NGH,
I know what it is to have a certain and detailed "gun in mind" and not be able to find it, because you then become fixated upon it, instead of perhaps re-assessing your needs.
I don't believe anybody makes a factory rifle that meets your exact specs. By insisting on a short heavy barrel, plus a particular make and model of synthetic stock (Hogue,Overmold), you have placed yourself squarely in the area of having to build a custom rifle, for perhaps no real reason.
May I make a suggestion for your consideration, that may get you 95% there?
Consider the following:
1. Buy a used VG plus or near-excellentRemington 700 ADL, with a standard barrel. You can get these in almost any caliber.
2. Have your gunsmith shorten the barrel to 20 inches. (Actually, cutting it to 21 inches is a better solution, because this makes the rifle incredibly quick, but doesn't create a limited, butt-heavy rifle for when your wife and child get more experienced down the road.)
3. Buy and install the Hogue Overmolded stock.
4. Buy and install (very easy) a replacement magazine feed ramp, to temporarily convert it to a single shot rifle. (This is what bench rest shooters install in their rifles.)
This would create a very nice rifle, in a single shot mode, that can be easily converted back to a regular repeater when your wife and child get more experienced.
Having a single shot is absolutely the safest option of all, and will make your wife and child very careful shooters. They can carry two extra rounds in their coat pocket, in case they need a follow up shot. The concept of them taking multiple shots at a deer from a tree stand is not really realistic.
And, with a novice hunter, the most absolutely dangerous thing of all is for them to have shot a deer, instinctively racked a second round into the chamber, climbed down from the stand, found the deer dead, and then FORGOTTEN that they still have a live round in the chamber with the safety OFF. While everybody gathers around, admiring the deer, and yanking and pulling on it to get it field dressed and out of the woods, that rifle will go off!
I am not a great shot, but I have killed 27 deer in my life, and all but 2 were one shot kills. The other two required a second shot, but only after a short bit of tracking, and finding them down on the ground.
Another option is for you to buy a used Remington 788 bolt action(magazine fed), shorten the barrel, and see if you can find a Hogue stock for it. You won't be able to find one in 7mm-08 (extremely rare and highly expensive), but you can get one in .243 or .30-30, either of which make a fine deer rifle out to 175 yards.
The barrels on the 788 are fairly heavy and stiff.
Only problem is that the rifle itself is pretty heavy (about a pound heavier than a Remington 700?).
When I trained up my son, I let him shoot a Winchester lever action, .30-30, trapper, with an 18 inch barrel. I only let him load 1 round at a time. He killed his first deer with no problem at 145 yards using one shot, with the factory ammo .30-30 150 grain Remington Corelokt passing clean through, leaving a half inch exit hole. He was ten years old. Best of all, we didn't have to alter the trapper, except to add a leather comb piece, to raise his head up a little for the scope.
Hope these thoughts help.
Regards,
Mannyrock
