Youth big game rifle

[bailer]

I'm starting to think about what to set my oldest son up with when he is legal for big game in AZ at 10. Rest assured that he is learning: safety, marksmanship, etc..., and will take Hunter Safety prior to earning a license.

In AZ he's most likely going to have the opportunity for Jr. doe tags, and Jr. cow elk. He's fairly long limbed, and may grow enough to fit my Savage 99 308. I haven't shot either a 260 or 7-08, are either significantly milder in recoil than a 308? IMHO the cow elk rule out cartridges in the 243 range, at least in the hands of my inexperienced son.

Does anyone have experience with the NEF Handi's? They have youth models and appear to be available in 7-08.

I could also buy a bolt gun off a used rack, cut off or re-stock for appropriatte fit...

I look forward to the wisdom of those who have been through this before.

 

[Pat McCoy]

7-08 recoil is about the same as .308, but you can oad it down.

Good starter calibers are .250 Sav, .260 Rem, 6.5x55, 7x57, even 7.62x39 at close ranges.

Great to see another youngster get started. You might look for a junior club with air rifles or .22s to get him good habits in the basics of sight alingment and trigger control.

 

[rocklock]

Yes, I bought a Handirifle in .270 Winchester. Don't have any experience with the 7-08. It went through 3 sons, hunting deer, pronghorns, & cow elk. My kids were all a bit bigger than average when they reached hunting age (12 here in C0), so I had no need to cut down the stock, but I was ready to do so as it's pretty easy to do, and add back to it as they get bigger. I reload, so I was able to come up with some milder loads that wouldn't blow them out of their socks. When they were after elk, they had to use full power loads. Even a cow can be pretty tough to put down if she's motivated. I never let them take shots over 100 yards, always with a rest, until they showed they could shoot further. The Handirifle is nice and light, and plenty accurate for hunting. Don't go cheap on the optics, I made that mistake when I first got the rifle, the kids needed to be able to see just as good as I could with the higher quality scope on my rifle. Doesn't need to be top of the line, just not a Walmart $49.00 special. Hunting with each of them as they got old enough was different with each of them- none of the hunting situations were the same, as neither were any of the children. Be PATIENT! Make sure they know what being an ethical hunter means, and that they know they aren't going to be successful every time they go hunting- that's why they call it hunting. OK, I went past the subject of the rifle a bit, I'll quit now.

 

[bailer]

No worries going past the initial question Rock. The other info falls under my request for the wisdom of others, and is appreciated.

 

[snowpro440]

which caliber

buy a .30 cal and have a recoil compensator put on , i have a 300 wsm with a comp. on it and i can shoot it all day , but without it i could not shoot at the bench but just a few shots . then you can shoot 110 grain for coyotes 150 for deer and 180 or 220 for elk and it will reduce the recoil 50-65 % if this helps , works for me . i know i dont want to take the recoil of the300 ultra mag

 

[skinewmexico]

I saw a youth rifle the other day in the gun store, and it came with a coupon for an adult stock later. I'll look again.

 

[Ifishsum]

I saw a youth rifle the other day in the gun store, and it came with a coupon for an adult stock later. I'll look again.

Sounds like a Savage. I bought one last year in 7mm-08 and it shoots very well, both my 13YO son and I killed deer with it last fall.

 

[jedwi]

Check out the Savage Youth Model. I got one in .243 at age 57 but height 5'6".
It is very comfortable, accurate, and has a great trigger....

 

[TCB in TN]

My advice is to take the boy shooting a bunch and see if he has a preference for differing actions and cals. My sons were pretty much oblivious to recoil, with my oldest taking his first white tail with a 30-06 at 11 and my youngest taking his with the same at 10. Later in the same year my youngest took his second with a 7mm mag, and both have hunted with .308, 7mm mag, and 30-06 since. Neither were over 110lbs but had good form and had shot enough to be comfortable. I had each a NEF .243 but early last year both decided they were ready for something else and so I got both bolt 30-06's and they are very happy with them. (BTW they are 12 and 14 currently both between 110 and 125lbs).

 

[Ridgerunner665]

A 308 would do fine...but a good SOFT KICKING start is very important...If you really want to get him something...get the 260...I haven't shot one...but I cant tell much difference between my 308 and my 7-08 when the 7-08 is shooting stout loads. (Hornady 139 grain Light Magnum loads)

My son started with and still uses a 243...but we don't have elk here (none that we are allowed to hunt... yet anyway)

Just my humble opinion...

 

[X-Rap]

My daughter who is the smallest of my children and weighed in well under 100# when she started shoots a Ruger 77 old model in 280. It has a muzzle break bored into the barrel and was bought for under 300 bucks with the 4x weaver scope. The break was done for about $100. She has shot numerous muleys and elk with it and she may never need another. Its hard to beat a good bolt for a kid to learn with since they will likely end up with one eventually.

 

[skinewmexico]

I got my kids a Howa youth rifle in 7mm08, and it's pretty unpleasant to shoot.

 

[Bartkowski]

If you want a larger caliber for elk you should have one with a compensator for him. I have shot a .300 weatherby with a compensator (about an 8 pound gun with the scope) and it recoiled less than a 30-30.

And considering how light a handi rifle is a; 7-08 would probably have some recoil to it.

 

[T.R.]

270, .308. 30-06 and others are now offered in reduced recoil ammo.

Remington makes Managed Recoil ammo.

FEDERAL makes LITE recoil ammo.

This ammo is accurate and hits hard for deer sized animals.

TR

 

[surjimmy]

Weatherby also makes a youth package, comes with 2 stocks.

 

[B Man]

CVA makes an Optima Elite series now. I bought my little brother one in a 7mm-08 last year for $319, and I was amazed at the recoil. The recoil pad is VERY soft almost like a limb saver and the stock was a drop down design like the T/C encores. You might want to look into that

 

[MCgunner]

7-08 will kill any elk that walks with the right bullet in the right place out to 300 yards and is light on the shoulder. .260 I'm not too warm on, but some folks are. Me, I'd go 7-08 in a Savage Youth. .270 is pretty light recoil as well as .280 Remington, but the little 7-08 is enough.

 

[stevereno1]

remington model seven in 25-06 would be my choice.

 

[dakotasin]

bailer - a critical question... do you handload?

i got my daughter a 300 wsm for her 8th b-day. cut the (adult) stock down in half inch increments (using dowel holes for proper alignment later). put on a neoprene cheekpiece (little faces can't get proper scope alignment), and slide on kick-eez recoil pad, and sume extra inserts.

i worked up a few different low recoil options, and ended up w/ the 130 grain hornadys at 2600 f/s. it is at the upper limit of my daughter's recoil tolerance, but we go shooting 2-4 times/week, and she is getting better and better.

this load allows lots of room for growth and recoils soft enough for practice.

failing handloading, i suggest a 25-06 or 257 roberts.

stocks are easy to come by, and easy to alter if they are wood.

 

[oldrevolverguy]

youth caliber/rifle

My 9 year old is hunting with a Marlin 336C 30-30 with a Weaver 1X3 scope in Weaver mounts and rings. I replaced the wood stock (saved them for when he grows sufficiently) with Ramline's Cadet stock. He is small for his age, but this combination fits him perfectly. With Hornady LeverRevolution ammo he is good to go for deer/elk size game within the 100 yard limit I am insisting on.

FYI - I let him shoot my pet Remington 700 270 with the Remington Reduced Recoil load. The recoil was milder than his 30-30 and he shot it well. I would not hesitate to use the remington Reduced Recoil ammo as an introductory load for a young or small statured shooter.

 

[hobbeeman]

Also, look up some of the posts by H&H hunter, he wrote some great techniques for proper positioning to handle recoil on all rifles, even the big boys he uses in Africa

I am sorry that I did not paste those into my files

Maybe someone else can direct you to the particular posts...

 

[Zip7]

I kind of went a different route with my son because he shoots lefty. I don't have any lefty guns, so when I went to get him a deer rifle, I started looking at smaller lighter guns, but ended up getting a Ruger #1, and it turned out to have a couple of advantages.

For one, it made him think about the shot more - being a single shot. He's a better shot and more patient hunter, which in my eyes are good things... Two, it's a 270 and recoil is not very bad at all because it's a fairly heavy gun.

 

[achildofthesky]

Lot's of good ideas but I reckon I have to side with T.R. on this subject. Getting a 270, 308 or an '06 makes good sense especially as you have the savage in 308 (a nice rifle). Lite or managed recoil ammo is very easy to find and the regular to heavy loads add a high degree of versatility for future your hunting adventures. If you reload, you can roll your own loads to suit the occasion and even carry a few heavier, properly marked loads for any mixed bag hunts you may do. Just be sure to check the heavier loads POI with the rifle sighted in for the lighter loads. Above all, enjoy the time with the lad. You will remember them forever.

Be safe

Patty

 

[LATex79]

My younger sister started with a .243 and as an adult woman she still uses it. She did upgrade the stock though. Also, we are not shooting at elk, just deer and hogs. Shot placement is key and finding a low recoil load will boost the child's confidence.

 

[JShirley]

Well, the Elk thing changes things a bit.

One interesting choice is a youth Rossi with .22, 20 gauge, and .44 Magnum barrel, but whether you could use this would depend on the ranges you anticipate.


John