azcoueshuntr Report post Posted November 28, 2009 my daughter decide to take up hunting so guess what she wants for x- mas her own gun any advice she is 11 had her 1st hunt this past week used a 7mm-08 that was barrowed didnt like that caliber to much. was lookn towrds a 243 wssm or somthing that close to or better. any advice or does anyboby know how a 243 wssm recoils any and all advice would be appreciated thx and happy hunting...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
308Nut Report post Posted November 28, 2009 my daughter decide to take up hunting so guess what she wants for x- mas her own gun any advice she is 11 had her 1st hunt this past week used a 7mm-08 that was barrowed didnt like that caliber to much. was lookn towrds a 243 wssm or somthing that close to or better. any advice or does anyboby know how a 243 wssm recoils any and all advice would be appreciated thx and happy hunting...... Whats not to like about the 708? Mild recoil, good terminal performance etc..... If its flat shooting youre looking for it is pleanty flat enough for the ranges MOST 11 year olds should be shooting. A 243WSSM has more recoil than the 708 and the barrel life will be shorter. If it were my 11 year (and I know it isnt so please take with a grain of salt) I would concider the 308 win, 708 and 243 win in that order. If she was really recoil sensitive than it would be the 243. This is more than enough for AZ deer. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcoueshuntr Report post Posted November 28, 2009 the 7mm 08 we used was a youth ruger and it had a pretty good kick to it.. the reason for a flat shooting gun is im lookn for somthing that she could grow in to and dont drop like a ton of bricks at 300 or 400 yards the flatter the less for hold over Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
GameHauler Report post Posted November 28, 2009 my daughter decide to take up hunting so guess what she wants for x- mas her own gun any advice she is 11 had her 1st hunt this past week used a 7mm-08 that was barrowed didnt like that caliber to much. was lookn towrds a 243 wssm or somthing that close to or better. any advice or does anyboby know how a 243 wssm recoils any and all advice would be appreciated thx and happy hunting...... Whats not to like about the 708? Mild recoil, good terminal performance etc..... If its flat shooting youre looking for it is pleanty flat enough for the ranges MOST 11 year olds should be shooting. A 243WSSM has more recoil than the 708 and the barrel life will be shorter. If it were my 11 year (and I know it isnt so please take with a grain of salt) I would concider the 308 win, 708 and 243 win in that order. If she was really recoil sensitive than it would be the 243. This is more than enough for AZ deer. Have to agree with the NUT. My girls have taken Javi, Lopers, WT, and Elk with the 7.08 Great round for youth and small women. I don't understand why you did not like it either. SHUT UP Lark Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Str8Shot Report post Posted November 28, 2009 I know at that age I was using a 243 and 25-06 I prefered the 25-06..... maybe you should put this up in the youth hunts section and get some exclusive input from the young ones that have been blasting some nice deer this year and get some feedback from them ..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcoueshuntr Report post Posted November 28, 2009 as i said before im lookn for something for her to shoot now and grow into later thats why im lookn for somthing flatter. done all the ballistic checks and the 7mm-08 dont seem to hold up at the 400 yard mark 25-06 isnt a bad choice but bullets dont seem to be easy to get. the regular 243 seems to be a good round not as flat as the 243 wssm but not a bad over all gun that might be the one... whts the recoil like on the 243 and 25-06????? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
az4life Report post Posted November 28, 2009 of those choices the 25.06 should be the lighter recoil. 243 wssm is likely heaviest. Take into consideration the weight of the gun, and stock type when you drop the money. If you get something like a Tika t3 lite, the recoil is going to be heavier because the gun weight is lighter. Now convincing a youngster that carrying around a little extra weight will help lessen the recoil could be good for participation in the decision process. Sort of buy in on a heavier gun or the heavier recoil. .02 for thought Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Buckhunter Report post Posted November 28, 2009 Why are most people so caught up in shooting 300/ 400 yards and beyond. For youth shooters getting close as possible is better for a more accurate shot and a higher chance of a quick kill. 7mm08 is more than enough gun. I would suggest try another make of rifle. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcoueshuntr Report post Posted November 28, 2009 thanks for your .02 az4life like your thinking Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
POJV Report post Posted November 28, 2009 First off let me say that I think it is super that your daughter wishes to hunt and follow her father’s footsteps. Please excuse my ignorance, but why are you concerned with a caliber that is good to 400 yards? My son shoots a 257 bob and I have him practice 100/200 yards and would not allow him to take a 300+ shot, at his age of 20 he does not have the experience necessary to complete the shot. I maybe old fashion, but due not allow the use of tripods and other accessories that limit the ability of the shooter but accent the ability of the rifle. I was brought up that hunting was between a man (women) Rifle (Bow) and nature not a fixture that any fool could walk up to and look through a scope squeeze the trigger at something that is 500 yards and say “I got it”. Please do not get me wrong there are many hunters that practice and can make the long shots but not an 11 year old child. The 7mm-08 or comparable cartridge would work well for her as she develops her marksmanship at the range or out in the open. Thank you for letting me vent on your post. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
azcoueshuntr Report post Posted November 28, 2009 okay guys let me make this more clearer as i have said in the past post ( IM LOOKING FOR SOMETHING FOR HER TO GROW INTO FOR WHEN SHE GETS MORE EXPERIENCED) do i practice her at that range no. do i know her comfort level. yes and i wouldnt push her to shoot anything past 250 yards .alot of what your shooting at depends on your terrain that your hunting ive hunted some nasty countrty and some pleasant country it all depends on the situation and your skill level. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
POJV Report post Posted November 28, 2009 AZ, I do not know if you reload but that in itself open the door for a wide spectrum in any cartridge. Although you can always go with what fits now, then trade up in 5 years or so, then when she is in her twenties she will ask “why you get rid of my first gun”. Phil Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
SO I HUNT Report post Posted November 28, 2009 Az, The 243 wssm is a great pick, with that being said my hunting partner has his daughter shooting one and she shoots it very well One thing that he has done with the rifle was had a removable muzzle brake put on it, so when she gets older she can take it off. This rifle is very accurate and at the yardage that you are talking it can be done with this rifle at eaze. Last year she had a cow elk tag for unit 10 and took her cow at 320 yards ( for all that will say this is to far for a young person, good for you and stick with your thoughts, but with practice and I mean alot of practice they can learn to shoot just like the seasoned hunter. If there was a age limit on distance shooting guess alot of us would have quit along time ago) Good luck in you quest of buying your daughter a rifle and stick with your thoughts on this regardless of which rifle you decide on? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tontotom Report post Posted November 28, 2009 I think you are right to contemplate her growing up with a rifle. I bought my son a 7/08 when he was ten and the recoil was more than he wanted. We reloaded some custom cartridges for him and had a muzzle brake installed. Hearing protection was a must but recoil was manageable. As he grew the muzzle brake came off and full power loads took over. As his skills improved he took longer shots and killed a wide variety of game. We bought a model 7 remington and I really love the gun. I've killed a bunch of game with it also. Here is the point, get a good gun that fits the smaller frame now. When she grows put a full sized stock on it and it still fits. Also, get the best scope you can afford for her. Don't cheap out on optics or any equipment for your kids. I had older brothers growing up and always ended up with the Model 94 and tasco binoculars with double vision. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
308Nut Report post Posted November 29, 2009 How big is this girl going to grow? I am 34 years old, 6' and 202#. My "go to" rifle is still to this day the 308 winnie. I live in and hunt mostly in AK. it has downed 1800# bull moose, sheep, wolves, caribou, sitka bucks, and bears. Closest shot was a caribou at 25 yards and the farthest was a dall ram at 763 (one shot BTW) and quite a few other critters between 400-650 yards including a 1300# bull moose dropped in his tracks with one pill at 438 yards. How big is she going to grow to need anything bigger to grow into? I agree that the rifle you used wasnt the best choice. I would be left in want also. Sounds like you need a different rifle not caliber. There are 7mm bullets out there that at 708 velocities will deliver over 1700 pounds of energy and over 2000 FPS at the 400 yard mark at sea level and 59 degrees. Add 5000' to the equasion and its nearly 1900 pounds and nearly 2300 FPS at the 400 yard mark. Did I miss how the numbers dont add up at 400 yards? The 243 WSSM has a lot less energy, and more wind drift that the 708 at 400 yards. At a full 1K yards the 708 offers twice the energy and 20" less drift from a 10 MPH wind. The only advantage is that the 243 will be a bit flatter. A mere 11" at 1K flatter. More energy and less drift or slightly flatter? It isnt really about numbers here anyway. It is about practibility. If you want a new toy and the latest and greatest new caliber, then that is one thing. We all go through that from time to time and its fun to play around with new things. However, if you want a rifle she can use for the rest of her life and with proven rounds then a good solid 308 or 708 will be more than enough gun than she will ever need. I agree that 708 type calibers are not new and sexy but they sure are sweet shooting and practical. There is nothing the 243 WSSM can do that the 708 or 308 cant. I used to play the numbers game but always found myself dissapointed when despite paper ballistics showing me that one round was far superior than the other yet due to the recoil, barrel life and accuracy those calibers just didnt add up. There are lots of calibers out there that look impressive. Then there are those that actually work to your advantage. I challenge you to post your question(s) at longrangehunting.com and see what the long range guys think. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
