hunting rifle for 8yr old

[bjeepin2]

get him a nice rem 700 .308 and some Low recoil rounds to use then he will have a nice deer rifle for life.

 

[rhettro]

Agree with this. This is what I did with a .30-06 in a 700. Hornady custom lite 125 gr is the right prescription. My boy is 7.

get him a nice rem 700 .308 and some Low recoil rounds to use then he will have a nice deer rifle for life.

 

[CHW2021]

I can not recall at the moment if it is Rossi or New England that makes the single shot rifle that can switch barrels on the same receiver, but that is my vote. The single shot will be safer for a beginner and lighter than most guns, it can be purchased fairly cheaply and can be switched to one of dozens of caliber/gauges.
The 243 would be a good starter round, there are many calibers or loads that will be adequate, but you know what your kid can stand.
Good luck.

 

[ICHENE]

Good suggestions on a bolt .308. I bought my kids a Ruger Mountain Rifle in Stainless and Gray Laminate in .243. It's a beautiful gun with a strong action. It's a little little heavier than a synthetic stock so recoil is dampened even further. However, if I were to do it over agin it would be in .308. Will be swapping barrels out for a super accurate .308 (if I'm making the switch I'm going big).

 

[bjeepin2]

http://remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-tactical-aac-sd.aspx
and put a trypod on it

 

[AustinBR]

What would be a nice hunting rifle (deer mostly) for a 8yr old boy. He is tall but not muscular yet.

Also what caliber? I was thinking .243 but would a .223 hand loaded with premium bullets be a consideration here?

Without reading this whole thread and seeing what people have said:

I started hunting with a .243 youth edition Remington (I think is the brand) when I was seven or eight years old. I still have it in my safe and it is a fun little range gun too. It is a crack barrell and has a sleeve on the stock for ten extra bullets. As for accuracy, it is awesome sub 100 yards. I have never pushed it past that so I have no experience!

 

[toddrod]

Oh man, I feel like it is Christmas. I sold my pistol today and immediately ordered hunting rifles for my son and I. Savage model 19698 for me with the Nikon scope and Savage 19974 for him with the Bushnell scope.

Just an FYI here. Nick's Shooting range, in Garyville, beat the Cabelas price by $55 on my sons gun and approx $70 on mine. Great place to get your stuff

 

[JDIZZ]

I have killed several deer with a .243, I think the 7mm-08 is much more effective if the child is not of tiny stature. By the way, Wal-Mart has the Savage Axis youth models, on clearance for only $169 until next week!!!

 

[JDIZZ]

Rossi offers interchangeable combo pkgs. New England/ H&R can replace barrel for $100, but you don't get your old barrel back. At least, I didn't anyways.

 

[scooterj]

The Witt Machine muzzle brake that Todd mentioned is worth every penny! It tamed my Ruger M77 MK II Ultralite 7mm-80's recoil to that of a .223 Rem bolt gun.

 

[Epi5]

7mm-08 would do nicely i think if ammo is easy to come by locally.

Also look into a Limb Saver recoil pad. It adds an inch or so to the length of pull and is usually put on shotguns, but if it fits the buttstock and the shooter it does wonders more than any muzzle break i have ever used.

 

[king4456]

I have killed several deer with a .243, I think the 7mm-08 is much more effective if the child is not of tiny stature. By the way, Wal-Mart has the Savage Axis youth models, on clearance for only $169 until next week!!!

The clearance is for 243 only right? I called several Walmart and none had any youth models in anything other than 243.

 

[scooterj]

Epi5, I had a Limb-Saver recoil pad. It worked well, UNTIL it started to melt. The rifle is kept in my safe with a Goldenrod dehumidifier. The guys at my LGS have many reports of the LS recoil pads melting, so it's not just me. I removed the melted buttpad when I installed the muzzle brake. The brake made a much larger difference in felt reciol than the recoil pad ever did.

 

[cajun 22]

7mm-08 here. My sone was 10 when he started deer hunting and he never flinched shooting this caliber. He is 21 now and still likes to hunt with it.

 

[Geauxfish]

I have killed several deer with a .243, I think the 7mm-08 is much more effective if the child is not of tiny stature. By the way, Wal-Mart has the Savage Axis youth models, on clearance for only $169 until next week!!!

Is that with the scope? Does anyone know the closest WM to Br that might be offering this sale? Most of the WM don't have guns for sale.

 

[honestlou]

Is that with the scope? Does anyone know the closest WM to Br that might be offering this sale? Most of the WM don't have guns for sale.

That is without the scope. None of the Walmarts that are in the Baton Rouge city limits sell guns. Most of the others do-Gonzales, Denham Springs, Central, Walker, Watson (D.S. north), Port Allen, Plaquemine, Hammond-just to name a few.

 

[toddrod]

http://remington.com/products/firearms/centerfire/model-700/model-700-sps-tactical-aac-sd.aspx
and put a trypod on it

We will be sooting out of elevated box stands. No need for this.

 

[king4456]

I like the idea of the reduced recoil using the Witt machine muzzle brake. I have ordered a digital caliper to get the exact measurement of the barrel of my son's gun. I decided on the Ruger american youth model with adjustable trigger and Nikon 2.5x12 50 mm prostaff S BDC reticle. I may have to change the mounts as they are the p223 mount and are a little high for a kid. Chambered in 7mm08.

 

[James Thibodeau]

Does no one any longer have faith in the tried n true30-30?? What kid doesn't want to hunt with the same kind of rifle they see on the old western shows. There's no recoil and the 30cal round is much more forgiving in shot placement than 243. I just can't get away from a Marlin 336 with a trusty (JM) stamped barrel [like I said, tried n true]. If you are like most and just want a starter gun for a couple of seasons, get one in H&R then upgrade to a .308 later. Their barrel replacement program is only about $150.

 

[king4456]

Does no one any longer have faith in the tried n true30-30?? What kid doesn't want to hunt with the same kind of rifle they see on the old western shows. There's no recoil and the 30cal round is much more forgiving in shot placement than 243. I just can't get away from a Marlin 336 with a trusty (JM) stamped barrel [like I said, tried n true]. If you are like most and just want a starter gun for a couple of seasons, get one in H&R then upgrade to a .308 later. Their barrel replacement program is only about $150.

Well Saturday afternoon I took my 10 yr old son and his friend to hunt from the stand I have been feeding from since May. We brought the Ruger American 7mm-08 mentioned above except I switched out the scope mounts to Leopold high mounts. Around 4:30 out comes two small does. I get my son up off the floor of the 5x8 box stand where they were playing iPad to get my boy ready to shoot when out comes a little 8 point. So in a matter of seconds my son stands takes his gun props it up takes aim and clicks off the safety and takes a deep breathe like an old pro and shoots. The buck makes out like he was hit good with the hornady 139 grain reduced recoil ballistic tip bullet as he runs into the woods. There were 5 deer total visible when he shot and two were still standing there looking at us. Well the other boy with us asked if he could shoot a doe. I decided to let him shoot as well. He (my son's friend)shot the little doe in the hind quarter and blew out all its innards. That is one bad ass round. They were fist bumping and high fiving and smiling and asking to get out of the stand to go get the deer. I made them wait for the longest 25 minutes of their life so we wouldn't jump the buck and make him run off any further. The doe laid where he shot it and died with a little knife to the jugular help. The buck was 50 yds in the woods dead. It was a good clean shot on the buck as I expected from my son who has been shooting since age 4. I have every faith in this gun and these rounds. I can't think of better father-son time than this.

after a squirrel hunt a few weeks back before the season started

Two shots at 75 yds with my son at the trigger.

the castle complete with a heater and toilet for emergencies.