Best youth deer rifle

[greenejc]

Sir, I would keep it simple. You could get him any of the new wonder rounds, and they will work. But if you stay with the most popular rounds he'll be able to find ammunition anywhere, and that can be kind of important. Like when the airlines loses your bag with the loads in it, and now you have to buy ammo in Alaska or Canada, or Podunk Utah and the little store has only 6 calibers because that's what the locals use. The 30-30, 30-06, .308 Winchester, 243, and the 270 Winchester are just about everywhere. The 25-06 is also pretty available. All of these cartridges are good deer medicine, but some are more fun for a young boy or girl to shoot than others. For me, weight was a factor more than recoil. I loved that Winchester '94 because it was light, fast and just plain fun to shoot. Mossburg now makes a clone of it, and its a good rifle. But I loved my 6mm Remington Mohawk with the scope, too, when I got older. The .243 is light for elk but with a 100 grain bullet, it will do the job if he's inside 250 yards. It works fine on Whitetail deer. I'd stay with something that I could find ammo for at the local store out near the boonies, though. It can be a long drive back to someplace that has ammunition for the less popular chamberings.

 

[Pro2A]

Sir, I would keep it simple. You could get him any of the new wonder rounds, and they will work. But if you stay with the most popular rounds he'll be able to find ammunition anywhere, and that can be kind of important. Like when the airlines loses your bag with the loads in it, and now you have to buy ammo in Alaska or Canada, or Podunk Utah and the little store has only 6 calibers because that's what the locals use. The 30-30, 30-06, .308 Winchester, 243, and the 270 Winchester are just about everywhere. The 25-06 is also pretty available. All of these cartridges are good deer medicine, but some are more fun for a young boy or girl to shoot than others. For me, weight was a factor more than recoil. I loved that Winchester '94 because it was light, fast and just plain fun to shoot. Mossburg now makes a clone of it, and its a good rifle. But I loved my 6mm Remington Mohawk with the scope, too, when I got older. The .243 is light for elk but with a 100 grain bullet, it will do the job if he's inside 250 yards. It works fine on Whitetail deer. I'd stay with something that I could find ammo for at the local store out near the boonies, though. It can be a long drive back to someplace that has ammunition for the less popular chamberings.

Your suggestion for a common caliber for ammo availability is wise. Everyone "forgets/loses" their ammo at some time....then, odd ammo ruins a hunt. That criteria is often referred to as the "Two Dot Rule".....you can always find that ammo even in the general store in Two Dot, Montana.

 

[Moki]

My son is 12 last year I got him a Youth Savage Axis left hand in 243 he likes to shoot it but prefers to pack around my 21" barreled single shot T/C Contender carbines in 7-30 Waters and 35 Rem.

 

[wv270wsm]

My son is 12 last year I got him a Youth Savage Axis left hand in 243 he likes to shoot it but prefers to pack around my 21" barreled single shot T/C Contender carbines in 7-30 Waters and 35 Rem.

A savage axis with the accu trigger and a Boyd's featherlight stock would be a great " cheap " gun for him to learn and play with. In my opinion. I'd go the 7 mm08 route with reduced loads and watch him pile up the critters

 

[foul bore]

I think a Browning AB3 in 243 or 308 would be a nice choice

 

[greenejc]

Once again, he's a 12 year old and its his first rifle. Take him to a gun show and let him pick what he likes; just make sure its in a caliber he can handle and that the caliber is a common caliber. If its his choice, he'll love it, and if its one of Granddad's rifles he'll love it even more. And if he gets to choose and get what he wants, he'll remember it forever. This is your chance to make memories for him, and thus for yourself. My nephew really cherishes his dad's .44 Smith Mountain Gun, because "Dad gave it to me." Quit worrying about getting the 'best' rifle and let him get one that makes memories. There will be 'best' rifles later on down the road, but there will never again be a 'first' rifle.

 

[COBrad]

When my youngest daughter started hunting at 12 yrs old elk were on the menu. We could hunt them from the house. I got her a savage in 7-08, had the stock shortened, trigger worked over for a 3lb pull, and a muzzle brake installed. She shot 4 elk and 4 deer over the next 4 years. I loaded 150 gr bullets at starting velocity and we did a lot of shooting. Worked great for her. My youngest grandson got his first elk at 12 with the same rifle. He'll be 14 next month and get a savage in .270 with the accustock. He's short but we can make this rifle fit him just right. I'll be loading 130 gr bullets at modest velocities to start him out. He's shot enough to be deadly with the 7-08 already.

 

[Aoudad shooter1975]

My kiddos shot a lot of stuff with a 300 blackout with 110 grain bullets in a TC contender...they learned to use one good shot..TC are pretty safe--and the little blackout suppressed is a delight...we are shooting a creedmoor now--in a bolt rifle--but every now and again the TC still takes the limelight

 

[TX Badger]

Your suggestion for a common caliber for ammo availability is wise. Everyone "forgets/loses" their ammo at some time....then, odd ammo ruins a hunt. That criteria is often referred to as the "Two Dot Rule".....you can always find that ammo even in the general store in Two Dot, Montana.

People always say this. It's silly and an easy fix. Cut a place for 2 boxes of ammo in your gun case. When pack your rifle you'll see if the ammo is missing. If the airline loses your ammo thats the least of your worries because you're down the rifle too.

 

[snox801]

People always say this. It's silly and an easy fix. Cut a place for 2 boxes of ammo in your gun case. When pack your rifle you'll see if the ammo is missing. If the airline loses your ammo thats the least of your worries because you're down the rifle too.

This is what people need to realize. Yes things can get lost but if you pack them together what are the chances. Most of the time it's not lost it's you forgot your ammo.

 

[greenejc]

People always say this. It's silly and an easy fix. Cut a place for 2 boxes of ammo in your gun case. When pack your rifle you'll see if the ammo is missing. If the airline loses your ammo thats the least of your worries because you're down the rifle too.

People always say it because it happens enough to be a problem. And yes, you can pack your ammo with your rifle. But sometimes you forget. Sometimes you're in a hurry, and pack the wrong ammo. And yes, sometimes they lose the rifle too. That's when you hope you have a good guide who'll let you use a spare rifle. Its still a good idea to go with one of the big 5 cartridges rather than a less available one.

 

[Shortywy]

Well I used to always say .243. Now after teaching many youth I realize that the least amount of recoil the better.
I would suggest a 6.5 grendel. Will kill anything within 300 yards and can punch paper and steel way out. Less recoil that .243 and 6.5 creed. Lots of factory ammo. 100gr hammer is my Bullet of choice or factory hornady 123. Just had a howa mini shortened and fluted for my father for walking .

This is the reason I joined this forum! Never thought of the 6.5 Grendel! I have mentored several youth and adults promoting hunting and have always had my trusty 243 to loan. The Grendel is a great idea. Thanks

 

[snox801]

I just make a point of getting new people in the woods at a young age. The one thing I noticed was that even though a .243 is mild for us still has recoil for a new shooter. Some kids have no problem but if they do that habit is very hard to break. I have a friend who's dad started him on 30-06 and to this day he struggles to correct issues of flinch.
So my go to is 300 blk if under 150 yards
And 6.5 Grendel if you may have a longer shot. Both work great. I also have a 6x45 that works amazing. Need to work up a load with some hammers for it.

I don't get hung up on picking a caliber that all stores carry. They may have a box of .243 but it may also not shoot worth the crap. I get the idea but I never use that rule. Because let's face it how many of us could find the ammo we shoot at the general store. Maybe 30-06 or 300 win but most on here shoot something a bit odd. And with hornady pushing these things. Almost every sporting goods store carries Grendel and 300 blk. Just like the creedmore. They wanna carry what's hot and will sell.

 

[Shortywy]

I like the way you think. Most of the new hunters I take out are teenage girls. I have 4 daughters. Slight frame. Before we go hunting I take them out and tie balloons about 6" diameter to sage brush and we pop them from 50 to 150 yards. They have a ball & I get to watch them and help correct any problems. Some don't even notice the recoil. The ones that do we try a shoulder pad and that seems to work.

The Ammo is something I have had to play with. The 243 likes Remington 100gr corlock "sp". Sub moa at 100 yrds. Some of the others can be over 1 1/2'