Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Custom Rifles & Wildcats Help an old man out

I'm a grandpa. I built a nice .308 Win. for my youngest grandson last year. He is 3 years and 3 month old. He's good size for his age. I took his rifle on a hunt last year, I got two deer with it. I might use it again this year, my 30-06 is calling me. I really like hunting with my 30-06, it always works great.

The original T/C Contender is not a kids gun. Maybe the G2.

With the original, if you cock it and let the hammer down, you’re on a live primer. You have to cycle the action to bring up the hammer block. Kids may not always remember to do that.

DF

Now that I think of it, I have a Savage 340 in very good shape with two magazines sitting in a safe. It would make a good platform to do what you want. PM me if you’re interested and I can send you a few pictures... I still think a 250 Savage would be just as interesting and easier.

I have a 788 Remington chambered for the 25-35. I picked it up at a gun show. It looks to be set up as a Hunter Class Bench Rifle (it meets all the spec's). The barrel has a 1 in 14 twist. It doesn't do well with 117gr bullets. It does great with 90gr and lighter bullets. The Timney trigger is wonderful. I have been able to find more than 200 new cases and the guy I got it from through in another 60 cases he had and a set of reloading dies. Since it also had a 4 x16 power Zeiss scope mounted on it I think I got a pretty sweet deal for only $600.00, but that was his asking price. He told me that he had been trying to sell it for more than a year.

I don't think the 30-30 route would be boring at all. I have a Lee mold in 309-170 that drops cast bullets that are capable of consistent 1" groups at 100 yds. I believe the older techniques of handloading and bullet casting should be taught to this younger crowd who are far too dependent on off the shelf stuff. Along these lines far more options exist for a 30cal rather than a 25. It's more versatile and powerful and definitely better at knocking game over. I believe the current world record elk was taken with a 30-30. The 25-35 would not be appropriate on an elk hunt. Useful bullets that work at 25-35 levels aren't exactly abundant. This would be a caliber for a skilled marksman who precisely place a shot, but once again the 25-35 isn't known for ultra precise accuracy