Looking for a 7mm-08 for a youth

I don't know if they're still made the same but I have a Remington model 700 7mm08 that has been a fantastic gun. I bought it around 1998 so it's possible that they've gone the same direction as the 870 shotguns.

Lots of very good options out there in the $300 range. These are the ones I can pull off the top of my head: savage axis, marlin X7, ruger American, Remington 700 (this is closer to $400 I think). A few of those come with scopes. The scopes aren't great but they're absolutely good enough to kill deer.

It's a GREAT time for budget-minded rifle buying. From a pure dollars vs performance standpoint, it's almost impossible to justify anything more expensive than a ruger American with the cheapo depot scope package. It ain't a Sako with a Swarovski, but it is very much a serviceable deer killer.

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Remington 700 (this is closer to $400 I think)

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I have the Model 7, but in the Hammer of Thor .243.

Model 7 is a fine arse rifle but I think they're north of $600

I bought my middle son a Savage Axis 243 year before last . I got it sighted and took it out to find he shoots left handed. It's a great gun though for the money.
I kept that rifle for my little girl and bought him a CVA Scout in 7mm08 and he is a little marksman with that thing . I take it when he doesn't go. It's a fine weapon as well. It seems much more solid that the HR.

I looked at a model 7 when I bought my rifle a couple years ago. It had a nice walnut stock and was something like $850 IIRC. I'm sure they make a "budget" model like everyone does now but the one I looked at was pretty damn nice. I doubt they have a <$600 model, much less <$300.

I bought my kids a Ruger American Compact All-weather in 7mm-08 a couple of years ago. My daughter was 8 at the time and was barely 50 lbs. She shot it just fine and didn't complain about the kick.

I went with the Ruger because the trigger pull length was the shortest on the market at the time I looked. It was a full inch shorter than the Savage combo deal.

My daughter killed her first deer with it last year and after she got it broken in I found myself hunting with this gun a few times. I have been bow only for the last 10 years but I ended up killing 2 deer with this little gun last year. I'm hoping my 7 year old son can get his first deer with it this year.

The kids are shooting Hornady Lite 120gr SST Low Recoil and I am shooting Remington Core-Lokt 140gr PSP. Both bullets group well and I haven't noticed a difference out to 100 yds.

I've seen a few 700's with those ugly stocks. I guess they were the first attempt at "budget" rifles from Remington. The new ones have far nicer stocks than that.

On ya'll recommendation I'm leaning toward the ruger American or the savage axis. I'm just wanting to break them off from the .410 with slugs up to something more appropriate.