first big game hunting riffle for nephew

when i guided mostly for barrendground caribous i was really happy to see on father and son hunt, the youngest with 7-08 or 260 both parent cartdrige of the 308 ... as Douglas mentionned the rem 7 is one of the way to go.

7-08 is the modern version of the 7x57 mauser as the 260 with 6,5x55SE both cannot have best genetics ....

all the best.
 
.308 would be a good option i think. that way he can grow into it and hunt anything he wants. The biggest factor is nice cheap bullets. The federal powershock that are 20 cartridges for 20 bucks still out shoot anything ive been reloading in the last couple months. Hopefully i figure that out haha
 
^^^ o ya and i havent hunted with my reloads yet but the powershocks that are so cheap have downed everything i shot with 1 round.
 
My vote goes to the 7mm 08. The question was specific to a youth and I went with this calibre for my teenage daughter a couple years ago. It's a great versatile round with minimum recoil and all the power anyone needs for critters walking in our Canadian bush at the distances any young hunter should be shooting at. She developed great confidence in it once she realized she could easily manage the recoil and shoots it very well. Well enough in fact to take her first deer at over 200 yards.

Of course there are plenty of other great choices out there, I just like this one.
 
I started my son at 8 years old with a M700 BDL SSDM in 6mm. Bought a SPS stock, shortened it to Remington 'youth' stock length complete with a Decelerator. Loaded 75 grain bullets with 60% of max charge of H4895. Worked up slowly for a year and a half until he was at full charge with 80 TTSX @ 3400FPS. He dropped his first mule deer buck this fall, at the tender age of 10 from 190m. One shot, one kill. I started with a full house 30-06 load at 13 and had a little fear for a few years.... As a gun-nut, just know that this rifle will surely not be his last. Go easy and work up slowly. Accuracy trumps horsepower everytime.
 
I started all 5 of my kids (3 girls, 2 boys) on a sported Lee Enfield No.1, Mk III. The stock had been beautifully, but massively, cut down and re-finished so it was definitely youth sized. I started them throwing 150gn bullets at 1600fps. Didn't take long until they were shooting full loads, with no flinch. Only 2 hunt, my oldest Daughter wound up on the shooting team of her reserve infantry unit and became a shooting coach, and the two that do hunt, both got their first deer with that rifle. Moved my second wife to that rifle a few years ago when she evinced a desire to start shooting, she settled on the SKS and took her first deer with that but found it very heavy. After she shot her deer, I bought her a savage 111 in .243 and a youth stock. Plans for a .303 Epps on a P-14 I have for an elk/moose rifle.
 
as per above, a 303 brit or any of the 308 variations should be fine for a 12 year old Id say. And that gives a lot of options depending on the terrain where you hunt:
243, 7mm-08, 308, 338 federal, .358 winchester.
 
Bought a youth Axis in 7mm-08 for my wife. Put a Nikon Prostaff 2x7x32 on it. It weighs 7lbs 2oz has good eye relief. I will load up plinking loads with 120gr V-max and H4895 and work up from there when she is comfortable. I bought the gun because she has come out and shot some of my rifles the odd time and enjoys it enough, but the oversized stocks and heavy rifles make it a lot less fun. I'm hoping this will encourage her to come out more and maybe hunt one day.

I guess my point is MAKE SURE IT FITS YOUR NEPHEW too long LOP = No Fun

G
 
I'm in the same boat.
My nephew is turning 12 this year and has caught the gun bug from his fabulous uncle.;)

This kid is a lightweight though. I think a 243 would give him a flinch.


Decided I'll get either a 6x47 or a 25-222 Rem Mag screwed together for him on a 700 action with a light 21" tube. I can get a cheaper stock for cutting down and then a better stock when he grows up. His younger brother can use it on deer as well.

Should do double duty on gophers as well. The kid has NEVER shot a gopher! WTF?
 
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