Author Topic: Need Help! (Read 972 times)

Deadeye · « **on:** November 23, 2003, 03:01:36 PM »

I am going to buy my twelve year old son a rifle for christmas. more or less for deer or hog hunting. he already has a Rossi .223 single shot, i want to buy a larger rifle. maybe a .243, .270 or ?. Tikka & Savage are getting good reviews, looked at Savage .270 Win. w/scope @ wal mart for under $400. price is important, but i want quality. thanks in advance, Deadeye

Doghunter · « **Reply #1 on:** November 23, 2003, 03:58:04 PM »

If I were you I would look at a 7mm/08. It's a good deer and hog caliber and a 12yr old should have no trouble handling it. Recoil is on the mild side. As for make of rifle, get the tikka syn. ss--- low maintance, excellent quality and one of if not the best shooters out of the box rifle made. You can pick up a tikka for around $520, that's a lot of quality for that price - and rember your son will probably have the rifle for a long time so I would have old MR SANTA get him the best rifle for the $$. :eek: :eek:

leverfan · « **Reply #2 on:** November 23, 2003, 08:59:48 PM »

I like the 260 Remington as a first medium game gun for a young hunter. It's available in the "compact" and "youth" sizes from several companies, as well as full size models. If you reload, this cartridge is even better, but there's enough factory stuff to handle most needs. If you or a friend reload, you might start out with the 100 grain Nosler partitions, which will work fine on deer and kick just like a 243. Unlike the 243, the 260 can handle bullets up to 160 grains, so as your son grows, he can switch to harder-hitting loads for bigger game.

My dad also started me hunting deer when I was 12, and I started with my dad's 308, the first gun I ever shot. I was taller than my dad, though, and weighed around 175, so he never really spent any time looking for a smaller gun for me. At any rate, I'll be starting my girl and her little brother with the 260 when they get old enough to pack their own rifles. Have fun!

azshooter · « **Reply #3 on:** November 24, 2003, 04:00:02 AM »

I was looking at a tikka t3 the other day. If he is ready for it, the 270 will be more versitile allowing up to Elk size animals. Regarding the Tikka, , one thing I noticed is how lite it was. That might be ok for a 12 year old in .243 but a .270 might be a bit much recoil wise. More weight = less felt recoil. Has he shot the larger cartridge? I like the tang saftey on the Savage and the price is right. The Savage also has the benefit of having barrels swapped pretty easily.

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #4 on:** November 24, 2003, 05:55:30 AM »

I have Tikka T3's in .243 and .270-----both shoot groups where all rounds touch----and this is with factory ammo.

The don't offer T3's in 7mm-08-----but they do have a .25-06.

The Savage action is REALLY nasty and not really worthy of consideration----esp considering a T3 can be had for pretty much the same money.

The also have T3's in .270WSM---would be a good rifle to grow into----and will drop most anything you want to.

Bubba Jack · « **Reply #5 on:** November 24, 2003, 06:32:40 AM »

The T-3 is available in the 7mm-08. I bought one last month and was a stainless synthetic. I like it just fine. A local gunshop should be able to order you one if he really checks his sources. Mine came from a dist. out of PA.

Recoil is can be a issue with the 7mm-08 for a youngster. Keep the velocity under 2800 fps on the ammo and should be as low as factory ammo allows. Can hand load them down somewhat more to reduce recoil even more and energy will still be plenty for whitetails. Muzzle velocity around 2500fps should be great for shots around the 100 yard range. Then the recoil will be like a .243 exactly.

The Hornady 7mm-08 light mags 139grain sst almost exactly match a .270 ballistically, but my t-3 also kicks like a .270 with them or should I say a liitle more due to the weight issue of the T-3. The 7mm-08 is a deer killing machine for sure. :lol:

Lawdog · « **Reply #6 on:** November 24, 2003, 11:31:18 AM »

Deadeye,

First Welcome to Graybeard Outdoors. Hope you enjoy the best forum on the net for hunters/shooters going today.

Seeing that you added hog hunting into the mix then get something bigger than a .243 for your son. It really isn't that great a cartridge for hogs. The .270 with 150 or 160 gr. Partitions would work just fine if your son can handle the recoil. Not all 12 yr. olds can handle that kind of recoil. As others have stated the 7mm-08 is a good cartridge and the one I’m giving to my 12 yr. old granddaughter for Christmas. Again Welcome to Graybeard Outdoors. Lawdog

azshooter · « **Reply #7 on:** November 24, 2003, 11:40:43 AM »

Quote from: Omaha-BeenGlockin

The Savage action is REALLY nasty and not really worthy of consideration----esp considering a T3 can be had for pretty much the same money.
.

I am also looking for a new rifle. After reading this, I just stopped by the local Sportsmans Warehouse shop and compared the Savage and Tikka actions. The Savage I looked at was a 12FVSS and the Tikka a T3 lite in stainless, systhetic stock. Working the actions the Savage was actually smoother than the T3. It also had the new accutrigger which is very nice. In addition I like the metal trigger guard assembly. Before you listen to advice like is quoted above, I would suggest you go try them for your self. Savage was $526(w/Heavy Barrel, Accutrigger), the Tikka was $499.

Deadeye · « **Reply #8 on:** November 24, 2003, 06:06:26 PM »

i've heard ,but dont know, that the 7mm-08 has about the power with less recoil than the .270 win.? wal mart didnt have any 7mm-08 ammo today, so i dont know about price or grain size. maybe somebody can put the recoil of these recommended calibers in order for me- .243, 7mm-08, .260, 25-06, .270. dont know much about the 7mm-08, sounds pretty good so far. maybe you all could enlighten me on these calibers. somebody give me the pros & cons. thanks Deadeye

azshooter · « **Reply #9 on:** November 25, 2003, 03:32:57 AM »

Recoil chart
http://www.accuratereloading.com/recoil.html

Omaha-BeenGlockin · « **Reply #10 on:** November 25, 2003, 04:31:26 AM »

Bubba----are you sure its a T3???

Looked over the catalog and web-----no T3's listed in 7mm-08.

But the Whitetail Hunter is listed in 7mm-08.

Not saying you're wrong---just more curious than anything.

Bubba Jack · « **Reply #11 on:** November 25, 2003, 06:13:13 AM »

After searching for 2 months for a whitetail hunter Stainless/Synthetic in 7mm-08, I was not able to locate on anywhere in USA. Although being a furniture maker by trade, I do not like wood blue rifles due to hunting conditions that I seem to always find myself in. So I settled for the T-3. The people a Ozark could order me at a good price, but I did not want to drive the 100 miles to get it, so I had a local shop to get it for me.

I assure you that it is a t-3 stainless/synthetic 7mm-08. Here is a link that will show you that it is available. Came with rings and sling swivels . Part Number - JRTB352 Not trying to advertise for these people but they do have the rifle.

http://www.ozarkguns.com/rifles/tikka/tikkat3stainless.htm

I am sure these nice people at Ozark will order you one, if not contact me and my local dealer will. It will cost a little more due to changing hands a few times, but you will have one if it is what you really want.

I like my Tikka T-3 just fine. It is overall a nice rifle. I do not put it in a class above others though, but for what you get and the money one spends, I consider it a good value and a great performer. It is light weight and handles very well and is a great looking rifle.

Bubba Jack

Zachary · « **Reply #12 on:** November 25, 2003, 06:42:23 AM »

Bubba Jack,

You got yourself a nice gun. In my opinion, the Tikka is many levels above Savage in the quality category. Few manufacturers have an action as smooth, and a trigger as crisp, as a Tikka.

As for the 7mm-08, it is an excellent round, even for adults. Heck, I own 2 rifles in 7mm-08. I would stick with 140 grain bullets.

Zachary

jdt48653 · « **Reply #13 on:** November 25, 2003, 03:07:24 PM »

6.5x55 in maybe a howa!

azshooter · « **Reply #14 on:** November 25, 2003, 03:23:41 PM »

Quote from: Deadeye

maybe somebody can put the recoil of these recommended calibers in order for me- .243, 7mm-08, .260, 25-06, .270. dont know much about the 7mm-08, sounds pretty good so far. maybe you all could enlighten me on these calibers. somebody give me the pros & cons. thanks Deadeye

Deadeye

I was shooting my Ruger 25-06 today. It has been a while since shooting it. I had forgot how pleasant it is to shoot. I ran some hot 75gr HPs through it which were very light recoil and then some 120 gr SP. The recoil in the 25 is very managable. I would assume the .243 is very similar.

LILED · « **Reply #15 on:** November 25, 2003, 04:42:53 PM »

DEADEYE,

JUST MY OPINION. Try a Howa 1500 in a JRS classic. they come in a 270 WSM or a 6.5X55. The 6.5 is a great underated round. These rifles can be found at a good price if you look around. They have a lam. stock and blue or SS. THey are around 440-650$. Good Quality, Good looking, and Good price.

Liled :toast:

Deadeye · « **Reply #16 on:** November 28, 2003, 03:17:35 PM »

thanks for all the good advice.

i bought a savage model 110 in .308 cal. today at a pawn shop, it is used but, looked new to me. saved nearly $150 over new one. now all i need is some ammo in really light loads. all i could find was 150gr & 180gr. maybe somebody knows a source?

I have heard that the barrels on these guns could swapped out to a different caliber? is it easy? what tools are needed? does a gunsmith need to do this kind of work? is it worth the trouble?

i know its not the best gun on the market but maybe a good place to start. seems like it was priced right.

again thanks for all the good advice, DEADEYE