[pball942]

I want to purchase for my son a deer rifle for next year’s season. I am highly considering a .243, but I’m confident he could handle a .308. A good combination of lightweight, and accuracy.
I admit that I am partial to Winchester's Model 70, but would like to hear some other views.

 

[1963duce100]

7mm-08 youth model, it can later be upgraded to a longer adult stock. My sis tr and her daughter use one (browing A bolt) My sister has killed a few (3?) deer with it and also two cows(ome at 350 yards), her daughter two mulies, spike and a fork. They are both pitete. It seems that people nowadays want to over gun for deer. if it anint a magnum its too small (for adults). I have hunted ONLY with a 30-06 or a 44mag. I was a small scrawny kid and used a 06.
BOTTOM LINE
get him something that he is coumfy with and will be fun for him to shoot. If he grows up and the gun can too it just may be the gun he uses for life too.

 

[DANA]

Try a Savage 99 in 243 or 308

DANA

 

[chester12]

30/30 or 7m08

 

[jamesfaync]

i think kansas deer are about the same size as mo deer and i hunted with a little 7.62x 39 chinese sks. knocked the deer down just fine.

 

[JAMES]

I like your choice of a .243 bolt action. I've been considering the same in regard to my youngest (age 7) son. Hard to beat a .243 for versatility, deer and varmints, and low recoil. I've never owned one (I do have a Remington 700 .243 take-off barrel...but, without the rest of the rifle it don't shoot so good); however, an uncle of mine took at least one deer every year for about 40 years with his .243 back in Old Virginia. Never failed him.

 

[myarmor]

Remington Model Seven.
Good short action selection and should fit him well.

 

[Sav .250]

Ok, i`m in...................243 or a Sav 99F in .250. Got-um both, i`m happy.


" The best part of the hunt is not the harvest but in the experience."

 

[BattleRifleG3]

Savage is THE name in accuracy. Sadly not so for feeding reliability. For high pressure shooting, I'd go Rem 700 (or 7 if you like it and can afford), Weatherby Vanguard, Charles Daly Mauser, CZ 550, Ruger M77, or Winchester M70 in that order. For cartridges I'd say pick one he can affordably shoot enough to become very good with it. Getting a 308 will get him used to the recoil - I'm of the mind that it's better to start with as much recoil as you can reasonably handle with regularity, that way nothing will surprise you in a bad way that shouldn't. I think the reciol of a lightweight 30-06 is something any healthy young adult male should be able to handle, and if your son's in the double digits, a 308 in a standard weight gun should be a good choice. I've known 100lbish girls who consider Mauser carbines to be low on recoil. I feel that it's more important to train yourself to do your best with something standard before trying to customize much. That way you actually know what you do and don't want in a gun.

So for a good standard round to start with, with surplus and Wolf ammo available for practice, I'd say pick a basic bolt action in 308.

 

[Johan Malan]

How about the old 303 brit?
recoil is about the same as a 308.
and you can get mil surp rifles for less than $100

 

[BattleRifleG3]

Ammo availability and cost make it less economical, at least using surplus ammo. Less than $100 USD is the exception, not the rule in the US. That's usually for a crappy bubbafication. 7.62x51mm NATO ammo can be had for less than $0.20 USD a round and is non-corrossive. Enfield ammo costs more and is as far as I know mostly corrossive. Plus for reloading it uses the 0.311" bullets, not the most common ones in 0.308".

Not to trash the SMLE at all, just saying that in the US you can get a highly accurate bolt action new in the $300s and have very accurate and very affordable varieties of ammo available practically everywhere.

 

[Pumpkinheaver]

Remington model 7 in 7mm-08 maybe .260rem.

 

[pball942]

Wow, thank you for input. He just got his 1st .22 today, and already I can see the makings of a marksman. Went and put 500 rounds down range, and he is pretty good but he has room for improvement. So i am confadint that come this next deer season he will be ready. I would like to tell you all about how this day went but that is a story for a different forum. But please submit more suggestions for a 1st deer rifle. What was your 1st deer rifle?

 

[myarmor]

pball942-Have you ever thought about getting the boy a nice Mosin Nagant or Mauser? VERY small investment, rugged, reliable, and accurate. And awesome combination to start a boy off right. Extremely cheap ammo to plink with, and would teach him how to take recoil, and become used to it. All without breaking the bank for you my friend. Not to mention the power of these old cartridges.
Then after he shows himself capable, step him up to a nicer new Remington, Winchester, Savage, ...you name it.
There are some very nice Mosins coming in lately.

 

[pball942]

Thats not a bad idea. But I have to admit that i have no experiance with them. But have kicked around the idea of getting a M 1891-30, mainly for me. Although I am leaning towards a .243 as my wife is have a say in this too (and that's what she likes).

 

[wirehunt]

6.5x55, can't go to far wrong with it and a very accurate rifle with mild recoil and plenty of stopping power. Also my first rifle, and it claimed it's fair shear of animals.

Stephen

 

[pball942]

6.5x55, can't go to far wrong with it and a very accurate rifle with mild recoil and plenty of stopping power. Also my first rifle, and it claimed it's fair shear of animals.

Stephen

What kind of rifle?

 

[JAMES]

Swedish Mauser...
6.5x55 is a good suggestion too, I think; fairly popular in the U.S. Not as mild on recoil as a .243, but nothing real substantial either. Recoil would be about like a .30-30, but with more impressive ballistics, particularly in the range department. Plenty of factory loads available.
Ruger chambers their M77 for 6.5x55 (did recently, at least).

I like 7x57 too, but it just doesn't seem to be very popular with American rifle manufacturers.

All in all, though.....make the wife happy. Can't go wrong with a .243, at all.

Get that 1891/30 too. Just because.....well, any good man deserves one. They're crude, tough, reliable....manly...and, once you fall in love with it, you'll swear it's actually a handsome rifle....and everyone else will think you're nuts...until they own one. Excellent rifle for the price these days. Tons of cheap ammo available and some decent hunting ammo available too.

 

[myarmor]

Or better yet, get a 91/30 for yourself and a M38 Carbine or M44 for your son. He would love the pig poker on the end of that M44

 

[FutureMarine]

Or better yet, get a 91/30 for yourself and a M38 Carbine or M44 for your son. He would love the pig poker on the end of that M44

couldnt of said it better myself...:flame: