300 win mag

[jdeerhunter270]

could a strong 14 year old handle a 300 win mag

[Jorgy]

yes, I let my buddys kid shoot my 300 this year, he is only 13. I would be careful with them though that you don't go out of your way to scare them about recoil or anything. You don't want to give them a flinching problem.

[akbound]

Hi jdeerhunter270,

Yes....undoubtedly some 14 year olds could handle a .300 Winchester Magnum. But that question is best answered by.....the 14 year old...and their "parent or guardian".

I know many grown men that think they can handle a .300 "X brand" Magnum....but after watching many of them shoot.......they'd be better off with a .257 Roberts, .260 Remington, etc. Bad habits....such as "jerking, and flinching"....can be extremely difficult to correct...once started.

Remember, it's not the willingness to absorb recoil that defines a skilled shooter. It's the ability to properly "call" and "make the shot"! But the .300 Winchester Magnum is a very capable cartridge. If you can shoot it well...it will serve you well!

Good luck!

Dave

[alaskamissionary]

anyone "can" shoot a .300. but not just anybody "should"shoot a .300 mag. let the 14 year old decide on his/her own if he/she can shoot it and dont pressure him/her one way or the other.

[j3k2c1]

I am by far not a strong kid and have handled our .338 since I was 12. I am 15.

[James B]

There is no doubt in my mind that young shoulders tolerate recoil better than OLD shoulders. To that I can testify.

[handloader1]

Yes. Good luck.

[Hale87]

My 13 year old who weighs less than 100lbs. shoots mine without flinching. Actually it's pretty cool to stand back and watch. The recoil goes right through him!

[ELKampMaster]

J3 and Hale87,



Congratulations.

I hope you understand that you are well outside the norm amongst what appears to be an increasingly "tender" American hunting population. Good to see that not everyone is fashionably sucumbing to "recoil sensitivity" and nice to know that I'm not the only one that had a "gun intensive" childhood. (22LR and .410 at 7, 12 gauge at 10, 270 at 14, and 458WinMag [borrowed] at 16)

It will be interesting to see folks inform you that by shooting those harsh, mean rifles at such a tender age that you will never shoot well, all your shots will go straight into the guts, none of your shots will ever go into the vitals, whereas if you would only just shoot something "reasonable" like a 243, then you would be assured to be a great marksman just like David Tubbs.

Don't listen, it ain't necessarily so. Dare to be different. Why be average?

Good Luck and Good Hunting,
EKM

[MinnFinn]

It depends. He probably could handle a .300 WM out hunting, because you'd expect him to shoot only once or twice at an animal. I never remember feeling the kick when shooting at an Elk with mine. However, if it's a new rifle with a newly mounted scope, all the shots taken to get it sighted in can take their toll even on a grown man.

If the young man and you decide to let him hunt with this caliber rifle, you might take on some of the punishing initial shots to get the scope close to what you think it should be and let the 14 year old zero it in with the final shots. Or if he does it completely, do it over several shooting sessions, instead of one.

I think my .300 WM Tikka is a heck of a rifle, but it did knock me back a number of times before I got it right where I wanted it.

Good luck!