Help finding first youth rifle

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1trueamerican

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I have a 10 year old that went deer hunting with me this year and wants to start deer hunting next year. i am looking for some feedback on a first rifle for him. He weighs about 100 lbs and is stocky…but when he went to shoot the youth model 870 I got for him this past summer, he sort of flinched from the recoil a bit…to the point that he has not asked to shoot it again yet. (I was using a light target load at the time) He does fine with the .22 and some of my 9mm and .38 pistols.
I am looking at a .243 or something to move him up from the .22. I have never shot any rifle caliber smaller than a 30-30 for deer and am not sure of the best caliber to start him off.
I have been looking at the rossi trail boss or the h&r handi-rifle. But was looking for any other youth guns that might be tried…. obviously price is important but not the only factor.

(searched for a thread but found none.)

Thanks in advance for your input.

mike
 
My 13 year old daughter uses a Savage 110 in 243. I also installed a Limbsaver recoil pad.
I know a lot of guys use a 223, but personally I don't think 223 is enough gun in the hands of a kid that's just learning to to hunt.
Other's may disagree.
 
You have a dilemma, weight tames recoil and the kid can only handle so much weight. In addition, a proper fitting gun is easier to shoot and manage, but he is going to be growing like a weed for a few years. I agree with the previous post that a .223 is not a good choice. An auto could be an option if you can find one chambered in a light recoiling caliber.
 
The .243 is likely the BEST caliber to put in his hands. And the bonus is; it will do everything he needs it to do for the rest of his life, or until he decides to go Elk hunting.
You and your son are beginning a great journey. Enjoy the trip !
 
a marlin 336 in 30-30 w/ a kick-eez pad installed will be tough to beat.

my 8-year old daughter shoots a 300 wsm, but she and i handload the ammo down to sub 30-30 levels.
 
I just scored a brand new Remington 700 ADL Youth Model in .243 off of ar15.com for $310 shipped. I suggest scanning the forums. Lots of deals to be had.
 
Can not go wrong with 243, a second option is 7mm08 . My kids all used both and the recoil is not bad and both are easy to reload and most important, ammo is easy to find.
 
I had a Remington 788 in .243 when they first came out. It'd be nice if they still made that rifle.
The .243 is a great choice for a young man's first centerfire sporting rifle.
 
Limbsavers are heaven for kids. Mine all started with my 223AI. Never had a deer go more than 10 feet, because they shot it so well. But I just got my daughter a Savage 243 with a brake, so we'll see how that goes.
 
243 is a good round for youth as is the 30-30. getting a stock that fits him is more important than caliber. If the stock is to long he will be over balanced, and the perceived recoil will be worst. If the stock fits properly he can get into the proper shooting position, and he can absorb more recoil with less pain.

My neighbor has 3 daughters, ages from 10 to 18. They all hunt with a 308. Their father is a custom gunsmith. All their guns fit properly.
 
My neighbor has 3 daughters, ages from 10 to 18. They all hunt with a 308. Their father is a custom gunsmith. All their guns fit properly.
Click to expand...

How cool would that be, to date a girl whose dad was a custom gunsmith.
 
CZ 527 Carbine or Ruger 44 mag

Consider the CZ 527 Carbine in 7.62x39 or Ruger 44 mag in bolt action or lever action. Both guns are light, caliber is more than adequate for deer from 100-200 yards. Don't have to worry about shooting into the next state id shot is missed, bullets are more than adequate in weight in normal loadings. The 7.62x39 ammunition can be purchased very cheap for practice and good quality hunting ammo can be found. Also since all have detachable magazine they are safer to unload and you can control ammunition by controlling the magazine until needed.


http://cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=15
 
SKS. Cheap, pretty controllable, big enogh for deer. Just add a pad and scope, and it'll still be <$250.
 
The Handi Rifles are a good choice. I have seven in various calibers from .17 HMR to 30-06 and use them more than any of my others for deer. The .243 is very easy to shoot and a 10 yr. old, 100 lb. boy should have no problems with it. I bought the .243 with the wood youth stock since it will be my grand daughter's gun. I put a full size on it for my use. They are really great when hunting from a stand because of the shorter length.
 
1Trueamerican;

IMHO the .243 is an adequate caliber to put in his hands. There are, keeping the limitations in mind, certainly better calibers. In ascending order of diameter they'd be: 6mm Remington, ,257 Roberts, 6.5 Swedish Mauser, and the afore-mentioned 7mm-08.

900F
 
My son is 11 and about 115 lbs and he shoots an FN Mauser in .257 Roberts. I hand loaded some 100 grainers to just over 3000 fps and the recoil is quite mild. On the same not I also have a T/C Encore in 7mm-08 that is fun to shoot with mild recoil. Just my 2 cents.
 
personally for young shooters i think a single shot is the best choice. it helps to teach better accuracy over quantity of lead flying. iv used the nef handy rifles as have most of my family and my 105lb gf and we have no complaints. as for caliber 243 is a great choice, but i really like the 7mm-08
 
Quote:
How cool would that be, to date a girl whose dad was a custom gunsmith.
Quote by joebogey:
Maybe not so cool. He'd always have a gun within reach.


He is also a retired cop from Detroit, about 6'5" 300 lbs. Hurt his daughters they won't fine the body!!!:what::uhoh:
 
The absolute best deal doing in centerfires, is the mossberg atr superbantam rifles. they are very short, you will get them with a scope package, and they come with a full set of buttstock spacers, so they can be easily used as an adult. they only cost about 329, on sale at the big box stores. i was going to get one for myself, had i not run across a vintage remmy 788 in 243.
 
This is going to disappoint both of you. He has to be 12 to actually get a licence and hunt. It's from the PA hunting regs.
"Eleven-year-olds may apply for a junior license if they will reach age 12 by June 30 of the current license year and have successfully completed the required Hunter-Trapper Education Course. The actual hunting privileges granted to the junior license holder may not be exercised until he or she reaches age 12. The parent or guardian must sign the application/back tag copy. Nonresident junior hunting, combination and furtaker licenses are available online, through Game Commission Offices, County Treasurers and commercial issuing agents who request them."
Sell it to him by buying him a rifle anyway. He'll have a year to work on the load and learn to shoot it well. There's nothing that says he can't go shooting with his da.
Go with the .243. With different bullets he'll be ready for deer and varmints with the same rifle. The rifling twist matters. Mind you, most commercial hunting rifles are rifled for deer weight bullets. 85 grains and up.
Put a recoil pad on the 870. Be advised that just adding a pad without also cutting the stock will also increase the length of the stock. Easily fixed by cutting the stock with a mitre box or mitre saw by the length of the pad.
As to a rifle, let him try your rifle. You'd be surprised how well a kid can deal with felt recoil. However, for his own rifle, the suggested cartridges are dandy, but any properly stocked rifle will do nicely.
 
sunray...starting in 2006...the game commission started the youth mentoring program...best thing they ever did. a youth can hunt for deer, turkey and squirrel as long as they are with an adult mentor. no liscense needed, no age requirements and only 1 gun between the 2 hunters, handled by the mentor at all times except when on stand.
i think it gives us the chance to get the kids interested before they get to middle school and all the "cool" stuff that they are into.

mike
 
thanks for all the help on here...i know it seems i posted and ran but have been very busy...i'm a new poster but long time lurker.

here are my thoughts...i have a marlin 336 that i had the stock cut down about a half inch and put a recoil pad on for my wife years ago.....although i think it is too long for him i want him to try it from a rest with a kick eze or limbsaver pad....to test the recoil. if he doesn't like it or get used to it...(he'll have all year to get acquainted with it)...then i will probably look into the single shot h & r or rossi in 243 or 7mm 08. although the mossberg is a very good idea...(i love my mossberg 30-06)...
i'm afraid that most of these rifles (mossberg, remington adl and such) are a bit front heavy for him.
thanks again all for the suggestions...

mike
 
[quote="1trueamerican"[/quote]... although the mossberg is a very good idea...(i love my mossberg 30-06)...
i'm afraid that most of these rifles (mossberg, remington adl and such) are a bit front heavy for him. [/quote]

The Pennsylvania Mentored Youth Hunting Program is the greatest thing that has ever been passed in my lifetime for youth and youth hunting...

I went hunting this weekend (feezing my butt off actually) up in Bradford county with my 9-year old. He was hunting with a .243 100ATR Super-Bantam with NO spacers installed...

I sighted the rifle using 100gr Federal Power Shok rounds, it grouped under an inch at 100 yards. I then took him to the range and had him shoot a LOT of rounds using 55gr Black Hills ammo, the recoil with thw 55gr is almost non-existant. We loaded up with 100gr in case we saw that big buck... Everybody in the area has seen him, but he was smarter than we were this weekend...we'll try again next year...

As far as the gun being front heavy, it has a 20" barrel and my 9-year old has no problems holding a good aim.

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