Champlain Islander

257 Roberts always piqued my interest since I remember that cartridge featured in many of the gun articles I read way back when. Never shot a gun with that caliber and don't know anyone that hunts with one. From what I understand it is one of the old... all time perfect deer calibers. It seems to me that all that odd caliber fan base is centered around 7MM-08 these days. Deer guns here in Vermont run pretty much along .270, 308 or 30-06 which are all on the upper end of what is considered suitable for deer. In my hunting trips I normally have seen the smaller .243 or .260 type weapon outside of New England.

hardcastonly

I was originally less than impressed when one of the guys I hunt with brought his elderly dad with us on an elk hunt, but it turned out to be very interesting.
one of the guys I've hunted with for decades DAD, is now in his late 80s and still hunts with his 257 roberts blr.
, but back when we hunted he was in mid 60s then, but looked like he was 90, and I was in my late 50-s,
I've seen him take two elk with a single shot each using a BLR in 257 roberts (speer 100 grain bullets, 45 grains of h4350 and a 215 fed primer))
the first was at about 230 yards , that small bull,elk was hit and ran about 50 yards but just went nose first in the dirt.( lower edge ,heart shot raked forward exited front lower chest)
the second was shot in thick timber at about 60 yard, it looked like he missed, then after he got lined up to take a second shot but before he fired, the elk just collapsed where it stood,( punched thought liver and into lung no exit)

Erictheguy

7mm-08 is great for hunting with minimal recoil. Got this one for my nephew who wanted to start learning how to hunt and this is what I recommend that he get.

EShoreMD

I apologize if I missed this but how does HE feel about recoil? When I was 12 I would shoot a 12g till my shoulder was black and blue.

What has he shot so far?

Get a few different calibers rounded up from friends and family and let him shoot and decide.

Another possible choice I haven't seen mentioned is a 25-06. Good luck and keep us posted.

Bocajnala

I missed this thread the first time around as I was gone for some training. But wanted to comment now.

I like the idea of starting a youth out with a rifle they can be proud of and something they can carry and eventually pass to their kids if they choose to. The downside to that is #1 the price and #2 there will be bumps and bruises to the rifle as part of learning how to handle a rifle.

I like the Remington model 7 and I like the Ruger 77 compacts. Anything in the .243, 7mm-08, .308 range would be fine . Twelve year olds aren't all built the same. At twelve I was shooting 12 gauges and .30-06s. although my deer rifle options were a .44 mag or a .30-30 lever. But some kids are more recoil sensitive than others .

Proper fit and proper form are very important.

Here's two Rugers and a model 7






-Jake

billyboy

I think a rifle in 260 Remington or my favorite 7mm-08 ,recoil not bad and both are good 250 to 300 yard guns. JMO

hunters_life

So what was the outcome? Give us the details that came from the picking of our little minds? Except for Nomercy448, not a dang thing small about that guys mind. What did you end up getting for the little guy?

Bocajnala

I've learned more from reading NM's posts over the years on this forum than I've learned from the pile of magazines I subscribe to each month.

I should probably just start sending him a check too. There's just some people that when they talk, you better listen to what they have to say cause you're going to learn something from it. Your father was one of those as well.
​​​​​​-Jake