7mm-08 vs 7mm RM reduced loads and recoil for kids.

[RSC12]

Thanks again for the replies. I should have stated that I live in BC so as far as I understand it the minimum requirements for hunting deer and larger game is a 243. I'm not sure if there might even be a grain weight projectile limit as well as I've never had to look into that before.

Anyways it does sound more and more like the 243 would be the best option. Plus I'd have to admit that it would probably even be good fun/practice for myself rather than always shooting my tikka 7RM.

 

[MattB]

I started my daughter on a Tikka .243 and used reduced loads based on the H4895 recipes. Worked great, was able to effectively duplicate .223 recoil. With the newer 1:8 twist barrels and today’s bullets, your kids shouldn’t need to move up at all.

 

[MarkOrtiz]

Both of my kids are small/light for their age. I moved both of them at 12 up to a 7mm-08 with 120 grain reduced recoil loads. They both handled that just fine. My daughter at 15 just got her first mule deer and says she could probably go to the 140 grain full power loads. My son at 12 says with the reduced recoil loads says it doesn’t kick much more than his 22’s and really likes shooting it.

 

[Choupique]

Lyman has some great ultralight cast load recipes for basically every caliber.

 

[MattB]

If you decide to try reduced loads, find some H4895. I have attached a link to info on it.

Depending on the age/size of your girls, you might want to go with reduced loads even if you get a 7mm-08.

https://imrpowder.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/h4895-reduced-rifle-loads.pdf

This. You can make reduced loads for the 7 mag that will recoil more like a 7MM-08, but you can make loads for the 7MM-08 that will recoil more like a .243. Or reduced loads for the .243 that recoil more like a .223 (which is exactly what I did for my daughter when she was starting out - 70 gr. bullet at ~2,750 fps).