Rifle question for black bear

[JREG19]

Use the 243 and use the money you would've bought a new gun with on ammo and get some range time in.

 

[mtnbound]

I am planning on taking my daughter (13) bear hunting this year, backpacking into Wyoming. She shoots a .243 very well at whitetail deer, she isn’t hunting bear this year but really wants to go along. My question is what gun should I get for her to use in the future? I am thinking a 7mm-08 for her, would this be enough for a 200 yards shot? Anyone hunted with their kiddos and have a recommendation?

Use the 243 and have fun.

 

[coyotekilla]

Serious question. You would buy a 13yo female a 6.5prc?

Im with this guy, a 6.5 prc is a 270win in a new wrapper. Not the ideal new shooter rifle.

 

[Gooden123]

Im with this guy, a 6.5 prc is a 270win in a new wrapper. Not the ideal new shooter rifle.

Not disagreeing, but 'she shoots a .243 well for whitetail'. So she isn't new. And she isn't using it this year, he said 'the future'. Amongst other unknowns...if I already had a .243, I'd probably not get anything super similar to a .243 for her for a new rifle next year, but would still want low recoil. Seems feasible. So does just shooting the .243...

 

[270-300]

Yes to all. A 270 is incredibly light recoiling and will kill any animal in wyoming.

Thats coming from someone who lives in wyoming and has killed almost every animal in wyoming.

If your shooting black bears they arent terribly huge here. I feel quite comfortable with a 130 grain interlock out of 270.

The new ruger made glenfield model a rifles are available in 270. That would make an excellent rifle to start a youth.

Many people like low power scopes for bear.

 

[7RemMag]

Unsuppressed 6.5prc for a small kid is a recipe for poor form.

What if the “recipe” fails and the end result is a kid who can shoot really well, and has more tools in the tool chest far earlier than the rest of the kids on the range?

Recoil is an INCREDIBLY subjective thing, and there are so many aspects to it that it’s impossible for anyone to know from one kid/rifle to the other. I know of 10 year olds who piled up tons of deer with a .300 WM. I myself was shooting a Savage 110 7mm-08 at 9 years old. It was on the verge of being “too much” but I wanted to hunt and a different rifle was going to be an extra expense at a time when money was a little bit tight. I shot the Savage 110 well despite having to collect myself a little between shots. I killed my first deer that year at 300 yards. I certainly doubt that had any adverse effects on my shooting ability. I grew into the rifle over the next few years, and went on to kill more and more deer every year with the same rifle. I should also add that while I stand about 6’1” and weigh right around 150-160 lbs today at 26 years old, I was by no means a big kid at age 9. That doesn’t mean that you could’ve given another kid the same rifle and had good results. What works for one shooter might not work at all for another, and vice versa. That statement applies to shooters of all ages and experience levels.

To the OPs specific question, I don’t see that you could go wrong with either. The 7mm-08 is a wonderful cartridge and is fairly versatile. As pointed out earlier in my post, it holds a special place in my heart and always will. I still have that rifle mentioned, and will never get rid of it. However, the .243 with a well designed bullet for the task will perform well with good shot placement also. Pick your poison.

 

[TagEater]

I would spend just a little $$ to make the. 243 more shootable.
Brake/supressor
Backfire recoil pad
Trigger?

 

[limpet]

Like others already said, just stick with the 243. It has plenty of range and bears are soft critters with pencil sized rib bones. She’ll likely run out of skill well before the rifle and bullet run out of range. What’s the farthest you’d let her shoot now and what has she practiced to? I’d spend the cash on more practice and upgrades to make the rifle easier to shoot. All that given that the rifle is accurate and worth doing the work to.

 

[TheGDog]

If she can shoot .243 she can shoot 6.5cm. Even in the Howa ULtraLite rifle the recoil on a 6.5cm is nice and pleasant/soft. And it'll kill 'em out to all the same ranges as a .308 Win.

 

[ridgerunnerrron]

Still deciding?...bears die easily.

 

[Taudisio]

I shot my spring bear last year over 500 yards with my 6 creedmoor, effectively a 243. She will be fine using that. Don’t beat her up with more recoil for no reason. Pick the right bullet for the 243.

Post in thread '6mm /.243 hunting success on Big Game'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/6mm-243-hunting-success-on-big-game.284525/post-4122040

 

[Kshusker]

I have looked at the backfire recoil pad, seems like a good inexpensive up grade? Thank you guys for all the replies, currently shooting out to 100 yards, last summer and fall. Once basketball and wrestling get over we will get back out and see what our effective range will be but I am thinking 200 is a good poke for a younger shooter at this point.

 

[GoatPackr]

I have looked at the backfire recoil pad, seems like a good inexpensive up grade? Thank you guys for all the replies, currently shooting out to 100 yards, last summer and fall. Once basketball and wrestling get over we will get back out and see what our effective range will be but I am thinking 200 is a good poke for a younger shooter at this point.

She might surprise you.
My daughter killed her first deer at 324 yards at 15 years old.
She used a 6mm
I wouldn't hesitate to let her shoot farther. She was also doing well on her first year with the school rifle team so she was getting a lot of trigger time.

 

[limpet]

I have looked at the backfire recoil pad, seems like a good inexpensive up grade? Thank you guys for all the replies, currently shooting out to 100 yards, last summer and fall. Once basketball and wrestling get over we will get back out and see what our effective range will be but I am thinking 200 is a good poke for a younger shooter at this point.

Like @GoatPackr said she might suprise you. Take her out to shoot targets and see what she can do out further.

 

[JREG19]

I have looked at the backfire recoil pad, seems like a good inexpensive up grade? Thank you guys for all the replies, currently shooting out to 100 yards, last summer and fall. Once basketball and wrestling get over we will get back out and see what our effective range will be but I am thinking 200 is a good poke for a younger shooter at this point.

I really like the backfire recoil pad on my 6 saum. I felt as if it reduced recoil much better than the factory pad. It does add to the length of pull on my xlr chassis. It may not on your application.

 

[ianpadron]

243 is ideal. 95 grain NBT...dead bear

My 243 has done more killin' in Montana the past 3 seasons than all my other rifles combined

 

[SloppyJ]

What if the “recipe” fails and the end result is a kid who can shoot really well, and has more tools in the tool chest far earlier than the rest of the kids on the range?

Recoil is an INCREDIBLY subjective thing, and there are so many aspects to it that it’s impossible for anyone to know from one kid/rifle to the other. I know of 10 year olds who piled up tons of deer with a .300 WM. I myself was shooting a Savage 110 7mm-08 at 9 years old. It was on the verge of being “too much” but I wanted to hunt and a different rifle was going to be an extra expense at a time when money was a little bit tight. I shot the Savage 110 well despite having to collect myself a little between shots. I killed my first deer that year at 300 yards. I certainly doubt that had any adverse effects on my shooting ability. I grew into the rifle over the next few years, and went on to kill more and more deer every year with the same rifle. I should also add that while I stand about 6’1” and weigh right around 150-160 lbs today at 26 years old, I was by no means a big kid at age 9. That doesn’t mean that you could’ve given another kid the same rifle and had good results. What works for one shooter might not work at all for another, and vice versa. That statement applies to shooters of all ages and experience levels.

To the OPs specific question, I don’t see that you could go wrong with either. The 7mm-08 is a wonderful cartridge and is fairly versatile. As pointed out earlier in my post, it holds a special place in my heart and always will. I still have that rifle mentioned, and will never get rid of it. However, the .243 with a well designed bullet for the task will perform well with good shot placement also. Pick your poison.

Its almost double the recoil. Plain and simple it's not a good idea at all. Just because i was shooting a 30-06 and a 12ga at 10yo doesnt mean I want to do the same to my kid. At that age the young lady in question is likely well under 100lbs soaking wet. This is a sure fire way to get that child very uninterested in shooting or swear it off completely.

Let's just say you go down that path. Do you agree that having them get as much practice on that rifle as possible is a good idea? Do you honestly believe that youre going to get meaningful practice out of that cartridge with a child? Id be willing to bet that you do more harm than good and they develop a very healthy flinch. Id rather my kids be surgical with a rifle than just hoping to hit it in the vitals. Especially on a bear.

Stick with the 243 and a proven bullet like the 95NBT and you'll have success no doubt.

 

[6mm Remington]

243 Winchester with good bullets will work just fine. I would just have her get plenty of practice with this rifle chambering that she already has and shoots. Here's some great bullets.
100 gr. Nosler Partition
90 gr. Nosler Accubond
90 gr. Nosler E-tip

 

[Huntnpack 2]

Stick with the .243 or if you just want to buy something new then a .223 tikka or 22 Creedmoor. Or buy a suppressor for the .243 and it will be like chooting a new rifle

This is good advise !! It’s a good idea to have a suppressed .22 centerfire for your kid to shoot comfortably a lot !! Then periodically shoot the .243 suppressed for a bit then back to the .22 suppressed.

 

[MoeFaux]

Its almost double the recoil. Plain and simple it's not a good idea at all. Just because i was shooting a 30-06 and a 12ga at 10yo doesnt mean I want to do the same to my kid. At that age the young lady in question is likely well under 100lbs soaking wet. This is a sure fire way to get that child very uninterested in shooting or swear it off completely.

Let's just say you go down that path. Do you agree that having them get as much practice on that rifle as possible is a good idea? Do you honestly believe that youre going to get meaningful practice out of that cartridge with a child? Id be willing to bet that you do more harm than good and they develop a very healthy flinch. Id rather my kids be surgical with a rifle than just hoping to hit it in the vitals. Especially on a bear.

Stick with the 243 and a proven bullet like the 95NBT and you'll have success no doubt.

It's 50% more recoil according to Backfire's calculations. You have to be very selective in your comparisons to claim that 7-08 is double the recoil of 243.

I also shot 12 gauge, 30-06, and even 45-70 before I was double digits in age or triple digits in weight, and I wouldn't hesitate to let others do the same as long as that's not the only shooting experience they have. Just because you give her a rifle with 15 ft-lbs of recoil doesn't mean it's the only rifle she can ever shoot. She still has a 243 (and maybe other things?) to practice with and continue to learn fundamentals. I don't ONLY take magnums to the range just because I own magnums.

The 243 will work for bear. If you really want to get her behind something she can hunt everything with for the rest of her life, the 7-08 is a great choice. A good recoil pad and a brake (my preference) or suppressor (I'm not a fan) will make the felt recoil right on par with the 243.

Basically, @Kshusker, I don't think you'll go wrong either way.