Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles 7-08: ruger compact or x-bolt micro?

i bought my 14 y/o boys each the ruger frontier SS. one is a 7-08 and the other is a 338 fed. both set up with leupold scout scopes. they love them and shoot them very well. off the bench with ear muffs the blast is not bad. hunting situation they don't even notice it. one boy got two deer with his and the other got 1. plus it is one of the safest guns out there with the 3 position safety. they also hunt with a 77/22 so that helps too.

I would buy anything besides a Ruger just to shut Bigsqueeze up.

Dude is a broken record..

............Here in certain shooting circles that I`m very familiar with, everyone seems to shoot them pretty darn good.

And believe it or not, and given the same cartridge and charge levels, the noise levels between the 20" tubes vs the 16.5" ers, are not all that much different. And certainly with good hearing protection on (which should be worn anyway regardless of barel length???), the noise levels to the ears are at best minimal between these two barrel lengths.

So by most accounts, anyone contemplating owning a shorter barreled compact rifle, should not get one with a barrel length less than 20". The fact is, that the noise levels from a barrel 3.5" shorter such as a 16.5", has a minimal increase where noise and blast is concerned.

On several occasions when I fired a friend`s 23" 375 Ruger African right along side my own 20" 375 Ruger Alaskan using the same identical factory ammo, there was no discernable difference in blast or noise levels between them. Same holds true between a 16.5" tubed 300 RCM ruger compact vs the 20" version in the Ruger Hawkeye.

Imo, most complaints about noise and blast levels from the shorter barrels, usually come from those who didn`t wear any hearing protection? Yes, the shorter tubes are louder. But they are not all that overwhelming as long as good hearing protection is worn. Without protection, hearing can still be adversely affected with 24" and 26" tubes too.

But as always, tolerance levels do vary from person to person. Within my circle of friends anyway, I guess that we are just a little more noise and muzzle blast resistent.

My late dad started me bench shooting a 30-06 at 9 years old. Mastered it within a few weeks before I was 10 and took me on my first hunt before I was 11. That`s probably one of the reasons why extra blast and noise levels have no affect and are of no consequence to me.

For some kids, a shorty 243, 260, 7/08 would work, while for others, they would not.

Ruger.

Would love to have a Belgian FN Browning, don't care for the newer stuff.

...............KMA Locoweed! I do it just for you buddy!

i'm about the same size as you squeeze and find the frontier a nice fit in cold weather hunting coat for me. i originally bought the 7-08 for me but my son liked it so much and shot it so well that i gave it to him. bought the 338 fed version for his brother. both guns accurate as heck too.

..............How interesting. A shorty 338 Fed Frontier and a 7/08 Frontier. It is interesting that while your boys find them fun and very tolerable, many adults find them (eeeek) overwhelming and unbearable.

Ruger Compact or a Browning X-Bolt.....

NEITHER

I see absolutely no reason to handicap a child. I wouldn't give my kids anything less than what I would be willing to use myself....

.......Yep! The Ruger compacts including the earlier Frontiers, are highly under-rated in the compact rifle lineup. They are better sized for the smaller shooters, not too small the big boys, and they have some very serious power. Moas and less all day long with my best reloads.

You`re right. With the heavier and thicker clothing on, you can`t beat `em in the field for handling.

.............Depends on the child`s age, size and tolerance now wouldn`t it!

And just because you yourself might not be willing, doesn`t mean that others won`t find them more tolerable than you.

all this frontier talk has got me wanting a 358 frontier for me now. but my gun budget has been blown to smithereens in the last few months with gun and glass purchases.

16 1/2" barrel is THE problem with the compact.

I've put together numerous rifles for my boys, as well as for several others (literally over a hundred as I'm active with various organizations involved with sponsoring youth hunts in Texas). I've seen first hand what works, and what doesn't.

Muzzle blast is more of an issue for kids than actual recoil.

20" seems to be the minimum, and depending on cartridge even then it's too much for younger kids.

..........There was a NIB target grey 358 Win Frontier on Gunbroker not too long ago.......Charge it on the,,,,get it now and pay later plan.

An ideal bolt rifle for the woods.

.........Well for some, excluding you, excluding your boys, and excluding several others that you know, a 16.5" barrel on a compact rifle,,,,,is "NOT" a problem.

For some it would be, while for a few others, it wouldn`t.

Too bad Ruger discontinued the UltraLight - it had a 20" barrel. That's the one I'd recommend.

...........You can usually find discontinued rifles on Gunbroker. The Frontiers were discontinued about 3 ago, yet they can still be found NIB. The now discontinued Ruger ULs (too bad) more than likely will be available too.

Browning. Or Howa youth combo. Really look at the howa's they are well made and offer the option of really nice aftermarket stocks. If you do get a ruger remember this one thing at least its american made.

For most kids, it certainly would be.

Anyone that is intellectually honest (instead of being deeply enamored with their choice of firearm) and possessing time and experience teaching and coaching 8-13 year old children shooting and hunting wouldn't be as naive.

I fully expect you to continue pimping the compact as "an ideal rifle for youths" as you've thoroughly exposed your gross inexperience and incompetence regarding the subject matter ad nauseam....

..........You`d better read again the things I stated there sir.

I never stated that the compacts were for all, including the kids!! Nope! I did not. Furthermore, this has nothing to do with any intellectual dis-honesty, with a behind the scenes motive in trying to pimp my personal choice. Your accusation is without merit and is strictly your warped opinion.

I`m very well aware of varying tolerance levels with adults and kids, and don`t need you telling me how naive or inexperienced you think I happen to be. Naive, imcompetent and grossly inexperienced? In fact, far from it. You have no damn clue!

Regardless of your personal experience, there have been numerous posters here and on other forums, who have posted quite a liking for the Ruger compacts by their young kids which are chambered in the 223s, 243s, 260s and 7mm/08s. Just because your personal experiences say otherwise, doesn`t mean that a few others including a few kids, cannot handle the compacts.

Perhaps you can state to their parents, the same things that you just stated to me? Maybe as you accuse me of, they are pimping an agenda as well?

Nice try!

Tell you what, over the next five years you obtain first hand experience with a minimum of 60 youths between ages 8-13 each year coaching and training them and get back to me on whether or not muzzle blast from a 16.5" barrel is not an issue nor problem for most kids.

Certainly, there will be a small minority that it doesn't bother. That number will be very small I assure you...

And that sir is the basis and reason for my initial comment to the OP. The Ruger Compact (because of it's 16.5" barrel) isn't a good choice for the majority of youths.