What caliber for son?

[jvanhoy]

Another vote for the 7mm08. My son starting shooting it at 9 and he can cut bullet holes at 100 yards now at 12. Great caliber. We have both killed several deer with it.

 

[FLS]

I’ve had featherweight 308s that will kick the snot out of you and heavier magnums that were much tamer to shoot. Cartridge is less important than fit IMO.
I’d get a rifle that fits and is easy to find ammo for. A 270 is pretty hard to beat for the game you’ve listed.

 

[Browning Rifles]

270 wsm. Browning makes a few decent rifles. .270 Winchester is really all he will ever need. Browning make some of them also...

 

[Trial153]

.257 Robert's

 

[Deleted member 38069]

 

[Huntmt28]

I started our son with a Rossi 22lr with a 410 barrel that could swap out, built up to 220 Swift then I found a Ruger American Predator with the heavier barrel in 243 he started shooting that at 9 and used it hunting for 2 years it was on the heavy end, but I would carry it for him some and at 12 he could shoot elk in MT so we researched and he/me decided on a Kimber Hunter in 7-08 I believe it is 5.5lbs (rifle only)it is great to pack and shoots great, get him involved in the selection, didnt mess with reduced loads just found a load that the gun shoots and he shoots it all the time at the range, he grabs it before his 22-250.... he will be 13 in Sept

 

[lpcoutdoors]

7mm-08 getting lots of love on this thread and it should. I got mine decades ago when there were no sporter weight barreled versions on the market, now they are everywhere! Perfect for a kid, mine has been used by my kids, guided clients, and an many TYHP youth hunts. One thing I like mine does is that with Hornady Lite ammo it is dead on and with regular full power Hornady Custom loads it is 1.5 inches high, both at 100. So I can interchange it with a kid or for myself without a new sight in. The caliber is big enough to be effective on deer, bear, and elk (within some limitations, maybe). Then when a kid gets older, if he wants, he can really jump up to something bigger if the game or distances warrant.

In any case, great on ya for doing the research and getting your son into the game!

 

[Deleted member 22670]

416 Barrett will serve him well.

 

[WinkB]

I have my daughter shooting a 7mm-08 for deer and antelope we are running the 120gr nosler ballistic tip hunting at just over 3000 fps. It currently sits in a composite stock is very light, making it easier for her to carry around. If needed a proper 140gr class bullet can be used. I like the short action rounds as keeps the action a bit shorter and lighter. Not much difference between short action and long in weight with a similar barrel contour and length but it does all add up when you jump to a long action.

She really likes her 6mm creed as well. My second vote would be for the 6.5 creed due to the price and availability of many quality options.

 

[matt0550]

416 Barrett will serve him well.

Well, for a newer shooter he should probably tame it down to something more manageable like 408 Cheytac?

 

[Deleted member 22670]

Well, for a newer shooter he should probably tame it down to something more manageable like 408 Cheytac?

That's fine, but kids are soft these days.

 

[Timbermonkey]

My son is 9 and I bought him a Browning AB3 Micro stalker in 7mm.08 and seems to be a great fit for him. This will be his first deer season this year

 

[N2TRKYS]

Personally, I’d stay with the 7mm or 30 caliber range. There’s a lot of good cartridges in each of those calibers to choose from. Finding a rifle that fits him would be important, as well. Good luck with your search.

 

[Rkc0053]

My first rifle was a marlin .35 and I still use it in the Texas brush. My favorite rifle is a 7mm-08 I built. I was shooting that Marlin at 8 years old. It kicked like a mule then but I have never had to track an animal with it. I guess you could go to a range and try a few calibers too.

 

[Kennedy]

Thanks for the reply everybody. I'm thinking of the 7millimeter08. After I get my son set up then I can finally buy me a rifle.

 

[Woodrow F Call]

7mm-08, 6.5 creedmoor

Either one of these would be great. 6.5 CM can be pretty cheap to shoot.

 

[tzone]

I am looking for advice on a rifle for my sons first big game gun. My son is 10 years old he can handle full power 30-06 loads. So my question is what caliber would you get if you was me buying him his first big game rifle? I reload so I can lesson the power if its something bigger than a 30-06. I want something that when he gets bigger that he will not be scared of. Where I'm from we hunt antelope mule deer and elk. Thanks.

This says " my son needs a .270 for his first rifle."

 

[Mitchellmountain]

I think you’re going to be happy with the 7mm. Another consideration that I think people should take seriously is shooting ability. How many new shooters should be sending shots down range at live animals at more than 300 yards? At those ranges a variety of cartridges that have significantly less recoil than the 06 will do well on elk sized game WITH proper bullet selection.
My 14 y/o can shoot proficiently out to 500 yards off the bench with his tikka 6.5 swede. But I have seen him lose his composure more than a few times when deer show up. And honestly I hope he does get over excited for a while. If taking a big game animal doesn’t get his heart pumping and adrenaline flowing I don’t know if he really is into it.

 

[WVmike]

Like others mentioned .308, 6.5 creedmoor are good calibers. Reloading is another big thing that you already have in your favor. My buddy has a 6.5 PRC that he likes really well with little to no recoil. It's a savage high country. I personally use a .308, .264 or 7mm rem mag depending on what I'm hunting. My son is 6 and I've started him on a cricket and will be getting a pellet gun in the next few months. Exciting to teach the young ones a good skill to learn.

 

[MTGamecock]

Thanks for the reply everybody. I'm thinking of the 7millimeter08. After I get my son set up then I can finally buy me a rifle.

Another vote for the 7mm-08. I bought an inexpensive Savage Axis II in that caliber for my 12 year old son last summer. Last fall, he shot his first deer with it at 210 yards from a kneeling position after a long hike over rough terrain. He probably could have shot any caliber at that deer and never felt the recoil, but he enjoyed shooting the light-kicking 7mm-08 at the range, so it meant that he practiced with it and had confidence in that gun. Another example where the best gun for the job is the one you/he shoots the best.