I love dreaming about and planning future rifles. Which is exactly what I'm doing for my 13 year old right now. Her 7mm-08 will serve her for the rest of her hunting career. I have her shooting reduced recoil load 120 gr loads right now and am finishing a full power 150 gr load for later use. And a 120 gr load that is full speed.

But I want to start planning a larger cartridge for all the hunts she dreams about. I have my wife on a 308 Winchester and am finishing a 35 Whelen for her (well at some point, have the barreled action on a 1917 Enfield and a mesquite semi-inlet stock), but want something different for my daughter (though Whelen is a great choice).

Here's what I'm thinking:

30-06: Can shoot 200 and 220 gr bullets for the biggest critters

8x57 Mauser: I have one now, only a 20" barrel, and love it. Low recoil on the 200 gr bullets and the rifle has a waterbuck, 2 red deer, and an elk to its' credit, among other animals. It just "kills", is easy to shoot, and little meat damage. I'm working on a 220 gr load for interior grizzly and moose - going for same POA as the 200 gr bullets. I have supreme confidence in this rifle and cartridge. It's just not a 300 yard cartridge, something that might be needed for elk hunts one day by my daughter.

8mm-06 or 8x64: This adds some velocity to get it out to 300 yards

338-06: But if I'm going to up the velocity, this would be a hard round to beat.


The other option is get her a good switch barrel rifle like a R8 for high school or college graduation in a medium bore and then she'll have the option to pick whatever she wants.

Just dreaming and loving my 8x57.

The 30-06.

But the 7-08 will do a lot as would a 308 at more normal hunting distances too.

The 30-06 has served many very well as a one rifle battery for many hunters. What was the Jim Carmichael quote. Something to the effect of "There are many all around rifles - what we need is all around shooters . . "

How tall will your daughter likely end up? The 7-08 will obviously work for most anything, but I sympathize with your (her?) desire for more diameter.

I've got a similar question for my wife's back-up rifle, but will start a caliber specific thread, 338 RCM. It is quite close to your thoughts about a 338-06.

A 338-06AI/A-Square is hard to beat. It really depends on how far away she is shooting and how tough the game animal in question is. For CONUS large game hunts, I don't see the need for muzzle blast and recoil from the "glossy gun rags latest advertiser" or gun maker boutique cartridge so, I would stay with the proven cartridges that have served many a hunter very well for a very long time. Granted, it sort of duplicates your wife's 35 Whelen but, it will get the velocities up a bit for the longer Elk shots.

You always have the option to up gun with a 9.3x62 as well if you really want to go for something with heavier a payload.

As others have said, the 7mm-08 works for Elk just fine too. 160 Nosler Partition works wonders.
Your 8x57 does too and will do so at 300 yards. Just have to point it correctly.
Past that, 30-06 I would think unless your daughter in the future wants something with more recoil, blast and works about the same, then you could get her a magnum.

I believe the 7mm-08 is eminently sensible. Perhaps not as sensible as a 7x57mm, but pretty close. Seriously, the 7mm-08 will suffice for probably 90% of what she'll hunt in this country. Why not let her decide when she gets older and build her a special present!

Consider keeping it in the "family" (.308 case family that is) with a .338 Federal. Assuming she likes her current rifle, you might be able to find the same model chambered such, thus enabling her to handle each one proficiently. My daughter (a small-statured 12-year old) shoots her own rifle, a Ruger Hawkeye Ultralight in .243), with ease. During a recent elk hunt, she used her mom's .338 Federal, also a Ruger Hawkeye cut to the same LOP. The transition was easy. She was familiar with the controls, trigger, etc. and killed her elk at 254 yards with no issues.

I think that that is good advice about the 338 Fed.

But one could go a step further while still keeping the 2.015" case length. The 338 Ruger Compact Magnum has the added capacity that can be put to good use as the bore enlarges to .338". If someone wants a good BC (more than .4) and a good velocity, (2800fps and up), than more than the 308 case is good for the 33 caliber.

Having said the above, though, let me add that a 338 Fed with a fast powder, short barrel, and light rifle would be an awesome combo.

The sensible thing would be to just stick with the 7-08. Of course it would have been sensible for me to stick with the -06.
"Hello my name is Russ and I'm a rifle loonie".

Yep, 338 Fed was another round that came to mind.

How about a 9.3X62 loaded with 200 gr TSX or 232 gr Norma at say 2400 fps?

That should be easy on the shoulder compared to 30'06 & 220 gr pill.

Not only does she have the cool factor of the 9.3X62 but she can always go up to 250 gr TSX for bears or Kudu etc.

Does Barnes make a 200 grain TSX in 9.3?

I went through this with my daughter and ended up with a 9.3x62. Her deer gun is a .257 Roberts she has shot since she was 12, so she wanted something better suited to bigger game. Our thought was that since she dreams of hunting Africa, and Cape Buffalo the gun would be the legal minimum, but not abuse her. I handload light 250-grain loads for her to practice with and she hunts with 286-grain loads. She shot her first elk with it two weeks after she got it.

Speaking of a 9.3x62, here's one I'm building right now: http://forums.accuratereloadin...1019521/m/5241048891

If I got her one, I'd get a new factory one: Sako, CZ, or Tikka.

Interesting idea, especially downloaded. I think the 250 gr TSX would be a good all around load, but why not a 375 H&H then

quote:

Does Barnes make a 200 grain TSX in 9.3?

Exactly. Barnes smallest is 250gn. A person needs to look at the whole picture.

quote:

I think the 250 gr TSX would be a good all around load, but why not a 375 H&H then

This is why my wife chose a 375Ruger as her first African rifle. 375 is buffalo-legal in all the countries, not just in some like the 9.3. But more importantly, the 375 Ruger was available in a small lefthand package (20" barrel, laminate Alaskan). She can load it anywhere from 3000ftlbs to 4900ftlbs, as she wishes. And bullet choice is extensive for the 375. CEB makes a 235 gn ER, Barnes does a 235 grainer (though the 250TTSX has a much better BC), and Speer and Sierra provide plinkers in 200 and 235. GSC makes a 200grain HV that they claim has been highly successful for plains game (even buffalo), while easy on the shoulder.
Anyway, for plains game, easier recoil, and wide bullet section, the 375's and 338's have an advantage over the .366's at the moment. That's just market prejudice, of course, but it affects choices.

Nevertheless, for a light, modestly priced rifle, the 9.3 has a good representative in the Tikka and CZ Carbine. The only thing comparable would be a Ruger compact (6.75lb, 20" barrel, currently out of production) in 338RCM at even better prices. But it is not buffalo-legal in most of Africa. (Brass components can be an issue for the 9.3 since two different case heads are in circulation.)

All of the above would make a nice hunting tool for larger antelope.

When I went on my last hunt in Africa, my then girl friend accompanied me. In the hope that she would be interested in participating herself, I had a rifle built for her.

I used a G33-40 action, a Douglas barrel with a Winchester pre-64 Model 70 Featherweight barrel profile, 22 inches long, and a lightweight stock along the lines of a Type B Mauser Sporter. The caliber I chose was one perfectly suited to the action, 7X57.

To my disappointment, she decided not to use the rifle, but I did, to the tune of two wildebeest, a bushbuck, an impala, and a record book Peters' gazelle.

The girl friend has long since departed, but the rifle remains with me, and has accounted for countless white tail deer in the meantime. I can think of no better combination, then or now, for a young lady to start with.

Very most sensible big game round in the world:

30-06

Why does she only get 1 more rifle?

I believe Eleanor O'Conner shot about every size game world wide with her 7X57... Wife of Jack O'Conner, for those too young to recall..

Yes, why only one. I would get her a 30-06 and a .375. She can hunt the world... and most hunters I believe if "properly" coached at the start can handle the 375.

I agree the 30-06 is the best get er done caliber in the world today..It does it all if you do your part..Its not intimidating, plenty good with 180 or 200 gr. Noslers at 2700 FPS.

Cooksey,
Elenor O'Connor also shot a few deer with a 2.5X Weaver scoped 25 Rem. Remington pump rifle, the equivalent of a 25-35 Win. I recall a 200 plud yard running shot at a big buck, she stuck a 117 gr. Rem corelokt in his rib cage and he was down and dead within 15 yards. They, along with Dick Shaw and Bill Weaver used to hunt on my dads ranch. That was a cute rifle, I would loved to had one like it.