caliber advice for a 13y/o girl

[BackcountryMT]

Very pretty Weatherby there! Is it okay to say a rifle is pretty?? This one would work quite nicely and is in a fantastic under-rated cartridge, the 7x57!! It is still at a local sporting goods store here in Missoula.



I think I can safely call this one pretty too!!

How did bear claw like his picture being taken? Lol.

 

[Shrek]

A 7-08 without any reservations at all. Great bullets and great efficiency. Unless she wants to shoot large animals at long range she would never need another rifle to hunt big game in the lower 48. Those great high bc bullets and efficient case means she delivers more power down range for the kick she receives.

 

[handwerk]

My kids all started out with 243's. A fast 80 grain TTSX worked wonders on a bunch of deer.

 

[jcodyc40]

I looked at the 308, 7MM 08 and 243 for my daughters but I ended up getting a 270 browning BAR. They love shooting it, there is very little recoil and haven't developed any flinch. They point and shoot and dad gets to butcher and pack.

 

[Rucker61]

Hornady sells low-recoil ammo that would make the .308 manageable.

 

[Vance in AK]

A 7-08 without any reservations at all. Great bullets and great efficiency. Unless she wants to shoot large animals at long range she would never need another rifle to hunt big game in the lower 48. Those great high bc bullets and efficient case means she delivers more power down range for the kick she receives.

I believe 60X lives in AK. Maybe wrong.

 

[Vance in AK]

I'm in the same boat with my 10yr old son. Complicates things that he's a lefty. Looking at the Marlin youth bolt gun in right hand as left doesn't seem to be available, at least locally. . Have considered the 7mm-08, but thinking that as he grows the .308 will offer more versatility.
If anyone out there has a moderately priced youth model 308, or a used left handed 308 that I could cut the stock on & get a longer stock later, let me know.

 

[Shrek]

I believe 60X lives in AK. Maybe wrong.

I haven't been creeping on his profile so I didn't know. I still recommend the 7mm-08 but I wouldn't want to count on it to stop a coastal brownie ! Other than that it would take just about anything easily. I know the the scandanavians kill moose with the 7x57 and that is the 7mm-08's ballistic doppelganger. For really big animals the 160 partition is a tough bullet and there are so many really slick bullets to choose from. I shoot the 140gr bergers over 49.8 grains of H4350 and couldn't be any happier with the performance on deer.

 

[Backpack Hunter]

I'm in the same boat with my 10yr old son. Complicates things that he's a lefty.

Take a look at Savage they should have something available for you.

 

[Shrek]

I'm in the same boat with my 10yr old son. Complicates things that he's a lefty. Looking at the Marlin youth bolt gun in right hand as left doesn't seem to be available, at least locally. . Have considered the 7mm-08, but thinking that as he grows the .308 will offer more versatility.
If anyone out there has a moderately priced youth model 308, or a used left handed 308 that I could cut the stock on & get a longer stock later, let me know.

I don't think the 308 offers more versatility really. With better bc's and sd's of equal weight bullets in the 7-08 I can get more energy down range and better penetration . The 308 has even heavier bullets available but no more powder capacity to push them. I'm dividing the energy by a smaller frontal area so it can push deeper. A 7mm 175gr partition is possibly better than 30 ca, 180gr partition. At the heavy end it's a wash really but at the lighter end the small 7mm starts to spank the equal weight 30 cal down range. I believe you loose overall performance with 308 win. Top to bottom the case capacity and 7mm bullets are a great match in the 7mm-08 and imo better than the 30 cal bullets in the case.

 

[luke moffat]

I'm not sure a selection of super slick bullets is of real concern given likely how the rifle will be setup for the young shooter. Yes kids can shoot long range with the right setup, Sam Millards kids are proof of that. But in general a rifle setup for a youth is usually going to be taking sub 300 yard shots. In which case a .308 shooting a ballistic turd like a 150 NPT at the same speed as a 7-08 shooting a sleek 140 Berger is really only save 2" of drift at 300 yards in a 10 MPH cross wind.

Either will work for certain, the .308 just as soft spot in my heart as I've taking more game with that Rem model 7 my dad gave me when I was 12 than will all the the other rifles I own in my safe combined.

 

[Shrek]

Luke , we are really discussing two of the best rounds ever designed imo. If I could only have one rifle to do everything with and the 7mm-08 wasn't available then it would be chambered in 308. Not a bad choice either way.

 

[luke moffat]

Agreed, can't really lose either way.

 

[60x]

Ya know you guys are all ok in my book.. All good and very helpful info.. Vance is right I do live in Alaska. .... Wasilla to be exact. Ill have to change that so folks know.. no worries Shrek theres not much on my profile page just a few pics. Shrek I believe you are correct that these are two great choices and I guess that why I have had the dilema right now.

Vance I feel your pain I too am a lefty. I will certainly let you know if I see anying pop up in my searches..


I am still on the fence so to speak but likely wait a few weeks till permits come out.. I cant recall off the top of my head but there some minimums for bison hunting and if she draws I will have to take that into consideration..

 

[tuffcity]

My kids started at 10 with a TC Contender in 7-30 Waters. They've moved on to bigger things but it's still one of my favourite whitetail and mulie rifles- especially on a pack in hunt.

RC

 

[unm1136]

After doing my homework for almost a year I got my 13 year old a .260 Rem. It was a tossup between that and 7/08. Since I don' t reload yet and .260 appears to have a small edge in local availabiliy I ended up getting her a T/C Encore in .260. 5.5 pound scoped rifle seems to agree with her.

pat

 

[5MilesBack]

My middle daughter is 13 and last year I set her up with a .308 for her first rifle hunt. I contemplated between the .270 and .308 but decided on the .308 because our main target is elk. I loaded up several different bullet and powder options and ended up with 150gr Accubonds with I believe 42gr of TAC behind them. That was the most accurate load and recoil was about the same for all the loads. She has no problems with it and actually shot a 3 shot 1.5" group for her first time behind the gun. That was also the first time she had shot anything bigger than a .22LR. I let her shoot my 7mag a few weeks ago and shot a 1" group.......dang showoff.

 

[crumy]

Not that you have not seen it enough already, but I vote for the 7mm-08. If you reload there are a wide range of bullet weights you can use. In our house we have both 7mm-08 and 243... both are effective but the 7mm08 just has the extra bullet weight needed.

 

[Floorguy]

My middle daughter is 13 and last year I set her up with a .308 for her first rifle hunt. I contemplated between the .270 and .308 but decided on the .308 because our main target is elk. I loaded up several different bullet and powder options and ended up with 150gr Accubonds with I believe 42gr of TAC behind them. That was the most accurate load and recoil was about the same for all the loads. She has no problems with it and actually shot a 3 shot 1.5" group for her first time behind the gun. That was also the first time she had shot anything bigger than a .22LR. I let her shoot my 7mag a few weeks ago and shot a 1" group.......dang showoff.

my dad got me a 270 weatherby featherweight when I was 12 talk about thumping. after he shot it he actually said he felt sorry for me we traded it in for a 308. he bought both of my sons 30-06s and my daughter is getting a 308. it'll be awhile before they shoot them my oldest is 6.

 

[Climber]

X10 on the 7mm-08 recommendation. I was in the same spot as you last year for my 10yr old son and settled on an inexpensive Ruger American in 7mm-08. The gun is super light and with reduced loads 120gr bullets, its a very light recoiling firearm. Similar to a hot 243 round and to me, a MUCH better round overall! The 243 has its place but I don't think its the best load to start a kid with as it requires precision to ensure a quick kill.

My son if very recoil sensitive (my fault- gave him a hard kicking shotgun one time) and he enjoys shooting the 7mm-08. Further, he can grow in to this rifle and accuracy has been great for a $350 rifle! He got his first deer ever this year with the rifle and I'm glad I went with this caliber.