Best rifle for my son?

[NTDawg]

When my son was a few years younger than yours I bought him Tikka T3 Lite in a .243. The good thing about a Tikka is that it is an adult rifle but it has a shorter pull than a Remington 700. Another good thing is that it comes with the trigger set at a good weight, around 3.5 pounds. Where as a Remington (and most other American guns) come with a 7.5 pound pull. The reason I keep comparing it a Remington is because that is what I shoot. I love my Remington 30.06 and it will shoot a sub 1" MOA at hundred yards (after I had the trigger adjusted). However, it is too big for most kids 12 and under.

I would suggest letting him shoulder and work the action of several guns. What feels good/comfortable to him? What can he shoulder and hold steady? If my son was 12 when I made the purchase I would buy the largest framed gun that he could shoulder and hold still free handed. Caliber wise I would probably buy 7mm.08. You want something that is comfortable enough to shoot a lot at the range and as much as love my 30.06 I think it would develop some bad habits in a 12 year old at the range . He will probably start flinching to brace for the recoil without even knowing he is doing it. Flinching and heavy trigger pulls = missed or worse wounded and unrecovered deer.

 

[Big Sheep81]

"You'll shoot your eye out kid"....couldn't resist..........

nm

 

[LandArchDawg]

Marlin .30-.30 lever action has probably taken down more deer than any other rifle. Easy to use from both an operation and safety standpoint, and can be operated ambidextrously. Excellent gun for the deep woods and brush as the bullets tend to not get deflected by twigs like can happen with more open field, high velocity calibers.

 

[fishwater99]

I agree .308 is the way to go... I have 2 already.

Get him a Rem 700 in .308 and he'll never need another rifle, again.

I am looking to buy a .308 in the AR platform ..

Any suggestions?

 

[crushing]

Friend of mine just got his son a 22-250 recently, because his son was a little scared of the recoil of his previous rifle. Of course, his son is only 9 y/o and he is kind of small. Depending how old he is and his size, and whether he minds a little kick, I would opt for the 30-06. I think the ammo for the 30-06 will be easier to find, than most of the other types of ammo.

 

[dogmatic]

Regardless of caliber, if you're looking to do something special you'd be amazed at how much difference a muzzle brake will make. A good gunsmith can do the work that'll let your son shoot a .300 Win Mag and have the recoil of a much lighter caliber. A quality brake on a .270 would cut felt recoil down to about nothing. Here's a comparison at KDF's website: http://www.kdfguns.com/KDF MB Layout.html

I can recommend excellent gunsmiths in the New Albany and Pontotoc areas. Someone here could likely do the same for the Jackson area or anywhere else. The gunsmiths could give you a hands-on tour of what this thread is discussing here for that matter, and with a good bit more knowledge than you'd find at an average retail counter.

 

[CochiseCowbell]

Marlin .30-.30 lever action has probably taken down more deer than any other rifle...

Absolutely loved my Marlin .30-.30 lever. One of the best guns I've ever shot. Granted, I haven't hunted much in my adult life.

 

[Augustus McCrae]

Muzzle brakes have their advantages and disadvantages. The biggest drawback I see is that they are loud as hell. Shooters need to wear hearing protection (and eye protection too) while shooting recreationally, sighting in, etc., but it is especially important when shooting a rifle with a muzzle brake. The reduced felt recoil is a major benefit though, no doubt about that.

Lots of good info and suggestions in this thread. Managed recoil ammunition is another option to consider. It's especially beneficial if someone were looking to buy a more powerful caliber rifle (.270, .30-06) for a smaller statured shooter.

.243, 7mm-08, and .308 are all great choices as well. The .308 probably has the most recoil of the three, but it's still not bad. As far as rifles go, I'd take a good look at Savage, the Ruger American rifle, and the T/C Venture. I have a Venture in .308 and absolutely love it. It's a sure enough tack-driver. I shoot Hornady 150-grain SSTs and they are deadly.

 

[HD6]

Good thing it has a compass in the stock.

 

[Dawgbite]

I am looking to buy a .308 in the AR platform ..

Any suggestions?

I have a Remington R25 and to be honest, i'm not very impressed. It had a very rough action and a terrible trigger. After a $200 Timney trigger and a lot of polish work on the internals, it is where it should be for a gun in that price range. The Remington and the DPMS are basicly the same gun. If I were buying today it would be one of the following three, Armalite, the new piston driven Ruger, or the Sig. All three are better out of the box than the Remington, but all cost more. A $1500 .308 AR is comparable to a $700 .223 AR, if you want a good gun that requires no modification, be prepared to spend $2000 plus.
On the subject of a youth gun, a lot of people have recomended a 243 win, but in my opinion, the bullet itself is too light to carry the required kinectic energy to humainly kill a deer without a perfect shot. I realize that it doesn't kick but it just doesn't have the margin for error that a young somewhat inexperienced shooter needs. The bigger the bullet, the more energy it carries, the larger margin of shot placement. I use a .308 for a lot of my hunting and have used a 7-08 on occasions and it is a good compromise between the .243 and .308. A long action such as 30-06, 270, and 280 might be a little difficult for someone with shorter arms to cycle the action so I would recomend a short action caliber. Remember, a cheap gun is an expense, a good quality gun is an invesment.

 

[Philly Dawg]

There are some nice single shot 243 models out there designed for youth, i.e. with short stocks, etc.

 

[KurtRambis4]

No

offense to you and I'm not really directing this at you specifically, but I've never understood why people buy the tricked out top of the line ARs with all of the top of the line mods used for CQB. Even if someone did want all of that stuff, it's so easy (and a great deal cheaper) to do the mods your self. The AR is so easy to work on.

 

[fishwater99]

Thanks

I was looking at the DPMS, but I don't think it a true AR, as in it's parts are not interchangeable with other manufactures.
Have you heard this?

 

[dawgstudent]

You should post that pic of the monster you killed.

 

[Dawgbite]

Thanks

I was looking at the DPMS, but I don't think it a true AR, as in it's parts are not interchangeable with other manufactures.
Have you heard this?

This is basically the same gun as the R25, the R25 just has a fluted barrel and is camoflage. I don't really consider a 308 for CQB, it has too much of everything, kick, weight, length, and penetration. A 223 is much more suited for this purpose. I actually like the pistol caliber AR's better for this. I have a Just Right Carbine in 45 ACP set up for this purpose. I bought the R25 for hunting and long range (300-500yds} plinking, for that, I expect a $1600 rifle to be a little more refined than the Remington was.
The DPMS is a true AR-10, not a piston driven gun like the Ruger. Most parts will interchange from one brand to the next. The piston driven guns are the newest and greatest but whether they are actually better is a matter of opinion. They are definitlly cleaner operating and the next one I buy will probably be the Ruger, but unless you shoot a lot{ hundreds, maybe thousands of rounds) you will never really find out if they are better.

 

[Philly Dawg]

I've got an old BSA .270 with a muzzle break and its probably the loudest gun I've ever shot.

 

[fishwater99]

Here you go... 156 7/8

 

[icouldjustpuke]

Do not buy one. It is not a top 20 rifle.

 

[West Tn Dawg]

^^^^^THIS^^^^^^

7mm-08 is an excellent choice. Guns-Remington 700, Browning A-Bolt, or Savage. Ruger is ok. You didn't ask but optics that are not bank breakers are Leupold VX 2, Nikon Monarch, or Vortex. Get at least a 40mm objective. Don't skimp on the mounts/rings. You will regret it if you do. No matter what gun, good optics are a must. The best gun in the world is just a loud noise w/o decent optics. You can do this for $600 or less if you trade sharp.

Great choice all around here!

 

[Dogariffic]

So my sons grandfather got him another gun for Christmas

Wanted to close the loop.

Appreciate all the suggestions, brands, calibers...including Red Rider....his grandfather moved him up to a Savage 270.
Not we just need to make sure this one does not get stolen like the last one.

 

[Palmettodog]

25-06 or .308 Rem 700 or Savage

Extremely accurate rounds, flat shooting, very little recoil. The Rem 700 and Savage are the most accurate out of the box. Stay with a low grain for 110-120.

I shoot a 7mm mag and my son shoots a 25-06, when he's not with me I shoot his gun.

 

[msstate7]

This should be perfect...

http://www.bornrich.com/at-820000-vo-falcon-edition-is-the-world-s-most-expensive-rifle.html

 

[Truereb13.sixpack]

I bought my 13 year old daughter the 7mm-08 Marlin. Absolute best buy I have made on a gun. Offers a 50% reduced recoil bullet that is money. First day of youth season and first hunt with new rifle, she shot a 210# 6 point and later that day a nice size 8 point. Dropped them in their tracks.

 

[Joe Schmedlap]

Excellent choice in the Savage: a lot of rifle for the money. I also love the .270 Winchester - it is an excellent caliber for white tail hunting. Now, at age 12, I don't think I would have been ready for my Remington 700 in .270 Winchester, but I wasn't a big kid though. I hunted with a .243 at that age. However, knowing what I know now, I would choose a 7mm-08 or 6.5x55 Swede if I were outfitting a 12 to 13 year old son now. Both rounds have mild recoil and yet are more than enough gun for white tails up to 300 yards. That Swede is absolute murder on deer with 140 grain Nosler partitions - the deer drop in their tracks or within 20 yards. If I hunt in the woods now, I use my Swede most of the time and reserve the .270 for hunting fields and pipe lines. If your son doesn't mind the moderate recoil of his new .270, he will definitely have a gun that he will never outgrow. If you can find some bronze point 130 grain Remington rounds for that Savage .270, grab them. They are extemely effective. Congrats to your son. Remind him that his grandpa is awesome - what a great gift, and one to cherish for decades.

Wanted to close the loop.

Appreciate all the suggestions, brands, calibers...including Red Rider....his grandfather moved him up to a Savage 270.
Not we just need to make sure this one does not get stolen like the last one.

 

[northsouthreb]

I saved up money when I was in 9th grade for a rifle. I went ahead and purchased the 30.06 and didn't waste the time/money on a lower caliber. Yes, it knocked the dog crap out of me for a year or two but I truly believe it made be a better shooter in how I handled and positioned the rifle during shooting. I've hunted out west with it and hunted north and south MS thickets with it. To date, I've never had a deer go more than 10 steps after it was hit. Never, even with gut shots. I'm 38 now and have yet to find a reason to purchase another rifle.

Shotguns? My first was a Remington Wingmaster 20 gauge.....still hunt doves and rabbits with it today. Its lightweight and easy to clean. I shoot ducks with a Remington 11-87, 3.5 shot. It will reach out there and its easy to assemble/clean in the field. Hell, I paddled a canoe with it once after the canoe decided to take off without the paddle when I stepped in it. They are reasonably priced and I can't make myself take a high dollar shotgun into the field. I'm just to hard on them.