25-06, 260 or ?? for first deer rifle.

I'd throw another vote in for the .260 (or 6.5 Swede). A 129gr Hornady at 2900fps will do great work on deer, and for a great elk or moose round the 130gr Accubond at 2850fps will do the job. If you want wicked penetration a 140gr Partition at 2750fps will penetrate like crazy at different angles. The recoil is also very minimal.
If you don't handload, I would recommend the 7mm-08 or the 25-06.
The Remington 700 Mountain rifle with detach. mag would be my first choice if you can find one.
 
rem338win said:
The Remington 700 Mountain rifle with detach. mag would be my first choice if you can find one.
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Curious to know if there is a conversion kit for the Mountain Rifle to go from the drop plate to a DM? Mt preference when starting my 13 year-old was a 308 with the reduced recoil ammo from Remington, or has been suggested to hand load with a reduced powder charge and lighter bullet.

My son can easily handle this and leaves him room to grow into the rifle or hunt other game if need be.
 
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1899 said:
I had a 7mm-08 in a M7 SS and with full power loads it had a bit of a bite. My rifle was the pre-limbsaver (or whatever pad they use now) model.

140gr @ 2800 fps with 45gr charge in a 7lb rifle = 14.8lbs of recoil, or 62% more recoil than the .243 load I listed in my previous post. You need to back off on the 7mm-08, just like the .308 Win, to reduce recoil. It is a good choice, but ammo is also not nearly as common as a .308W.
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I noticed the same thing when I got into a 7mm-08. Felt recoil was way more than my 243. I scraped the 7mm-08 and bought a 25-06. Had the 25 for a few years and then found a 260 in a sako 75 stainless for a very good price. Now the 25 is down the road. Love shooting that 260.

Don't discredit the 243 for larger game. Guys will say its not enough but many a moose and black bear have fallen to my 243.
 
For deer sized game no deer will ever know the difference between a .25-06 or .260. What you need to pay alot of attention on in a young or smaller shooter is "fit". If the rifle doesn't fit your son will not shoot it well and could develop a flinch or other bad habits. Look into youth models that he can shoot properly. You can always buy him a standard sized rifle when he physically grows into one. The .260 is close to the Swede in performance and they drop moose with them all the time in Sweden & Finland. My vote is a youth sized .260.
 
260

You fellows talk about 260 Remingtons like they are readily available and chambered by a number of manufacturers. Who's making them these days? FS
 
Quote: Most of our shots here on the open prairie and valleys where we hunt are 200-400 yds, with the odd closer shot. ............ 243 no good for the longer shots, .............

I hunt the "open prairie" of Saskatchewan too, and see many deer at those ranges, but encouraging a beginner to blaze away at 200-400 yard range is not the best way to get them started IMHO. If I might humbly suggest, teach him to hunt too, not just to shoot!
I have started young shooters on .243, .250 savage, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 7mm08 and .308. They are in about that order for recoil, with the .260 about tied with the 25-06 I'd say. ALL are adequate deer rifles at any reasonable range. Rifle fit is very important, and your little guy will definitely shoot better if he isn't getting kicked. Hearing protection helps everyone shoot better, but beginners more than most. My sons both use 7-08's but they started rifle hunting at 14 years of age. I like the idea of the newer youth packages sold with two stocks, they do grow out of a short stock quickly! Good luck and good hunting.
 
Longwalker said:
Quote: Most of our shots here on the open prairie and valleys where we hunt are 200-400 yds, with the odd closer shot. ............ 243 no good for the longer shots, .............

I hunt the "open prairie" of Saskatchewan too, and see many deer at those ranges, but encouraging a beginner to blaze away at 200-400 yard range is not the best way to get them started IMHO. If I might humbly suggest, teach him to hunt too, not just to shoot!
I have started young shooters on .243, .250 savage, 257 Roberts, 25-06, 7mm08 and .308. They are in about that order for recoil, with the .260 about tied with the 25-06 I'd say. ALL are adequate deer rifles at any reasonable range. Rifle fit is very important, and your little guy will definitely shoot better if he isn't getting kicked. Hearing protection helps everyone shoot better, but beginners more than most. My sons both use 7-08's but they started rifle hunting at 14 years of age. I like the idea of the newer youth packages sold with two stocks, they do grow out of a short stock quickly! Good luck and good hunting.
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I agree with you about the long shots, to a point. I've shot many bucks at 150-200 yards, but some of my most satisfying hunts have been deer spotted a 800 yards in an open field, belly crawling to 400yds, extending the bipod and squeezing off a shot. Or some of the valleys we hunt, you scan the other side for deer, and there simply is no way to get close and get a shot. It's a 400 yard shot or nothing. Yes, ideally, you should be able to get closer, but I take as much satisfaction in the long shots as getting close. As much as some people think you are a crappy hunter unless you can get to 100 yards, it isn't always possible. And I never "blaze away" at anything. I hunt moose and deer with a single shot Ruger #1, gophers with a single shot .17HMR. Grouse with a single .410. Ducks and geese with a single shot 12ga. My only repeater guns are a pump 12ga my grandfather gave me and my son's .22. My old man loved his single shots and stressed taking the time with one shot, and I guess it rubbed off.

Thanks for the advice. I have seen a few youth models that come with 2 stocks, can't remember where or who made it. The idea was interesting, for sure. Who makes them?

The more I think about it, I'm leaning towards a 7mm-08. All of our practicing off the bench is with a lead-sled type of rest that absorbs the recoil, and I don't remember ever feeling recoil while a deer is in the sights. The boy is pretty solid for his size and he should grow quite a bit in the next year, so he should be able to handle it. I was a beanpole when I was his age and I don't remember the recoil being a problem, even shooting the old man's 30.06 or 7mmRM.
 
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.260 no question, it si the only gun I will always have and never sell, my .260 in Rem Model 7, can't get better than that.
 
Tikka T3 in .270.
Joe Sixpack said:
I'm getting the itch to buy my son his first deer rifle...he's only 10, 11 in May. I'll likely buy his gun next summer (or sooner if I find something that catches my eye when at the local gun store)so he can have a year with it before he gets to hunt with it.

Most of our shots here on the open prairie and valleys where we hunt are 200-400 yds, with the odd closer shot. When I was his age, we just used the old man's 7mm or 30-06. He had one rifle for everything and so did we. I've started adding to my collection so I have different guns for different purposes, and I plan on doing the same with my son. I'll get him a deer rifle he can handle when he's 11, then when he's bigger and can come moose hunting with us, we can get him something bigger, instead of handing him a 10lb 300wm now and telling him to go shoot.

So I'll be looking for a 25-06, 260, .270 or whatever. 243 no good for the longer shots, I'd imagine??? I've never shot one. I'll likely go with a mag fed bolt action because that is what he's used to from his .22, and he likes it. So probably a lightweight gun, a Tikka perhaps...in what calibre????

The keys are light weight, low recoil and decent at the longer ranges. Is there something that might be good now that would be capable of taking a moose while still being lightweight and easy on the shoulder? Kinda doubt it. Love to hear others experiences with their kids.
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I would get him a Tikka T3 in .223 remington. It would be cheap enough for plinking and strong enough to make the longs shots!
 
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