Gun for Youth's first Deer Season

[fishermn]

Looking for a deer rifle for my 12 year old daughter's first hunting season. Any recommendations on specific rifles or calibers?

Thanks,
D

[Flashman]

well what type of distance will you be shooting, woods, fields, mix of both? Even with out knowing where you'll be hunting I can suggest two: 308, and 260. both have light recoil and are great calibers for whitetail.

Good luck

[fishermn]

Mainly hunting in fairly heavy cover, In general I dont normally take a shot over 75 - 100 yards. I have been considering the .270 and .308, mainly for their minimal recoil.

[rtwills]

I think the best youth gun is a 32.20
I have used this gun for both of my kids and it will drop a deer no problem and has minimal kick.the gun is about the same weight as a mod.94.they are a little hard to find ,but well worth the investment

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If people weren't supposed to eat animals.
Why are they made out of meat??
FM Stickersl

[irvingdog]

7mm 08. Do your homework. This gun comes out on top every time. Recoil velocity. Recoil energy. Range. Knockdown.

Buy one, and I bet you have a hard time sharing it with the kid............

[ikes71]

For my son's first deer season, I also got him a youth model 7mm-08. The minimal recoil and knock down power is impressive for that little gun. It has worked well for him in many different situations, plus it is easy for him to carry and use.

[eyecrosser2000]

Irvingdog & Ikes are right on the money. In fact, I'll go a step further and suggest the Remington Model 7 youth model in 7mm-08. My wife has one and I can shoot a box of shells without feeling it the next morning. The 7mm-08 is basically just a skinnyed-down .308--nearly the same fps; a little flatter shooting; AND, a lot less recoil which means more accurate shots and more fun!

[JEV]

Well I must have been raised a little more traditional. My first deer rifle was my grandfathers Model 94 30-30. I took my fair share of deer with that rifle. I still use it as a matter of fact. Its a great gun for anything under a hundred yards. If you handload you can load them a little bit lighter to take out some of the recoil. But again, as with any rifle, it takes practice, practice, and more practice.

[danny berg]

My first gun for deer hunting was a .243 Win. 8 pointer first time out. Still use the gun for varmits. I now hunt in a shotgun zone and the first shotgun was a Western Field 3 shot clip 20 ga.

[Swamp Scooter]

Maybe the shotgun would be better. 20 guage. If it is close that will be all you need and you will also have a gun to use earlier in the year to get used to handling and shooting birds and rabbits. Maybe a cheap single shot? They are less than $100 and the right size too. Very safe and it will teach the youngsters to place the one shot carefully.

[jlm]

I would also suggest a .243, particularly if your daughter is of smaller stature or may be afraid of recoil. I would also go with open sights or a scope with very high eye relief to prevent "scope rash". Good luck!

[BIG ISLAND DUDE]

I would definetly go with the 45-70.

[The Bronco Kid]

FisherMN, I would suggest a 243. Nice low recoil gun with ammo that doesn't cost a ton. I know at H & H Sport Shop in Maple Lake they have a Remington Youth Model 700 243 boltaction in synthetic black(which is nice for durability with the kids) with a 3-9X40 scope for $499.99. They have a Savage Youth 243 for $399.99 and $419.99 for Savage 243 package(which includes scope, case, & sling)

[Twitter]

fishermn,
I bought a Savage youth model .243 for my son 2 years ago and he's since outgrown it.
Darn kid's almost 6' tall now and he's 16yo.

Less than a box of shells shot thru it.
I need to upgrade him before deer season.
It's a great gun for someone too small to handle a full size stock and recoil !

Twitter

[This message has been edited by Twitter (edited 08-16-2004).]

[wade]

I would shy away from the .270 due to recoil, it is a great deer caliber but may be a little stout for a smaller framed young lady. I have shot a number of deer with the .243 although I have never lost a deer none of the deer seemed to be initially to impressed with the round. I agree with the poster who mentioned the .260 as the 6.5 mm bullet is a very effective bullet on deer the same goes for the 7mm-08.

Good luck

[PerchJerker]

I'll put in another vote for the 7mm-08 (that's what my wife shoots). The .243 would also be a good choice. No matter which caliber you choose, you'll have to stress careful bullet placement when she decides to shoot.

In my opinion, the worst things you can do to a young beginning shooter is give them a gun that's too heavy, or a gun that kicks too hard.

Good luck and I hope you and your daughter have a great season.

[rmh2o]

When my son was that age I bought him a 6mm and I liked it so much I bought one for myself.Has a very light kick and plenty of zip and shells are cheap.I wouldnt go with the 270 that is just too much gun for a 12 year old.

[Borch]

Both my girls started with 7mm-08. I personally don't like the .243 for young inexperienced hunters. Shooting bullets of the 100 gr. +/- doesn't allow for much error in bullet placement when hitting a lot of bone. I's say anything in the Roberts .275, Rem. 260, 6.5mm Swede, 7mm Mauser, Rem. 7mm08 or .308 would work.

Also personally I looked at the bolt action guns. The lever guns with the exposed hammers have never been a favorite for me with young hunters. I avoid autos as well for kids as I want them to go through the physical action of chambering the next round.

Best thing to do is have her try a bunch of guns and see what she likes and fits her best. The gun's fit will have more impact on felt recoil than the calibers listed here. Once you find a gun that fits her well see what calibers it's offfered in. Another thing to consider is factory bullet selection if you do not reload.

Borch

[This message has been edited by Borch (edited 08-11-2004).]

[fishermn]

Wow, thanks for all the help guys! Personally I dont have a huge amount of experience with a lot of different deer rifles. I have carried a Marlin 30-30 since the day I started when I was 12, and havent changed since. I absolutely love the gun, and it suits my hunting style really well. I do have a 12 gauge with a slug barrel, but after sighting it in last year, thats definitely not one for the kids. Good back up gun for me, but thats about all. I will definitely give the .243 and the 7mm08 a look and see what I can find. I also agree with Borch regarding bolt action as opposed to level action with the exposed hammer. Having used this style all my life, I personally would feel much safer giving the kids guns with a more conventional safety.

[TimR]

Don't forget the 25-06. 120 grain ballistics are a hair better than the 7mm-08. Loads are available at 85 grains for long flat shooting. Recoil is minimal.

Tim

[kpj5br]

Lots of good responses here, but I had to throw in my 2 cents for the .243.

Second on the list for a small girl like that would be the .25-06, if she is truly recoil-shy.

However, I have to add, that DON'T underestimate your youngster. If the young girl or boy is really into it, I have seen time and time again, where they can reliably shoot and not have a problem with some of the higher-recoil calibers. It just depends on the child.

Best case scenario is to take her shooting with whatever guns you have, preferably starting with a .22 and moving upward and see what the comfort level is. My neice at 11 years old was shooting a .243 and was irritated that she had to shoot a lighter gun than the "guys". Again, depends on the child...

But, bottom line is, if she is extremely recoil-shy, a .25-06 will do, can handle a little more, a .243 is my recomendation, and if she displays no distaste whatsoever for recoil and is comfortable and confident with it, up to .270 or even .30-06.

Either way, you're a lucky man to be taking your daughter hunting, and thank you from the hunting community for passing on the tradition to the next generation.

[89Bronco]

I'll put another vote in for the .243. That's what I used when I started hunting. It doesn't kick much and every deer I got with that gun dropped within 5 yards of where it got hit....no tracking. That might be another plus with a new hunter. Good luck with whatever you choose!

[Flashman]

left out the 30-30 for the the simple reason that most kids don't like the exposed hammer but you can find some older bolt actions, I know savage made them, My sister in law uses one, she didn't like the cocked hammer when trying to reload. I started hunting with a model 94 30-30 and it is the gun I carry most often during deer season still. I have a .243 myself and it is not a "brush" gun in my opinion. I've taken deer with mine over a clear cut or field but just don't like shooting it in the "woods". One of the fastest ways to discourage a young hunter is loosing an animal.

The 7mm-08 is also a very nice gun for a young hunter, low recoil and a little heavier bullet then the .243.

Look around you might find a bolt action 30-30 at the local pawn shop if that's what you carry then you won't need two different types of ammo. Really it will be up to your daughter and what she's comfortable with shooting and carrying into the woods. Practice builds confidence and confidence will put the shot right where she wants it to go.

Good luck.

[89Bronco]

I'll put another vote in for the .243. That's what I used when I started hunting. It doesn't kick much and every deer I got with that gun dropped within 5 yards of where it got hit....no tracking. That might be another plus with a new hunter. Good luck with whatever you choose!

[barebackjack]

Just a tidbit about the 30 30, I was at the gun shop the other day and he had a nice marlin there, it also had a safety on it, something I have never saw before on a 30 30.only wanted 300 bucks for it, not a bad price for a first gun.

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barebackjack IBOT#197
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