Youth/ womens caliber

[Elkoholic8]

I'm looking to buy another rifle in the coming year for my daughter. She has taken an interest in going deer hunting and I need a rifle for her to shoot. She will be 12 and she's a little small in stature. What is the prefered caliber for a youth gun. I was thinking about getting a .30-.30 (no need for the long range stuff for beginers) but I wonder if that's too much.

->>>--Elkoholic8-->

 

[chap_dog48]

My wife has a 25 wssm and it is a shooter. The recoil it very minimal. My wife's rifle is the Sythetic Camo .25 wssm and it has a great recoil pad on it. I think it is a great rifle. Since it is a WSSM less powder is used to achieve 3000fps with a 120gr. bullet. I would saw that it is equililant of a 243 or so. Just a thought.

 

[Djones]

I watched a youth hunter put the smack down on a mulies doe this year at about 225 yds. He was using one of those Remington Model 700 youth models in 243 Win. As I recall his father said he was using 100 gr loads.

I wittnessed my niece make a 285 yd shot (lasered) on a nice 4x4 buck using my brother's old M600 Mohawk in 6mm Rem (18.5" barrel). My niece was using Remington 100gr Corelock factory loads.

Don

Do you hate logging? Then try using plastic toilet paper.

 

[mlycrzy]

I think both the 243 and 25.06 wsm would be great!

 

[rockycomfortcreek]

243 Winchester.

 

[peakfreak]

I have a 25 wssm in an a-bolt and love it. I got it for my boys when they start to hunt. However, I shot my first buck with a 243 and have all the confidence in that little cal. 100 grain quality bullet out to 250yds all day.

 

[gilamonster8]

7mm-08

 

[RugerM77270]

Go with a 6mm, same bullet as a .243 with about 200 more fps.

 

[gilamonster8]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-06-07 AT 10:11PM (MST)[p]Rem mod. 7 is the same gun and same shellcase as the 243 and 6mm and 308 all are great youth guns (cal.) opps and the 7mm-08

 

[Coloradoboy]

243 wssm, 25 wssm, 25-06 love mine. 270 might be managable

 

[DallanC]

.243, .260, 7mm-08, 6.5x55 sweed, .257 Roberts.

Or a .270/.280/.25-06/30-06 with reduce recoil rounds. I'd think they would be more comfortable with a short action rifle though which is the first list above.


-DallanC

 

[D13er]

.......and in 10 years you'll still be able to buy factory ammo for the 243, 25-06 and the 7mm/08

JB

 

[NMPaul]

Have .243 and a 7mm 08 for the kids.

The 7mm 08 can also be a elk gun. Daughter 2 years ago at 11 years old got a bull with hers with a 140 grain bullet.

The .243 has taken deer, antelope and pigs for them as well.

Both are very popular rounds and easy to get ammo in a variety of grains.

I would lean towards the 7mm 08 as it could be used for an elk gun and they make it in a youth model.

 

[COSA]

6mm., in a remington 700. I like to use the gun for antelope and coyotes. Puts the deer down just as fast or faster as the heavy weights under 250 yards.

 

[BuckSnort]

If you reload the 6mm has a slight edge over the .243 (bullet availability)

If you don't reload go for the .243

 

[BCBOY]

My 11 year old has shot 2 of his 3 deer, and 1 bear with a 30-30. Great gun with almost zero kick. Nice and light to pack too. My 9 year old daughter has shot it and didn't find it kicked too badly either. Next year I'll bump my son up to a model 99 300 Sav and my daugher will shoot the 30-30 for her first deer season. I packed around the ol' 99 for years, and hunted with it for most of my childhood. That is one youth caliber that shouldn't be overlooked.

 

[CouesSniper]

Alot of good calibers have been mentioned here. Just to throw my 2 pennies in, I would recommend a 7mm-08, or a good round that hasn't been mentioned is the 270 WSM. Very good round with hardly any recoil.

 

[JJPRO]

My kids use a Remington Model 7 youth in.243. This rifle is a great shooter. We have taken 5 mule deer, 2 antelope, and I have used it for shooting feral hogs.It is a compact rifle that handles real nicely.The recoil is mild compared to other model .243's that I have shot. My kids started with this gun when they were 9 and now they are 16 and 14 and still shoot it.

 

[HEEFMAN]

I really like the Remington Model 7 in the .260 caliber. Each of my 3 children (2 girls, 1 boy) have used this gun to shoot their first deer at the age of 12. Very little recoil. My boy shot a muley buck this year ranged at 330 yards with this gun. 140 grain Remingon CoreLokts. 1 shot and it was done.

 

[groundhog]

My 11 yr old girl loves her 257 roberts. (Win mod 70)She shoots 117 gr and they do the trick with very little recoil.

 

[MortgageMan]

.243 or 6mm IMO

257 Roberts is a good choice too

 

[predator]

I use a Ported .280 Remington, it's knocked down everything from antelope to Shiras moose. Lots of options for bullets, and it handles like a dream at under 7 pounds.

 

[Extex]

A model 7 in 257 roberts may be the perfect mountain/deer gun for anyone not just a kid ;-) The only problem with it is ammo can be a little harder to find sometimes and everyone has magnum fever

243 & 6mm have very little recoil which is important for kids, 7mm-08 and a 30/30 will have more recoil. The 257 is kinda between them on recoil. I have a 243 and a 7mm08 and my kids always argued over who got the 270 that has a boss - it recoils like 22-250

 

[bonepiler]

I would go for a .257 Roberts or Weatherby or a .243. In states that allow them and if you use your head on shot range and placement, a 22-250 is a great kid gun. I killed several deer as a kid with a 22-250, and never had one get away, but you won't be making 500 yard kill shots with one.