243 or 308 "reduced recoil" for youth

within the next 6 months or so I plan on buying a rifle that my son could use for deer. He is 11 and tall for his age so I plan on a full size rifle. Was originally thinking a 243 but have been considering a 308 using reduced recoil ammo for a few years until he is bigger and can handle the recoil from the normal 308 ammo. I feel that a 308 would be a better caliber for him in the long run. right now I dont have anything between 223 and 300 Win Mag that he could use. Thoughts???

I like the idea of 308. I know that there are also lots of other calibers out there that have reduced recoil but historically 308 is just an inherently accurate round. One rifle that has peaked my interest lately is the Ruger Scout Rifle (I'm a Ruger fan) but have also looked at other brands and really like the setups and options out there.
Good luck

I should also mention that I happened to get four free boxes of high quality 308 ammo so that is one of the main reasons for leaning towards that caliber.

I am in your same position, son will be 11 next year and ready for his first doe tag. Was considering getting him a .308 this winter, however I think I changed my mind and may opt for a 7mm-08. Can't really go wrong with those or the .243. My first deer was with a browning bar .30-06, which is still the rifle I shoot. With that said, according to a lot of people on here, no matter what I buy for him, he'll have a better gun than I do ;:;rofl.

If you reload I would go with 7mm08 irregardless of game pursued, if you dont and its just for deer or light animals I would go for 243, if you think this might be a potential elk or other large game rifle down the road, 308...

But 243 just bounce off of deer;:;popcorn

I would say if your son is a big kid for his age he would have no problems handling a 308 and will be enough gun for him for many years.

My son shot his first deer at 12 using his grandpa's Winchester model 100 in 308 and he probably weighed 90 to 95 lbs. When he was 11 he was sitting in the stand with my dad who was going through chemo for lung cancer and was a bit shakey from the drugs and was having trouble hitting a doe that was about 50 yds out. After he missed the first doe he wanted my son to shoot the next one for him but my son refused, knowing my dad I know he would have received no greater joy than watching his grandson shoot his first deer than shooting one himself. My dad ended up shooting a doe after another one came in range so they did fill his tag. This was the last deer hunt my dad went on as he passed away from the cancer the following year. When my son got his doe tag in the mail he asked if he could use grandpa's rifle and sit in the same stand that they sat in the previous year. I thought the 308 might be a little much for him but he had no problems handling the gun and even using grandpas hopped up rounds. He ended up getting his first doe using the very gun and sitting in the same stand as my father took his last deer.

Borrow (if possible) before you buy. If I were in your shoes I'd try to find a buddy or two that might let me borrow a 308 or 243 or 7-08 or 270 or, or or and have my son try them all starting from smallest to largest. Let him tell you what he can handle. Good Luck!!

^^^KDM Speaks wisdom and sense again.

Bad advice KDM. ;:;rofl I would keep buying guns starting with the biggest going to the smallest until you find one he likes to shoot. Mom's don't say to much when you buy guns for the kids :;:exactly....................You guys see where I'm going with this, don't you? ;:;boozer

Good advise so far. I see this as a good excuse to get the wife to approve buying a gun since its for the kid. Whats the difference between the 7-08 and the 308? Really leaning towards the 308 since I have quite a bit of ammo for one already.

.243 and ear plugs is the ticket.

Jigaman said:

Good advise so far. I see this as a good excuse to get the wife to approve buying a gun since its for the kid. Whats the difference between the 7-08 and the 308? Really leaning towards the 308 since I have quite a bit of ammo for one already.

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The stock length a person requires is a bit like archery draw length and height isn't everything. One must also consider how wide across the chest they are. Tall and thin (say 5'10" or less) of either gender can likely benefit from at least 1" shorter length stock. My wife is 5'9" but a standard length rifle or shotgun would be too long for her.

A rifle or shotgun that's too long results in WAY more felt recoil because the rifle is mostly out of the shooter's control from the get go. A stock that's too long contributes to shitty form and shittier shooting experience. Case in point:



If you hand your kid a long-gun and they resemble the above picture, stop, do whatever needs doing to adjust the stock length to the proper dimensions.

Leaning back: There's only the shoulder to absorb the recoil, the rifle in the above pic has 8-10" of "head start" on the recoil and the shooter has no place to go, the pivot point for recoil is above the belly button and essentially the shoulder has to take all of the punishment. Properly fitted, the pivot point for recoil should be your ankles so your whole body can absorb the recoil, not just your torso above the BB.

Cheekweld: Often when stocks are too long like the above, you see the shooter just rolling their head over towards their shoulder to establish cheek weld and sight/scope alignment of their eyes and the device, depending on the rifle, you end up behind the Monte Carlo cheekpiece. When that happens your view through the scope is shitty and the sharp rear edge of the cheekpiece smashes you in the face. A properly fitted stock allows the shooter to move their head forward and down and perch their cheek upon the top of the stock allowing for a comfortable placement of the head that also allows more control of the firearm under recoil.

Last thing to remember regarding stock length is that we often have kids try guns in their street clothes and then add several layers when they're actually hunting.

I like to think I'm at least moderately experienced with both a rifle and a shotgun under field conditions and I can say I have virtually no trouble shooting a rifle or shotgun that's too short for me. I can back my head off of a stock a little to find the proper spot for a full view of the scope and I find a short-stocked shotgun to be lightning fast to shoulder. I find that trying to shoot either one that's too long for me to be damned challenging.

The above picture tells the story far better than if I'd write another 10,000 words. Don't make your beginning shooter of any age or gender shoot from a position that mimics the above.

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Regarding the actual question from the OP. If you have access to a bunch of 308 ammo, that makes the decision easier. More ammo = more shooting = more better.

My daughter, age 11 just shot her 1st deer this year. She used my 243. I can see I will however have to purchase a youth model due to having 3 more kids coming up over the years and being a little stunted in the height department. She handled it well, but was a little to long for her.

I've never shot a .308 with reduced recoil so im no help there. I started my son at 10 on a Rem .243 youth model with the reduced recoil rounds. By the end of the day he was shooting regular loads by the end of the season he was shooting my .270. I'm a big fan of starting them on the easiest to shoot firearm and let them work there way up. There is no replacment for trigger time and to much recoil can make them shy away. Best answer buy both let him decide which he likes best. If the wife questions politly remind her how many shoes she has.

Take a look at the X-Bolt Hell's Canyon Speed if you are leaning .308. It comes with a muzzle break that can be removed and replaced with a thread protector that comes with it. I bought one in a 6.5 CM for my 13 year old daughter who will be hunting for the first time this year. She was shooting a 1-inch group from the prone and a bipod at the 100 yard line the first time she shot it. We looked at youth models and lady hunters in various calibers but felt that she handled the X-bolt just as well, if not better. It comes in at 6 lbs 5 oz and 22 inch barrel.

If he is big get a .308 .My kid is 12 and 6'1" and 160 he has been shooting a .308 for a few years with no problems. Kids stocks never fit him. Has shot 2 deer with my creedmoor and when looking for guns he picked out a .243 and likes that to. I agree with the more ammo more shooting better at it thought . 308 and good to go.

If your kid likes to hang out at the mall and talk shit anonymously on the internet, he’ll love the .308, I sure do.

If you want your son to learn hunting, shot placement, and to not fear the rifle, try the .243.

I’m with the bed wetter on this. Let him buy his big deer rifle. Get him the .243 and let him enjoy shooting.

hold on guys

my first rifle was a .243

two years later I was a pot-smoking skater douche

coincidence?

I don’t think so