So my son got a $100 gift card from Dicks for Christmas....

[Deerthug]

And he wants to get a rifle so he can go deerhunting with me next year since he will be 14 in July. These are the youth rifles available at Dicks right now

http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=13369244&ab=GATOP_Link_YSFRiflesShotguns

I was thinking of the bolt action Savage Axis -XP in .243 which comes with a basic Bushnell scope. Anyone have any experience with this rifle? Thanks.

[jjb4900]

are you going with that because of the size of the gun and the caliber? personally, I would get a rifle in .308 or 30-06 and start him off with reduced recoil ammo and avoid having to upgrade in the future....just a thought.

[steve863]

The rifle is fine, the caliber is too light for a beginner. .270, .30-06, .308, 7mm-08 MUCH better. As previous poster stated, there will be little need for an upgrade in the future with one of these.

[jjb4900]

and if there is any question about the reduced recoil ammo, my son took a buck during the youth season at 100+ yards with it a few years ago using my rifle, and I used it as well being that's what I last sighted in it with and took 2 deer at about 100 yards with very good results...........and when all said and done, there is little change in point of impact between that and full load ammo at 100 yards.

[grampy]

I just got the axis in 7mm-08 for christmas. I love it! Only have 20 rounds through it and last three shot group at 100 yards was a touch more than inch and a half. With more trigger time I think it will get even smaller. Recoil is very manageable too. My ten and twelve year old grandsons will shoot it this weekend. There was a recent post about this rifle by wildcatjunkie that was very infomative, check it out.

[Hock3y24]

Axis Are guns I have a 223 that shoots .5 inch and .308 that shoots around an inch at 100.

[reeltime]

And he wants to get a rifle so he can go deerhunting with me next year since he will be 14 in July. These are the youth rifles available at Dicks right now

http://t.dickssportinggoods.com/shop/index.jsp?categoryId=13369244&ab=GATOP_Link_YSFRiflesShotguns

I was thinking of the bolt action Savage Axis -XP in .243 which comes with a basic Bushnell scope. Anyone have any experience with this rifle? Thanks.

 

sounds like a fine choice.  as long as he can accurately shoot the gun and is confident in his shooting ability that gun and caliber can suit him the rest of his life for whitetail deer.  I do not understand why so many people look down on the .243 round.  its a very versatile round, everything from groundhogs to deer. 

I have shot a number of deer with a .243, dads in his 80's and has shot a lot of deer in his life and most of them with a .243 all resulted in a dead deer and many of them never took a step, they wouldn't of been any more dead if they were shot with a 30-06, 270, or a .338 win mag..  shot placement and confidence is what counts.

 

no matter the caliber you choose first and foremost you need to make sure the gun fits him, if it doesn't fit properly its going to be uncomfortable to shoot and take longer to acquire the target both can be detrimental when the time comes to shoot a deer. what I mean is if it takes time to find the deer in the scope because the stock is too short or too long it can lead to panic to try and get on the target which can lead to a rushed shot and that is rarely a good thing.

 

good luck and enjoy the time on the gun range and in the woods with your son.

[wildcat junkie]

I just got the axis in 7mm-08 for christmas. I love it! Only have 20 rounds through it and last three shot group at 100 yards was a touch more than inch and a half. With more trigger time I think it will get even smaller. Recoil is very manageable too. My ten and twelve year old grandsons will shoot it this weekend. There was a recent post about this rifle by wildcatjunkie that was very infomative, check it out.

What flavor of ammo did you find grampy?

[wildcat junkie]

sounds like a fine choice.  as long as he can accurately shoot the gun and is confident in his shooting ability that gun and caliber can suit him the rest of his life for whitetail deer.  I do not understand why so many people look down on the .243 round.  its a very versatile round, everything from groundhogs to deer. 

 

 

 

7mm-08 will handle anything from groundhogs to elk W/the bias towards the larger game. If one reloads, bullets from 110gr to 175gr are available.

 

.243 is maxed out @ 105gr.

[grampy]

I took your advice, wildcat and went with the federal nosler ballistic tip in 140 grain. A bit pricey but so far I'm very impressed with them. I'm saving the brass as my neighbor does reloading and he says he will be happy to work out some loads for me. I picked up more ammo yesterday and going out to shoot in a little bit. I really like this rifle and can't get enough shooting it! And hey, thanks again for posting all that great info about 7mm-08 and the savage axis. This being my first hunting rifle all info and opinions is very helpful.

[grampy]

This site is awesome as far as members passing along info, experience, and knowledge to other members. No one, especially myself, knows everything about anything. You really can teach old dogs new tricks if you can be open minded enough to learn from others.

[jjb4900]

kids can have huge growth spurts, my son would have outgrown a youth rifle in two seasons.........when I got him a shotgun, I bought a full sized 870 and picked up a youth stock to put on it and avoided having to buy another shotgun two years later......and now that I think about it, did youth sized guns even exist 20-30 years ago? most of us turned out ok without them.

[ants]

See if a regular sized rifle fits him. A 14 year old can out grow a youth gun in a matter of months. My son seemed to grow a foot over night. M

Either way the Axis is a good rifle. The Axis II is out now and has an adjustable trigger. I would opt for the 7mm-08 over the 243. Its a much harder hitting round without much more recoil than the 243.

[bubba]

What ants said.

[Lawdwaz]

Always amazing at the people that really don't have a clue on a 243. 

 

Undergunned?  You're crazy..........................

 

Put the right bullet in the right place and the deer dies, with any CF round. 

 

If you put a 140gr .284" bullet in the wrong place do you think that deer will die just because it's a larger diameter hunk of lead/copper than a .244"? Maybe they should shoot 150's or 160's that'll really knock 'em over.

 

A young hunter or ANY hunter is going to enjoy range time practice much more with a light 6mm bullet as opposed to a light 7mm bullet, any day.

 

Seat time is so important with a new shooter or an old one.

Edited January 1, 2015 by Lawdwaz

[Deerthug]

I will see if the adult version fits him as compared to the youth. I don't know if I'm going with the 243 or the 7mm. We shall see tomorrow.

Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

[jjb4900]

my reasoning behind getting a .308 or 30-06 was based on the fact that the owner may want to eventually hunt larger game with the rifle at some point........not everyone has the means or desire to own 6 different rifles in different calibers.

[wink_man]

Lawdwaz, on 01 Jan 2015 - 2:02 PM, said:Lawdwaz, on 01 Jan 2015 - 2:02 PM, said:

Always amazing at the people that really don't have a clue on a 243. 

 

Undergunned?  You're crazy..........................

 

Put the right bullet in the right place and the deer dies, with any CF round. 

 

If you put a 140gr .284" bullet in the wrong place do you think that deer will die just because it's a larger diameter hunk of lead/copper than a .244"? Maybe they should shoot 150's or 160's that'll really knock 'em over.

 

A young hunter or ANY hunter is going to enjoy range time practice much more with a light 6mm bullet as opposed to a light 7mm bullet, any day.

 

Seat time is so important with a new shooter or an old one.

Thats the answer right there, coupled with the fact, as you state he will enjoy, and will practice a lot more.

 

If any CF round couldn't do it with the right bullet in the right place, I doubt DEC would have made it legal. LOTS of people today dropping deer with the .223 all across the country where legal. 

 

An old deer poacher I once knew in the Catskills, who went to that happy hunting ground in the sky long ago, delighted in the fact that he could legally hunt squirrels with a 22 WMR and jacketed 40 grain hollow points and drop deer in their tracks with that bullet in the lungs. He was a funny guy, had a stroke and one side of his face hung down a bit from it. One time around 1972 I asked him when deer season was this year, he replied 'Ah haven't ya heard, no closed season, no bag limit'. 

Edited January 1, 2015 by wink_man

[Lawdwaz]

my reasoning behind getting a .308 or 30-06 was based on the fact that the owner may want to eventually hunt larger game with the rifle at some point........not everyone has the means or desire to own 6 different rifles in different calibers.

 

Cheap easy recoiling ammo is easy to find for a 243, not so much for a 308/30-06.  If you start them out wrong you could loose them right off the bat.

 

How about starting them off with a nice easy recoiling gun that fits them well then as they mature and IF they have the desire then they can grab an 30-06.  Someone looking to "hunt larger game" should be able to trade that 243 in or scrape together the cash for another second gun. 

 

Not much you can't do with a 243 in the lower 48 anyway.  Elk and grizzly wouldn't be on the "to do" list though.........

[thphm]

Has this young person ever hunted and / or fired a firearm before ?. There are some young people that are not into hunting and/ or shooting. If a regular size rifle fits him / her great, I would start off with a better quality rifle in .243 caliber, if they are not into hunting afterwood you could always sell it or any good gunsmith  could re barrel or rechamber it for another caliber, 

[Deerthug]

He's shot a 20ga and 410 as well a 22 long.

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[thphm]

Not to change the subject but at my ripe age of 74 I guess I am reverting back to my youth, Threw the years I have had Many rifles in Many calibers, Biggest Magnium and Smallest custom Bench Rest calibers as .20 BR. I have recently shot my blue printed Remy. 700 with an aftermarket stock and barrel in .243 caliber , bullets from 65 gr. to 85 grain. I put all of the shots inside of a dime at .100 yards.Liked it so much I just purchased another .243. A Sako ,1960 era. Varmite model. Reloading 95 gr. and 100 gr. ammo for it now.

[wildcat junkie]

I will see if the adult version fits him as compared to the youth. I don't know if I'm going with the 243 or the 7mm. We shall see tomorrow.

Sent with Tapatalk on my Samsung Galaxy 4

I grew to my full height @ 15. Your son will most likely soon outgrow a youth model & they also have 20" barrels compared to 22" for the full size model. More recoil, more muzzle blast.

 

It's a rifle, not a shotgun. He will be able to adapt to a (temporarily) slightly long stock with the deliberate shooting style of a rifle. In another year the youth model might be too short.

Edited January 2, 2015 by wildcat junkie

[Lawdwaz]

Not to change the subject but at my ripe age of 74 I guess I am reverting back to my youth, Threw the years I have had Many rifles in Many calibers, Biggest Magnium and Smallest custom Bench Rest calibers as .20 BR. I have recently shot my blue printed Remy. 700 with an aftermarket stock and barrel in .243 caliber , bullets from 65 gr. to 85 grain. I put all of the shots inside of a dime at .100 yards.Liked it so much I just purchased another .243. A Sako ,1960 era. Varmite model. Reloading 95 gr. and 100 gr. ammo for it now.

 

Love me some 80gr Barnes TTSX out of my 243.  Kills like a lightning bolt.............

[ants]

Love me some 80gr Barnes TTSX out of my 243.  Kills like a lightning bolt.............

Any factory loads, that you can think of, that kill as good. I took a few deer with 100grn core-lokts and was not that impressed. All good shots but they seemed to run quite a ways before crashing. A friend told me to try some kind of Nosler factory load (can't remember the name) but I never did.