7MM-08 for youth

[mxracer317]

I've read all the different posts on the best youth deer & elk rife. The top choices were 7mm-08, .243 and 6.5 Creedmoor.

I've settled on the 7mm-08 as I want my 9-year-old to grow into the gun, and have an all-around gun.

My question is what company has a shortened stock for youth for that caliber.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

I like our Tikka T3 compact a whole lot. Easy to throw on a full sized aftermarket stock as they hit high school size.

 

[Gooseboy]

Bought my wife a mossberg patriot youth 7mm-08 for this past Christmas. She’s 5’3”. Has adjustable stock with factory shims. I love it, she loves it. However I am having an aweful time trying to find ammo. Did score some accubonds but would like to try core lokt partitions and Barnes all in 140gr. Let us know what you go with.

 

[rmyoung1]

Vanguard® Synthetic Compact - Weatherby, Inc.

Length-of-pull adjustability, along with the great price, makes this rifle a popular pick for parents who are raising their kids in the sporting life. FINISH Barrel/Receiver/Trigger Guard - Matte, bead blasted, blued finish Stock - Injection-molded composite stock Removable elongated spacer to...

weatherby.com

 

[mxracer317]

I like our Tikka T3 compact a whole lot. Easy to throw on a full sized aftermarket stock as they hit high school size.

Perfect. Thank you!

 

[Dougfirtree]

Tikka would be my choice if my budget allowed. When I was buying for my kids, I happened to find a great deal on a TC Venture Compact. It's a bit heavy and not pretty, but it is extremely accurate and the bolt is like butter.

 

[mxracer317]

Looking around for the Tikka T3x lite compact in 7mm-08, seems like it's sold out everywhere! Seems like that is a great model! Just need to come across one or switch to a different caliber.

Never shot the 7mm-08 however. Wondering if the 308 would have much more bang factor. Trying to ease my 9 year old into things.

 

[EastTNHunter]

Full powered 308 will probably be a bit much for a 9yo. If you reload then you can easily make up some youth loads with H4895 or RL7 and 110-125gr bullets

 

[jwatts]

I built a Savage 7mm08 for my son. I was able to pick up a wooden, factory youth stock from Numrich gun parts. Once he gets big enough we can get a normal sized stock for it. Honestly though, it's a very handy gun as-is.

 

[BRoth82]

I bought a ruger american in 7mm-08, she really liked the gun but the stock was too long for her. So ended up getting her a savage axis compact in .243 win.

She loves that gun, she only deer and antelope hunts so a .243 was perfect. Now I shoot the 7mm-08 and prefer it over my .270

 

[blueridge]

Looking around for the Tikka T3x lite compact in 7mm-08, seems like it's sold out everywhere! Seems like that is a great model! Just need to come across one or switch to a different caliber.

Never shot the 7mm-08 however. Wondering if the 308 would have much more bang factor. Trying to ease my 9 year old into things.

PM sent.

 

[Buck Fever NW]

I did a sort of similar thing for son, just backwards lol. Got him a Savage in .243 at age 9 to start hunting deer. Great little rifle, very accurate and very low recoil, so he was able build confidence in his shooting and harvest a couple deer with it. It was very effective, both one shot kills.

As he got a bigger and felt he was ready for elk, i sold the .243 and bought him a Ruger American in 7mm-08. He really loves it. Has harvested a few elk with it. Again very accurate and effective, with a little more recoil but not bad at all. Sorry, can't help with youth stock info though. Good luck and happy hunting to the young hunter!

 

[mxracer317]

I did a sort of similar thing for son, just backwards lol. Got him a Savage in .243 at age 9 to start hunting deer. Great little rifle, very accurate and very low recoil, so he was able build confidence in his shooting and harvest a couple deer with it. It was very effective, both one shot kills.

As he got a bigger and felt he was ready for elk, i sold the .243 and bought him a Ruger American in 7mm-08. He really loves it. Has harvested a few elk with it. Again very accurate and effective, with a little more recoil but not bad at all. Sorry, can't help with youth stock info though. Good luck and happy hunting to the young hunter!

Thank you.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Never shot the 7mm-08 however. Wondering if the 308 would have much more bang factor. Trying to ease my 9 year old into things.

They burn essentially the same amount of powder so it just depends on the bullet wt. A 140 in either will result in the same felt recoil, all else being equal.

 

[marksjeep]

Ruger makes a compact model of the American in 7mm08 with a shorter lop. Great rifle for the $$. My daughter is 5'3", it fits her well.

 

[BAKPAKR]

Unless you have a hulking 9 year old, I would recommend reduced loads if you go with a 7mm-08.

 

[mxracer317]

Unless you have a hulking 9 year old, I would recommend reduced loads if you go with a 7mm-08.

He’s your average 9 year old. What grain do you recommend for deer?

 

[BuzzH]

He’s your average 9 year old. What grain do you recommend for deer?

120's with a mild load. I used H-380 at about 2800 fps, very mild recoil.

 

[Cornell Cowboy]

Just my two cents. I worked pretty hard to find a rifle that my 9-year old could use to hunt deer that wouldn't make him recoil shy. I ended up going to a 223 compact bolt action shooting 75 gr Swift Scirocco II. He double-lunged his first deer at 130 yards and it fell 60 yards from where he shot it. When my middle boy was 10, I took him on his first deer hunt and he was able to shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor well -- he heart-shot his first deer from about the same distance. My point is that it depends on the kid. I would also add that my wife used to shoot a 308 in a women's Weatherby Vanguard -- it kicked worse than my 7.5 lb 338 win mag!! Be careful choosing a caliber you think is reasonable and then buying it in a compact model for your son...it will likely wallop him worse than you expect.

 

[BAKPAKR]

If you reload, and if you can find it, H4895 is good for reduced loads. As I have been unable to find a stainless Tikka 7mm-08 for my 12 year old daughter, I am getting ready to work on some 308 loads with 124 gr Hammer Hunters for her elk hunt this year.

If your son will just be deer hunting for a few years, I agree with @Cornell Cowboy - a 223 with a good bullet works well.