A new shooter

[longtooth]

I am a Range Safety Officer & Firearms Instructor in Texas.
Since both of you will be shooting the same rifle I will suggest the Remington 700 that has been mentioned before but in 25-06 caliber. Recoil very managable for a youth. My 79 yr old Mother shoots one. I assure you a 115 gr bullet well placed will take anything in the Carolinas or surrounding states. You will also have a rifle that will go West for long shots at Antilope or Coyotes.
A few of the other calibers mentioned above are good too.

[Reynolds357]

I said "in his tracks"...

So then the question becomes "Why more?"

Are there different degrees of dead?

There are different speeds in which it happens.

[Reynolds357]

I said "in his tracks"...

So then the question becomes "Why more?"

Are there different degrees of dead?

A .243 Win requires a head shot to make a dead in tracks kill. New shooters have no business taking head shots. .243 Win is very unforgiving. In balancing recoil vs. forgiving, I favor going up on recoil and likewise going up on forgivingness. It has been my experience that most hunters do not begin to place shots well until they have gotten rid of the first deer jitters. Put a forgiving rifle in their hands.
In addition to that, I love to see the vapor trail from the exit against the sun set. It is a beautiful sight. I have several people who hunt down range of me. (its safe) They say when I shoot they hear a tremendous thud that sounds like a sledgehammer hitting a tree then a split second later they hear the report of the rifle. Sometimes the cannons are just fun to play with.

[Firefighter]

Head, neck, or direct heart will leave you within visual distance. Head or (upper) neck will drop them where they stand. I TOTALLY agree that a newbie should NOT take head shots.

I have been thinking of getting a "Handi-Rifle" in .500 S&W for a brush/truck gun. I saw what one does to a deer. WOW!

[Reynolds357]

Head, neck, or direct heart will leave you within visual distance. Head or (upper) neck will drop them where they stand. I TOTALLY agree that a newbie should NOT take head shots.

I have been thinking of getting a "Handi-Rifle" in .500 S&W for a brush/truck gun. I saw what one does to a deer. WOW!

That would be a useful toy. I did not know they made one yet. Glad they have started. Nothing like big, slow bullets for brush.

[KATMAN]

I know you said you wanted a rifle for both you and your son could hunt with...........but you didn't say what game.Having said that,I agree with UM and get a .243.That way you can hunt deer,coyotes and prarie dogs and long range.

[Reynolds357]

I know you said you wanted a rifle for both you and your son could hunt with...........but you didn't say what game.Having said that,I agree with UM and get a .243.That way you can hunt deer,coyotes and prarie dogs and long range.

I thought you were supposed to shoot prairie dogs with a .338 Lapua.
Fortunately, we do not have the things so I do not have to worry about it. The Lapua will make quite a mess of a coyote though. Just got to love explosive bullets and hyper velocity.
The Only thing I do not like about the Lapua is the muzzle flash is so bad you can not really see your shot hit when you are shooting under 600 yds. (weather dependent of cousre)

[arcadia]

Get a Marlin XL7 in .270, 25-06 or .243 caliber. With their amazing recoil pad you will not feel recoil on any of the listed calibers. Vey accurate. I like mine.

[KATMAN]

If he mentioned guns instead of rifles,I would recomend a Mossberg pump 20 gauge.Deer,turkeys,squirrels,rabbits,quaill,doves, and a few cats,have all fallen to the mighty 20 gauge!

[dan]

Did you miss the part about the kid being 12!?!?! One good shoulder hammering shot at a young age can cause a lifetime of bad shooting habits. Go small, learn how to shoot.

There is not a deer in VA, NC, SC or GA that cannot be dropped in his tracks with a .243. Why would you want to punish yourself needlessly?

...260 Remington for that ultra low recoil deer rifle. The 30-30 lever guns are light and don't kick as hard as the 06 or 308. Being on the short side, I prefer the Remington model 7 in the youth stock.

[Reynolds357]

...260 Remington for that ultra low recoil deer rifle. The 30-30 lever guns are light and don't kick as hard as the 06 or 308. Being on the short side, I prefer the Remington model 7 in the youth stock.

I have a rem mod 7 in 7mm-08 and it kicks harder than my .338 Lapua sniper rifle. (Seriously, not kidding)

[dan]

Yeah, but your Model 7 doesn't weigh 14 pounds either.

[Reynolds357]

Yeah, but your Model 7 doesn't weigh 14 pounds either.

The weight is not the major factor in the recoil difference. The muzzle brake is. The model 7 will be getting a brake before long.