7-08 or 243 for kids first rifle

[lclund1946]

Originally Posted by Dean2

7MM-08. Both guns with 100 grain bullets kick exactly the same and you can use up to 160s in the 7. You can't get much above 105 with a 243. If the gun fits well your son will never know he is shooting it.

Right on Dean2. Another peculiarity of the 7mm08 is that it will stabilize all bullets from 100 grain up to 175 with Remingtons 9.25 twist. Never shot 100 grain but 110 TNT are awesome for varmints while 120 BT's shoot 1/4" groups, with Varget, and kill moose just fine. Here is an example of what can be done. Can't imaging picking a 243 over 7mm-08.
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[ovis40]

Originally Posted by fitzy

Don't get the .243, I have a mossberg that I love to shoot but it kicks harder than my 30-06 and it's very loud. so much so that found myself developing a flinch because of the noise.

So does every .243 do this?? I get a kick out of how you can blame the .243 cartridge. Did it ever cross your mind it might have had something to do with the top quality gun it was chambered in??

[lone wolf]

Go with the 7-08, you will never regret it

[Turtlewolf]

Originally Posted by ovis40

So does every .243 do this?? I get a kick out of how you can blame the .243 cartridge. Did it ever cross your mind it might have had something to do with the top quality gun it was chambered in??

From what I can guess from his post I have the same rifle but mine does not have recoil issues. I find the Mossberg to be both MO Deer and easy on the shoulder.

[ovis40]

Originally Posted by Turtlewolf

From what I can guess from his post I have the same rifle but mine does not have recoil issues. I find the Mossberg to be both MO Deer and easy on the shoulder.

And no two guns are alike but I find my .243 to be under 1/2 inch (if I can do my part) and like you say "easy on the shoulder". It is also no a very loud rifle.

[Dean2]

Muzzle blast on a 243 can be quite unpleasant, but this is true for other cartridges as well. A short barrel, 22" or less, slow powder like 4831 and a heavy bullet can lead to a very loud gun. My shooting partner has a short barreled 243 Rem 700, and when he is shooting the slow powder/heavy bullet combination I find it very unpleasant to be at the next bench.

I will usually take a break when he is shooting that gun, yet he has a 26" 300 mag that doesn't bother me at all. (Neither have muzzle brakes)

I have a 17FB that exhibits the same traits with a 26" barrel. With 30 Grain bullets and 8208 powder it has a noticably sharper "crack" than 25 grain V-max with 4198. It is not a defect of the gun, it is powder burn rate to barrel length. If you really want to see muzzle blast, put a 223 or 221 Fireball in one of the old XR-100 bolt action pistols with the ten inch barrels that Remington used to sell.

[Thunder/FX]

My little guy shoots a Stevens 200 in 7MM-08 and he loves to shoot it. He took his first two Whitetails with it last season and that cartridge is a "real" performer loaded with 39.6gr of Varget pushing a 139gr Hornady SST. This load works amazingly well in his rifle and he does'nt have any recoil issues.

One more vote for the 7-08

[NBFK]

This is an awesome caliber little recoil with plenty of punch. My fiancé shoots one.

[Pioneer2]

No contest get the 7-08 .You can load it down but you can only load a .243 up so much and it isn't suitable for the same game or throw as heavy a bullet when the shooter grows up...............Harold