrel and a 2X7 scope on it.

When I was 10 years old and top the scales at 135lbs and 5 foot. My after school walking in the Mississippi woods was, Savage 311, 12 gauge double barrel that I had refinished the stock under the watchful eye of my old man. (for the record I do not suggest that double barrel 12 with 30" barrels as an ideal weapon for a 10 year old)
 
Last edited:
Suggestions about how others should raise their children are always rude no matter what the spirit they're offered in.
Relax, I'm not telling you or anybody else how to raise their children. Nor did I spit on your dog or say anything bad about your momma. Personally, I don't think children should be hunting big game but you and everybody else is fully free to disregard my comments. Doesn't have a damn thing to do with how your raise your children, so stop trying so hard to be offended. It has to do with the natural progression of things. Same reason you don't hand a 10yr old a full bore .500S&W or teach a 15yr old to drive in a Corvette. Lots of folks think differently and that is fine. You are obviously free to do as you wish with your own children. It was only a suggestion and you are welcome to ignore it.
 
The 7x57 is the better deer cartrage without a doubt, but a 243 is a grade A deer thumper if you are very mindful of shot angles and distance. I started deer hunting with a 243 as a child, but now I would much rather have a good 7x57.
 
I would go for a 7X57, get some reloading gear and develop loads for your son, as he gets bigger the loads can increase and he can grow into the full potential of the rifle.

Bought a rifle for the grandbuddies recently but was not faced with a choice of two, I did however opt for the 6.5X55mm Swede which they could grow into. I like the classic calibres.
 
He'll learn more in one afternoon of squirrel hunting than he will a season of deer hunting.
Subjective. This is not Dr. Phil, but kinda glad my dad was MY DAD.

OP: My boys use .223 for deer, and they're 8 and 6. .243 or 7/08 sounds bout right.
 
I would probably also go with the .243; just seems like a good fit for 10 year old. I always kind of felt that the "natural" order of things, as far as rifle calibers go, would be .22LR, .223, .243, and then something like a .30-06 or .308 (or larger), for whatever kind of hunting you might want to do later on.
 
the old reliable 7mm Mauser can do just about anything in North America and can be loaded for little recoil and he can grow into it, customize it etc. as for the comment about a 10 year old hunting, I grew up hunting out in the oilfields of my area, started with a .22, killed my first deer at 7 with a Model 94 30-30. at 59 years young, still hunting, and had a 6 year old grandchild in the stand with us this past weeekend. shooting and hunting will be his choice to make.
 
Great info and advise ya'll. I picked up the mauser anyway, but may take some or your advise and handload some progressive rounds. This will test the waters and see what he likes. I found a pretty good deal on the mossberg 100ATR, for around $269.00 and my sons papa has let me borrow his 7mm08. I am not sold on the 7mm08, but I may be able to load some rounds for him to shoot. The jury is still out on that one. Either way, I think I have a few options now and I have a ton of info/advise to digest fron the forum. That is why I love coming in here. Take care.

JD
 
My Grandad started me out with a Winchester 30-30 at age 13. I toppled several deer with this old timer. Recoil is noticeable but not painful at all. Its a very good rifle cartridge for distances of approx 150 yards or less with common factory ammo.

Dad bought a Remington .243 back in 1968 for my brother and me to share because we needed longer reach for antelope hunting. We lived near Powell, Wyoming at the time. This rifle is still in the family. It has toppled several dozen 'lopes and mulies. Recoil is a little less than 30-30 in my opinion but still noticeable.

If it were me, I'd pass on the 7mm military rifle because they tend to be heavy and have awkward safeties. Jusy my2 cents.

Good hunting to you.

TR
 
What is the intended game? The 7x57 has an edge for larger animals.

All else being equal, I'd definitely go with the 7x57. But it sounds like the packages are very different, so this must be considered. While I'd prefer the 7x57 cartridge over the .243 every day and twice on Sunday, if the 7mm is an old bubba'd military rifle and the .243 is a modern sporter, the .243 may be a better choice for your boy.

In short, I'd say the rifles themselves are the bigger deciding factor.
 
I would go with the 7x57 personally.

if the 7mm is an old bubba'd military rifle
He's my old bubba'ed military 7x57mm. It is a Chaing-Kai-Shek M-98 action(originally in 8x57)with a "new' unissued Latin contract 20" barrel. stock is a reworked Charles Daly from CDNN for $39. Scope is a Weaver Buck Commander 3.2.5x10x40 in Leupold rings and base. Trigger is a Bold Optima w/thumb safety set at 2lbs. Set-up is 1moa with both 139grn and 175grn factory ammo. It's size and heft is very much like an older Remington Model 7. Pictured also with a Stevens 200/Savage model 10 for comparison.
 
Last edited:
Wait, jimmyray, are you the OP's friend and that's the 7mm in question? Or you're just showing off your sweet 7x57?

Because if the former, I think the OP should get the .243 and I should get the 7x57....;)

Looks like Bubba had his chit together when he built that one. :D
 
Thank you.I built that using a 1935 Chaing-kai-Shek receiver and a new unissued Latin contract barrel. Reworked bolt,added an FN bolt sleeve and Bold trigger set at 2 lbs. Reworked a Charles Daly synthetic stock(fully bedded with acra-glass). Brownell's hot bluing. Scope is a Weaver Buck Commander 3.2.5X10X40. The Savage beside it was converted from a .223 Remington to first .243 win and then to .308 win. In my personal experience,I find the 7x57 to be a much sweeter shooting round than the .243 win. Not that there is ANYTHING wrong with the little .243.
 
Last edited:
Only one way to solve this is to get them both, as others have mentioned. They should provide a great learning experience for the young man and dad.


NCsmitty
 
It is really hard to beat the 243 for smaller/younger shooters. Or older/fatter ones.......like myself.
I am looking for a 700 SS 243, but DICK'S doesn't have the one I want in stock.
I started my boys out on a 243 loaded with 75gr h.p. hornady; never had to chase anything. Something I learned about short barrels and the 243 - tends to have a lot of excessive crack with certain powders. Easy for a youngster to get a noise/blast flinch bad habit from those kind of rounds.
A 243 shoots pretty M.O.D. ( minute-of-deer) with a 4x scope out to 270yds.
What is not to like.
 
I'm going to get both. As several has suggested, can't go wrong with either one and we can both have a nice project to work on. A gunsmith friend of mine was able to get me a mossberg 100ATR at cost, so all in all I think I did pretty good. Again, thanks for all the info/advise and we will see how it works out next weekend. If anyone has any light 270 loads that would be willing to share, I'm all ears. I would like to try him out on my 270, once he is broken in on the 243, but several have advised lightening the load a bit. I can definately understand, but I think he would love my 270 and eventually he can take it over if he likes. Thanks.

JD
 
Another vote for the 6.5x55 Swede he can shoot it now and not grow out of it later.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top