Savage Axis or Ruger American

[jerrybob]

I am a certified hunter ed. instructor and have shot most of the firearms mentioned above.....own several of them. All are good guns. It boils down to personal preference. Your choice of caliber for your son's deer hunting is a good one. Once you decide.....make sure he practices, practices, practices. When he's done practicing.....have him practice some more. If he takes the time to practice....he'll get that deer with one clean shot and you will be one proud papa. Nice to see some young hunter's coming up. Happy shopping and hunting!

 

[vtsnowedin]

:2cents:Good to hear that the two of you are satisfied with your choice. I have both Savage and Rugers including a Savage 99 in 243. Nice gun but a bit heavy for a youth. My main rifle is a Ruger 77 in 7x57 Mauser which is now hard to find ammo for ,even though it is the "Best deer cartridge ever invented" .
My girls are armed with the Savage 99 in 243, A Savage 110 in 7-08 and a Savage 340 bolt action 30-30 Grandpas gun ), My wife carries her Winchester mod 94 in 30-30 .
If I were looking at your choice again I probably would have gone for the Ruger American in 308. Sons grow up quickly and the 308 wouldn't need an upgrade later. I also like sub MOA rifles but realise that deer hunting is about one shot groups and it is how fast and reliably you can get that first shot into a four inch deer heart that counts.
Safe Hunting and good luck.

 

[TripleR]

Congratulations on your choice, I am sure it will serve you well.

I keep seeing reference to upgrading later on, but after shooting different calibers over the years, I settled on a .243 Win in a Remington Model 7 when they first came out and it will be my last deer rifle. At the ranges we encounter, my gun drops them just as well as my sons 7mm Remington Mags, .308's or .270's.

I'm no gun expert, but the deer don't seem to notice.

 

[Biggreenavalanche]

Thanks! We may get out some Monday evening to practice a bit more - still working on trigger control and follow through. You are right, he is VERY proud, had to call his granddad soon as we got in the house the first night from shooting to tell him all about it! Nice to see him so excited and trying SO hard to be safe and do everything correctly.

Just wait 'til he shoots his first deer ! I didn't know who was prouder, my son or me ! ...it's good to see and hear that you're teaching him right and I'd like to welcome him to America's proud group of gun owners and hunters ! Tell him to have fun and shoot a big one ! :thumbsup:

Rich

 

[vtsnowedin]

Congratulations on your choice, I am sure it will serve you well.

I keep seeing reference to upgrading later on, but after shooting different calibers over the years, I settled on a .243 Win in a Remington Model 7 when they first came out and it will be my last deer rifle. At the ranges we encounter, my gun drops them just as well as my sons 7mm Remington Mags, .308's or .270's.

I'm no gun expert, but the deer don't seem to notice.

Just an old duffer myself. A 243 is fine for deer no doubt about it but for an all around rifle from coyotes to moose a 308 is hard to beat and good ammo for it is among the cheapest you can find and you can find it everywhere. Someone starting out young with a 243 will sooner or later miss a shot and want to blame it on the gun or the bullet not his own buck fever. Then it's off to the gun shop for something "better" and all those super mags await him. Keeps the gun factories in business I suppose.

 

[Code54]

The .243 seems to be a nice compromise between power and recoil in our case. Also where we hunt the normal shot is well under 100 years, often more like 50, long range is not a real concern. I FULLY agree with the idea that he needs to practice, A LOT. I really want to make sure he can make a clean shot if we get a chance to take a shot. I am planning to do some practicing with the .22 a few times a week with him just so we can get a LOT of practice in and I wont need a 2nd job to pay for it! Want to make sure the fundamentals are well reinforced and safety is never an issue.
He is under the required age for having to take and the hunter safety course and have a card to hunt in our state but is allowed to attend so we are planning on being there at the next class (DNR said it will be after the new year), I really want to make sure that gets well reinforced. Sometimes having a teacher/instructor he does not know tell him something seems to make it stick better than having me tell him.
I also have given some thought to a .308, seeing it is plenty of cartridge for anything in our state. I figure right now it is a little much for my boy but I don't mind the idea of having to pick one up at some point (and keep the .243 of course). I rather have to spend a little extra on another gun so he develops good habits and does not develop a "flinch" (becomes recoil sensitive) - that is hard to reverse once it happens.

 

[TripleR]

Just an old duffer myself. A 243 is fine for deer no doubt about it but for an all around rifle from coyotes to moose a 308 is hard to beat and good ammo for it is among the cheapest you can find and you can find it everywhere. Someone starting out young with a 243 will sooner or later miss a shot and want to blame it on the gun or the bullet not his own buck fever. Then it's off to the gun shop for something "better" and all those super mags await him. Keeps the gun factories in business I suppose.

Yep, if we had anything bigger than deer in my area, I'd still have the .308 with which I started out. I bought my wife a Remington 742 in .308 and like her dad that will be the only one she will ever use.

I helped my sons with their ventures in different calibers, loading ammo and such, but in the end, dead is dead whether it's from an old Savage .243 or Weatherby in 7 Mag or 300 Win Mag.

Like I said, I'm no expert; probably just need to stay of the gun threads.

 

[jerrybob]

Practicing with the .22 is a great idea......gets a little expensive with some of the other calibers. When you take him out.......have him practice from a variety of shooting positions. I have seen so many people (young and old) only practice shooting from a single position out at the range. We all know.....when that deer appears......the opportunity to shoot comes quickly and you're not seated at the range leaning on a bench. Got a bull elk this year while sitting on my rear and using my knee as a rest....about 200 yrds. The point......make the shooting training as realistic as possible. That will help him be successful in the field. I think it's great that you are truly taking the time and making the effort to help your son be a good hunter. Your lessons will be with him a lifetime. Nice job!

 

[Code54]

THANKS JERRYBOB
We started with some standard prone then moved to kneeling, and finished up with a few off hand rounds just so he can see how it is a bit harder. I am hoping to impress upon him the idea that any rest will help your shooting accuracy - be it the ground, a knee or even a tree. I am really pressing that accuracy needs mastered first (well after safety that is), then we will work on his speed. Right now a deer maybe able to walk to the next county before we get a shot off but at least I know if he can get one off it will meet its mark! Plus he really likes getting to show those targets with the "holes in the middle" to his mother, and grand mother,and grand father, and next door neighbor, and the neighbors third cousin that is visiting...... You get my point! haha

 

[jerrybob]

Couldn't agree more.....safety and practice. Keep up the good work......I am sure his training will pay off and he will have some great "dad" memories for the rest of his life!:thumbsup: