Next fall my first born will be old enough to go out deer hunting for the first time. I'm pretty excited, she has been wanting to go for years, lol! I'm thinking a single shot rifle might be a good starter in 30/30 or 243. Either one should kill a deer within reasonable range, so my concern is recoil. Which round has milder recoil? Any other advice on starting a 12 year old deer hunting?
30/30 vs 243 recoil
- Thread starter stovepipe699
- Start date
The 30-30 is heavier recoil than a 243. With good bullets a 243 is about as good a deer rifle as it gets.
However, a 7mm-08 is just a 243 with a larger bore. It was a 7-08 Tikka T3 hunter that I got my youngest grand daughter, when she got her PAL. It's a great all around cartridge with low recoil, that she will never grow out of.
I have played around loading a Savage, accu trigger variety, in 7-08 and it sure has a lot going for it.
However, a 7mm-08 is just a 243 with a larger bore. It was a 7-08 Tikka T3 hunter that I got my youngest grand daughter, when she got her PAL. It's a great all around cartridge with low recoil, that she will never grow out of.
I have played around loading a Savage, accu trigger variety, in 7-08 and it sure has a lot going for it.
duncansuds
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Weyburn, SK
I have all three mentioned above.... Plus the 308 etc.... The 7-08 is my choice too. Much like H's post I agree, but to add some thought...Your recoil will depend a little more on the weight of the rifle and the load.... A light rifle in .243 (6-7lbs) with quick moving 90-110 gr (ish) will close the distance on felt recoil when compared to a 150gr standard velocity offering in a 30-30 in a 8lb rifle quicker than most will think. Stock design is also a major player in felt recoil... Just some food for thought.
07blackwater
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Port Coquitlam, BC
Another sweetheart to shoot is 6.5x55.
Plenty of bang for the buck and little felt recoil.
Plenty of bang for the buck and little felt recoil.
Honestly I think the 7mm-08 is about perfect. You can load or buy reduced recoil rounds for practice then sight in and shoot full house loads hunting. From experience no body feels recoil when they are taking a shot at a big game animal especially one of your first. I find that stock fit plays a bigger role in recoil than cartridge to some degree when talking about .308 based rounds. Don't be afraid to purchase a $100 boyds stock in a fun colour she picks out and cut it down to fit her with a grind to fit quality recoil pad. Also if she likes the feel (most young people / women do) of the thumbhole style stock it also hides a lot of recoil with the wrist absorbing some instead of all shoulder. Just my $.02 with my limited experience.
A Winchester 94 30-30 has a lot more kick than a rem 700 synthetic 243... Amazing difference. First hand experience here.
If you are looking at a rifle with low recoil for deer, 243, 250 savage, any of the BR or PPC cartridges, 6mm-223, etc...
Make sure it fits her, LOP is critical in felt recoil, and get her practiced up with good ear protection to prevent flinching due to muzzle blast.
If you are looking at a rifle with low recoil for deer, 243, 250 savage, any of the BR or PPC cartridges, 6mm-223, etc...
Make sure it fits her, LOP is critical in felt recoil, and get her practiced up with good ear protection to prevent flinching due to muzzle blast.
BINGO! ..... They type of gun has as much to do with recoil as the chambering. Factor in weight, and stock shape/size and there are a lot of variables that affect felt recoil.
The 243 in a bolt action would be the best choice. Proper stock fit is important. I have two spare youth stocks here for the g-kids when they want to start shooting. One in SA for the 223 and another LA for the 257R.
^ah yes, there is that Hark, Fudd draweth thing, again!
what happened with my 1st Jr at age 12 was: on his first deer hunt with a rifle in his hands, he had my old pre '64 94 30-30, had a nice standing broadside chance at a deer and he didn't pull the trigger, the deer walked away, it came back across the trail mins later, again no shot fired, wtf I say, he says I don't like this gun.............. I say well what would you like? He says a 243! So, we stopped our hunt right then and there and headed back to the vehicle and promptly drove to the big bad city to S.I.R. and bought him a Browning A-bolt Micro Medallion in 243. He brought home many a deer after that for years. He still has the rifle. He is now torn between his 260, 25-06 and his 7mm-08 as to which one is his favorite.
what happened with my 1st Jr at age 12 was: on his first deer hunt with a rifle in his hands, he had my old pre '64 94 30-30, had a nice standing broadside chance at a deer and he didn't pull the trigger, the deer walked away, it came back across the trail mins later, again no shot fired, wtf I say, he says I don't like this gun.............. I say well what would you like? He says a 243! So, we stopped our hunt right then and there and headed back to the vehicle and promptly drove to the big bad city to S.I.R. and bought him a Browning A-bolt Micro Medallion in 243. He brought home many a deer after that for years. He still has the rifle. He is now torn between his 260, 25-06 and his 7mm-08 as to which one is his favorite.
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I agree that stock shape and design make a big difference. I have shot a Garand with a plastic Ramline stock; and it feels softer recoiling than the same rifle in a walnut stock. Is it the recoil flexing the stock, or the rubber buttplate, or the higher comb and deeper pistol grip .... ?
BTW, I am a huge advocate of synthetic stocks for hunting rifles. Especially if it will be carried by a younger, smaller person with less upper body strength than an adult. Expect the rifle will be handled like a garden shovel by the end of the day. Don't complicate and maybe spoil the person's hunt with rules about dents, scratches or gouges on a fine piece of wood.
Forest1488
CGN Regular
- Location
- South of Toronto
243. Great cartridge from beginning to end of your hunting days. Love 260, 7-08 but you can always find a box of 243 no matter where you are or how scarce ammo becomes. Also inexpensive compared to others. 30 30 is a fun thick bush deer gun but realistically is not the best to start out with.
yep, that's a might fine one, too!
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
One thing the .30/30 in a traditional lever action carbine has going for it, is ease of carrying and quickness of getting into action. Over the course of a long day, a 12 year old would have an easier time carrying a Winchester 94 at the balance than he would any bolt gun, simply due to the thin profile of the lever gun. If you're hunting in the Belair Forest, assuming they haven't cut it all down, the .30/30 would be a fine choice, but the .243 has the edge if your hunting where there has been some cutting, or if you prefer to hunt the surrounding open country. If you handload, a .30/30 loaded with 125 gr Sierra bullets to about 2600 fps will be surprisingly mild and flat shooting, and will anchor a deer without much fuss. If you intend to buy ammo off the shelf, and the kid wants a scoped rifle, the .243 with 100 gr bullets is probably the right answer. Good luck.
lol! They are working on it! There has been quite a bit chopped out lately! We are only mins away from there.
Thanks for the help everyone. I have a 94 Win 30/30 for her to use as one option, and I was thinking of a single shot to keep it simple. I'm a bolt action fan, so I'd love to set up a rifle with a smaller stock that could be swapped out in the future. Would a 7-08 with low recoil ammo be as mild as 243? I don't want to create a flinching problem, I have an issue that started years ago with a muzzle loader scope leaving a scar on my face, lol!
Hello neighbour, it's a small world,lol!
- Location
- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
Ya,my wife and I went for a ride through there last summer, on a round about route to the Whiteshell, and I was actually depressed. The bush used to start right at the top of the rise, just past the sign IIRC. There was great chicken hunting in there.
