Deer rifle for my daughter

[doorman]

I will be taking my daughter on her first deer hunt in two weeks. She will probably shoot my Rem 700 in .270. She has been to the range with me on several occasions and does pretty well considering the rifle is a bit big for her, length of pull is a liitle long. Anyway, if she likes hunting and would like to continue in the future, I have been thinking about some options that may work.

I have looked at the Rem 700 ADL youth in .243 and also the Browning X-Bolt Micro Hunter also in .243.
What does the Matrix have to say about either of these choices or any other rifle I have not considered?

 

[Abel]

I say go with the Browning. It is a very nice little rifle.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

I would go with either model but in 7mm.08 instead of .243. Much better calibre for deer with about the same recoil. More bang for your buck so to speak.

 

[Flintknapper]

Same as above. ^^^^^^^^^^^^


Get her a rifle that fits....and choose 7mm-08 over the .243

I fit my daughters '08 with a Pachmayr Decelerator recoil pad and it very pleasant to shoot.

 

[axxxel]

Why not go full circle and get her a .308? With the right loads it will be as potent and as lightly recoiling as the 7mm-08 and more versatile while the ammo is cheaper.

In fact, I think your gal needs to right to a .338 Lapua Magnum. Those deer won't shoot themselves you know.

 

[grtwhthntr]

I bought my son a youth model Savage 11 with accu-trigger a couple months ago for his birthday. It's a heck of shooter. His is in .243. The rifles you mentioned would be great too, just more expensive than the Savage.

 

[peptoe]

I'd the chose 260/7mm-08 both are good cals that can be used for larger game as well. I bought a youth savage 10 .308 for my son, who's a very small/young 13, but he hasn't used it.

I have a 16" Glenfield 30-30 for my 11 year old daughter, but she no longer wants to deer hunt. Get something you'll enjoy later on when they either don't want to hunt or don't have the time.

We'd be hunting on the dark side of Oregon where long range is about 100 yards at very most. I hope to get my daughter out with me a on a rosey elk hunt though, she said she'd be ok with elk. My son wants to go straight for moose, but he doesn't want to put in the work so he won't hunt with me until he does want to.

 

[BrocLuno]

243 OK by me ...

... but what kinds of other rifles have you shown her? Maybe something other than a bolt? Is used a possibility? When she reads the gun books/magazines, what catches her eye? With girls anatomy, I'd put fit right at the top of the list, worry about caliber later.

If it come down to the two you asked about, I'd go with the Browning

 

[ReadyontheRight]

The guns you mention are great.

For what it's worth, I think it's hard to beat one of those little NEF single-shot rifles in .243 for a small shooter who will quickly grow out of it. Good iron sights, easy to mount a scope and you could even look at other small calibers like .223 or 7mm-08 Rem.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/nef_rifles.htm

It is very easy to keep a break-open rifle safe while she learns weapon use.

As she grows, let her pick out the next "spendy" gun as a gift she will use forever.

Way to go getting her out hunting!

 

[farscott]

I bought my daughter a Ruger 77 Mark II Frontier in .308 Winchester and topped it with a Leupold VX-3 1.5-5X scope in the normal (not the scout) position. It is light enough to be easy for a teenage girl to use, yet it will serve her well as an adult.

 

[JonB]

Is till find it humorous that some people don't think .243 is enough for deer.

 

[Ky Larry]

A lady I work with is 5'2". She recently bought a used T/C Encore and had the stock cut down to fit her. With the change of a barrel she can hunt about anything she wants.This might be an option that would allow you to also use the gun by changing stocks. Very versitile for the whole family.

 

[Claude Clay]

swede m96 6.5 x 55

its a bolt, has very good open sights and a short LOP--being a military rifle designed to be fired by someone wearing lots of layers of uniform. even with but a t-shirt its recoil is minimal.

mine (my daughter would say hers' but im the one typing) is 1 moa--the disc was not stamped. you dont say how big your girl is but my daughter is 5'3" and it fits her fine.

or perhaps a k31

 

[doorman]

Um, yes the .338 Lapua Magnum?! I would need to look for her shoulder in the next county. My daughter is around 5'5". She is actually a junior at Indiana University. My original post, I guess, left open how old she might be. She'll be 21 in February.
She will definitely be involved with the selection process. I had not considered the 7mm 08 because I really have had no experience with it. I will give it a look.
I will make an additional post after our trip to let everyone know about the experience.

 

[NELSONs02]

Is till find it humorous that some people don't think .243 is enough for deer.

And most of the time it's from people who have never hunted with one.

I also think it's humorous how much the 6.5mm's are overlooked (I hear ya Claude). Regardless, any of the rounds mentioned so far would be more than adequate.

 

[David Sours]

I will agree 243 is more than adequate for deer, I don't care what caliber you are shooting it still comes down to shot placement! I have a 243 and it has performed very well my main deer rifle is an A-Bolt in 280. Last year I was looking for a light recoiling load that would be fun to shoot and I chose the 243 the caliber that was second on my list is the 257 Roberts. I think the 257 is a great deer round with very light recoil. I know Ruger and Remington chamber the round. I would give the 257 a look espicially if you hand load. Good luck and I love that the story involves your daughter! My daughter tagged along with me this morning for the opeing day of muzzleloader and we had a fantastic time! We harvested a small buck and she was all about it from start to finish, I only hope that I can continue to cultivate her enthusiasm throught the years. Good luck and congrats on your delima, I bet it is a great one to have!

David

 

[Screamin'Eagle]

doorman: I would recommend something slightly bigger than .243 for an inexperienced hunter if you're taking whitetail. I would concur with those that have thrown out recommendations for 7mm and .308. I would have to add .270 to the list also. Whatever you get, make sure it feels good to your daughter and is a quality piece. I generally like the Savage and Stevens models, just make sure to cycle the bolt a few times and make sure its nice and smooth before you purchase it. Most of them that have come through the place I work at are really nice mechanically, but I have found a few loose ones when trying to help customers find a gun.

EDIT: And if you're not a reloader, the calibers I listed are all widely available.

 

[TexasPatriot.308]

a 7mm-08 with managed recoil ammo...light recoil anyway so can just imagine the managed recoil on the shoulder...so many good rifles out there, Tikka T3 lite, Rugers, on the budget end the Stevens 200 is a tackdriver...leaves you money for good optics.

 

[Freedom_fighter_in_IL]

Is till find it humorous that some people don't think .243 is enough for deer.

Quote:
Originally Posted by JonB
Is till find it humorous that some people don't think .243 is enough for deer.
And most of the time it's from people who have never hunted with one.

I also think it's humorous how much the 6.5mm's are overlooked (I hear ya Claude). Regardless, any of the rounds mentioned so far would be more than adequate.

I do not believe a singe person replying said that a .243 was not enough for a deer. What myself and all the others said was that there was a BETTER calibre with the same recoil that is a better choice for an inexperienced hunter. You make a marginal shot with a .243 you lose the deer. Make one with a 7mm.08 and you have a better chance of recovery. So lets put this in perspective, #1- Bigger calibre, #2-Flatter shooting, #3-Basically the same amount of felt recoil. 7mm.08 wins hands down against a .243. Will a .243 kill a deer? Sure it will. Many have been downed with them. Is it the best option for an inexperienced hunter? Not in the slightest.

As far as the 6.5, Love the calibre but good luck finding a rifle and ammo for it. I have yet to see a store that doesn't have 7mm.08 on the shelf anymore. It has become a VERY popular cartridge.

 

[Legionnaire]

My son and daughter both took their first deer with a Remington Model Seven in .243., shooting 100 grain Remington Core-Lokts. The .243 is a fine deer cartridge, and the Model Seven is a great launcher. Most important is that you get her a gun that fits her.

 

[ripdog]

i agree with the fit and comfort as being most important. if it is uncomfortable in any way shooting will sufffer. also agree with 7/08..260..6.5 sw.

 

[jogar80]

I have the browning x-bolt micro-hunter in .308. Great little rifle, very accurate, and perfect size for moving around in the blind. Love the trigger. The matte finish on the wood stock is not my style so I polished it up with some Scratch-X and now it great. Being so light though, it does kick pretty hard, so I had a muzzle brake fitted, not it feels great. I think one of those in .243 would be excellent, and if you wanted, a muzzle brake would make it very soft shooting. My vote is for the browning!

 

[Captcurt]

And most of the time it's from people who have never hunted with one.

I also think it's humorous how much the 6.5mm's are overlooked (I hear ya Claude). Regardless, any of the rounds mentioned so far would be more than adequate.

I must agree with you about the 6.5. After owning a Swede in a 700 Classic and a Ruger Compact in 260 I could be a 264 caliber Preacher. I don't own one now but I'm looking at a CZ 550 in 6.5X55. I still have brass for it. (200, I never throw anything away.)

If I had a kid needing a DR I would find another Compact 77 in 260. That is a very efficient, accurate rifle with mild recoil. Please, oh please don't start a kid with a buttkicking round. And guys, I've seen some 308's that would kick the snot out of you. I sure wouldn't want to start a youngin out on one.

 

[Uncle Mike]

I have nothing against the 243, but shot placement is paramount with this caliber, concerning the hunting of whitetail deer with it.

I tend to think a caliber that offers a little leeway in respect to not making the 'best' shot on the animal is better for a new hunter.

7mm-08....

 

[bang_bang]

Either make of the rifle is a good choice. Let your daughter pick out the one she wants between the two.

The .243 will be fine with a quality ammo. The 7mm-08 is a great round, as well at the .308.

Although shot placement is a bit more important with the .243, your daughter needs to learn how to place her shots on paper and on animals. A poor shot with a 338 Lapua is worse than a well placed shot with a .243. IF she practices and keeps her cool, the buck will stop there.

Many....MANY first time hunters drop deer with a .243 or 30-30. Those two calibers, to me, are the basics to deer calibers. I've taken deer with a variety of calibers ranging from itty-bitty up to a 50 Cal black powder and a 300 Win Mag. Shot placement is key to all calibers, not just the small ones, although you have to pay more attention to where you're putting the bullet with, say a 22 Mag than the big ol' 300 Winnie.