I personally like the 7mm-08. It's a great little cartridge for beginners and seasoned shooters alike, so you can't go wrong. The recoil is very managable, but will definately be a little more stout if you buy him a youth model rifle that doesn't weigh as much. If this is a case, just get a good Sims or Pachmayr recoil pad installed and the gun will kick more like a .410 shotgun. If you buy him a Remington Model 7 youth rifle, he will be able to buy a new adult-sized model 7 stock when he is older and use the same action. That's what I would to. And for another tid bit of advice, have him practice shooting the rifle in ways that mirror how he will be shooting in the field once he is comfortable with the gun. Have him shoot sitting in the dirt, laying on the ground, standing, and have him practice follow up shots by shooting three consecutive shots at the target as fast as he can while still shooting accurately and safely. That way he will know how to handle any situations he may encounter out hunting. But the bottom line is, make sure he gets in a good amount of practice so that he is confident in the field. When I first started big game hunting, I think I'd shot maybe 10 rounds through a big game rifle my entire life, and it was the only scoped gun I had ever shot. I outshot most adults with my open sight .22, but I was not prepared to shoot a large rifle at 4x the distance I usually shot. I went through 2 boxes of ammo in one day hunting antelope, and my confidence was completely shattered. I finally shot a little buck on the second day, but the entire time I didn't believe that I could hit the broad side of a barn after missing so many times. Do not put your son through this! Make him practice until he is confident! Also, if you get a variable power scope he will feel more comfortable shooting at longer ranges with the extra zoom making the animals fill the scope out better. Hope this helps!