Youth Rifle

[crowinghen]

Love my Savage axis youth .243 killed my bear and my blacktail with it. I am a short armed grown up.
 Susie

[LandofRath]

I've set up a few ruger American compacts over the last few years and they really are amazing shooting little rifles.  2 7mm-08s and one in .243.  All shot under or at MOA consistently.   Pretty sure if you shop you can scrounge one up for $300ish.  I recommend them highly.

   Son started at 8 with 7mm-08 ruger compact - was a tackdriver.  Loudest gun ever with a muzzle break on that short barrel but always ear muffs.   Wouldn't do the break again on that short barrel, great gun tho.

I was wondering about muzzle breaks.. I have never shot anything that had one.

[highside74]

My son is using a 7mm08 compact Ruger American with a 120gr bullet. I picked the 08 over a 243 because you can get  bullets up to 150gr and down to 120gr with almost the same exact recoil #s as a 243. Also the 7mm08 has almost exactly the same ballistics as the 6.5 Creedmoor but without all the fanboys for some reason.

[LandofRath]

 Getting him the Ruger Compact in the 7mm-08 as long as nothing crazy bad happens in the next week or so.
Thanks for the Advice/Opinions. Will post a video when we get it to the range.

[sidexside]

I bought my son the ruger compact 7/08.  It's a great little gun and for a hundred bucks you can buy an adult stock and have the lightest adult gun you'll ever find ( slip on recoil pad will add an inch for you to sight it in).  He hasn't passed hunters ed yet, so I tested it out this year on a blacktail.  One thing to be prepared for, it's a very light gun, so physics will dictate that there is quite a bit of recoil for a 7/08.  Depending on your son's shooting experience, you might consider buying some reduced recoil loads for practicing, then full loads for hunting.  I handloaded some reduced powder 110 grainers that are a touch over a 22.

[Karl Blanchard]

I bought my son the ruger compact 7/08.  It's a great little gun and for a hundred bucks you can buy an adult stock and have the lightest adult gun you'll ever find ( slip on recoil pad will add an inch for you to sight it in).  He hasn't passed hunters ed yet, so I tested it out this year on a blacktail.  One thing to be prepared for, it's a very light gun, so physics will dictate that there is quite a bit of recoil for a 7/08.  Depending on your son's shooting experience, you might consider buying some reduced recoil loads for practicing, then full loads for hunting.  I handloaded some reduced powder 110 grainers that are a touch over a 22.

  Good advice.  I did the same for whitpirates son.  I went with a 120 gr Noslet ballistic tip with a light charge of imr4350.  He must have ran 30 through it the first time we went out.  He couldn't get enough of it

[LandofRath]

I bought my son the ruger compact 7/08.  It's a great little gun and for a hundred bucks you can buy an adult stock and have the lightest adult gun you'll ever find ( slip on recoil pad will add an inch for you to sight it in).  He hasn't passed hunters ed yet, so I tested it out this year on a blacktail.  One thing to be prepared for, it's a very light gun, so physics will dictate that there is quite a bit of recoil for a 7/08.  Depending on your son's shooting experience, you might consider buying some reduced recoil loads for practicing, then full loads for hunting.  I handloaded some reduced powder 110 grainers that are a touch over a 22.

  Good advice.  I did the same for whitpirates son.  I went with a 120 gr Noslet ballistic tip with a light charge of imr4350.  He must have ran 30 through it the first time we went out.  He couldn't get enough of it

Thanks guys I might do that.. He has done quite a bit of shooting with the Winchester 30-30 lever action which is really light so I my guess is that it wont kick all that much more than that. Ill try and find some managed recoil rounds if I can, if not ill just go with the lightest grain I see to start. This gun might drive me into reloading since it seams the rounds can be almost double the standard ones we are currently using.

[Karl Blanchard]

If you were closer I'd be more than happy to knock out some loads for the young hunter.  I'm sure someone around could do the same.  When I get home I'll look up exactly what my lad for whit was.

[Pathfinder101]

When PathfinderJR was 10, I got him a Marlin XS7Y (The Marlin XL7 in Youth Model) in a .308.  He hunted with it for a couple of years and shot it pretty well, then graduated up to a 7mm Mag when he was 12. 
This season he passed it down to his little brother (who is 9 and small for his age).  We sighted it in with Hornandy 125 gr Reduced Recoil SSTs and he shot it this summer.
This fall he killed this muley at 328 yards with a single shot. 
You used to see tons of Marlin XL7s at gun counters of sporting goods stores, but I noticed that in the last couple of years they have largely been replaced by the Ruger Americans.  A quick online search turned up a couple of new ones, so I assume they are still in production.
I'll say this about those managed recoil loads... my 60 lb 9 year old can shoot a box of shells through his rifle and it doesn't bother him a bit.

[JLS]

If you were closer I'd be more than happy to knock out some loads for the young hunter.  I'm sure someone around could do the same.  When I get home I'll look up exactly what my lad for whit was.

I make reduced 30-06 loads with a 100 grain bullet and 12 grains of Unique powder.  It has recoil equivalent to a .22 Hornet.  For hunting loads, I use H4895.  10 year old girls can shoot these loads with no problem.

[LandofRath]

If you were closer I'd be more than happy to knock out some loads for the young hunter.  I'm sure someone around could do the same.  When I get home I'll look up exactly what my lad for whit was.

I make reduced 30-06 loads with a 100 grain bullet and 12 grains of Unique powder.  It has recoil equivalent to a .22 Hornet.  For hunting loads, I use H4895.  10 year old girls can shoot these loads with no problem.

Impressive but the 30-06 is mine and I like the kick:) I enjoy shooting my grandfathers old rifle even though its heavy.
I should see if I know anyone local that does reloading.

[MooseZ25]

I also recommend the Ruger youth model.  My daughter has shot hers since she was 9 in a 7mm 08.  Killed everything from moose, bear and deer with it.  I put a muzzle break and it virtually has no recoil.  Currently she is shooting 140 gr. Nosler BT for whitetail.   

[LandofRath]

If you were closer I'd be more than happy to knock out some loads for the young hunter.  I'm sure someone around could do the same.  When I get home I'll look up exactly what my lad for whit was.

That would have been very cool of you.. either way I will make sure he has some ammo to get some practice in. Maybe I will make the drive out to Cabelas to see if they carry the lighter rounds.. Out here my choices are Walmart or Bimart unless I want to over pay.

[bobcat]

Just order online:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/227695/hornady-custom-lite-ammunition-7mm-08-remington-120-grain-sst-box-of-20

[Karl Blanchard]

Just order online:

https://www.midwayusa.com/product/227695/hornady-custom-lite-ammunition-7mm-08-remington-120-grain-sst-box-of-20

  short of reloading this is about as good as it gets.  I've mentored youth hunters for going on a decade and I can tell you from more watching more than a dozen kills, a slowed down ballistic tip is VERY deadly.  They don't frag like they do at faster velocities and the expansion is almost more accubond like.