Buying a rifle for a young man

live4therut

live4therut

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Hi nutters, I'm in the market for a rifle or two for a couple of the young fellers. I had three calibers in mind for big game (deer & moose) and for dogs (wolves, yotes and foxes in case the yuppies don't know what I mean). So I've started them out with the o'l 22's, savage 22HP & 223, and was looking at getting 240wby, 243, or 257wby for the next move, I have a few large caliber weatherby's myself and the've been good to me, I've never owned a 243 and would like to know your thoughts
:cheers:
 
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I'd keep them away from the Weatherby's myself, grossly overbore, loud, expensive ammunition and burn barrels and wallets. Plus, at any normal hunting range out to past where almost any average hunter can make a shot, the Weatherby's offer zero advantage. At even 400 yards, a .270 will do anything a .257 Weatherby will, but with far cheaper ammunition, more ammunition and rifle choices (the latter likely being the biggest consideration, really), and less noise and barrel wear. .243's a much better choice for young folks than any Weatherby.
 
I may be wrong in assuming but if these young fellas are smaller framed then fit is much more important than caliber. If the person isn't comfortable handling/shooting a gun it don't matter whats coming out the end of the barrel.
 
In my experience, a Vanguard in .257 Weatherby kicks about as hard as a Model 70 in .30-06, and I can't help but feel you'd get more utility out of the '06. The .257 is a situational gun, whereas a good '06 (or .270, .308, 7mm-08, .260, .25-06) is a gun for almost every situation.
 
.308 isnt all that bad. I fired it with a FN as a cadet when I was 14. Just put on a decent recoil pad. It's quite capable of taking down a moose. Take him to a gun shop and see what kind of rifle hee feels comortable holding (standing,kneeling, even prone) also if you're shooting scope. Don't want any black eyes. I just got my bull moose with a Tikka Battue lite in .30-06 with a 3x9x40mm scope mounted. Nice and light,short, you can carry it all day, and comes in avariety of calibers.
 
Ya 243 is what I was leaning towards, I never even thought of 260 rem or 25-06, what's it like to get 6.5x55 ammo? I wish I had option when I was a kid, I still remember the kick on that 760 gamemaster 30-06, I hated that gun, but shot a lot of game with it and still have it
 
live4therut said:
Ya 243 is what I was leaning towards, I never even thought of 260 rem or 25-06, what's it like to get 6.5x55 ammo? I wish I had option when I was a kid, I still remember the kick on that 760 gamemaster 30-06, I hated that gun, but shot a lot of game with it and still have it
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6.5x55 is pretty easy to get or order. SFRC has 140gr. listed on their site. Super mild kicker but kills medium game with authority.
 
Any one of the numerous "youth" models in .243 would be worth looking at.
Some have adjustable stocks, so they fit years down the road.
Light enough to not be a burden, yet no real recoil problems associated
with light guns.
A 243 is readily available, and not outlandishly expensive. No point in a
young fellow having a nice rifle he can't afford to shoot. Practice makes
perfect, and a .243 in the vitals will down most animals.
 
I love my little Icon in that caliber, and still cheap to knock holes at the range...243 Federal blue boxes are still around 20 bucks at wally world and crappy tire.
 
Another vote here for the 6.5x55. Very mild recoil and it works 'right fine on medium to large game. It is especially versatile if you reload - everything from slow to fast with big game bullets starting at the 100gr Partition and TTSX to the 160gr Woodleigh. Hard to go wrong with it, imo.
 
live4therut said:
Ya 243 is what I was leaning towards, I never even thought of 260 rem or 25-06, what's it like to get 6.5x55 ammo? I wish I had option when I was a kid, I still remember the kick on that 760 gamemaster 30-06, I hated that gun, but shot a lot of game with it and still have it
Click to expand...

Cannot go wrong with a 243, we have a couple in our family. .
 
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