Youth/Wife/Gun Suggestions
- Thread starter Gun Dog
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BRD DAWG
New member
My wife and daughter both use a 30-06 for deer. I just don't let them shoot it at the range. 
The only reason I went with this caliber was because they both hunt elk also, otherwise for deer only I like the .243
The only reason I went with this caliber was because they both hunt elk also, otherwise for deer only I like the .243
MarvB
Well-known member
G-Dog the Mrs. and the kids, will in the future use/will used my Mod600 Rem in 6mm to begin there blacktail pursuits. The wife and oldest daughter (age 10) has also punched a fair amount of paper with my Kimber in 6.5x55 and are both pretty proficient with it.
The Mrs. packed my -06 on the only elk hunt (cow) that she went on and didn't appear to be daunted by the slightly stronger kick. I think a lot more has to do with getting a decent fitting rifle (stock/scope ring/etc), a decent pad, and then teaching them how to properly shoulder a rifle then to worry too much about what they begin with caliber wise.
That being said, I don't mean to suggest you propr the Mrs. up behind a .416 or something to begin her first shooting session...
The Mrs. packed my -06 on the only elk hunt (cow) that she went on and didn't appear to be daunted by the slightly stronger kick. I think a lot more has to do with getting a decent fitting rifle (stock/scope ring/etc), a decent pad, and then teaching them how to properly shoulder a rifle then to worry too much about what they begin with caliber wise.
That being said, I don't mean to suggest you propr the Mrs. up behind a .416 or something to begin her first shooting session...
Calif. Hunter
Active member
As I said in the same topic in the deer section :
"It boils down to what you like and what will be the largest game taken. My choices would be 7-08, 260 Rem or .25-06 - in that order. The .260 Rem is pretty much the equivalent of the 6.5x55 but fits a short action very handily and ammo is more available.
Do you handload? If so, another good choice is a .308. In fact, with the new lower recoil rounds, it's a good choice even if you don't handload.
The Ruger Compact, along with the Model 7 or youth models of various brands, would be a good choice. The fact that you can replace the stock later with a full-size one as the child grows is an added benefit."
"It boils down to what you like and what will be the largest game taken. My choices would be 7-08, 260 Rem or .25-06 - in that order. The .260 Rem is pretty much the equivalent of the 6.5x55 but fits a short action very handily and ammo is more available.
Do you handload? If so, another good choice is a .308. In fact, with the new lower recoil rounds, it's a good choice even if you don't handload.
The Ruger Compact, along with the Model 7 or youth models of various brands, would be a good choice. The fact that you can replace the stock later with a full-size one as the child grows is an added benefit."
Gunner46
Well-known member
Something like the Rem Mdl 7, in a 7mm/08, would seem about perfect.
TTLS
New member
The 25-06 is getting hard to find, and that's a shame. It is also quite a bit more on the recoil than a .243. I killed my first deer with a .243, but I feel it is on the light side for mule deer. Whitetail, I don't know about them. The 7mm is probably the best route to take, IMHO. I saw a young gal a couple years ago shoot her dad's .338 sporter weight rifle. She couldn't have been 110 lbs. but she shot that gun off the bench just as well as her father. Recoil is a state of mind issue, and when you are hunting, I'd dare say you don't even feel it, just like you don't hear the shot after taking it.
NorthwestCajun
New member
I saw in the newest G&A that Weatherby will come out with a youth package this year. It's a Vanguard( howa 1500 youth) with a short lamanated stock and a fullsize synthetic for when they grow up. it has a 20" barrel and no sights
Does anyone have aWeatherby Vanguard or Howa youth/lightweight rifle that can chime in about it's quality?
Cajun
Does anyone have aWeatherby Vanguard or Howa youth/lightweight rifle that can chime in about it's quality?
Cajun
Calif. Hunter
Active member
I've had Howas (1 Howa, 1 S&W and 1 Vanguard) but no youth models. Quality is good, but the synthetic stocks are "Tupperware" plastic and I have had mixed luck with them. On the Howa-branded rifle, the Butler Creek stock rubbed on the left side of the barrel and that had to be corrected. The wood-stocked S&W 1500 Deluxe was fine, and shot under an inch. The Vanguard in .270 WSM is new, but shows promise.
I started out with a 6 mm remington. It's a little bigger than a .243. It has little to no recoil and will take down anything mule deer and below. I wouldn't use it on an elk but I know people who have killed elk with one. My wife who shot only one deer in her life, a 4x4 white-tail used it and was able to fire it at the rifle range with no problem. It is pretty light to carry around also.
personally (and this always starts arguments, so its just my opinion) i think that to many people use a 243/6mm for a beginning shooter because of low recoil and it is a mistake because beginning hunters even with good instruction are not as likely to make a clean shot as an experienced hunter would. many deer are taken with a 243 every year so saying it WONT DO IT is ridiculous but a bigger caliber like a 7mm-08 or a 308 will be much more forgiving of a less than perfect shot. one of my boys gut shot a deer with a 308 this year and it bedded less than 50 ards from where he shot it, im just not sure it would have done the same with a 243. yes it would have died but we may not have found it.
I agree wit tnctcb. There was an article not too long ago in Rifleshooter about picking the perfect first rifle. The author stated that a first rifle should be one in a chambering that can be used for a lifetime. For handloaders this is pretty easy as one can down load a 30-06, 270, etc to 30-30 recoil level pretty easy and up their power as the shooter grows/gets more comfortable with the rifle. This is even easy for those that don't handload as Rem and Fed both offer reduced recoil loads. I agree with this. Plus, with today's new bullets chamberings that were thought marginal for animals 20yrs ago now can handle them easily. JMHO.
MarvB
Well-known member
Saw on the tube this weekend a "combination" set from Rossi that was interchangeable between .270, .17HMR, and .50cal muzzleload.
The whole package was around $300 and I think they said that the mloader could also be replace with a shotgun bbl.
Don't know about the quality though I've heard the name for years...
The whole package was around $300 and I think they said that the mloader could also be replace with a shotgun bbl.
Don't know about the quality though I've heard the name for years...
BuzzH
Well-known member
Pointer and tnctcb,
I agree that the 243's/6mm isnt as forgiving as the 308, no questioning that. I also think the 308 would make a better all-around rifle for the long-term.
That said, its pretty suprising how well the various 243's work with well constructed bullets...I think they're a lot more forgiving than you realize. I've shot deer, elk, antelope, black bear, and bighorn sheep with 243's and 6mm's...some with less than ideal shots. I dont necessarily agree that a 243 or 6mm is a bad choice for a young hunter starting out, in particular on deer sized game.
I agree that the 243's/6mm isnt as forgiving as the 308, no questioning that. I also think the 308 would make a better all-around rifle for the long-term.
That said, its pretty suprising how well the various 243's work with well constructed bullets...I think they're a lot more forgiving than you realize. I've shot deer, elk, antelope, black bear, and bighorn sheep with 243's and 6mm's...some with less than ideal shots. I dont necessarily agree that a 243 or 6mm is a bad choice for a young hunter starting out, in particular on deer sized game.
A 7mag will be her best friend if you get it in the right gun say savage 110 or a browining BAR but at the same time it can be a night-mare but if you want a gun to pick of with out having to worry about a the type that has more recoil than others go with the 280 but the 06,and 270 are good picks to.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Ruger, do you have a Ruger #1?
noharleyyet
Well-known member
Meant the single shot...you have the bolt right? I have a 7 mag in the single shot stainless/laminate.
