Booches

I'm starting to look for a rifle for my son for that time when his little brother will want to start deer hunting and will get to use my old .35 Rem that the older one uses now. Mostly whitetail, but we plan to go for elk very soon. Questions:

1. I haven't shot a .308 in a long time. Should I be concerned about recoil for him? I don't want him to develop a flinch.

2. I've read several times that a .308 is a versatile whitetail rifle. How is it for elk? Will it work well out to 300 yds?

3. Should I consider a different caliber? Maybe a 7mm-08? Why would it be better than a .308?

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Vapodog

I started deer hunting at 16 with a .270.....in retrospect, it was way too much gun for me.....I'd have been far better off with a .243

Get the 13 year old a 20 ga shotgun and take him trap shooting for a few years.....then skeet shooting.....then sporting clays.....when he's 16 get him a .243 and go to the bench for a lot of shooting!!!

I personally think a deer rifle for a 13 year old is rushing things

ELKampMaster

Depends on the size and toughness of the kid! I'm 6'5" now but I was a string bean kid growing up. I used a 12 gauge at 10, .270 at 14 (mom helped me pick it out). If you reload, then you can always "load it down" for practice and then as your son grows into it "load it up" and you are all set.

Regarding flinch, don't introduce him to the caliber at the shooting range on a bench rest - no better place to feel all the recoil and get beat up since one is shooting all "hunched up." Arrange a more natural posture, standing upright, off hand or braced off of a post or tree - accuracy isn't the key at this point - familiarity and confidence is! You go first and don't let him see YOU flinch - let him want it, then let him stop when he wants even if its just 2 or 3 rounds - if he's going great guns then suggest he stop early - you don't want that one poorly held shot to greet him on this introductory go round. Make sure the stock fits him and that his thumb wrapped around the grip won't pop him in the nose/upper lip. It's great for you to be weighing this - enjoy it and think ahead!

EKM

Good judgment comes from bad experience! Half of elk hunting is knowing what NOT to do!

Nomercy

Unless your son has something wrong with him, and I'm assuming he doesn't, I'm guessing he's at least 5'4" and around 125# (my dimensions as a 13 y.o. and I was really short compared to my classmates). Other than reach/pull, I'm going to say he'd be ready for a full sized, full forced rifle. I started shooting my .30-06's when I was 9, and around 4'6" 88#, which I remained until around 6th grade, and I've never had any problem with recoil.

I bought my fiance her .308 when she was only 14, and 5'4", < 110#, she had been shooting one of my .30-06's for quite some time, but wanted one of her own, she thought it was a total pop gun.

Does your son winghunt?? Can he handle a 12ga?? I'll guarantee that most factory .308 rounds WILL NOT kick harder than a good 12 ga 3" round. Put a recoil pad on the buttstock, and maybe a pad on his shoulder and some ear muffs on him the first time he shoots it, and don't act like it's going to hurt him, and it won't, I'd bet my boots on it. I'd imagine after maybe five rounds, he'll be able to take the shoulder pad off, and never notice the recoil.

Bottom line: Give him a .308, he'll love it.

Screw the 10 ring, keep them in the zero!!!

propmahn

.308s a good choice that and you can find cheap milsurp ammo to let him practice with

propmahn
save the world, reload your brass

cgturner7

But is that milsurp ammo any good? Will it be very accurate? Is it worth shooting? I like to see that I can hit something when I shoot whether it's a 2-liter water bottle, a clay pigeon, or a paper target.

slatecall

I am 14 and I shoot a .308. I love it. The only thing is I started shooting bbguns and such when I was 5. And I have shot at predators on our ranch just about every day since I was 7. SO I am quite experinced since I live in the country

mauser06

i was 12 when i started hunting and dropped my first deer with the ggreat 308...shot a box of ammo a few weeks before season too...recoils never been anything to me..i wasnt big for my age but now im getting bigger so i cant say im not big for my age anymore..when i was 14 i shot a 300 weatherby mag loaded to the max out of a featherweight rifle 5 shots so that gives you a look at me and recoil....i think its a great round...that deer i shot did a flip sideways in the air and never took a breath...that was at like 40 ds or so....ive shot a few and they all seem to group nicely and snipers use them way out there ...300 yds with the right ammo is nothing for it...good luck with you and your boys

Booches

Thanks for everybody's opinion. It sounds like the .308 caliber may be just right for what we're wanting. Now, what model? We're thinking about a Rem. 7600.

John G.: I do not plan on encouraging my son to take 300 yd. shots. I've been hunting about 30 years, and I don't think I've ever taken a shot over 200 yds. I ask, because I figure this gun may have to last him a long time, maybe well into his adult years, before he buys another. I want him to have confidence in the caliber. I love my .35, but it just doesn't have the range of a .308, and there were times I limited my hunting to certain areas because I didn't want to be tempted to take a longer shot.