Gun/Caliber for son

[tim tarras]

I am have been researching for a gun for my 11 year old sonand have hit the analysis paralysis wall on what I should get him. I just need to discuss this with someonebesides my wife who knows nothing on this.

I have narrowed it down to the 7mm 08 or the 6.5 Creedmoor. My reasoning for this selection is what Ihave seen from him shooting my 280, hand loaded down to @2500 FPS with a 139gr HornadyInterlock.He has said that the gun is abit heavy for him.He says the recoil isgood but the results our shooting sessions I think he is developing a flinchdue to his shots being low right.Anotherhint at recoil problems is when we were discussing the calibers and I said the08 would probably kick less that the 280 so he wanted the 08.When I mentioned that the 6.5 was flattershooting would probably kick less that the 08 he wanted the 6.5 because it shotflatter.I do reload so ammo availabilityis not really an issue.

As for the rifle make, the selection has been narrowed dueto him be left eye dominate. I amlooking at the Ruger American, Regular or Predator, or the Savage Model 11 Trophy Hunter.

To start we are doing deer in the Wisconsin with eventuallygoing West for elk.

Thank you for you any insight you can give me.

PS. He was able to take his first deer, 5pt, with the 280 from a rest this weekend.

 

[rileybassman]

Congrats on his first deer! Great memories

I have shot both the 7-08 and 6.5 creed in lightweight savages, and I don't feel there is a huge difference in recoil to be honest...
Yes the 6.5 is a little softer, but not enough that if one is painful or flinch inducing, that the other would not if that makes sense...
Honestly, they are both awesome cartridges that will do what you need no worries.

My sis (20) and two cousins (16 and 14) all shoot 7-08's and have piled up deer and elk with them. I have a little love affair with the 6.5 going on right now as it is one of my favorite rounds - fun to shoot, fun to carry and will get the job done on elk and deer.

Both seem to be equally available off the shelf - maybe favoring the 08 a little at places like wally world etc - i know you reload, but your son may not later down the road and need a box for a hunt etc...

I feel like the hunting bullet selection is better with 7mm rounds, tho there are several excellent 6.5s available as well...

All this to say, I would get him handling models in both calibers and have him pick the one that fits him best

 

[athanasios23]

If you reload I would go with a tikka t3(any model he likes in) in 260 rem.

 

[HiMtnHntr]

Whatever caliber you go with, consider picking up some H4895 to make some reduced recoil loads for him to shoot. I made some 60% reduced loads per hodgdon data for my son and he shot them comfortably all summer. Slipped him the real deal come season and he didn't know the difference in the heat of the moment. I used sierras for plinking and partitions for hunting loads, as they shoot very similar. My son is shooting the 08.

 

[paleraider]

If you reload I would go with a tikka t3(any model he likes in) in 260 rem.

I would recommend this as well or the Ruger American in 6.5 CM or .260 Remington.

 

[Elkfitness]

Justin crossley (sp) put together a rifle for his son and it's on here somewhere. I think it was of a tikka or a ruger American. It turned out real slick.

 

[Jimbob]

My 9 yr old has shot a ruger american compact 7mm-08, Savage lightweight hunter .243 and a tikka T3 .308. All are nice guns with tikka being the winner for me. Just a smoother action and overall better fit and finish. However the Ruger compact fits my boy perfectly, not as nice of a gun but man for the price it is a sweet little package..

I reloaded reduced loads for the .308 and my son can shot that all day. He shot a full load 7mm-08 and it hit him good LOL but he loved it. For practice the 7mm would be too much.

HiMtnHntr has got the right system for getting a young one lots of practice and not developing a flinch. Good job getting your boy into it.

 

[Roy68]

I was in the same boat as you last year. Recoil for my 11 year old wasn't the issue (to an extent) but the overall weight of the rifle and the overall length. If there was need for an off hand shot it wasn't likely going to be a good combination. My other issue is that I want my son(s) to save and buy their own rifles. That's just me so please don't take offense if you are buying him a rifle.

Here is where I differ from everyone else's suggestions. I have my late dad's 50's vintage Marlin in 35 Remington with Lyman peep sights. It fit him great off a rest or standing. When standing it wasn't awkward or unwieldy for him. The recoil was there but it was not an issue for his size (he wrestled 100# last season). The lever gun part and lack of a safety took some adjustment on my end and his but we were always safe.

He took his first deer last year with that rifle and will use it this year as well. I did a write up in the youth forum.

 

[GKPrice]

My 9 yr old has shot a ruger american compact 7mm-08, Savage lightweight hunter .243 and a tikka T3 .308. All are nice guns with tikka being the winner for me. Just a smoother action and overall better fit and finish. However the Ruger compact fits my boy perfectly, not as nice of a gun but man for the price it is a sweet little package..

I reloaded reduced loads for the .308 and my son can shot that all day. He shot a full load 7mm-08 and it hit him good LOL but he loved it. For practice the 7mm would be too much.

HiMtnHntr has got the right system for getting a young one lots of practice and not developing a flinch. Good job getting your boy into it.

WHY wouldn't you reload some reduced loads for the 7mm-08 as well ? for a young shooter I would think the 7mm-08 would offer more options for bullets that fit size and capabilities (although I love the .308)

 

[SCSportsman]

Started both my boys with the 7mm-08 and liked it so much that it's become my preferred caliber for deer. Several companies make reduced recoil loads, but it is inherently a soft shooting round.

 

[Mr Drysdale]

Three grandsons shooting Model Seven Rifles in the 260 Rem. 8, 9 and 11 years old. Not too much for even the younger one. They have all killed with this combo. I know there is little love for Remington right now but these rifles have performed flawlessly. They are the original Model Seven in stainless/synthetic. All shooting 120 grain amom in either Remington or Fusion.

 

[Jimbob]

WHY wouldn't you reload some reduced loads for the 7mm-08 as well ? for a young shooter I would think the 7mm-08 would offer more options for bullets that fit size and capabilities (although I love the .308)

Oh I will. We just picked up the 7mm a couple weeks ago so I have not started reloading for it yet.

 

[tim tarras]

First, thank you for the info.

I talked to him more tonight about ammo availability and he was still set on the 6.5. I will talk to him tomorrow about the 260 as I did not give it much consideration.

I wish I could go with a Tikka but that is out the budget.

I will look into the H4895.

Roy68, no offense taken.

 

[rileybassman]

First, thank you for the info.

I talked to him more tonight about ammo availability and he was still set on the 6.5. I will talk to him tomorrow about the 260 as I did not give it much consideration.

I wish I could go with a Tikka but that is out the budget.

I will look into the H4895.

Roy68, no offense taken.

Cabelas has a sale on savage lightweight hunters right now in 6.5... thats where i picked mine up a few weeks back. Been a great shooter.

Sent from my SM-G920V using Tapatalk

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

I've got the 6.5 Ruger American Preditor. Great gun for the money and very accurate. It shoots at an inch with five round groups. I took an antelope in Wyoming with it this season. My son will hunt with this gun in a few years. I really like it.

With a threaded muzzle, I'd add a Precision Armorment M4-72 Break. It works really well. I like mine shooting at the range. Then just pull it before your hunt (just recheck zero quickly). I also added the kydex cheak riser to my gun. I'm not fond of drop comb stocks when there are no iron sights. I'm using Leupold M4 aluminum medium rings on the provided rail, and it clears the scope fine. The way mine is set up, it's a hair over 7.5 lbs.

But talking about recoil, there is literally no difference between a 130 grain bullet in a 7mm and a 130 grain bullet in a 6.5 CM when both are 7.5 lbs guns. The difference will be the 6.5 will have a higher BC. Just a thought.

Use the .260 Rem when compairing the 7mm-08 and 6.5 CM... Rifle Recoil Table

 

[CLICKBANGBANG]

First, thank you for the info.

I talked to him more tonight about ammo availability and he was still set on the 6.5. I will talk to him tomorrow about the 260 as I did not give it much consideration.

I wish I could go with a Tikka but that is out the budget.

I will look into the H4895.

Roy68, no offense taken.

I'd give him the options, and then buy him what he wants. That way it's his gun. He'll be more proud of it and enjoy shooting it more if he's able to pick it out. Then find a range where you can teach him to stretch the legs of the gun.

Shooting groups at 100 sucks after a bit. Get an 8" steel swinger (kill zone sized ), and let him shoot at that. Then move it back until he can't hit it. I bet he surprises you that it will shoot a good long ways with a little holdover or doping. 300-400 yards easy. That's where the fun is. This really builds confidence hearing the steel report ring two seconds after he pulled the trigger. And this range will start to show any errors he has in shooting that groups at 100 on paper won't show.

I've never had an issue getting 6.5 CM. There is three different locations that sell five different loads. Much less what you can find online. It's as easy to get 6.5 CM as and riffle cartridge. I like to buy when there is a deal locally, or free shipping when online. Then I've always got a little for my 6.5s to eat at the range.

 

[hodgeman]

My son has been shooting the 7-08 since he was 10, now he's 15 and he's still loving it. He's dropped several caribou with it and I even borrowed it this year and took a nice bull.

He's got two rifles- a Savage Youth model and a Ruger American Compact. He prefers the American, but at 15- he's going to need a regular adult stock soon.

 

[GKPrice]

Oh I will. We just picked up the 7mm a couple weeks ago so I have not started reloading for it yet.

I've "started" two young shooters with Ruger Americans in 7mm-08, neither was a particularly big or robust build - I chose the top of the page Nosler #8 manual loads (they descend from light to "hot" per page), they shot good and killed each's first adult cow elk with 1 shot each with no after the fact discussion like "that rifle kicked" or "my shoulder is kinda sore" comments post kill - my Grandson will most likely shoot a Tikka SL 7mm-08 with 140 "somethings", that's what "I'm" planning anyway

 

[GKPrice]

There have been myriad threads in regard to "starting a youth into shooting, hunting and killing game" - Observations on many suggest that getting a "youngin'" into just plain "shooting" without regard of undo thought to just the process and what fun it can be will naturally progress to shooting a center fire of whatever bore size/ chambering all by itself (sort of) and not be an emotional burden for we parents or ... GRANDPARENTS, but it sure is a lot of fun and gratification if "we" can help the process and fundamental skills into that "fun"......
THAT SAID, although I admit to a new love affair with that 6.5 Creedmor (or the 260 Rem, just as good), it would look like this newby is bound for greatness

 

[JP100]

7-08 in Tikka
Tikka make a youth model over here with a 20" barrel and adjustable recoil pads for length.
gives you alot of options.
.243 and .260 are great but a little light if your after Elk I would say.
Ive shot a fair few Red Stag with the ,243 but it requires good shot placement