My sister got a 7mm-08 a couple of years ago for her birthday. It is the Howa Hogue and it shoots real good. We need to get her a better scope but it has done a dang good job on all of the deer she has hit with it and it is very mild on the recoil chart. Good gun for young shooters I like it better than the .243 personally lobs bigger bullets than the .243 and kicks just a little bit more.