19-06-2006, 02:43 PM
![[Image: youthHunter.jpg]](http://www.dakotaarms.com/images/youthHunter.jpg)
Most of us remember our first rifle-good or bad. Many of us have that rifle tucked away in the safe, and the details tucked in a corner of our memories.
![[Image: youthHunterPicture.jpg]](http://www.dakotaarms.com/images/youthHunterPicture.jpg)
Still fresh in my mind is a Christmas morning just after my 10th birthday. Conversations during the weeks before had often stopped when I entered a room where Dad and Uncle Bill were discussing "something." There had been some hints that this Christmas would be special and offhand comments that my .22 was getting "a little small." I was hoping that these were signs pointing to my first real hunting rifle. But our wheat crop in northeastern Wyoming had been bad, the cattle market was down, and money was tight.
On Christmas morning there were presents under the tree, but no long, narrow box. Determined not to show anything, I was probably pouting while my brothers and sister opened their presents with delight. Then we were all invited into Dad's office. Uncle Bill was there with a goofy grin on his face. Everybody watched as he handed a rifle to my father, who presented it to me with a very solemn expression and some words about being ready for a man's gun.
![[Image: youthHunterPackageDesc.gif]](http://www.dakotaarms.com/images/youthHunterPackageDesc.gif)
My eyes were locked on-MY rifle. It was perfect! Dad and Uncle Bill had acquired a military surplus '03 Springfield in .30-06. A gunsmith in Cheyenne had shortened the barrel and installed a new front sight. Dad had put on a rear peep sight. Uncle Bill had cut down and reshaped a sporter stock, which he had checkered and Dad had finished. When I put it to my shoulder, it fit perfectly. Well, it was a little long, but they had counted on that. In fact, the gun fit a lot better as I grew into it. I still have that rifle and the antlers from the first whitetail I shot with it.
One of my greatest pleasures is passing on to my children the things I learned from my father about hunting, wildlife conservation and the joy of the outdoors. Only when I went to buy a hunting rifle for my two youngest boys, Alex and Alden, did I truly understand and appreciate what had been done for me on that long-ago Christmas day. It really is hard to buy a top-quality rifle for a young hunter.
I have purchased small .22s from other manufacturers and had very good gunsmiths like Bill Wiseman and Jim Brock adapt them to my children. Although the results were excellent, I spent more on the `smithing than on the guns. And, as they grew, the boys needed real hunting rifles. I looked at many "youth" rifles. A few were excellent but not quite appropriate for Africa; others were simply not the quality I wanted.
Michael Allen, Dakota's VP of Manufacturing, has a son almost the same age as my two youngest boys, and my business partner has a son just a year older. With four young hunters who needed real African rifles, Mike and I put our heads together. After a number of tries, and building the first of these special rifles, we felt we were on the right track. In the process, we developed a number of criteria:
The action, barrel and stock had to be scaled in proportion-we did not want a big rifle with a few inches chopped off at butt and muzzle.
The caliber had to be at least .243 for whitetail deer and the like.
Recoil should not be enough to discourage a young hunter from practicing with the rifle. This cut out traditional cartridges like the 7mm Remington Magnum and .30-06, and added emphasis to stock fit.
The scope also had to be scaled to the rifle and of high quality
The rifle had to fit on Day #1, not after the youth had grown into it. Fit is especially critical when learning to shoot.
As word got out about our first youth rifle, which was used to great success in Africa, Dakota customers started to ask for guns for their children or grandchildren. We knew we were onto something. It was time to turn our personal project into a new product the Dakota Youth Hunter.
Everyone agreed that the first stock I had designed worked, but they also agreed that my baby was ugly. Even I had to admit that the proportions were not right. Instead, Glen Morovitz and the crew in our wood shop worked up an 85% version of the Dakota Classic stock, with a refined wrist, grip cap and forend. When you see the rifle, you have no idea how small it is. Only after shouldering it do you realize that it is not a full-size Dakota. We decided to offer four stock sizes in AAA American Claro walnut, with a choice of length of pull-10 1/2, 11, 11 1/2 and 12 inches-or about 80, 85, 90 and 95 percent of our traditional 13 5/8-inch length of pull.
After many heated conversations about great calibers like the .257 Roberts, .270 WCF, 6.5x55 and 7x64, we decided in favor of the .308 family of cartridges plus the .250 Savage. The .243 Winchester is one of the most popular rounds of all time, and quite easy to shoot. The .308 is a great all-round cartridge, and inherently accurate. In between is the 7mm-08, a popular hunting and target caliber. To that list we added the .250 Savage, a favorite of many white tail deer hunters.
So we had our Youth Hunter lineup: .243 Winchester, .250 Savage, 7mm08 Remington and .308 Winchester-or, expressed another way, coyotes, whitetail deer and pronghorn antelope up through black bear and maybe elk, with minimal recoil. These cartridges also work well on many African plains game.
We then asked Dan Lilja at Lilja Barrels, in Plains, Montana, for his advice on barrel contour, length and weight. Dan has three boys and had gone through the same process just a year earlier, so he knew exactly what to recommend: his #1 or #2 contour in 20 or 22 inches, depending on caliber and the specific goal for overall weight.
With the stock, chamberings and barrel specs confirmed, we turned to the Dakota actions for their controlledround feed, the three-position safety and the utterly reliable trigger. We selected the Model 97 for its slightly smaller profile and lesser weight.
Our initial choice was the lightweight Hunter introduced in 1998. Even though this action is visibly smaller than the standard length Model 97, we decided to push the envelope. Ideas and sketches became a reality with a brandnew, sleeker, scaled-down short action design expressly for cartridges in the .308 family.
Now we needed only factory ammo, a great scope, the best rings and bases, top-notch swivels and an adjustable sling.
For ammunition we called Jeff Hoffman at Black Hills Ammunition in Rapid City, South Dakota. We are very familiar with his outstanding Black Hills Gold hunting loads in .243 and .308, as we already use them for accuracy testing in our underground test tunnel. After several conversations, Jeff agreed to expand his line of Black Hills Gold ammo with new loads for the 7mm-08 Remington. The only chambering for which we will not have premium Black Hills Gold ammo is the .250 Savage, but we will use factory loadings from Winchester and Remington. As part of the program, Dakota does a complete barrel break-in for each Youth rifle with that factory ammunition and provides a signed test target with every rifle. The young owner will know exactly what groups his or her rifle can achieve with the best factory ammo.
A number of top scope makers expressed interest in the Youth Program, but Leupold came up with an irresistible package: the VX-II in the popular 2-7X variable version. Only 11 inches long, it's a great match for the lines of the Youth Hunter, and it weighs just 10.5 ounces. It also has a comfortable four to five inches of eye relief and positive ¼ , minute click adjustments for windage and elevation.
Next we turned to Gary Turner, the young CEO at Talley Manufacturing, of Santee, South Carolina, makers of lightweight, high-quality rings and bases. Gary listened carefully, then created a special low-profile, fixed-mount version of his rings for the Youth Hunter.
After considering a number of alternatives, we opted for Pachmayr QD flush-mount swivels in order to keep the smallest profile on the stock. The sling and swivels release with just a push and a quarter-turn leaving the front of the stock smooth for ease of shooting over a rest. Also included is a leather cobra style sling with a wide range of adjustments to fit youths of different sizes. For the best in eye and ear protection, the youth package includes a pair of Silencio low-profile ear muffs with the Dakota logo plus shooting glasses and additional ear plugs.
The final element in this program, and maybe the biggest thing of all, is our Dakota Youth Guarantee. Until the young hunter turns 19, Dakota will restock the rifle at no charge as he or she grows. We will even pay the shipping both ways, and give the rifle a comprehensive check-up plus a new stock or a new recoil pad for small adjustments. AND, when the time comes for a full-size rifle or a magnum caliber, Dakota will take back the Youth Hunter as a 100% trade-in against the purchase of any adult Dakota rifle. As far as we know, no other firearms manufacturer has ever made this commitment to youth hunting.
Boys and girls between the ages of 10 and 19 are eligible for the Youth Hunter Program. Only three things are required to qualify: 1) a copy of the youth's hunter safety card clearly showing the date and name; 2) a recent school report card; and 3) a signed statement from a parent, grandparent or guardian, which can be mailed upon request.
We want to make it possible for a young person to shoot a high-quality rifle that is comfortable, fits properly and provides years of pleasure and value. And we want to make it affordable for their parents, too. If more young people are introduced to hunting and shooting with a truly fine firearm, tailored to their proportions, chances are good that they will stay with the sport for the rest of their lives.
More elements of the Dakota Arms Youth Heritage Program will be unveiled in the months to come, including special hunting trips, conservation and education programs, incentive and award opportunities and additional Dakota products for young people. We're very pleased to be able to offer this unique program, dedicated to the American conservation ethic and to the family.
How to order a Dakota Youth Hunter for your child
Program Requirements
Age: 10 to 19
Current Hunter Safety Card
Recent report card
Signed parental statement
Dakota's Youth Guarantee
Free replacement of the stock to fit until age 19
100% trade-in of original purchase price for a full-size Dakota
For Further Information
Call the National Sales Team at 605-347-4686. As with every Dakota, there are additional custom options including wood upgrades, special engraving and checkering patterns. For example, we can engrave the youth's initials on the trigger guard or floor plate along with a special date.
Mvh
Kim
Jeg er ikke fejlfri,men det er så tæt på at det skræmmer mig.
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