308 for a 14yr old?

bdh308

bdh308

Sergeant
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 14, 2009
374
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Paris,Tennessee
#1
Gentlemen,

I need your thoughts on a 308 for my son who is 14. Do you guys think its to much rifle for a kid this age? He has shot mine on few occasions with no probs but Ive seen how he takes care of his 22 and 243. So he needs brushing up on gun care. Any who...the kid is 6ft 160LBS very mature for his age(I wasnt even close this kids maturity level at 20) and the rifle Im looking at getting is a Savage 10 Precision Carbine 20" bbl.
 
#3
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

You could always use the managed recoil ammo. It is an excellent round and looks to be an excellent rifle.
If you handload, the 125 grain class bullets they are excellent deer fodder and easy on the shoulder.
 
#4
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

you kid is the same size as me maybe a few pounds heavier, I shoot .308, 30-06 no prob. .243 is just a necked down .308. lighter bullets higher velocity, besides gun safety doesn't matter on the caliber it's gun safety even with a .22.

I got my .22 when I was 12 but couldn't have it whenever i wanted till I was 16, your son is definatly more mature than I was. If you want to get him a .308 go for it especially if he already has a .243 JMHO

I know .308 does have more recoil but he should be fine.
 
#5
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

I don't see a .308 being too much for a 14 year old, especially if he already has experience shooting other guns. I was hunting birds with a 12 gauge by the time I was 13. If he already has an interest in guns I would say that gun should definitely help hold his interest.
As far as the gun care, I would make him clean it after each session, that will get him started on good habits. I also find cleaning time to be good bonding time with my guns. Nothing like a sparkly clean freshly oiled gun.
 
#6
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

The rifle is a Savage 10 Precision Rifle 20" bbl 10twist Accustock and trigger. I already reload for my Remy700 so this wouldnt be an issue and thats the other reason for getting him 308. Plus this could get him interested in learning to reload if he had a 308 like his pops while learning a little on the ballistics side of shooting.
 
#7
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

At 6' tall and 160 lbs, if it's too much gun for him, it's too much gun for me. It doesnt sound like the recoil is going to knock him over, given his size. If he is responsible, appreciative, and wants to step up to a .308, by all means...
Hook your boy up!
As a side note, age is not necesarily a reflection of responsibility. My Cousin is a good sized kid for his age(16),
is a straight a student, is an Eagle Scout(at 16!), has a job and just bought himself a truck. He is a great kid is more responsible than many adults I know.
 
#9
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

Here's a small anecdote: When I was very young I bought myself a Benelli Nova and opted for a 20ga since the salesman had me convinced a 12ga would be too much gun for my first shotgun. Very shortly thereafter, I realized that a 12ga with the right loads was perfectly manageable and would allow me to work my way up in power. All I had effectively done in purchasing the 20ga was limit my options in loads and the gun's versatility.

Moral of the story, never let perceived recoil be the determinate factor this day in age when there are so many FACTORY loads finding a light one to start should be no problem.

Handloading only makes more of an argument to go for it, not to mention recoil pads, shoulder pads, muzzle brakes, etc. At 20" I'd also care to wager that the mussle blast of the rifle would be a more determinate factor in developing a flinch than the recoil, so top-quality hearing protection is a must.

All really a long-winded way of saying it should be no problem, and best of luck.

Alex
 
#10
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

I started deer hunting when I was 12 years old using a Pre 64 300 H&H loaded with 150 grain bullets. I did all my deer hunting with it for many years. I shot a lot of whitetails, mulies, and antelope with this rifle/load in South Dakota and Saskatchewan at some very long distances.
I was not recoil sensitive having grown up shooting trap/skeet and duck and goose hunting with 12 gauge shotguns.
.308 should be no problem at all for your son at 6' 160 lbs.
 
#11
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

Many 13 year olds have been handed 30-30's and everyone thought that was perfect. With the extra size and weight that 308 will be easier on the shoulder as I remember it(was MUCH smaller than your son). I shot a 243 from about 14 on and can say the 308 would not have been any different with factory fodder. On gun cleaning... My father made me learn safety first(nothing goes on till this is learned!) and then good cleaning habits next... enough that his freinds would pay me to clean their rifles/shottie prior to my owning mine. Make him clean his (and later yours if he gets good) as a way of carrying his own if he wants to continue shooting/hunting. You are providing the ammo and transport. Congrats on handing down/sharing the tradition of shooting/gun ownership.
 
#12
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

Sounds good gents. Just wanted some feedback. My Remy has the 20inch barrel so he is use to hearing the muzzle blast. Off to the gun shop we go. Very much appreciative for everyones responses.
 
#13
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

A 308 would be a "perfect" all around caliber to get your son. My dad got me and my brothers all Rem 700 ADLs chamber in 7mm Rem Mag. They have 24 in barrels on and none of us have any problems shooting them. The 7Mag has a liitle bit heavier recoil so a 308 won't be a problem. We were shooting ours since around age 12.
As far as cleaning goes, I used to hate being out in the garage for hours cleaning but it taught me the value of it. Now its just one more thing for my wife (my son too once he starts shooting) and I to do and bond with. The time we spend cleaning guns is time we treasure.
Make your son feel like its quality time spent together vs. a chore and he'll appreciate it, and the gun more.
 
#15
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

im 5'10" and about 140 I shoot an 06 all day long if i can feed it. I say it'll be fine 308 or an 06 both great.

And man you guys are all lucky i didn't get a gun till i was almost 19 and even then i had to buy them all on my own. even though my old man was and still is well capable to give me one.
 
#19
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

When I was 14 I was 6' and weighed about 135lbs. At that age I was firing magnums and 12ga with no problem. Your son will be fine with a 308 for sure.

Yes I know, Im too tall now and still too thin.

If you think about it. There are 17 year olds in the military firing bigger guns than that.
 
#23
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

Actually Mechanic...Ive been doin some fundamentals with him lately. Tryin to teach him proper breathing, trigger pull, setting up right behind the rifle and keeping his eyes on the prize. Hes come along way in a few months time but I would say the flinching is the hardest to get rid of. Once he has fired a few shots comfort sets in and he can do it. So I say the more I get him behind that weapon the better he should become with proper technique.
 
#24
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

as far as size goes, taking the recoil, i think he would be fine, when i was young and started shooting my 243 around the age of 10, at the range my dad would have me shoulder the rifle, aim it down the range then load it for me, he would have me close my eyes though so i didnt know if it was actually loaded or if i was going to dry fire and it got rid of the flinch reaction. i also seen a guy on youtube place a dime on the end of the barrel and dry fire, he would continue this until he could pull the trigger without a reaction which would balance the dime
 
#28
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

Seems like it's been addressed pretty well already. I started deer hunting with a Winchester .30-30 when I was about 12. I was not quite as big as your boy then and I had no problems. From your original post though I'm not clear if you are concerned about the recoil or the way he will treat the gun.
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body">but Ive seen how he takes care of his 22 and 243. So he needs brushing up on gun care. </div></div>
If that's your concern then caliber should not make any difference. I wouldn't buy my son another gun if he wasn't satisfactorily taking care of the guns he already had. When I was a kid and started shooting with my dad we always sat down together and cleaned the guns together as soon as we got back in the house. It was always just part of shooting.

If actual gun handling is the issue (safety) that's something that should be addressed ASAP.
 
#29
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

At 6 feet and 160, he is bigger than me and plenty of other adult males. He is certainly big enough to handle a 308, but the fact that he is already flinching is definitely NOT GOOD.

Why not let him shoot the 243WIN? Is he hunting something bigger than deer? If not, stick with the 243. Flinching is death to accuracy and it would be wise to let him shoot something he is comfortable with. Flinching is just really bad news and may indicate he is not really having fun. I think it should be the #1 priority to let him shoot something with mild recoil so you can get rid of the flinch and let him have fun.

That said, if you reload, its easy to produce a 308 round with recoil similar to a 243. My 13 year old son (105lbs & 5'4") used a lightweight 308 rifle to take an elk this year. I loaded a light recoil round for him: 125 gr Nosler BT with 38 grains of H4895 (about 2500 ft/sec). This produces quite moderate recoil, yet expanded properly and went clean through the elk. He enjoys shooting the light-recoil round I made, but he found a full-power 308 round with 155gr bullet VERY unpleasant..as did my wife.
 
#30
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

There isn't really a reason to go to the 308 is he's already flinching. You need to help him cure that first with the 243.

Make him close his eyes, you load the rifle either with a snap cap or a live round and watch him shoot. Keep reminding him about his flinching and work on trigger basics first.

That 243 can outshoot the 308 on paper and steel, it'll kill deer no problem, but the shooting fundamentals need to be hammered home first.

I started shooting my father's sporterized 1903 when I was 9, at 6' 160lb he's not much smaller than I am now at 25 y/o, it will only be too much rifle if he doesn't get his fundamentals right first.
 
#31
Re: 308 for a 14yr old?

Sounds like you have a pretty good kid....congrats. Does your son want to improve his shooting and start shooting in small matches? Does he want to shoot the same caliber as Dad for reloading etc?

Is he a gun nut? What I mean some kids are car nuts......buy them a $500 beater and they are washing it, saving money for upgrades,learning how to turn a wrench. If your son looks at this 308 and gets excited about it and is searching the internet and magazines for future upgrades and wants to customize his own rifle and really take pride in it. Thats a great sign. If he is thinking of ways to earn money for the new scope or new stock and wants to learn stock painting and bedding great. Likewise if he is studying real good shooters......do he have his rifles out in his room unloaded dryfiring at things on TV or whatever?

If he wants it bad go for it..........maybe sell the 243......he won't need both. But if its something were the newness will wear off in a couple weeks I pass on it for now....but if he is really fired up and wants to improve/increase his trigger time and he will work the reloader for Dad and start reading some ballistic tables...you bet.

Best Wishes-Derek
 
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