Yep. My two youths absolutely hammer deer and antelope with the .243. mtmuley
7mm-08
- Thread starter deputy338
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Yep. My two youths absolutely hammer deer and antelope with the .243. mtmuley
deputy338
Member
I know the 243 is plenty for deer, my first few deer were killed with one, but I will also be carrying the rifle for bear if I can ever get out to washington. I just dont have as much confidence with the 243 for bears. I may just get the prohunter or dimension from TC and buy the kids a 243 barrel and myself a 7mm-08.
belly-deep
Active member
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That would be better. Don't make your kids shoot too big of a rifle just because you need a bear gun.
deputy338
Member
Look I have a 30-06 that I can use and wouldnt make my kids shoot that like my dad started me with. I just figured the recoil would be quite a bit less then the 30-06 and it would make a lighted package for me to carry in the hills. kind of killing two birds with one stone.....in the back of my head i figured it wouldnt be that easy though.
deputy338
Member
I started shooting the 30-06 when I was ten. I got recoil shy real quick and thats when I was given a 243. But by the time I was thirteen I was back to shooting the 30-06 and been there ever since. Maybe the girls would like the 7mm-08 and stay with it....who knows they are still a little young.
deputy338
Member
No I havent started reloading. I would love to get started though.
Buy a handloading set up before you buy a new rifle. It'll make all the rifles you have now more versatile and interesting.
If you do go the 7-08 route, Remington makes a managed recoil load.
But a .223, a reloading setup, and a 30-06 covers a whooooole lot of ground. Just something to think about.
Travis
RkyMtnELK
Member
IF, you reload Hodgdon has a powder, I believe it is H4895, that can be down loaded as much as 60%. Load some beginner rounds and work your way up. I am a hand gunner but the 7mm-08 is a caliber I would use for hunting in a heart beat.
I just returned home from the local gun store toting a Browning XBolt in 7mm-08! The girl will use the .243 until we go after an elky type critter. Before long, I can see this becoming her gun for life for all things big and small. Now I need to fit it with some glass. Thinking a Leupy VX3 might be a good arranged marriage for this gun! The thing I like about this caliber is it is really good from A to E without a big recoil. That is, antelope to elk.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Good call on the component nuptials.
T Bone
Well-known member
The 7-08 is an efficient killer.
My daughter was scared of the 30-06 so a couple years ago I started the search for a good rifle for her. Elk would be the most frequent target. I thought long and hard on a .243, but felt like the 7-08 would be better suited for elk.
I got her a Ruger American in 7-08. Loaded it light with 100 grain Sierra's and she became crazy proficient with it over last summer.
Loaded it with 120 grainers for hunting, and the 12 year old girl proceeds to drop a deer and an elk.
7-08 is for girlies. Impressive performance, especially on the elk. She drilled the elk twice. The first quartering away, the second punched shoulders. Both complete pass throughs. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use that rifle on any elk.
My daughter was scared of the 30-06 so a couple years ago I started the search for a good rifle for her. Elk would be the most frequent target. I thought long and hard on a .243, but felt like the 7-08 would be better suited for elk.
I got her a Ruger American in 7-08. Loaded it light with 100 grain Sierra's and she became crazy proficient with it over last summer.
Loaded it with 120 grainers for hunting, and the 12 year old girl proceeds to drop a deer and an elk.
7-08 is for girlies. Impressive performance, especially on the elk. She drilled the elk twice. The first quartering away, the second punched shoulders. Both complete pass throughs. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use that rifle on any elk.
deputy338
Member
7-08 is for girlies?.....darn looks like I better stick with my 06 and just get the 7-08 for the kiddos!
sbhooper
Well-known member
The 7-08 is an efficient killer.
My daughter was scared of the 30-06 so a couple years ago I started the search for a good rifle for her. Elk would be the most frequent target. I thought long and hard on a .243, but felt like the 7-08 would be better suited for elk.
I got her a Ruger American in 7-08. Loaded it light with 100 grain Sierra's and she became crazy proficient with it over last summer.
Loaded it with 120 grainers for hunting, and the 12 year old girl proceeds to drop a deer and an elk.
7-08 is for girlies. Impressive performance, especially on the elk. She drilled the elk twice. The first quartering away, the second punched shoulders. Both complete pass throughs. I wouldn't hesitate for a second to use that rifle on any elk.
Great pic of a great kid. Results don't lie.
Dan O
Well-known member
My only experience with the 7-08 is a Big Cow Elk my nephew shot several years ago. He used a Ruger Hawkeye loaded with Federal Fusion 140 grain shells. He shot the cow when she was broadside at 225 yards. He hit it right behind the front shoulder and she took off over the ridge. We lost sight of her and upon walking to the spot where he shot her I saw her about 35 yards away dead. Upon gutting her it was apparent it was a complete pass through and the lungs were destroyed. My 300 or 338 would not have done any better. I was very impressed with the accuracy, light recoil and effective performance on a big animal. My wife has a model 70 featherweight in 7-08 and I have spent sometime with it on the range and it's very enjoyable to shoot. Looking forward to her using it on game this year.
With the quality bullets we have available many of the smaller calibers "short action" are great performers. Pick one and go for it.
Dan
With the quality bullets we have available many of the smaller calibers "short action" are great performers. Pick one and go for it.
Dan
belly-deep
Active member
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At least 22-250s will go bang in a 'creed. Its a step in the right direction.
