I have a "special" rifle to pass on to my oldest two sons however I now have a third son. So it's time for another. I had in mind having a 7mm 08 built. Still may go that way. Wouldn't mind a 7x57 if it looked right. I want something they can handle well as a young teen deer type caliber. Just a first "real" rifle type thing.

Any suggestions?

.260

Any of the 308 base cases or 06 cases would be just fine

Hard to beat a universal cartridge like the .308 in a short, handy rifle.

Yes,a 308 starting with managed recoil loads, then full-house when he gets older. Nobody will ever outgrow the usefulness of a 308.

quote:

Originally posted by Rub Line:
.260

+1

7mm-08 for me.

What got me into regular hunting was varmint hunting.

We had woodchucks here then and we walked with our rifles all the way to a farm out of the city.

My late dad would pick us up on his way home from work.

Consider a 243 and start the kid out with 55 or 58 gr bullets and a light load.

There are so many choices. If it will be passed to one son in particular, consider his personality. Some like normal, some unique, or whatever.

I'd love to build a .257 Roberts in a standard length action in a light configuration for one son. He'd appreciate it.

One isn't entertained by such things and likes practical performance. He has a .243W and now a .300WM. He sees usefullness in both. He chose wood & blued over plastic but that's about as close to nostalgia & romance as he'll get.

My oldest has no love for guns and would be as pleased with a plastic savage in .308 as anything. He doesn't hunt, likes the tacticool crap, and would rather have an ar10 or ar15 with the whole toolbox hanging off it than the previously mentioned savage.

I have guns that I want from my father because of memories attached to them, not because of what they are.

If you handload then anything in 308 cal offers the widest selection of bullets. You would have anything from varmints to moose covered.
That is why Mrs Blacktailer's first rifle was a 308. In reality anything in 7mm or 308 would work with the right load/bullet.

7x57mm would be my choice. Classic and very effective caliber.

Maybe I should explain a little more. I have a .223 bolt rifle that I had shortened as a first rifle. The plan is I gave it to the oldest boy on his 8th birthday and he is to pass it on to the second on his 8th and so on. I'm really not looking for suggestions as to caliber so much as configuration or what rifle. All the calibers that have been suggested would darn sure work. What would you wrap that caliber in. I am not very likely to go down and buy a new rifle off the shelf for this. If I did it would be a Winchester 70 featherweight in 7mm 08.

The rifles I have for the older two boys are ones that mean something to me. I hope that they will mean something to them. The oldest boy will receive a Savage 99 in 300 savage. Nothing outstanding but it belonged to a hunting buddy of mine that passed away. The second son will get a 6.5x55 rifle I had built on an FN commercial action that is perfect for carrying in the mountains.

If I purchase a complete rifle I would probably have a under a thousand budget. Obviously if I have one built it will be a little more.

quote:

Originally posted by Michael Robinson:
7x57mm would be my choice. Classic and very effective caliber.

deep throat 06 length magazine.It really is a step above the .308 clones.
roger

.260

Any old military Mauser 98 or 95 in 7x57 (some are arsenal rebarreled to .308). Any good synthetic or laminated stock. Leopold 4x. There`s your rifle, within your budget. Whatever your choice, the important thing will be that you gave it to him.

7-08 is better only in that it offers a better selection of loadings but there is nothing really wrong with either.

Cartridge and rifle selections are all purpose based for me so it would really depend upon what I will be using it for 90% of the time. Shooter vs collector, large game vs smaller game, etc...

It sounds like this is more for you right now with the anticipation of giving it away when that day comes?

Good advice so far. I have a styer pro hunter in a 260,I used for my nephews and children.

Ed

Nothing says special like a 257 Roberts.

At what age do you hand over these special rifles?

I have two sons 25 and 22

I haven't give "to keep" either of them a heirloom anything as of yet.

Maybe in 5 or so years after they get out of the roaring twenties.

As to your second question, it depends on what the use of the rifle will be. Do you think your son will end up using it in woods/heavy cover? Maybe a lever or auto would be best. More open country? Probably a bolt.
My initial suggestion would be a bolt because of the availability of actions. You could acquire a Mauser or similar action and the possibilities are endless. Also you may very well find a used rifle that would take very little customizing in an appropriate caliber. Again, the possibilities are endless.
My first "real" rifle was a M94 30-30 made in the 20's that my grandfather gave to me. My great uncle had it and he was using it to shoot gophers in his lawn in the middle of town. My grandfather decided a 10 year old (me) was safer with it than my great uncle.

when I picture a gun from Dad and then later on from Grampa, I definitely think wood and not too fancy, but solid with reliable quality. An older push feed 70 Featherwieght or a Ruger 77. Something unique, maybe an 1885 or #1. A Browning BLR in 308 would be pretty cool. I gave my dad a Model 70 classic sporter in 270Wby to say thanks for keeping my dog while I was in the Corps and I gave him a deluxe 94 in 30-30 for his 60th. Now as he gets closer to 80 I am hoping he passes them down to the grand kids as they have admired them in the gun cabinet at the farm for years. What ever you give that 3rd son chances are he will treasure it.

quote:

Originally posted by BigNate:
There are so many choices. If it will be passed to one son in particular, consider his personality. Some like normal, some unique, or whatever.

I'd love to build a .257 Roberts in a standard length action in a light configuration for one son. He'd appreciate it.

One isn't entertained by such things and likes practical performance. He has a .243W and now a .300WM. He sees usefullness in both. He chose wood & blued over plastic but that's about as close to nostalgia & romance as he'll get.

My oldest has no love for guns and would be as pleased with a plastic savage in .308 as anything. He doesn't hunt, likes the tacticool crap, and would rather have an ar10 or ar15 with the whole toolbox hanging off it than the previously mentioned savage.

I have guns that I want from my father because of memories attached to them, not because of what they are.

+1 on 257 Roberts what a great caliber

I am outfitting my daughter (and then my granddaughter) with swedish mauser sporters in 9.3x57. Trim, light hunting rifles, not much recoil, accurate and classic in appearance. My daughter wants to hunt plains game before the MS sets in and robs her of her abilitiies.

I 2nd the BLR in .308, accurate, fast, minimal recoil. For added versatility, consider the stainless takedown version.

All of the above would be fantastic!
For me, I was using 168 Ballistic Silver-Tips, Lapua brass, 210 GMM primers and CFE powder. Great accuracy!
Now if only I wasn't such a gunwhore I'd still have that SS, trued and bedded 700 short.
Next on my list of needed rifles.

I am surprised no one has mentioned the 6.5x55mm Swede. I think it would provide a chambering that, while not very common, is not obsolete. The 6.5x55mm would be a great basis for a "special" first deer rifle in my opinion. It has a great blend of ballistics, low recoil, and panache.

I guess I handled this situation entirely differently:

When my son was nine, he shot his first whitetail. He did it sitting on my lap, with my .270 Winchester. The following year I had my riflesmith build him a 7 X 57 on a high number Springfield action.

As he got older, he graduated to a 7RM, and carried it on an elk trip to Idaho. Although the rifle never spoke, it was a great hunt and I will remember it from now on.

Mark took a liking to one of the 700 LS Remingtons I have and told me he really would like a stock that looked like mine. I am a southpaw so giving him the rifle wouldn't work. I bought a stock from Boyd's and had it cleaned up and re-contoured so it wasn't such a club. It is on Mark's 7 RM now.

The way I see it, he has had rifles to remember Dad by since he was about ten...

caliber is almost unimportant, 308 or 7mm-08 or 260. As for the rifle, I'm a mauser/winchester guy.

A featherweight m70 would be nice OR I saw M70 20" carbines on CDNN in 22-250/243/308/7mm-08 for $700.

Let the kid tell you what he wants.You cant put the hunting in a kid,IMO.It should all start off with a small game single shot 12 guage shotgun.Then a double shotgun.Then a deer rifle.Then an elk or caribou rifle.Then a DG rifle.

When My kids were younger they always wanted dads rifle because they thought it could never miss.

Well they learned a few things over the years that it was Dad not the rifle.

quote:

Originally posted by shootaway:
.You cant put the hunting in a kid,IMO.

I think a lot of hunting parents fall into the liberal BS that you can't guide a kid to do some things.

Take them hunting , fishing show them a good time let them know that hunting and the out doors is more important the sitting watching a foot ballgame.

I know a lot of hunting parents who take time to coach the kids ballgames take them to every one buy them all the equipment make a big deal out of them wining.

Then never spent even a quarter of that time or money teaching them to hunt or be happy out doors.

Then tell me, well when I ask my kid to go hunting he says he doesn't want to what can I do.

If hunters and shooter do not take the time and money to raise their children to be hunters and shooters we have lost.

Take your children hunting, shooting show them that it is just as important as one of the ball games.

Don't fall into the trap of not doing so.

If you think that because you took a kid hunting he will want to be a hunter then you are the liberal.

No I know my kids are hunters because I took them hunting.

quote:

Originally posted by p dog shooter:
No I know my kids are hunters because I took them hunting.

like I said,YOU are the liberal

Thanks for all the input. I think I'm going to have a classic styled 7x57 built. Probably something reminiscent of a Rigby style.

In my experience kids enjoy what their parents enjoy to some extent anyway. They generally want to give it a try.

quote:

Originally posted by ElCaballero:
Thanks for all the input. I think I'm going to have a classic styled 7x57 built. Probably something reminiscent of a Rigby style.

In my experience kids enjoy what their parents enjoy to some extent anyway. They generally want to give it a try.

NICE! Working up loads, for his rifle, will really add to the experience.

6.5 x 55 in a modern rifle! ants to elephants, low recoil.

if i was going to 'build' a rifle..its a 260 rem. i have one in a ruger M-77 S.S. i dont have the funds to build one right now, but when i do..

I think your choice of a 7-08 or better yet the 7x57 ( if he is a handloader ) are ideal for a teen ager..The 7x57 is the lightest caliber that I would hunt any animal on the planet with albiet it would not be my first choice for some of the DG...but it'd do in a pinch.

quote:

Originally posted by Atkinson:
I think your choice of a 7-08 or better yet the 7x57 ( if he is a handloader ) are ideal for a teen ager..The 7x57 is the lightest caliber that I would hunt any animal on the planet with albiet it would not be my first choice for some of the DG...but it'd do in a pinch.

+1

Basically, as mentioned above, any of the caartridges with .473" caseheads:
243, 257 Bob, 260, 270, 280, 7-08, 7x57, 308, 30-06, etc. There are a lot of great all-purpose, easy to load rounds out there. Anyone can become a cherished family heirloom.