rifle for my 12 year old
03-06-2017, 12:29 PM
#21
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
jacads, I'm old as dirt and have been a .30-06 fan for some 50+years now. That being said, Bear made the absolute perfect suggestion. I've been wildcatting rounds for 50+ years and was playing with 7mm-08 cartridges many moons before Remington decided to legitimize it. And by the way, you get sticker shock on damn near EVERYTHING at Cabalas unless it's on sale. Especially ammo. I reload so I don't have that heart attack. The 7mm-08 is the ultimate whitetail cartridge. I've taken hundreds of big hogs with it, many whitetails, and a few Elk. I don't Bear hunt anymore but I used to. The 7mm-08 has more than enough gusto to drop any black bear walking this planet. If it can drop a 350+ pound Boar hog in it's tracks from 300 yards out, a scruffy Black Bear aint no thang 
Shot placement, as with ANY cartridge, is key. The 7mm-08 will allow the boy to stay on the range more without getting the snot bubbles blown out of him after 2 or 3 rounds. That extended practice will allow for better shot placement. Reduced loads for the .30-06 is okay but in all reality, one should always practice with similar power and bullet weights that they will be in the field with. One should know their rifle and load better than they know their best friend.
Shot placement, as with ANY cartridge, is key. The 7mm-08 will allow the boy to stay on the range more without getting the snot bubbles blown out of him after 2 or 3 rounds. That extended practice will allow for better shot placement. Reduced loads for the .30-06 is okay but in all reality, one should always practice with similar power and bullet weights that they will be in the field with. One should know their rifle and load better than they know their best friend.
03-06-2017, 02:08 PM
#22
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Central VT/Big Horn WY
Posts: 1,543
I bought my 12 year old daughter a Remington Model Seven in 7mm-08. It is a fine shooting rifle and she has killed a number of whitetails and a beautiful 191" Mule Deer with it. At age 21 she still uses it. Nothing wrong with starting your son off with a low recoil rifle and then working up to a larger caliber as he is older and stronger.
03-07-2017, 02:17 AM
#24
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: Virginia / West Virginia
Posts: 4,906
I like the 7mm-08 also, its a great overall round. For a younger person, imo the key with any rifle you get is FIT. Make sure it fits ok and they will have a much better time using it. I bought my son a Ruger M77 compact .243 when he was 8.... he's still using it 11 yrs later. Shot alot of deer with it and .243 is a great round. I am also a fan of the .260. I have one in Rem Mountain Rifle... awesome gun and has great options for handloading.
03-07-2017, 07:31 PM
#25
Typical Buck
Join Date: Jul 2016
Location: Martin, TN
Posts: 854
I've been meaning to add my two cents here for a while.
Some background information - It wasn't that long ago I was in your son's position: a kid having completed his first season, with my dad looking to outfit me with a new rifle. He gave me a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in 270 Winchester. I love that gun, but it took some getting used to initially. The worst part of it was the kick. Considering my previous gun was a Marlin 30-30, the 270 was a significantly different animal. Fast forward to today, and the roles have reversed. I'm the one mentoring a rather gun-shy cousin, who's been shooting my 270 since he was about your son'a age. What I'm trying to say is I've been in both your and your son's shoes within the past decade. So, my advice:
Let your son shoot several of your rifles to determine which chamberings he can handle. While I agree the 30-06 and especially the 270 are among the greatest hunting cartridges, they won't do him any good if he can't handle them. The 243, 260, and 7mm-08 are also great whitetail rounds with low recoil, but the price and lack of availability of ammunition can be a bit of a turn off with the latter two.
Having a good fitting gun is, as others have stated, a big benefit. My cousin's one complaint about my Vanguard 270 compared to my compact Model Seven 260 is that "I feel like I'm in control of the 260, but I just hold the 270." That said, he has learned to cope with the 270's bulk. That, or by growing up these past few years he's grown into it.
The number one thing to consider in my opinion? A good recoil pad. I absolutely love Limbsaver slip on pads. I have one on my 270, and it does make shooting it far more comfortable on the shoulder.
Some background information - It wasn't that long ago I was in your son's position: a kid having completed his first season, with my dad looking to outfit me with a new rifle. He gave me a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in 270 Winchester. I love that gun, but it took some getting used to initially. The worst part of it was the kick. Considering my previous gun was a Marlin 30-30, the 270 was a significantly different animal. Fast forward to today, and the roles have reversed. I'm the one mentoring a rather gun-shy cousin, who's been shooting my 270 since he was about your son'a age. What I'm trying to say is I've been in both your and your son's shoes within the past decade. So, my advice:
Let your son shoot several of your rifles to determine which chamberings he can handle. While I agree the 30-06 and especially the 270 are among the greatest hunting cartridges, they won't do him any good if he can't handle them. The 243, 260, and 7mm-08 are also great whitetail rounds with low recoil, but the price and lack of availability of ammunition can be a bit of a turn off with the latter two.
Having a good fitting gun is, as others have stated, a big benefit. My cousin's one complaint about my Vanguard 270 compared to my compact Model Seven 260 is that "I feel like I'm in control of the 260, but I just hold the 270." That said, he has learned to cope with the 270's bulk. That, or by growing up these past few years he's grown into it.
The number one thing to consider in my opinion? A good recoil pad. I absolutely love Limbsaver slip on pads. I have one on my 270, and it does make shooting it far more comfortable on the shoulder.
03-07-2017, 08:47 PM
#26
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
I've been meaning to add my two cents here for a while.
Some background information - It wasn't that long ago I was in your son's position: a kid having completed his first season, with my dad looking to outfit me with a new rifle. He gave me a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in 270 Winchester. I love that gun, but it took some getting used to initially. The worst part of it was the kick. Considering my previous gun was a Marlin 30-30, the 270 was a significantly different animal. Fast forward to today, and the roles have reversed. I'm the one mentoring a rather gun-shy cousin, who's been shooting my 270 since he was about your son'a age. What I'm trying to say is I've been in both your and your son's shoes within the past decade. So, my advice:
Let your son shoot several of your rifles to determine which chamberings he can handle. While I agree the 30-06 and especially the 270 are among the greatest hunting cartridges, they won't do him any good if he can't handle them. The 243, 260, and 7mm-08 are also great whitetail rounds with low recoil, but the price and lack of availability of ammunition can be a bit of a turn off with the latter two.
Having a good fitting gun is, as others have stated, a big benefit. My cousin's one complaint about my Vanguard 270 compared to my compact Model Seven 260 is that "I feel like I'm in control of the 260, but I just hold the 270." That said, he has learned to cope with the 270's bulk. That, or by growing up these past few years he's grown into it.
The number one thing to consider in my opinion? A good recoil pad. I absolutely love Limbsaver slip on pads. I have one on my 270, and it does make shooting it far more comfortable on the shoulder.
Some background information - It wasn't that long ago I was in your son's position: a kid having completed his first season, with my dad looking to outfit me with a new rifle. He gave me a Weatherby Vanguard chambered in 270 Winchester. I love that gun, but it took some getting used to initially. The worst part of it was the kick. Considering my previous gun was a Marlin 30-30, the 270 was a significantly different animal. Fast forward to today, and the roles have reversed. I'm the one mentoring a rather gun-shy cousin, who's been shooting my 270 since he was about your son'a age. What I'm trying to say is I've been in both your and your son's shoes within the past decade. So, my advice:
Let your son shoot several of your rifles to determine which chamberings he can handle. While I agree the 30-06 and especially the 270 are among the greatest hunting cartridges, they won't do him any good if he can't handle them. The 243, 260, and 7mm-08 are also great whitetail rounds with low recoil, but the price and lack of availability of ammunition can be a bit of a turn off with the latter two.
Having a good fitting gun is, as others have stated, a big benefit. My cousin's one complaint about my Vanguard 270 compared to my compact Model Seven 260 is that "I feel like I'm in control of the 260, but I just hold the 270." That said, he has learned to cope with the 270's bulk. That, or by growing up these past few years he's grown into it.
The number one thing to consider in my opinion? A good recoil pad. I absolutely love Limbsaver slip on pads. I have one on my 270, and it does make shooting it far more comfortable on the shoulder.
Your comment on fit of a rifle was spot on as there is not much that is more important than the fit and comfortability of a rifle. The slip on limbsaver pad, while a good idea for the most part, can hinder that fit since it adds a good inch to 1.5 on the length of pull on a rifle that would probably be a bit to long for the boy anyway.
The absolute best suggestion I could make for this boy would be to get a rifle that has a youth length stock and then later down the road when he has outgrown that stock, get another stock that is more to his fit. The Savage 11 XP compact combo comes to mind with this. The barreled action can be dropped into an adult sized stock after he has done some growing, comes in 7mm-08, also available in left handed, and the scope that comes with it is a Nikon 3-9 not some junker. Probably come in under $700 total out the door in most places and in a few years, rather than having to drop another $700, another $130-$200 for a decent stock.
03-11-2017, 05:57 AM
#29
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,436
I buy quite a bit of ammo from Graf and sons. They have a good selection as well as reloading components and they do not charge for shipping. Just a small handling and insurance fee and it is the same if you buy a case or a box of ammo. https://www.grafs.com/
Last edited by Oldtimr; 03-11-2017 at 05:59 AM.
03-11-2017, 06:15 AM
#30
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Illinois
Posts: 3,695
Hookeye, where ammo availability comes into play is for those that travel to hunt. Lost luggage, oops in packing, common goofups happen. When that goof happens, you want to be using an ammo that you can run to the local gun shop where you have traveled to and grab a box for your hunt. Knock on wood here, it's not happened to me yet but I know many hunters that crap happens and if they were using a specialty ammo or something that the local store didn't carry, then they were SOL unless they planned on using that rifle as a club