Youth Big game hunting!!

2BGood

I have a 10 yr old son that will be hunting with me in Colorado in a couple years I would like to start shopping for a rifle for him to use For Elk and Mule deer in the rocky mountains. Was wondering what the Experts Recomended? Gun, caliber, ideas?[?]

hadjii

Well, last weekend my 14 year old daughter shot my 30-06, and didn't really mind it after she shot the first shot. She was hitting milk jugs every time at about 125 yards. Having said that, I think I am going to start my youngest daughter out shooting a 257 Roberts, and I think that would be fine. A little light for elk maybe, but it'd be a great mule deer gun. Another good choice for the younger, or smaller, or any hunter for that matter would be a 7mm-08. Excellent accuracy, light on the butt-end, but has a pretty good wallop on the receiving end. Actually, that would probably be the best gun you could buy for him. Lots of good lightweight rifles are chambered for that round, and it has been around long enough, that it has stood pretty tough in the whirlwind of new calibers.

Snellstrom

Well opinions will abound on this one so here's mine. I personnaly think that people should be real careful about exposing kids to recoil as it will make them bad or worse shots. My 12 year old drew a cow tag this year and I will have him use a .243 with Barnes x bullets for that hunt, I know everybody says way too light but I beg to differ. The kid is shooting sub MOA groups with it and we will be very careful as to what shot is taken so we are assured optimum results, no risky shots.
My brother has taken several elk with the 257 Roberts as well as several mule deer and if careful this works fine, very similar to the .243 but even heavier bullets are available.
The trouble with .260 and 7mm-08 and up is that when you get a small handy rifle that kids can manuever it KICKS!
If you go this route ( bigger than 243, or 257 Roberts ) make sure you use the recoil sensitive ammo or reduced loads. I'm working on reduced loads now from the Hodgdons powder website for a .284 Win in a Ruger M77 (Flatbolt I might add!) for my son to step up to when he's ready. No point in making kids shoot those big guns and developing bad habits.
All of this is in my opinion, other persons opinions may differ.

codenamepaul

I would not sweat the recoil thing so much. I did, turned out to be moot. I had my daughter practice (limited practice) with her hunting clothes on. The thickness of the clothes pretty much negated any concerns I had with recoil. You may find stock length to be an issue so you may have to shorten it an inch or inch and a half.

When the meekest of men raise their fist at you in defiance, you have lost. It is just a matter then of admitting it to yourself.

He Dog

If you want your kid to develop a flinch to aid his shooting, buy all means buy the largest cannon he can drag. With proper bullet placement a .243 will drop an elk, and I know of guys that have dropped 20 with one. My suggestion would be to prevail upon friends to let him try a variety of rifles in different stocks and calibers and let him sort out what is comfortable for him. Then buy a rifle in that caliber that fits him well, and practice, practice, practice. When he can reliably put that bullet where it needs to go a .257, .270, .308, or whatever will do the job. A .300 magnum that punishes him with recoil will not make him a better shooter, prove he has cajones, or encouage him to stay in the shooting sports.

Ronald J. Snow

Weatherby is ofering their Vanguard Compact is both 243 and 308 (rumor is that another big game caliber is being added) with both a youth and adult stock, 20" barrel and no sights. The ones I have seen are accurate and the trigger pull is very good.

andy12390

im a mauser fan so i'll just say you can get them in many calibers for a very reasonable price, and most are sporterized military rifles so many are customized nicely...jeweled bolts, custom barrels/triggers. not only that, im not sure if u already have one but cleaning them is so easy...open latch, remove bolt, clean barrel (whatever else u need to) put the bolt back in and thats it, no screws to take out, no pins. calibers....if you want to go with a heavier one, try and consider a muzzle break. [8D]

NEF 20 ga.
western field 12, double
marlin 70pss 22lr
mauser 98 7X57
mauser 98 .243

2BGood

Wow,,,.243,,or 270,,,o6.
I would think it need to fit him as well. how about gun manufactures and models? He isnt going to be very big at 12 really dont want him to scare away.
Recoil is important,,I would like to teach him to place the shot.

iluvguns

Bought my son a Handi-Rifle in 243 to start with. Shoots lights out with it, and in the past 2 years has shot it 12 times and killed 11 deer with it. (One had to have a "killing" shot to the back of the head) This year he wanted something "bigger". Sent the receiver back in and got a 308 barrel for it. The new barrel cost ~$80. He still has the same rifle he was used to, now just with more "oomph". If the Handi-Rifle fits your son, might want to look at one of them.

EDIT...he was 9 when I got this rifle for him.

sandwarrior

2bgood,

I personally like the .243/6mm/.257 class of rifle to start out hunting muleys with. With the right bullet selection and a good stalk you can get well within range of elk and learn some patience to place a good shot and any of these cartridges will take an elk. You can move up to bigger rifles as the confidence level gets a little bigger.
Something that I differ with a lot of people about is rifle weight. Most people I know do everything they can to shave ounces off a rifle. When you go to practice with the rifle it pounds you. You start flinching. Pack a little extra weight and not have a larger caliber kicking the living daylights out of you. It's worth it.

A sidenote to this is last year when we were conducting deer rifle sight-in on our range we had a father insisting his son zero his .270 with no padding, not nothing. The rifle wasn't all that light and the kid was pretty good sized. But full power rounds from the bench with a t-shirt for protection was making this kid flinch. The dad was determined to make the kid "learn to be a man and take it." We fortunately had a guy who was able to convince the dad that shooting varmints is an excellent way to introduce him to the sport of shooting. This got the kid onto a .223 and very little recoil and his accuracy was regained and we other members then assisted the dad in getting the .270 close enough for hunting.
I think the best way to get kids onto larger rifles is get them onto the lighter ones a lot. It's a good way to promote our sport to the next generation. And, I think, we all know how important that is.

We have the second amendment so that all the rest are secure....UNK>

fldave

I'm new on this forum and would like to ask a question in this thread. I'm in a similar situation as 2BGood with a 9 year old son wanting a "deer" rifle. I've noticed some of the ammo companies marketing "recoil management" rounds, or "light" loads advertising 50% less recoil. What would be better: 1) Utilizing larger calibers with the reduced recoil rounds and slowly increasing to more powerfull loads as the child grows older and builds confidence, or 2) Starting with smaller calibers with full loads and eventually moving to a larger caliber?

David

ghotie_thumper

I bought a 7mm08 this year and if you compare the ballistics from it to "any" non magnum cartrige you will see that out to 400yds it more than holds its own, this against the venerable 3006, 270's and the like. But to shoot the 7-08..... I bought a kimber montana, it came with a 1" pachmeyer decelerator pad and you can hardly feel the kick at all. This in a mountain rifle that weighs 5 pounds without a scope. I would recommend this cartridge/rifle to anyone.

Common Sense is an Uncommon Virtue.

Mobuck

I firmly believe in the "two gun" theory for kids' hunting bigger game. I've started my last 2 with a 223 for deer under close supervision and then got a matched bigger caliber for the big stuff. That way they still practice and target shoot with the 223 and simply transition to the bigger gun for the actually hunt. My daughter has joint and bone problems and can't take much pounding. She is currently using a 243 for deer but has a 308 with a heavy barrel which cuts recoil waiting in the wings for an elk hunt in another year or so.

Mobuck<BR>

Travis Hallam

Being as you are looking for a rifle that he will be using in a few years, I would recommend a Tikka T3 in a 270 WSM with the sims limbsaver recoil pad. The gun is light, the sims pad takes a great amount of felt recoil away. The catridge is a great deer/elk catridge. The gun itself promises sub 1" moa groups or they don't leave the factory. Unless your kid is small for his age, by the time he is ready to hunt in a few years the rifle will fit him. The rifle will also last him a lifetime as the cartidge is here to stay and will always be a good deer cartidge.

Mad Dog

bperdue21

i would think a 308 would be light enough recoil with 150 gr bullets for kids. also like the 6mm. the remington model 7 is nice for kids. i got a .270 in a smith and wesson 1500, i didn't have a choice.

I'm not an expert, but i did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.

2BGood

He really likes to shoot my AR15 that doesnt have any kick. At the range for hunter site in I watched a father and his son shooting at SKS for hunting.
I believe if you can manage the recoil, hold her steady and relax its easier to place a good shot.
We all know even as an adult to carry the gun and a pack at 9000 feet all day and then hold steady for a good shot on the elusive Elk is tuff. Just looking to teach him right and introduce him to this sport right.[8D]

Hokkmike

.257 Roberts, .260 Rem, 6.5 X 55, 7mm 08 - any of these in a youth sized bolt action rifle with a decent 3X9 scope. Get a rifle with a floor plate or clip, not one that requires you to manually cycle unfired shells. STAY AWAY from lever guns.

Sako Fan

bperdue21

i will second hokkmike, stay away from lever guns and automatics. also, if he is going to be 12 when he is getting this, i wouldn't go with a youth model or anything unless you want to buy another gun in 1-2 years. he will probably be hitting a growth spurt and will outgrow youth model guns quickly. i would let him pick out what he wants rather than what you think is best for him. just forewarn him that he won't be getting another one. i picked a ruger 77 mkII in 25-06 when i got to pick out what i wanted, i was 14. i have taken a lot of game with it. someone suggested sighting it in for him. this may be a good strategy. just get him a similar gun, in smaller caliber, to practice with. i know i don't feel recoil when i am hunting, especially when i was that age.

I'm not an expert, but i did stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night.