Rifle for my little girl

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txcookie

txcookie

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So I am sitting here in Afgahanistan and instead of thinking about getting my own new toy I am now thinking about buying my daughter a rifle on my return. Not sure what to get her though

She isnt tiny and handles a 410 just fine. I currently own and 6.5x55 Swede mauser and a ruger Model 77 chambered 250.3000.

Should I simply start rolling my own and let her use my ruger?
Can she handle a 6.5x55 at the age of 11? Its been restocked and fitted for me when I was a kiddo
Should I go for broke and get her a 243 youth rifle?

Love advice on this kind of stuff!!!!
 
How about something like an H&R Handi-Rifle Youth?

These are pretty light rifles, so perhaps a relatively light kicking round like .223 would be a good match up for her.
I've found that while kids might LIKE to pop off round after round with a repeater, there is a great benefit to teaching kids about ammo conservation, patience, making shots count, and pacing with single shot rifles.

Edit to add:

And thank you very much for your service. It does not go unappreciated in this household.
 
If she can handle the weight of an AR get her a M4gery with some fun color furniture. If wieght is a problem get a M&P15-22. My kids love my 15-22. They also like my 22 buckmark.

does she like plinking cans or target?

If target, get a nice .223 bolt, Mossberg MVP, Savage 10 or similar.
 
Buy "right " from the get-go and you won`t have to buy another one later on. I`d go for a 243.
Get the reduces loads for now then later on go regular. Like getting 2 weapons in one.
 
Get her a nice .243, and avoid the girl colors. The Savage Axis is ~$400 and comes in adult and youth models.
 
Tommy - "I don't think you would go wrong with a Rem. Mod 7 in 243,she would love it. Just my opinion."


Good advice. The smaller Model 7 will be perfect for her, and - depending on your own frame - it would make a nice toy for YOU to play with when you get back. The .243 is also a great round. Depending on who you ask, it might be a little light for deer (though I happen to think that if you use good shot placement, it's not as big of a deal as people make it out to be), but it's still a fantastic 1st high-powered rifle round.

Of course, if your daughter's tough like her Army dad - and I have no doubt that she is :D - then I think she could handle the 6.5x55 just fine. Happy Hunting, and thank you for serving our country.
 
I would also go with a 243. If you reload you can taylor your loads from mild to wild and in a pinch you can find ammo commercially most places (most times) not a option with the rounds that you already have. As to the "can she handle it" my son killed his first deer with a ruger #1 .270 with a 150gr bullet when he was 7. He had never shot that gun before, droped her in her tracks. When I asked him if it kicked he said he didn't notice it, but he didn't care to shoot it off the bench. She will have to decide her own level of comfort due to recoil, but prone is not the position to begin with. Good luck in your search and thanks for your service.
 
Your 6.5x55 that is already set up for a youth, shooting stuff you handloaded, sounds like a winner. Your Ruger .250 Savage would probably work, if the LOP isn't too long. Both of those rounds aren't hard kickers, and if you are rolling your own rounds, then you can make sure that they aren't too much for her.

Nothing wrong with a .243, either. My princess shoots one of those.
 
Start reloading and let her use the Mauser. If you can't get a load light enough for recoil yet fast enough for hunting, then buy a .243.

And thanks for your service, stay safe.
 
First of let me say it is an honor to serve our great nation. Its a blessing for me to do it with your support!

Now as far as the rifles use! Its gonna be a Hog deer rifle for Ark and Tx critters. She can play with my 22 and her 410 but she wants to put a hog or a deer down. I am not ruling anything out yet but am really thinking its about time for me to become a reloader. My dad Got that mouser when he was just a kid. earned it working peach farms back in the 60's. He fitted it for a youth but I never used it as I much prefered the ruger 250. these were my rifles as a kid growing up but ammo is hard as hell to fin for the 250 and the 6.5x55 aint exactly at Wal mart.

Then again I sure like walmart having ammo in stock and the 223. and 243. hunting loads are always there:)
 
There are a couple of choices for young ladies I would look at first. Ruger and Remington make rifles with spacers in butt plate area so you can take them out to make butt shorter which make them more comfortable for folks with smaller frames. Winchester made Mod 70 Youth Models with shorter stocks as well.

The best shot the Army has now is Michell Gallagher http://www.army.mil/article/52266/S...AMU_shooter_reflects_on__quot_Best_quot__win/

She shoots a 260 Remington Bolt Rifle and she is exceptionally good and if she walks up to talk to you and you don't know her you will never dream she is about to whip your can big time when she gets to the firing line. I have shot with her for 15 years and she is A1 in my book.
 
There are a couple of choices for young ladies I would look at first. Ruger and Remington make rifles with spacers in butt plate area so you can take them out to make butt shorter which make them more comfortable for folks with smaller frames. Winchester made Mod 70 Youth Models with shorter stocks as well.

The best shot the Army has now is Michell Gallagher http://www.army.mil/article/52266/S...AMU_shooter_reflects_on__quot_Best_quot__win/

She shoots a Bolt Rifle in 260 Rem and she is exceptionally good and if she walks up to talk to you and you don't know her you will never dream she is about to whip your can big time when she gets to the firing line. I have shot with her for 15 years and she is A1 in my book. Obviously by her picture she is not linebacker material. The Army has another young lady but dont' know her name but she is a tall blond. Both of the wear President's Hundred Tabs which are not easy to get. The Marine Corps and a young lady from Utah, reddest hair you could imagine and she was exceptionally good as well.

All in all I would get her a bolt rifle in 260 Rem and load it with 120 gr. Sierra Match Kings.
 
First off, thank you for your service and for thinking about your daughter ina theater of war, that is wonderful man

now to the gun,
I am a big fan of 22 rifle for kids. They really are one of the most fun, even for old and experienced shooters. The first rifle I shot was a .22. The second was a Mosin Nagant and I will admit, its massive recoil (by comparison) makes me flinch because I made a huge jump instead of progressing up slowl. Now I am going to have to shoot a boatload of rounds to get the flinching under control. Its hugely important to keep recoil at managebale levels for anyone strating out in shooting, but since she shoots .410 your the best judge of if she can shoot 243 or not. 223 might be a better option. If expense isn't a concern, it might be cool to get her an AR and then she could have a rifle just like yours :)

Take care out there.
 
Can she handle a 6.5x55 at the age of 11? Its been restocked and fitted for me when I was a kiddo
Click to expand...
This is a very subjective question. Kids are growing and changing a lot at that age, and not all at the same rates. And then experience, mindset, and your teaching input and choices have a whole lot to do with it.

My 11 year old daughter enjoys Kalashnikovs, M1 Carbine, and, of course .22s, but she's used to shooting those mostly off-hand, in a "practical" stance where her body can move with the recoil and she doesn't feel like she's getting battered.

On the other hand, putting her at a bench behind a .30-'06 (even with a recoil-reducing stock) pushed her quite a bit beyond her comfort level.

A .243 doesn't actually recoil very hard, nor does a 6.5x55. But how you introduce her to them may still push her into feeling pain and fearing the gun.

I'd avoid putting her behind a bench-rest for her first few range sessions (at least) with a real centerfire. Get her comfortable with the way the gun moves and how she deals with recoil in a standing or kneeling position first (bring the targets in closer too, to keep her from being frustrated by too many misses).

I still remember being introduced to "big" guns with a lightweight 20 ga. pump shotgun, fired from a firm, fixed, sitting position, and being battered pretty badly. The same gun fired from a fluid, standing position would have been much easier on me as a skinny young kid.
 
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I'm just going to throw this out there....have you considered 7.62x39?
Has often been compared to the .30-30 as far as deer knockdown power and accuracy in the brush. Should be accurate enough out to 150 yards, well within deer and hog shooting territory. I know CZ makes a really really nice bolt action in 7.62x39, and recoil shouldn't be that bad. WalMart carries the Winchester brand of 7.62 but I've had good luck with Hornady's ZombieMax HP ammo. And, if somewhere down the road she wants to add an autoloader, you could build her a really nice SKS. I had a Rossi single shot rifle with a scope, in 7.62x39, cost me around $200, was scary accurate with the Hornady ammo, was a great hog gun.
 
You say your daughter isn't small, so chances are one of the rifles you have may fit fine which will be key for how well she can handle the recoil If they do fit, both are light kickers, just make sure the rifle has a good recoil pad, her hearing protection is good and she shoots from a position that allows her to move with the recoil.

I used to have a Rem 700 in .250, very sweet little with very little recoil. I didn't realize ammo was so hard to find nowadays. I still have 5 or 6 boxes of Winchester factory 100 gr if you're interested. PM me if so.

Another option might be Savage's new Lady Hunter;

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/11Lady

More money, but a lifetime heirloom for her.
 
How about a two-prong approach. Have you considered purchasing a T/C Arms' Encore pistol in a small caliber, say in .22LR. Register it as a handgun. However, you can also use that Encore pistol as a carbine, rifle, shotgun or muzzleloader. Whatever the flavor you desire, a mere $250.00 will purchase the additinal barrels. :cool: To use it as a long gun, all you have to do is purchase the butt stock, fore end, and a carbine barrel. Same goes for muzzleloader or shotgun. Take your choice of anything from .22LR through .416 Rigby (for you). For her, say a .243 Win or .30-30 Win?

TC Arms' Link: http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/encore.php

In such a way, she would be able to kill two hogs with one firearm configurable in many platforms. Just a thought. And thanks for serving, and thanks for getting another kid into shooting!

Geno
 
Fremmer said:
I vote for a S&W mp rifle in .22 LR, because I want one!!!
Click to expand...
You must have missed the post where he said she'll be using it for deer and/or hogs.

I'd say go with the .243 AND start reloading. 6mm and 7mm bullets are the two bullet calibers that I've seen readily available just about everywhere during the current ammo/reloading component "shortage" we've been having. So bullets and brass wouldn't likely ever be hard to find, especially if you stock up pretty well. Primers and powder could still be scarce when you get back but you shouldn't need much to get started. And a cheap press and dies, and a good scale would be all you really need to start. The .243 should be plenty for her hunting needs and shouldn't be too harsh on her.
 
Nothing the 243 will do much better than the 250 savage. I would let her try them out. Buy a gun after she sees what she likes.
 
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