He cannot go wrong with a .308 Winchester. It is likely to be more accurate and easier for him to learn to shoot well with. Proper bullets and he will never need another rifle.

Guys,

I'd like to add something to this. My son is left handed but shoots (pistol, rifle AND shotgun) right handed because he's right eye dominate. He never even thought about being left handed and just naturally went right handed with a gun.

Maybe it might be a REALLY good idea to find out the lads dominate eye FIRST. And try him out with a BB gun and see what side he feels most comfortable with mounting the gun on? Before going off "half cocked"

Roi

Simplistic Approach: buy him an Encore Youth Model with a barrel in 30-06. The single shot will start him off right, understanding that making the first shot count is first and foremost.
All of the single shot rifle hunters I know here in Idaho are very skilled stalkers and know that making the first shot count is what it's all about. He can have a shotgun barrel as soon as he wants, and add calibers if he chooses.

Rich

Which eye is dominate does make a difference. As I understand it, the boy isn't your child, and your aren't mentoring the kid, so the issue will have to take its own course. The known fact is that he is left handed, and thus probably left eye dominate. I would maybe mention the issue to the boy's mother, and how she can determine the answer, and explain its relevance to shooting a rifle, and leave it at that. Otherwise it's too complicated in making a rifle recommendation. It really depends on whether he is going to shoot from the left shoulder or the right shoulder.

The Encore is ambidextrous, and it can teach the kid something about making the first shot count.

I saw a young fellow sighting in his new Tikka in 7 mag at the range. He couldn't be older than about 14, maybe younger. He was into his second box of ammo, and still not sighted in. I was pleased that his father didn't take offence at my offering some advice and assistance to the kid in sighting in his rifle. I had heard a lot of positive comments about the Tikka, but that was my first chance to shoot one. Since then I've heard a lot more favorable comments. The rifle was very accurate, and the kid just needed to grow into it a little, and use sandbags properly. He couldn't get good enough groups to sight it in by just holding it resting on the bench, and his father wasn't much help.

It's the kind of rifle I would hunt with and have high conficence in, so I'm sure in time it will serve a kid well. But for a boy, as a starter rifle, instead of a 7 mag, I would get a 308. Nothing wrong with a 7 mag. It's just not what I think of as a starter rifle, but his father thought the 7 mag was exactly right. Can't argue with that.

KB

If you don't mind doing a little loading the 308 IMHO would be the choice. I loaded some starting loads with 130gr TTSX's for my 12yr old and they shot into bugholes. Remington also makes reduced recoil loads for it if you don't want to load them yourself.
As he gets a little older the availability of inexpensive practice ammo would be appealing as would the general overall availabilty of 308 loads.
Winchester made a sweet little youth model m-70 with 20" barrel, featherweight stock and 12 1/2" pull. I don't know if they came in lh though. The Winchester was nice and in the price range but there are certainly several good inexpensive rifles available now, the new intro level TC Icon looks like a nice rifle but I don't know if they come in LH or not either.

But anyway I like the 308 for it's versatility...............DJ

Thanks guys.

Think I'll just print all these responses out and give them to her.

Apparently some of you didn't read all my earlier comments about this effort, one of which was this:

"What I originally suggested to her was that she buy him a Model 7 in 7m/m-08, IF they make them in a left hand version these days. And I gave her the name of a good local gunsmith to cut the buttstock off and fit a recoil pad for him IF the butt is too long. "

Also, I once again note that I am not buying this young guy ANYTHING. He is not my son, I have not met him and never will in all liklihood. I will not be doing any ammo loading for him. His mother asked me for advice, and I wanted to check with you all to see what you would recommend in a like circumstance so I didn't unintentionally lead his mom astray.

I do also agree with all that recommended the .308. As she had specifically asked about the '06, I wanted to suggest an alternative with distinctly lighter recoil, "just in case".

Perhaps she will ask me how to check to see which is his master eye after she reads your collective comments & recommendations. If so, I will tell her how. She DID ask about a left-hand rifle specifically. Her son already knows how to shoot...he is just young and still has a bunch of growing to do, but he is old enough now to go deer & elk hunting and needs his own deer/elk rifle. Thank you in particular Kabluewy for the very understanding and tactful approach you took to that subject. I'll be sure to point your post out to her.

I very much appreciate the comments on the youth models, of which I was not aware. Ditto the info on the left-handed Tikka. I had never considered Tikka as I had the impression they would be much more expensive than they apparently are.

Anyway, will let her sort out the info provided and go from here. It is her son and their decision.

I doubt very much she will start hanging out in the used gun aisles to pick him up something other than a new rifle, and I won't recommend to her that she do that. Too many chances for her to get burned, and the kid to get something unsuitable (maybe even unsafe for him) based on advice from some shark or gun store lounge-lizard.

However it goes down, I appreciate all your time, comments and suggestions. I hope you all have a good year in 2010.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Thanks guys.
I hope you all have a good year in 2010.

I hope the new year brings you good health and abundant cheer. roger

Used tikka between 6,5*55 and 308w.
My first moose rifle was a 6,5*55 Varberger LH.

Sorry missed the left handed info.

How about a Savage 99 in .300 Savage or .308?

quote:

Originally posted by gnoahhh:
How about a Savage 99 in .300 Savage or .308?

Well, if I knew somewhere she could walk into and order one, I would recommend that to her.

She is NOT a knowledgeable gun person, and neither is her 12-year-old son she is buying it for. She needs somthing she can go into one of the 4 or 5 local gun stores in this small town and either find on the shelf or order new.

Like I said very early on in this thread, that is exactly what he would be carrying if he was my son, but he is not.

And, it would likely be the .308 M99 he would be carrying rather than the .300 which I actually prefer, because their .earlier 300 Sav guns had a lot more hand-work in them..

The .308s don't look nearly as nice, but I know ammo will be easier to find, especially as the anti-gunners continue to drag us down into the morass.

That's why I asked for practical advice. It needs to be some wisdom she CAN follow, not somthing which might suit one of us gun loonies.

Would be a great gun for him, though, if she had easy access to one.

My suggestion is a Browning BLR in 308 or 7mm08 and i would also suggest he uses Barnes TSX 120 to 130 gr bullets.

Bi-Mart has weatherby vanguards on sale for $337. Almost bought one just becuase.

There are Bi-Marts in Roseberg, Grants Pants, Medford, Ashland and Winston. I'm sure one of them would have a 30-06 or .270 that would work just fine. She should get a VX-I scope and be all set.

quote:

Originally posted by onemsumba:
Bi-Mart has weatherby vanguards on sale for $337. Almost bought one just becuase.

There are Bi-Marts in Roseberg, Grants Pants, Medford, Ashland and Winston. I'm sure one of them would have a 30-06 or .270 that would work just fine. She should get a VX-I scope and be all set.

Thank You!! That's really good, useful info. There is a Bi-Mart here in Roseburg...in fact, the sporting goods manager is one of my old hunting partners. (I've been a Bi-Mart member since '63 when they opened their first Eugene store.)

That is a good price, and would leave money in the table for scope, sling, etc., if she gets him something like one of the new Redfield scopes in either a 2-7X or 3-9X variable.

Pax vobiscum, y'all....

Remington did not make a model 7 in left hand. I did just check Remington's web site and I only see the 7-08 list which I think is odd because I have a left hand 308. They may have dropped it. Looking over the Ruger site I see the 308 is offered. How big is the kid? At twelve there can be a big range in size.

Guns America has a 7-08 lefty youth gun for 599. http://www.gunsamerica.com/923...T_HAND_7mm_08_Re.htm

quote:

Originally posted How big is the kid? At twelve there can be a big range in size.

"He is not my son, I have not met him and never will in all liklihood."

Posted earlier, this is still the case.

For absolute simplicity without breaking the bank, I still think she is best off with a Savage LH 308. It can be ordered from any gun store, likely easy to find in person, and ammo will be available anywhere thats good for deer up to elk.

quote:

Originally posted by Alberta Canuck:
Let me say again, for those who didn't catch it in the the starting post of this thread, this is NOT MY son.

Deny it all you want AC, but that ain't what I heard last time I was in Wilbur.

I think it's a good thing, though, that you are finally starting to own up to your fatherly responsibilities.

Maybe your days of denial are ending, and acceptance is in your future.

As for the rifle, if I was the boy's old man, I'd just tie his left hand behind his back for a couple of years and tell him to get used to living RIGHT!

quote:

He is not my son, I have not met him and never will in all liklihood."

Maybe you could ask? Could help answer your question.