I'm thinking about getting a rifle in 25-06 for my son who will be 12 in a couple of years and I really want to take hunting. We mostly hunt from a tower blind over-looking a 357 yard firing range. I was also thinking about a .243 Win but I think the 25-06 might offer a slight advantage for distance and increase his chances for a good clean harvest.

So, I guess my question is, does a 25-06 have much more recoil then a .243 Win?

the 25-06 has about 13 ft lbs of recoil energy, compared to the 8 ft lbs that the .243 generates, both cartridges would do fine for your son, they don't kick bad at all.

Go with the 25-06. I has a .243 when i was younger and when i got to be 14 i wanted something bigger so i went and got a 30-06. Id like to have had a 25-06 but i was young and didnt really have anyone to teach em much so i went with what i knew.

Might I reccommend looking at the Vanguard line? They have a youth model that comes with both the youth sized stock and an adult stock so as his body grows, so can the rifle, per se. I have a set-up waiting for my son in the safe, just waiting on him to age a bit more. They are heavy rifles to me, but from a recoil stand point, a lil' extra weight is a good thing.

Thanks for the info on the Vanguard, not a bad idea because I was debating whether or not to just pass on the youth versions or not! Yeah, I've recently handled the Vanguards and found them to be a little on the heavy side, more front end, not exactly a well balanced rifle but seems to be accurate anyway from what I've heard. The heavier weight will build character anyway.

I guess it will come down to what he likes but maybe I'll point this one out to him first.

So far I'm leaning towards the 25-06 but the only thing that bothers me is that I haven't seen any polymer tipped rounds on sale for this caliber?

Winchester has the Balistic Silvertips in 85 and 115 grain and Nosler Accubondsin 110 grain. I shoot Winchesterbalistic Silvertips in my 30-06 and they shoot great. When i do my part they shoot 1/2in at 100 yards. I know not all guns will shoot the same with them but they work well on deer.

You also might give consideration to the .260 Remington and the 7MM-08. These calibers have a very pleasant recoil impulse, and are adequate for just about all game in the lower 48.

Get him a 7mm08 and you will never have to worry about it.
Low recoil,good bullet weight,flat trajectory,good retained energy,VERY accurate. What more could you ask for?

I also would suggest the 7mm-08, short action, mild recoil and many factory loads available.

Recoil on either gun is not bad at all. The .25-06 has a slight advantage over a .243 in that it will handle bullets up to 120 grains. If your son ever gets into hand loading, the .25-06 is a blast. I've got a few loads for heavier game, and a load with 75 grain Hornady V-Max's for predators. So while a lot of deer rifles are put back in the safe when the season's over, mine's downing open country coyotes.

The .25-06 shoots nice and flat, so it makes it a little easier for less experienced shooters to shoot longer distances accurately. And the recoil shouldn't be enough you son develops any bad habits, like flinching.