Youth rifle?

[gutsnthegrass]

My 11year old son wants to get into hunting with me and I am sold on the 7-08 for his needs.  I'm just not sure on the rifle.  Anybody have any suggestions on what rifle I should get him.  I would like a rifle that he can grow with, one that comes with a youth and a regular stock.  I want him to be able to shoot offhand if need be and he can't quite hold my model 700 mountain rifle steady, it is a .260 and he likes shooting it off the bench, thus the 7-08 so he could hunt elk with it too.

Thanks

[JustinC]

I built this rifle for my daughter to shoot.

It is a 700 ti in .260 (the best all around youth caliber imo)
I ordered a youth stock and cut it down then had the break installed.

[MHWASH]

My 11yo and his buddy have used a Marlin youth XS7 7-08 the last two years on deer and one moose. It's just a no frills, accurate rifle that if it gets beaten up a little bit now big deal. I think I paid $350 for it new with a POS Trashco scope that I switched out. I liked this rifle well enough I bought a full size .223 for a truck gun.

[gadwall]

I have a 700 mtn rifle in 260 that my daughter has shot since she was 12.  It is plenty for elk to 350 loaded with the 140 Accubond and IMR 7828.  It may be the most accurate rifle I have and she has had no trouble with it offhand.  Nothing wrong with the 7mm-08, but my daughter loves that 260.

[huntnphool]

Ruger American Compact, 6 pounds, Rugers adjustable accu trigger version, 18" barrel, recoil pad. http://www.ruger.com/products/americanRifleCompact/models.html

[redi]

My sons 7mm-08 has taken deer,  elk, bear and shiras moose with one shot successfully. It has my vote in any rifle you like. He started with a tikka and a muzzlebreak to reduce recoil. Now he is 12 and the break has outlived its need due to noise. Good luck

[carpsniperg2]

Perfect choice 7mm-08!!! I love all of mine Tikka or Ruger American.

[Kittman]

Lots of choices.

http://www.mossberg.com/product/rifles-bolt-action-centerfire-atr-bantam-super-bantam-short-action/27246?u_field_prod_caliber=7MM-08+REM@189&nodeRef=2513,2514,2191&redirect=1&lastnode=1&filterNodes=2191

[Hornseeker]

Boy, that 18" barrel on that Ruger would SHORT...

[huntnphool]

Boy, that 18" barrel on that Ruger would SHORT...

My daughter uses a Ruger M77 Hawkeye 7mm-08 compact with a 16.5" barrel, killed her whitetail at 285 yards, one shot! They are surprisingly accurate little rifles.

[cohoho]

My kid (11-14 at the time) shot everything he killed in AK with a .243 including Caribou, Black Bear and a Moose...  Not much of a difference between that and 7mm-08...

[huntnphool]

My kid (11-14 at the time) shot everything he killed in AK with a .243 including Caribou, Black Bear and a Moose...  Not much of a difference between that and 7mm-08...

Nope, only difference is a larger selection of better BC bullets.

[Jolten]

I'm a huge fan of savage myself. I currently have a .243 savage edge/axis with a cabelas alpha series rifle scope that I absolutely love for my deer rifle. Lightweight and mild recoil.

[Machias]

You cannot beat an H&R single shot for kids in a .243. They struggle with accuracy on alot of guns becasue they can't hold up the weight in the front.  .243 single shot in a synethic stock, kids shoot like experts.  Great first gun and they can still use them to whack yotes after they get bigger.

[Bob33]

My kid (11-14 at the time) shot everything he killed in AK with a .243 including Caribou, Black Bear and a Moose...  Not much of a difference between that and 7mm-08...

A 7mm bullet has 35% more surface area than a ,243 bullet. That is quite a difference.