cougar1717
Member
Another youth deer rifle thread!
Powerful enough to kill.
Light enough to carry.
Balance the previous two so they don't flinch.
Some varied thoughts...
Many discussions like this are the fruit of the incessant value engineering we see everyday. At the extreme, we keep whittling until the caliber doesn't reliably have the energy to take large game OR we argue the limit at which large game should be taken OR we argue the definition of large game.
No one on this forum except the OP knows the OP's sons. This is a difficult balance to have a good hunting experience, an effective caliber, and to fortify confidence in the adolescent through practice so that they are able to take the animal.
It's ok to start with something intermediate. There is no argument there, especially when they have only shot 22LR. The future problem is...
In a couple of short years, they will have developed in adolescence where recoil isn't the driving issue anymore. And it happens fast. In fact, they may want to see how much recoil they can handle. By the time they are 15 years old, it's very likely that they would be able to shoot a 308Win without issue. I'm not talking about 500 round weekend mag dumps, but enough to have practiced proficiency and taking a deer should only be one shot.
A lot depends on the desire of the adolescent. Maybe they enjoy shooting, but don't really want to go hunting because it's a lot of walking, sitting, being quiet, and attentive... for just one shot.
A caliber that has more margin than 6.5G. For years, I would have never thought a forum would recommend a youth rifle below 243Win power, but with the increased interest and availability high bc bullets in intermediate cartridges the effective ranges have increased and made this possible. I get it - the range of an ethical shot overlaps with the range of a 6.5G. OTOH, it is kind of hilarious when gun writers call 308Win recoil harsh. It begs the question of comparison.
Many, many people have taken their first deer with a 243, 7-08, 7.62x39, 30-30, or even a 357mag or 44mag carbine!
This is my opinion, but part of today's gun culture and advertising overemphasizes the use/need for low drag or long range bullets for hunting. There, I said it. It's almost like bc's in the .4's are looked down upon. I'm not going to go full out Chuck Hawks here, but sub moa groups are not required to hit the 8" kill zone of a deer.
While I'm not saying the OP is arguing this, those who would make a case for "Why would an adult need more than a 6.5G to deer hunt?" is kind of a silly question. I agree with the poster above, there are many DRT calibers, but 6.5G isn't one of them. Sure, it will work. Yes,it is adequate within ethical ranges. It's just that most adult hunters would give up a little more comfort for the possibility of a quicker kill and less tracking.
Lead...
I feel the level of the leaded primer argument in this thread is somewhat tin foil hat worthy. By all means, use your conscience - you are the parent - but being in contracting, the regulations for lead remediation and remodeling is for children 0-5 years old. They are the most susceptible to the ill affects of lead exposure while the CNS is developing. Again, we're talking about exposure and common sense. Don't take kids to the smoky indoor range all day. However, lead based primers when shot outdoors have such a miniscule affect on blood lead levels. Seriously... old plumbing is probably worse. And if you are concerned with toxicity, french fries are probably worse (haha). Solid lead, as in shards of the bullet in game, passes through with little exposure. A simple blood test before is all it takes to gauge exposure.
Powerful enough to kill.
Light enough to carry.
Balance the previous two so they don't flinch.
Some varied thoughts...
But then why carry the heavier, longer action?
Many discussions like this are the fruit of the incessant value engineering we see everyday. At the extreme, we keep whittling until the caliber doesn't reliably have the energy to take large game OR we argue the limit at which large game should be taken OR we argue the definition of large game.
No one on this forum except the OP knows the OP's sons. This is a difficult balance to have a good hunting experience, an effective caliber, and to fortify confidence in the adolescent through practice so that they are able to take the animal.
It's ok to start with something intermediate. There is no argument there, especially when they have only shot 22LR. The future problem is...
It's like playing for the league minimum. Most kids can see that their deer caliber is not the same as most adults'. There can be some aspiration to prove they are grown by jumping up in caliber.But they’ll quickly grow out of that.
In a couple of short years, they will have developed in adolescence where recoil isn't the driving issue anymore. And it happens fast. In fact, they may want to see how much recoil they can handle. By the time they are 15 years old, it's very likely that they would be able to shoot a 308Win without issue. I'm not talking about 500 round weekend mag dumps, but enough to have practiced proficiency and taking a deer should only be one shot.
A lot depends on the desire of the adolescent. Maybe they enjoy shooting, but don't really want to go hunting because it's a lot of walking, sitting, being quiet, and attentive... for just one shot.
Suppose in a few years he's ready to handle more recoil and start shooting at higher energy levels. What does that get him besides more recoil?
A caliber that has more margin than 6.5G. For years, I would have never thought a forum would recommend a youth rifle below 243Win power, but with the increased interest and availability high bc bullets in intermediate cartridges the effective ranges have increased and made this possible. I get it - the range of an ethical shot overlaps with the range of a 6.5G. OTOH, it is kind of hilarious when gun writers call 308Win recoil harsh. It begs the question of comparison.
Many, many people have taken their first deer with a 243, 7-08, 7.62x39, 30-30, or even a 357mag or 44mag carbine!
This is my opinion, but part of today's gun culture and advertising overemphasizes the use/need for low drag or long range bullets for hunting. There, I said it. It's almost like bc's in the .4's are looked down upon. I'm not going to go full out Chuck Hawks here, but sub moa groups are not required to hit the 8" kill zone of a deer.
While I'm not saying the OP is arguing this, those who would make a case for "Why would an adult need more than a 6.5G to deer hunt?" is kind of a silly question. I agree with the poster above, there are many DRT calibers, but 6.5G isn't one of them. Sure, it will work. Yes,it is adequate within ethical ranges. It's just that most adult hunters would give up a little more comfort for the possibility of a quicker kill and less tracking.
Lead...
Kids are more susceptible to the effects of lead, though.
I feel the level of the leaded primer argument in this thread is somewhat tin foil hat worthy. By all means, use your conscience - you are the parent - but being in contracting, the regulations for lead remediation and remodeling is for children 0-5 years old. They are the most susceptible to the ill affects of lead exposure while the CNS is developing. Again, we're talking about exposure and common sense. Don't take kids to the smoky indoor range all day. However, lead based primers when shot outdoors have such a miniscule affect on blood lead levels. Seriously... old plumbing is probably worse. And if you are concerned with toxicity, french fries are probably worse (haha). Solid lead, as in shards of the bullet in game, passes through with little exposure. A simple blood test before is all it takes to gauge exposure.