Youth Rifle?

idahoforkhorn · Apr 4, 2016

my daughter is going to be hunting big game for the first time this year and I am a little bit lost on what rifle I should get her. she is little and I do not want to ruin her on shooting with recoil, but I need a good rifle that I do not have to worry about animals running of wounded im sure that this has been talked about on here before but any help would be appreciated.

first option I have is ar-15 loaded with some 60-70 grain bullets has anybody used them? good bad? I realize that the 223 discussion has been around for ever but has anybody used it with success?

second option I have a 25-06 I was thinking I could order a boyds stock for and cut the stock down to fit, and load some lighter grain bullets in maybe around an 80 grain. anybody done this before?

last option buy a rifle, what is recommended.

she will be shooting of shooting stick and not shooting further than 150-200 yards. she has been shooting since she was 5 starting with a bb gun and moving up to a 22. she shoots my ar with no problem. thanks in advance.

luvz2hunt · Apr 4, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Apr-04-16 AT 09:07AM (MST)[p]I would highly recommend a little 243. My daughter has one and she shoots it really good. She has shot 5 deer and not one of them has run more than ten yards. Great gun for deer or smaller. Good luck!

idahoforkhorn · Apr 4, 2016

thanks luvz2hunt, so can I ask what model and is it a youth stock?

BIGJOHNT · Apr 4, 2016

Is this just a deer rifle for her ? Or for deer and elk ? How little of a lady is she ? My daughter hunts with me. Now that my boys are older. I started her on a 6 mm. But it was a little light for elk. We had a bad experience and lost a wounded cow elk. A 6 mm is basically a hotter 243. But after that we have her shooting a 270. It's a Ruger stainless with synthetic stock and a short barrel. Very easy for her to carry. It has enough power and bullet selection for deer or elk size game. If your daughter is just deer hunting I think a 243 is just fine.

rmanwill · Apr 4, 2016

243 is an awesome gun for deer and antelope. Flat and fast. Little recoil and she would love shooting it.

My wife has one and I have shot a couple animals with it with great results.

Maybe a little small for elk, but at close range and good shot placement, it will do the job.

243's are great guns and a blast to shoot!!!

hounddawgs · Apr 4, 2016

I would recommend the 243 as well my son started with on and as well as my niece either one had no problems with it

RELH · Apr 4, 2016

Another good option to look at would be a 7mm-08. Very low recoil, good bullet selection and several companies offer it in a "youth size stock" at a very reasonable price. Marlin X7 and Savage both have that caliber in a youth stock.
RELH

12gauge · Apr 4, 2016

+1 on the 7mm-08 in a youth stock...

i'm not sure of the model, but Howa has a 2 stock | 1 rifle; so the gun can grow with the shooter.

4corners_sportsman · Apr 4, 2016

I would recommend ordering a Boyds stock for your 25-06. Boyds makes great stocks and a 25-06 has much less kick than a 270 or most other rifles.

fullthrottle · Apr 4, 2016

25-06, 243, 7mm-08 are all sweet shooters. Of those I would go with 25-06. I wouldn't go the AR route, they can be top heavy and awkward.

TOPGUN · Apr 4, 2016

I'd also go with the 25-06 option you said you have available. I can shoot mine all day like it's a 22LR! With a proper fitting stock it would be perfect for your daughter.

kdinkel · Apr 4, 2016

I had the same issue last year. She was small and it was her first year hunting. We went with the youth savage .243 (it was only $250 or something like that with a 3x9 scope). It wasn't fancy, but I wanted to make sure she liked hunting. I think there are a few other setups like this one out there. It turned out great. It was small and light enough for her to carry and was accurate up the 200 yards (likely further, but we didn't try past that). She shot 100 grain and didn't notice a kick. She loved it and is in for the draw again this year so it did what I wanted.

Elkduds · Apr 4, 2016

243 is 308 case w 6mm bullet diameter. 7mm-08 is 308 case w 7mm bullet. Load light bullets in 7mm-08, it recoils like a 243. Load heavier bullets, more like 308. Really a flexible cartridge that can handle game from varmints to elk. Also, short-action guns (308 case length) will be slightly shorter and weigh less than long-action (25-06) guns. Reduced recoil ammo will make any of the calibers discussed here better for a growing child. When she gets bigger, she can shoot full-house loads. #1 thing is that she enjoys shooting enough to get the trigger time in, then more recoil later is not frightening. Noise adds to perception of recoil and damages hearing, so give her plenty of hearing protection.

sjhgraysage · Apr 4, 2016

Savage used to offer a youth rifle that came with a short stock and a coupon to buy a full size stock at a later date. My boss bought one in .243 for his son, who is now over 6 foot tall. Anyway they weren't terribly expensive and you might find one that somebody has they want to sell.
The Ruger American is available in .243 and a youth size I think?
If you hand load I suggest a 7mm/08 and load it down to begin with, then later she has a rifle she could hunt elk with if she wanted to.

elkassassin · Apr 4, 2016

With My Kids & Family!

300 WSM Minimum!

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mlycrzy · Apr 4, 2016

I bought my boys a 243 Ruger American...they love to shoot it and it's a tac drivin little gun. My 12 year old killed his sheep and a cow elk with it last year. Both shots under 200 yards.

RELH · Apr 4, 2016

I see several guys recommended the 25-06. For a new small size shooter, I would pass on the 25-06 as it has more recoil then the 7mm-08 and .243 caliber. In some cases the 25-06 might be too much gun for a new juvenile shooter.
Do not get me wrong, I am not bashing the 25-06. In fact it is my go to caliber for deer and antelope and I have taken around 50 animals with my 25-06 that I have been shooting for about 30 years,
I also had recommended the Marlin X7 in 7mm-08 and I forgot that when Remington took over Marlin they discontinued the X7. Too bad the X7 had a reputation for excellent accuracy. My Grandson's X7 will shoot 1/2 inch groups with a max load using 140 gr. bullets.
That Howa 7MM-08 that comes with two stocks, youth and full size would be a great package for a new young shooter that you expect to grow much larger down the line. I have lots of experience with the Howa 1500 line of rifles and they proved to be very accurate in several different calibers I have shot. Weatherby uses the Howa in their Vanguard series of rifle due to their record for accuracy and being well built with great quality control.

RELH

bowhunt · Apr 4, 2016

243, 25-06, 7mm08. Are all great big game options for youth.
Good luck.

TOPGUN · Apr 4, 2016

LAST EDITED ON Apr-04-16 AT 09:01PM (MST)[p]Actually RELH, that's not quite right when comparing the 25-06 to the 7mm-08. According to the tables I checked an 8# rifle in 25-06 will be 11 ft/lbs using a 100 grain bullet and 12.5 ft/lbs using a 120 grain bullet. The 7mm-08 with a 7 1/2# rifle will be 12.1 ft/lbs using a 120 grain bullet and 12.6 ft/lbs using a 140 grain bullet in an 8# rifle. Therefore, with that little difference and him already having the 25-06 that may be the better choice than buying another rifle.

RELH · Apr 4, 2016

I did not check the ballistic tables as you did. I was going from what my grandson and several other young juveniles told me that they felt the 25-06 kicked more then my grandson's 7mm-08.
The 7mm-08 will take larger games like the 25-06 if bullet placement is done right. I consider both calibers to be on the light side for serious elk hunting.
If he already has a 25-06, I agree using it could save some money,IF HE IS WILLING TO GIVE UP HIS 25-06 TO HIS KID AND CUT THE STOCK DOWN TO FIT. I was selfish and not willing to give up my 25-06 and bought my grandson the Marlin X7 in 7mm-08 and he loves that rifle.

RELH

ElkManDan · Apr 4, 2016

I picked up a remington 783 for my 13 year old daughter last year. I was going to get a .243 but after we found out she drew an elk tag i decided to get it in .308. I loaded up some loads on the lower end of the scale with 150 grain bullets and they performed great and recoil wasn't bad at all. She ended up taking a raghorn bull at 165 yards with it off a tripod rest.

Founder · Apr 5, 2016

I got my son a .243 with a youth stock and it worked well. Small gun with little recoil. Shot 100gr bullets and it did the job well on a couple different bucks.

Brian Latturner
MonsterMuleys.com
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ElevenBravo · Apr 5, 2016

Tikka 7-08. She'll never need another rifle after that unless she burns out the barrel.

muley505 · Apr 5, 2016

I just bought my wife a Ruger American Compact in 7mm-08. The ballistics are better than the .243, and I see no difference in the recoil. The scoped rifle weighs less than 7 lbs., and the length-of-pull is more appropriate for a smaller shooter. I like it so much, I'm probably going to use it some myself. I had a 11-year-old boy shoot it a dozen times the other day, and he had no complaints at all about the recoil. It's a great little rifle. The Tikka is very nice as well, but the Ruger will be a fair amount cheaper, and I don't think it's any less gun.

As to the .223, the 11-year-old mentioned above shot an antelope (I know, not the toughest animal out there) at 125 yards last year with 55gr. Barnes TSX bullets. It was a complete pass-through, and it only went about 40 yards. I wouldn't shoot an elk with it, but it would be reasonably effective on broadside shots that were sufficiently behind the shoulder out to about 200 yards on deer and antelope. I'd still go with the 7mm-08 if you can swing the new gun though as it is a better option, but the .223 will get it done if you choose your bullets wisely.

HiMtnHntr · Apr 5, 2016

Muley, what kind of accuracy you get with that Compact? I'm dang interested in that one, as I have 3 young boys (only one of hunting age) and I reload for the 7mm-08.

idahoforkhorn · Apr 5, 2016

well I think I have talked myself out of getting a stock for my 25-06, I don't know if I can part with that gun to let her use it. plus I enjoy gun shopping. so you guy have got me thinking long term now, and I am really leaning towards 7mm-08, savage has the compact muddy girl with scope for a good price, so does ruger (I do not think it comes with a scope) but for debate purposes does anybody make a youth 25-06?? Im already set up to load for 25-06 not 7mm-08.

also up for debate 25-06 with a muzzle break? or 7mm-08? I am thinking long term so maybe not this year but in coming years will be used for elk.

also while doing research I noticed weatherby vanguard has a modular compact rifle you can take and add parts of the stock to make shorter or longer looks interesting.

Deerlove · Apr 5, 2016

Interesting, I have a Winchester model 70 feather weight in 3006 with a muzzy break that kicks less than my 243.

muley505 · Apr 5, 2016

Himtn, I got a 1.5" group at 100 yards with it, but I was seated with about a 20 mph wind in my face, so I think I could get it around an inch from a bench or prone. For an 18" barrel on a gun I won't have anyone shoot past about 300 yards, I was sufficiently happy with that group, even though I think it would be capable of more under better circumstances. It has a good trigger on it that helps as well. It's not quite as good as the Savage Accutrigger, but it's only slightly less crisp, and a very nice trigger overall. Excellent gun though, and like I said, I'll be using myself because I like it that much.

ElevenBravo · Apr 5, 2016

Really shouldn't need a muzzle brake for a 7-08. The mild recoil is one of the main advantages of shooting that caliber. My wife has bursitis in her shooting arm, and has never complained about recoil shooting her -08.

As for reloading, there is a lot of powders that are useful for the 25-06 that also work well for the 7-08. Same primers, so all you're really looking at is a bag of cases, bullets, and a new set of dies. I'd pass on using a 25-06 on elk, though. Common wisdom says that .270 is the absolute minimum for elk, but I'd kick it up to 7mm as the minimum. There's little that a 7-08 can't take ethically in North America.

idahoforkhorn · Apr 5, 2016

that is a good point deerlove, so I noticed they do make a 308 in a compact. how much recoil on a .308 with a muzzle break on it does anybody know the ft lbs on that? that is a proven caliber that she could hunt any big game with.

thepenquin · Apr 5, 2016

I picked up a little savage 243 for my daughter. Shes only 6. Until shes older its mine. The thing is a tack driver. Planning on putting good glass and rings on it and use it for Wyo antelope if i draw.

257Tony · Apr 5, 2016

.243 with Hornady low recoil loads, my daughter loves hers and can shoot it all day.

huntdux · Apr 5, 2016

Mossberg has a good youth rifle. Called the Patriot. It comes with a extra piece to add to the end of the stock, so as the hunter grows you can add it.