first rifle for son - mule deer/antelope/elk

[idahohunter8]

My son is going to be 10 in a couple years and I want to build him his first rifle this winter/spring so he can start learning to shoot on it with reduced hand loads. This rifle will be mainly for mule deer/antelope, but maybe also an occasional elk.

Here is what I have in my mind...
Action - Remington 700 or Winchester 70 classic
Barrel - 22" finished 1 or 2 contour shilen
Caliber - 257 Roberts
Stock - raised comb laminate, cut to 12.5" LOP. Also will sand grip areas down significantly to fit his hands and reduce weight. Want the raised comb to help him get is eye to scope level.
Scope - Leupold VX-2, 3-9X40 - has the best eye relief in its class

Plan to load 87-100 grain bullets behind 15-20 grains of powder to let him learn on with the goal of moving up to a 100 grain nosler Partition load closer to normal velocities for hunting in a couple years.

Thoughts????

 

[idahohunter8]

The alternate idea is a Tikka T3 Compact (12.5" lop) in 7mm/08...When he outgrows the stock, just need to replace with full size tikka stock.

 

[DrMike]

Both are great cartridges. Either plan will work to perfection, without a doubt. I built my grandson his first rifle on a Tikka and rechambered to .260. He loves it. As he grows, we will add a new stock to fit him. The original was cut down to fit. His little brother got a Savage chamber in .243. His little sister has already informed me that she wants her rifle to be pink. Undoubtedly, it will be pink. :grin:

 

[Dr. Vette]

His little sister has already informed me that she wants her rifle to be pink. Undoubtedly, it will be pink. :grin:

Like this one?

 

[DrMike]

His little sister has already informed me that she wants her rifle to be pink. Undoubtedly, it will be pink. :grin:

Like this one?

I'm sure that'll do; but she will likely put her own stamp on the rifle. :grin: Quite a feisty young lady.

 

[Thebear_78]

Sounds like a good plan. I went with a 308 for my son. Trail boss loads of 150s @ 1400fps to start and now that he is 12 have worked up to 130gr TTSX @ 3000fps. Gotta love those trail boss loads for good low recoil trigger time


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Anonymous]

I went the 7-08 route for my son at age 11...no regrets there. One of the best low recoil killing sticks out there in my estimation.

Low recoil loads to start, later on 140s at 2850 will do for about whatever shy of griz.

Now he's 14 and several dead caribou later...is looking for a longer stock.

 

[truck driver]

I started mine out on my 257 Roberts. But the area we hunted in turned into shot gun onlyand I bought him a 20ga to get started with. At the time they didn't offer shot guns with 20ga rifled barrels and his smooth bore wouldn't pattern very well past 25yds so he ended up with a Mossburg 500 with rifled barrel in 12ga he was 13 at the time but had been shooting for quite awhile and had tried Dad's 12ga before with light loads and from shooting the 20ga he knew there would be more kick but handled it well. Sometimes you have to let them decide what is too much instead of just picking something you think they should shoot. He killed a nice buck with the Mossburg for his first deer. My son weighed about 120lbs at the time. Good recoil pads can help a lot.

 

[Dr. Vette]

His little sister has already informed me that she wants her rifle to be pink. Undoubtedly, it will be pink. :grin:

Like this one?

I'm sure that'll do; but she will likely put her own stamp on the rifle. :grin: Quite a feisty young lady.

This one is my younger with her first deer this past youth season. She is recoil shy, so it is a .223 Rem. Did a great job with Barnes Vor-TX ammo. Her older sister shoots a .243, but this one didn't like the recoil from it so I had to get her a cartridge she shoot without being scared.

 

[Kodiak]

My oldest grandson loves his .243 youth Remington rifle. He's not quite ready for an elk hunt yet, but its enough rifle for white-tail deer. The girls haven't made up their minds (no surprise there) for the most part. The oldest has a very nice Kimber Montana rifle, but that's "her" way.

 

[Guy Miner]

I like the proposed .257 Roberts rifle! It's enough - without all the recoil of the bigger cartridges. Nice.. Classic too!

Consider bumping up the scope class a notch...

My son started out with a 22" 6mm Rem 700 BDL. Why? Because I had it on hand and it was (and still is) a great little rifle. He started using it at age 10 or 12 as I recall, and is still hunting with it at age 24. I suspect that your .257 idea will work out just dandy.



Regards, Guy

 

[Bruce Mc]

I like the .257 Roberts idea. A reduced load would be very tame and later a 100gr Partition at 3000+ fps would be deadly on deer and antelope. Winchester made a couple of limited runs of Model 70 featherweights over the past decade in .257 Roberts, finding one of those could fill your bill. Just get a plastic aftermarket stock to shorten and then put the original stock back when he grows into it. In a good strong bolt gun, the .257 roberts can do 3000+ fps with a 115 Partition and could be used on much more than deer and antelope. If I didn't already have too many projects with new powders, I'd have to give IMR-4451 a try with the 115 gr bullet. I bet it'd touch 3100+. I too like VX-2 scopes. Quality at a reasonable price.

 

[nvbroncrider]

Love the idea love the Bob run 120's but build it on a long action. Or you could even jump to the 6.5X55 or 7X57 Mausers also on a long action and have them properly throated to use the magazine length with elk on the menu I think the 7 would be the way to go. Very gentle with 150's and the 120 BT are tough.

 

[idahohunter8]

I think I am going to go the 257 Roberts option on a long Remington 700 or Winchester 70 action...When he gets bigger, full 120 nosler Partition load will provide him all the pop he will need out to 300 yards.

 

[idahohunter8]

Well Plans have changed!!! - Funny how that works out...Was in Sportsmans today and started playing with rifles and long story short - the youth rifle project has now turned into a Weatherby Vanguard Youth 7mm/08...Has a spacer to adjust the stock from 12.5-13.6", little 20" barrel, nice trigger, and only weighs 6.5 pounds. They had 1 left and it was on sale for $469.

Overall it seems like a very nice and solid rifle and I love the raised comb to help with sight adjustment. Going to introduce him to shooting with reduced trail boss loads at about 1200-1500 FPS.

Anyone else own one of these youth Vanguards or any feedback on the 7mm-08?

 

[Anonymous]

any feedback on the 7mm-08?

I love the 7-08. One of the better balanced cartridges out there. Really good manners.

If you're buying factory cartridges, be aware many of them are loaded with bullets better suited to 7mmRM speeds than 7-08 speeds, especially in a 20" barrel.

I've had one failure to expand on a 150 yard broadside caribou with a 140gr Fusion. That same bullet on a 55yd shot was recovered with a perfect mushroom. It's my thinking that there's just nothing at all wrong with old fashioned cup and core bullets at the old fashioned speeds this cartridge generates. I'm probably going to try the BT next and eventually the 145gr Speer in hand loads.

 

[DrMike]

It sounds as if you did, indeed, find a fine rifle for your son. The cartridge is excellent and the Vanguards have an excellent reputation. Add to this a good price and you did very well.

 

[Cleveland48]

I'm a big fan of the 7mm08. Lots of killing power in a smaller package.

 

[Tjay]

I have shot a bunch of Mn. whitetails with a 7-08 and it has worked great. I have not done any reduced loads with it but have done trailboss loads in a 308 and it was very easy shooting/next to no recoil and very good accuracy. I would expect trailboss loads in the 7-08 to be the same.

 

[Blkram]

You should be happy with the Vanguard. I've sold many and have very few reports of people who have not had them shoot from average to excellent. The adjustment on the stock will make it easy to change LOP as your son grows, without the expense of an extra stock.

You'll also be happy with the 7mm-08. Great cartridge that is underestimated by many as just being a womens/youth cartridge. Will do everything that he'll need as he grows and extends from mulies and antelope on up to elk at reasonable ranges with good bullets and proper bullet placement (the latter being the key).

Best of luck to him, and may you both enjoy your time afield!