Tom,<br><br>Thanks for the info on the bbl., & most especially re the .260. I would not have guessed it had such sharp, nasty properties in the M7.<br><br>You're right. My situation is different. I don't have to provide for elk capability. Also this is long range planning. The tentative plan is for my son to start, & on deer, next year. He'll be 12-13 then. I'm providing for ample maturity. <br> <br>Right now, his capabilities are probably at max. with his 6 lbs 20. ga. By the way, you have stimulated my old brain to pore over Hatcher's Notebook re recoil. It took a while for this long-out-of-school old lawyer to rework the formulae sufficiently to get something convenient for appraising the probable recoil-generating capabilities of some likely guns. It has been a while. But it definitely was eye-opening. That provides an objective basis for comparing dissimilar guns.<br><br>His shotgun, a pump, is actually yielding a little more absolute recoil than my gas operated 12 ga. He clearly has ample tolerance for recoil & blast given his age. <br><br>Based on my own very crude assumptions, estimates, and calculations, your light .260 was probably generating only a little less total recoil than a full sized .270. However, the sharpness of the kick, coupled with a nasty muzzle blast must have made it a lot more obnoxious, especially for a young shooter. <br><br>Our objective will be to choose a caliber which is readily available over the counter. That will greatly simplify procurement & logistics. Normally we handload, but not always. Sometimes I'm just too busy at work (or something). Also, I really like the idea of being able to replinish ammo, if something goes wrong in a remote area. Furthermore, resupplying, even components is a lot easier, and more certain, if it's for a commonly available caliber. A favorite caliber of ours is .32 H & R Mag. It's a great small game cartridge. But, it's also unpopular. Resupply of components, not to mention loaded ammo, can turn into a long-term proposition. <br><br>Two attractive calibers seem to be .243 Win & .257 Rob. We already have my wife's rifle in .243. The 788 Rem is heavy, so recoil is barely noticeable in it. I note that, since a loan of my diminutive wife's gun would provide a great starting point for future developing. Although the barrel is somewhat more abbreviated than I would prefer, blast does not seem excessive. On the other hand, we're very heavy on hearing protection. We use double protection on the range, and sometimes plugs in the field if practicable. That practice would probably greatly reduce problems from muzzle blast.<br>If, he does happen to start deer hunting this year, I'm sure we'll use the expedient of my wife's gun. If later, we'll have opportunity to find a suitable gun of his own (as a starter later going to his brother as he grows??). <br><br>The .257 also seems to offer attractive capability without being obnoxious. But now I can see we definitely need to try the caliber first. I would never have guessed how miserable a .260 would be. I also looked more carefully at the 7mm-08. It's ballistics are such that it should recoil more than a .270 Win. I personally can't tell the difference in felt recoil between a .270 Win & a .30-06 in otherwise identical guns, although the former might be downloadable to noticeably milder behavior, given the lighter projectiles.<br><br>I began shooting a somewhat light 12 ga shotgun at age 14. For me, it seemed to recoil a little more than I wanted, at least with express loads. I think I would have been a happier shooter had I started with a 20 ga. If new shooters are uncomfortable, or unhappy with aspects of the sport, they may not continue. Why should they, unless circumstances compel them? My goal is to have my kids enjoy shooting at least as much as possible. I don't care if they move toward the shooting sports more slowly than some. As long as they are progressing in their accomplishments & pleasure in shooting, I'll be pleased. And in that situation, I think they will continue with it based on their own motivation. I belong to really wonderful gun club, but I am constantly amazed at how few members bring their families. It does not bode well for our sport.<br><br>Cyb,<br><br> No flame intended. But, I bet, when your own children begin/develop in the shooting sports, you may become very cautious too. The responsibilities of parenthood can inspire awe as well as caution. I'm assuming that you do not yet have children at that stage.<br><br>Thanks for making me think guys.<br><br>John