Texas Whitetail rifle for daughter..

[tvarden]

So my daughter (11 years old) is wanting to go hunting, ya me!! I was looking at getting her a 7mm/08 Christensen Mesa and loading reduced loads for her.. She is no wimp however, she is a Red Belt in Taekwondo and plays Bass, Drums, Guitar, and Vocals at School of Rock. (sorry proud dad here) However my other thought is just let her shoot my 300 Blk Out SBR with Omega 300 suppressor and 110 Barns Tac-TX I already have,, just seems to ya not traditional.. Oh ya she is a Lefty... all my guns are right... So was going to order her Mesa in Lefty....

 

[HARPERC]

Congratulations! You in the immediate you can make either work.

I'd let her pick, and include some of the other women's rifles, such as a the Weatherby.

The shopping is good time together.

Best wishes!

 

[crkckr]

Has she ever been hunting with you before? Shooting? If she seems to enjoy it and has seen a bit of blood before then get her a rifle of her own. Your caliber choice seems perfect although I'm not sure she needs reduced loads unless she's petite. My buddies 11 year old shoots his 30-30 regularly and has shot his 300 RUM as well but she's a pretty stout girl for 11. If she's never been in the field with you before it might be best to let her get a taste of it before investing in a rifle. The .300 sounds like it should cover the bases pretty well for a lefty's first time out. Take her out and make sure she can hit a deer in the shoulder at whatever range you typically shoot at and if she enjoys the whole process, then go for the rifle of her own, although I would perhaps just guide her in picking out a rifle she likes. A bit more sense of pride in that rather than picking one out for her, I think!
Whatever happens, congrats on her even being interested, you seem to have done the Dad job pretty well! So few kids seem interested these says...
Cheers,
crkckr

 

[Tiny Tim]

Agreed, let her take part in the process of selecting the rifle. Take her to a large, well stocked outlet, even if its a couple hundred miles away. Make it a daddy/daughter day. She will be exposed to a plethora of firearms to help her realize what's truly available and it will be a day she remembers spent with you. Even if she ends up not wanting to hunt or shoot later in life, the time spent with her father is priceless and by allowing her to make an educated and guided decision, you validate her desires and choices in the process. After all, it's not just about a gun or hunting/shooting, it's about continually building upon that relationship as a loving father.