kids gun advise

[rod-in-montana]

not really on the "long range" topic but respect you guys that build those "super" guns.my deal is i bought my daughter one of those ruger markII in a 25-06 for her first gun(went too cheap, never again!) a couple years ago and the darn thing just won't group anything @100grn. bullet or heavier.she's an ok shot off the bench but the gun is a little nose heavy for her to hold freehand for very long.i have a little extra money to work on these problems.she hunts whitetail to elk and i'd feel better if she was shooting a larger bullet as her shot placement is still needing improving.the gun now shoots any 120 grainers no better than 2" off bags @100yds and she shoots it no better then @3".it will shoot 75grainers @1".(all these are 5 shot groups).now the questions.
is this gun worth working on or buy new?
if it is worth working what i can afford is:
bell & calson carblite stock
Montana Rifleman barrel
timney trigger
bedding job
maybe a little bolt and action work

cal. idea is a 338-06 which i know little about but think it would work good with a short barrel #4 at 22" to keep the front heavy problem lighter.she has shot my 338wm with a break a couple times and her uncles 300 wsm,so i think the recoil would be managable for her.if i buy new i would probly go with either the 270wsm or the 7wsm in a win. light.i want something that would shoot @1" at 100, be moderate to light recoil,shoot a bigger than 25 cal. bullet(as i have a bitter taste of cal. now) and be anything other than a 30-06 as everyone has this around here.right now she would not be shooting over 300yds but as she improves maybe out to 500 or better.how do you feel about the 338-06 or have any other cal. ideas with a short barrel not kicking to hard.
no muzzle breaks for her ears though.i only want to go @ $700 on this deal.
thanks for any imput,
rod

 

[ShootLong]

why not go with a Winchester feather weight in 300WSM . 150gr bullets at 2800 to 2900 to start and load up as she gets better
my girls both shoot and hunt

 

[Boyd Heaton]

How about a Rem M7 in 7-08 or 308.Both would work fine for deer and elk....

 

[rod-in-montana]

i do like the 300wsm and the featherweight win. would be nice.i thought about that option(probly the 270wsm though).nice compact gun.i know the 308 is pretty accurate but i have made so much fun of the big guy's carring them that i'd be laughed off the range.the 7-08 i feel is great for a first gun or a light "old" person carry number but it would be hard to go from a '06 case to a smaller one 'morally'.i put the stock on it and the trigger,but haven't shot it yet to see if that helps.thanks for the replys

 

[texas]

Maybe try a 7mag with lighter loads and let her work her way up. Tried to get my kids into it but my 13y.o. daughter is another ellie-mae and my 17y.o. son doesn't have time. So feel very special .

 

[Marsh Mule]

I know this is late in this thread but, I experienced the same problem with my Ruger 25-06. Dang near made the mistake of selling it cheap! Then I tried seating the bullets .012" off the lands, and oh-boy what a difference!

Grouped right at 1 1/4", going out the muzzel at 3000fps using Sierra 117 spbt and IMR4831 powder. I tried IMR4350 and got same speed but grouped at a little over 3".
So before you get rid of that rifle try seating your bullets .010" to .015" off the lands and see what happens.

One more question, who was shooting the rifle you or your Daughter? I know from personal experience with my daughter, shooting the heavier loads from the bench is a litttle intimadating and uncomfortable for her.But give her a gun with light recoil and she can shoot the eyes out of a gnat! So maybe sneak out by yourself and try the gun or next time you go shooting with her, watch her real close to see if she is flinching or jerking the trigger. If none of this works let me know what you want for the gun, maybe we can work something out!

 

[Darryl Cassel]

Hello MM

I would try to have a rifle with lower recoil for her. High recoil destroys accuracy shooting for 'anyone". That's where the muzzle brakes come in handy but, they are bad on ears.

I wouldn't over look the old 270 with 130 gr and 135 gr bullets. Theres not an elk alive that wouldn't go down when hit with either of those bulletrs.

How about a bipod for her rifle also?

Just some additional thoughts to add to those above.

Darryl Cassel

 

[CLP308]

I would look @ the Model 7 in .270 WSM. They also make a compact model & the slightly heavier Predator with heavy fluted bbl in 308 & 7-08. Don't forget the 308 replaced the '06. It has 95% of the power with less recoil. I have a Model 7 in .308 & have a load for 168gr. Barnes Xlc BTHP's that pushes 2800fps out of its 18-1/2" bbl. That's slightly better than the '06 with a longer bbl. The recoil is abusive though. Get the .270 WSM and load it down with lighter bullets made for the 6.8SPC which will expand @ lower velocities. I am getting my daughter the .270WSM Whitetail special Model 7.
Enjoy your time for it may not last.

 

[Tikkamike]

I think you need to back up. She doesnt need a 25-06 or anything bigger. While I am a huge 25-06 fan I think the obvious choice here is 243. a little model 7 or tikka t3 in 243 will kill anything she needs to kill. When my little sister started out years agos we put her on a model 7 in 243 with 100 grain partitions. I have seen her kill elk out to 300 with them, its not ideal for elk but it will do it. The main thing here is manageable recoil, fit to the shooter and accuracy. if its a gun she loves to shoot you are doing her a huge favor. She can move up later in life but for now start with the basics.

 

[HARPERC]

Having done so myself, and nearly did again here-the threads ten years old. LOL. Not that a fresh crop of kids and dads is coming along that have the same question. I hope she is still going shooting with her dad, good times.

 

[winmag]

I'm guessing that since this thread is TEN YEARS OLD, his little girl is all grown up, & the problem was probably solved LONG AGO.

How do these things keep getting drug up from the dead?
Good for a laugh anyway I guess.

 

[winmag]

Having done so myself, and nearly did again here-the threads ten years old. LOL. Not that a fresh crop of kids and dads is coming along that have the same question. I hope she is still going shooting with her dad, good times.

Haha, ya I almost took the bait too. Just seemed odd that I didn't recognise many of the posters to the thread, so the light bulb went on, & I checked the date it was posted.
Hahaha holy cow! This is the oldest one I've seen so far

 

[Browninglover1]

I'm guessing that since this thread is TEN YEARS OLD, his little girl is all grown up, & the problem was probably solved LONG AGO.

How do these things keep getting drug up from the dead?
Good for a laugh anyway I guess.

I've wondered the same thing. I've seen "new posts" that when you get into the thread are from the same day (Ex. March 7) but from years ago. It must be a glitch in the program that updates the new posts section.

 

[Tikkamike]

Dang it! I hate it when that happens!