Youth Calibers

[Bigbuckhunter_1996]

Which short action calibers (excluding short mags) do you think are the most versatile for a smaller kid to hunt with? I'm looking at getting a 7mm-08 for my nephew but not sure if maybe a .308 would be better or not.

[Bob33]

7mm08 will get 80% of the votes between the two.

[huntnphool]

7mm08 will get 80% of the votes between the two.

Its got my vote.

[Rick]

7mm-08 or .260 Remington gets my vote.

[Jolten]

I hunt deer/elk/bear for big game with a .243 using 80gr Barnes TTSX

[Dan-o]

7MM-08     

[Karl Blanchard]

If you are a reloader don't overlook some really great calibers that you can "tame down".  I worked up a load for a couple boys I took deer hunting this year.  They both got .270's last Christmas so we loaded down a 130gr ballistic tip to about 2600fps and they worked outstanding!  Both boys took whitetail does and muledeer does with second tags.  All four were 1 shot kills and slowing down the ballistic tip made them a little less devistating.  Between the two though I would go with the 7mm-08.

[RadSav]

Smaller lighter weight 308's tend to be a little more punishing than a lot of youth can tolerate.  243 as a first deer/bear gun would be a good choice.  If elk hits the menu I'd chose 7-08.

[jay.sharkbait]

.243

[snowpack]

what kind of hunting?

[carpsniperg2]

7mm08

[Bigbuckhunter_1996]

Deer and Bear hunting for sure and possibly Elk.

[MountainWalk]

Why not the good old 30'06? Does it all. And you can buy 125 reduced loads for it. The short action thing isn't for me.  Kids grow fast. A plain jane beater 06 is a cheap wonderful thing.

[mountainman]

As in another recent thread, the 7/08 is the majority winner hands down

[MHWASH]

My son and his buddy use our Marlin youth 7-08. Neither one complained about the recoil using full power 120 hand loads. Gavin used it this year to shoot a small moose with 120 tsx.