7mm WSM too big for 12 yr old son? 270 better?

[300WSMMAD]

Gidday, I took a mates 12 yo twin boys out to shoot their first goat last year they both used my 300WSM (breaked & off bibod) both took billys at 560 and 575 yrds each, plus they both had a good blaze up with it on a big mob, By the end of the day I thought I wasnt going to get it back, both pestered the **** out of their old man all the way home about getting a WSM.

I do however agree that the right "fit" is important, and starting him off light could be wise, may even consider a slower powder with lighter bullet to get more of a push than a shove to begin with too.

My 9 yo is getting at me at the moment sigh!!!

All the best
WSMMAD

 

[AJ Peacock]

..., plus they both had a good blaze up with it on a big mob, ...
All the best
WSMMAD

Translation please ???

Thanks,
AJ

 

[John Burns]

I really like the .243 Win for the first big game rifle. They will never outgrow the cartridge. I use one on a regular basis and many of the shots on the video Don just put up were made with the 243 Win.

We actually use it more than you might think on elk and with the 105 VLD it works great out to 600yds. I know of 5 or 6 bulls taken at Milligan Brand last year with the furthest being 640 yds and one of our camera men , Phil, killed his bull here in Wyoming with one well placed shot to the shoulder at 450yds.

Ray Milligan even used his 243 for his Desert sheep hunt last year (500yds) so it hardly is just a beginner round.

I would really think hard before I let a 12yr old shoot a breaked rifle. Even with hearing protection the studies show the shooter can still suffer permanent hearing damage. This is why a major gun maker had to write some checks to stay out of court.

 

[Sako7STW]

John Burns,

I am in Evanston, Where are you at? Anyways, Maybe you didnt quite get what I was saying with the .243. I agree it is a good gun and can be used on elk. My Dad's best friend did it for years. Like you said on your example, "with a well placed shot". I would have no problem hunting with a .243 myself but just feel that you have a better chance of the critter still dieing with a somewhat off target shot with a larger, more potent round. At the least maybe cause more damage giving a better opportunity for a follow up shot. I dont care how much a kid shoots at the range, in the field is a whole different story and the chance of a "not so good" shot goes up drastically. I was there and did that more than once unfortunately (but never lost an animal)

I know that noone likes to hear the scenario above but lets be real here on LRH.

 

[John Burns]

Sako7STW

I am in Meeteetse,

My experience with elk and the 243 (105gr VLDs at 3000fps) has shown me it is a totally adequate round inside of 600yds. A well placed shot, shoulder or ribs, is very deadly and a poor hit requires another shot, just like about everything else. I have never seen a cartridge that allows for poor shot placement on elk.

The big advantage to the 243 is the light recoil which makes shot placement much easier for everyone, including beginning hunters.

I personally have never lost an animal nor have I ever been involved personally in a situation where the problem was a lack of power or energy but I have seen quite a few situations where better shot placement would have gotten better results.

I like to think the cartridge I am using is just a little bit light and I had better do everything I can to get surgical shot placement. Over the years I have gradually reduced the power level of the cartridge I shoot and have increased my effective range by doing so.

The 25-06 with the 108 -115 VLDs should also be a great choice. I have never seen this combination in use but I would think it would work as well as the 243 albeit with slightly more recoil.

Another advantage is the 243s awesome ability on deer, sheep, antelope, coyotes and other varmints. Living in Evanston your boy will never outgrow the cartridge and can add a 7mm when his shooting ability on elk exceeds the 600yd mark.

A 12yr old who can shoot the max effective range of the 243 would have a lot of great hunts ahead of him.

 

[300WSMMAD]

AJ,

"a blase up", um er lots of confused feral goats, lots of bullets and two young guys not afraid to use them!!

That Help?

 

[AJ Peacock]

AJ,

"a blase up", um er lots of confused feral goats, lots of bullets and two young guys not afraid to use them!!

That Help?

Yep, thanks.

AJ

 

[Sako7STW]

Well we went and looked at guns again yesterday. We decided to go ahead and go with the 7mmWSM. It is a Savage Model 16 Weather Warrior and I am surprised at how light it is and of course, love the trigger. I just hope he likes it. Now I get to start playing with some loads for it.

We figure he can use his Moms 25-06 till he can handle the 7 if he can't handle it in the first place.

First tho, I got to get a scope for it and the banks broke so it is going to be a while before that happens.

 

[su37]

I started my young son off with a 300 WSM.

I loaded down for it, letting him shoot 125's

On opening morning of elk deer season I chambered for him a regular loaded hunting round without telling him.

When he shot he's deer he never felt the difference.

 

[260shooter]

I have a 7RM that is 12lbs and a break. My 11 year old daughter has broke eggs with it at 200 yards with no ill effect.

260

 

[Sako7STW]

I started my young son off with a 300 WSM.

I loaded down for it, letting him shoot 125's

On opening morning of elk deer season I chambered for him a regular loaded hunting round without telling him.

When he shot he's deer he never felt the difference.

Thats a good idea!

 

[royinidaho]

Sako7stw,

I think you done just fine.

I gave my grand son (14 yo @ 105#) a choice of two rifles for his first hunting season. I only had two to pick from. One was a prone only 270 Allen Mag the other was my 338 RUM carry rifle (10.5#s and comfortable)

He picked the the 338 RUM. Next we put the 12 ga semi auto on the bench and he went to shooting it. He had been shooting a 12 ga single pipe.

I then loaded down the 338 RUM with 250 NAB and he went to shooting it off the bench. Then prone. BTW both rifles are braked.

The next week end he came up again and we went shootin. This time with full tilt 300 SMKs. Was not a problem.

Through a strange set of circumstances he ended up shooting at his first deer with his dad's 7mm Rem w/168 Bergers full tilt. The kid choked so bad it wouldn't have made any difference if he'd have been using a Red Ryder Daisy.

 

[Rus]

It is time to buy my son his first rifle. He is small, about 80 lbs. I found a really good buy on a Savage Weather Warrior in 7mm WSM. The gun super light weight which is what I think he needs for his small stature. I also found a .270 in a Ruger , wood stock & blued bbl.

With 140gr. Bullets, it looks the 2 are pretty close ballisticaly. I am thinking the 7 would better long term as we plan to hunt most every thing in N.A.. If I was to load it down some, do you think it could be manageable recoil wise?

i love the 7mm we have a 12 year old that shoots one but i do agree dont give a new shooter something bigger then he or she can handle i build rifles for a living and i build savages i also love the 6.5 creedmoor for new shooters and we shoot barnes

 

[gyrfalcon]

It is time to buy my son his first rifle. He is small, about 80 lbs. I found a really good buy on a Savage Weather Warrior in 7mm WSM. The gun super light weight which is what I think he needs for his small stature. I also found a .270 in a Ruger , wood stock & blued bbl.

With 140gr. Bullets, it looks the 2 are pretty close ballisticaly. I am thinking the 7 would better long term as we plan to hunt most every thing in N.A.. If I was to load it down some, do you think it could be manageable recoil wise?

may I suggest a caliber/rifle combination such a youngster would enjoy handling and shooting while he is young and of small stature? Based on my experience with youngsters a light rifle in .22/250, 223, 243 or 7/08 is what they enjoy shooting and maintains their long term interest, in shooting. Then later if he still enjoys hunting as much as you think he will, he can graduate at that time to something more permanent he would enjoy carrying and hunting with.
I have seen many young teens in Canada's high North be totally dedicated to hunting/trapping, only to permanently change to other interests after that magic 15/16, when money, girls, shiny trucks, racing quads and other entertainment gains their shift of focus. Inuit and Indian elders thought how uncanny they thought it was, that at that 15-16 age, young trappers shifted their trap lines from the forest into the settlement. Abandoning bush beavers in favour of town beavers.