A couple of rifle questions, for young daughter...

[BoneDigger]

Sorry for the typo in the title... This is in regard to my daughter, who is 10 years old and medium framed. We already have a 243 but it's a little too much for her to handle without develoiping a flinch at this time. Maybe next year...

I am looking at a Weatherby Vanguard in .223 for my daughter. I like the trigger, though it might be a little TOO light (but I gather they are adjustable) and the fact that the youth stock comes with a spacer to increase it to an adult stock in case daddy wants to use it.

Question is, the price is $400 and that's a little more than I could get a Savage Axis for. But, it SEEMS like the Weatherby is slightly better made. Any info. on these guns? Well made? How do they shoot?

Lastly, I am waffling on the .223 versus .22-250 thing right now. We are in east Texas and I have no doubt that either would take these little deer, and even hogs, but which is best? I lean toward the .223 because I hear it is quieter and slightly cheaper for practice purposes. These would be for short range target and deer hunting, no more than 100 yards. I have a hard time imagining that either is better than the other at that range, but then I am no expert.

So, The Savage Axis is $100 cheaper than the Weatherby, but then I would have to buy another stock for the Savage in order for me to use it. The weatherby seems to have a better trigger.

Is there any reason why I should NOT buy the Weatherby over the Savage? And, any practical reason to choose the 22-250 over the 223?

Todd

 

[RPRNY]

I don't think either 223 or 22-250 are the right approach on this. The 223 is loud and flashy in a short barrel (which she needs) and the 22-250 is a screamer - way more speed than she needs for the 100 yard distances you are talking about.

The 243 is a great choice and really no more of a kicker than either of these above. My daughter is 10 and will be turning 11 soon, she's quite strong, but on a small frame. She struggles with the weight and length of most rifles and really only shoots the youth stocked Anschutz .22 at her NRA Youth Program well. I have bought her a Rossi single shot 22LR / .410 to use up at our place in VT this summer.

I am not recommending you do that, but I do think your daughter would be far better off with either a youth stock for the 243 you already got her (good gun fit will take the kick out and put the fun back) or, get her another youth stocked rifle in pistol caliber. A Rossi lever carbine in .38/357 with 16" barrel weighs 5.5 lbs, allows her to practice with 38 Special rounds (easy on pocket and shoulder) and hunt with .357 Mag, which will do for deer and hogs under 100 yards. And they are easy on the pocket.

Fun rifle, right caliber, light weight and will do her well until she grows into the 243. You won't feel too bad about cutting down the stock and putting a pad on the Rossi if you need to either. No great rifle in the scheme of things, but the right rifle for the right time for a special girl. Good luck.

http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=180&category=8&toggle=&breadcrumbseries=



Buds have got them blued for under $400

 

[atblis]

If 223 works for the hunting you have down there, then that definitely. Cheap, low recoil, and fun to shoot. Just have here wear muffs and plugs at the range at first. Last time I looked, the Vanguard is made by Howa. Howa makes decent rifles for the money. Savage or Howa, tossup really. Get whichever you she/you like more and don't look back.

20" barrel isn't short for a 223. About right actually.

 

[Ranger30-06]

My brother has the Axis in .223, and let me tell you, its a fantastic rifle for $380! There isn't an ounce of recoil, it came with a decent scope, and it only weighs 4 pounds or so. I wouldn't think twice about buying one myself if I needed one.

 

[scchokedaddy]

I agree with 1 of the above posts, DOES THE GUN FIT HER PROPERLY? Seen alot of this problem in the past, people do not want to cut stock to fit young shooter because "they will grow into it". Find a used stock or buy full sized stock when they do grow up. Add extra when you cut stock for a good recoil pad, which you can later add a slip on pad over for some of that growing period Seen this method used several times with great success. Nothing wrong with 223 if you want one, You just need to make youth model will fit her properly or you will accomplish nothing. By that what I mean is you will still have flinch problem not so much from recoil as much as from "overextending", and thereby moving the weapon out of proper placement if you get my meaning. Oh well did not to mean to ramble on, just wanting to try to help. By the way my wife's 243 is cot down and when I shoot it, I add slip on pad on it. Makes long enough I can shoot without getting hit in nose with thumb ,
.

 

[theautobahn]

Has she only shot the .243 off the bench? Obviously that's better for building confidence in hitting what you're aiming at, but the felt recoil is going to be worse than if she is shooting offhand.

A trick I use is to shoot a group with a "real" rifle, then shoot a few mags of .22 in between - I've found this helps alleviate any flinching issues I might develop when sighting in a large caliber.

And +1 for a pistol caliber carbine/rifle - a .44 or .357 for your Texas deer should be fine - I know a lot of guys who give their kids .44's (and use them themselves) even for our larger Maine whitetails. Plus, as already mentioned, it's much less expensive to shoot - so she can get more practice in, building confidence.

 

[Mamertine]

My 2 cents:
I picked up a new Vanguard II in .243 to replace an older Vanguard in .243 with accuracy issues. The new recoil pad on the Vanguard II is amazing. To me it felt like just slightly more recoil then the .223 AR I brought with shooting both from the bench.

Depending on the age of your current .243 it may be worth looking into a newer model as I've heard manufacturers now have really upped their recoil padding in the past few years.

Aside from that a .223 should work out fine.

 

[sixgunner455]

Better recoil pad, better stock fit, and friendly handloads for that .243 would be a good idea, and a lot less than getting another rifle, but there is nothing wrong with getting a Vanguard youth model in .223, either.

I wouldn't get a .22-250 for this purpose. Too much round for what you are talking about. I doubt it would really reduce your recoil much, if at all, and as you said, at the ranges you're dealing with, the .223 will do fine.

 

[jmr40]

The Vanguard is much better than the Axis. Aftermarket stocks and support are readily available. With the Axis and most of the other disposable guns you have what you get. No aftermarket stocks for later. The Vanguard youth guns used to come with 2 stocks. A short one for now, and a full size for later. I bought one used in 308 with only the full size stock that is a nice rifle.

Of the 2 I'd certainly go 223, but think your daughter should be able to handle a 243 just as easily. Recoil is pretty non-existant with either.

 

[Art Eatman]

For the uses as described in the opening post, I'd suggest the .223. I'd strongly suggest making sure that the rifle fits, as to length of pull and sight alignment with a proper cheek weld.

Working with lightweight bar-bells to build up a bit of strength is a Good Thing. Repetitions, not heavy struggling. A good thing for most all of us, really.

 

[SimplyChad]

i have a mossburg ATR in 243 that recoils like my ar. Try one out

 

[atblis]

How about an AR15 with a collapsible stock?

 

[hardluk1]

Felt recoil is way more about how the rifle fits. Not knowing what the 243 you have now is, how about a second beater stock you could cut down to fit your daughter with a Simms Limbsaver recoil pad on it. She may be way better off with a 12" lenght of pull than any standard rifle lenght of 13 3/4". The recoil pad can be fit easily with a belt sander by most carpenters or at a shoe repair shop. Getting the rifle to fit goes a long way to makeing it easier to control. Atleast it did with my to girls when young. As she grows ,put the other stock back on.

Remington100gr pcp and Hornady's 87gr sst had or has lite recoil or managed recoil loads to. Just down loaded ammo for your needs.

 

[Fat_46]

My daughter is also 10. Do you reload? If so, Hodgdon has a page of youth loads using H4895 that really lighten recoil on a 243. A few tips I've learned/picked up/been taught:

length of pull really matters. Have her stand up, and bend her arm at the elbow straight forward. Measure from her index finger to the elbow. That's how ong the stock should be.

You should sight in the rifle on the bench, and let her shoot standing with a set of sticks, as it also reduces felt recoil

Keep the shooting sessions fun. Switch up guns often and let her find for herself how much fun shooting is

 

[BoneDigger]

Thanks guys. The 243 is a Marlin XS7 for which I have a youth stock and an aftermarket adult stock from Boyd's.

I am going to let her try the 243 this weekend at the hunting lease and see how it goes.

I do not reload and generally don't trust shooting someone else's reloads so I stick to factory loads.

Todd


Sent via Todd's IPhone using Tapatalk.

 

[hardluk1]

Grab a box of the reduce ammo for her to use if you can too.