.223, I don't get the problems with this round. Get a round with a proper bullet and if that kid is confident than he will drop that deer like a sack. Proper shot placement has dropped many hogs that would make me pee my pants if I came across them. God this is gonna turn into a is .223 enough for whitetail thread. Any gun will kill a deer if the round is well used. Have fun!
I gotta be honest, I was all in favor of .243 until I got an NEF breakover youth model - the kick was easily as bad as my .308 (youth model had no weight and not nearly as much as a Butt pad with the shortened stock - but still...).
I'd rather just get a .308 if I had my choice of calibers that they can grow into - not much of anything you can't shoot in Oklahoma with a .308 (or some of the surrounding states for that matter).
There's nothing wrong with a .223 if you're not in heavy brush when hunting - and if you are, I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a .308 anyways.
I'm always cautious about giving my kids a long-action higher recoil rifle to shoot (especially with a scope), but my boys are 8 and 9 (they're big for their age, but that's a lot of recoil for a younger kid - or older kid who is smaller).
I'd rather just get a .308 if I had my choice of calibers that they can grow into - not much of anything you can't shoot in Oklahoma with a .308 (or some of the surrounding states for that matter).
There's nothing wrong with a .223 if you're not in heavy brush when hunting - and if you are, I wouldn't go with anything smaller than a .308 anyways.
I'm always cautious about giving my kids a long-action higher recoil rifle to shoot (especially with a scope), but my boys are 8 and 9 (they're big for their age, but that's a lot of recoil for a younger kid - or older kid who is smaller).
Wow, after I posted I had to run some errands and had lunch and was quite amazed at all the responses. Thanks.
I was leaning towards a .243 but wanted to get opinions of those that had been in this situation before. I personally have never fired a .243 so I didn't know if it would be an acceptable round for longer shots 200 yards or so.
Someone metioned a 30-30 and I happend to have a Marlin 336C but I was concerneed about this for a longer shot.
Also, light load .270 115gr? I have never heard of this. How does this affect the performance, accuracy, and distance. This may be a option as I have 2 .270's one of which was given to me from grandfather and see many a deer in it's sights.
Thanks for all the help
I was leaning towards a .243 but wanted to get opinions of those that had been in this situation before. I personally have never fired a .243 so I didn't know if it would be an acceptable round for longer shots 200 yards or so.
Someone metioned a 30-30 and I happend to have a Marlin 336C but I was concerneed about this for a longer shot.
Also, light load .270 115gr? I have never heard of this. How does this affect the performance, accuracy, and distance. This may be a option as I have 2 .270's one of which was given to me from grandfather and see many a deer in it's sights.
Thanks for all the help
Something like this would be a good candidate. Like ezbake said, not a whole lot of difference in recoil from .243 to .308. While I still vote for the .243 as it shoots lighter bullets with a little less power, anything based on the .308 cartridge should be fine for newer shooters.
Something like this would be a good choice. Bolt action will grow with them. Can also put a new stock on it when they can handle a full size.
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=134367809
Something like this would be a good choice. Bolt action will grow with them. Can also put a new stock on it when they can handle a full size.
http://gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.asp?Item=134367809
Thanks, and this is the reason for it! There is nothing better than these smiles and the memories that were made this past spring.
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I got a .243 M700ADL when I was 10 or 11. I got the full size rifle so I could grow into it. Never shot a youth size stock in my life. I'd not only recommend the .243 for the young'uns, I'd say every man needs a .243. Especially for use on the greyhound size deer around here.
There are now factory light loads that you can get with reduced recoil to help small framed people (kids and women) shoot until they can handle full loads.
One comment on single shots and lever actions. My kids had a terrible time with the exposed hammer. They did okay most of the time target shooting because the barrel was always pointed down range and they always pulled the trigger. But in the field they don't always get the shot and then have to uncock the rifle and that is where they had trouble with the hammer and their small hands.
I got a glove caught on a 30-30 one time when I jumped a deer and the hammer slipped and the gun went off before I got on target.
Something to think about.
One comment on single shots and lever actions. My kids had a terrible time with the exposed hammer. They did okay most of the time target shooting because the barrel was always pointed down range and they always pulled the trigger. But in the field they don't always get the shot and then have to uncock the rifle and that is where they had trouble with the hammer and their small hands.
I got a glove caught on a 30-30 one time when I jumped a deer and the hammer slipped and the gun went off before I got on target.
Something to think about.
Hmmm that is definetly something that I had not thought about but makes perfect sense and I have had to decock many times.
I'm really leaning toward a bolt action .243, full size, one for each of them, that they can use for a lifetime and hopefully hand down to their kids. I would say I am looking to spend around $1k for both rifles without scopes which should give me a lot of options. Any opinions on rifles to begin looking at? Make, model, barrel legnth, etc?
If you get a 700 the options are almost limitless. I'd even bet there's an aftermarket short stock available for little guys.
Most large rifle makers offer youth models, which usually are just a shorter barrel and stock, so you could later add a full size stock.
Or get a full size to start with if they can handle it.
Watch the classifieds here. I picked up a custom VZ24 7mm-08 on here that is pretty light on recoil, and was $400 with a 4x scope already mounted. It was a purty looking rifle to boot.
Also got a Remington 700 .243 with custom stock and 6-18x40 scope for $600. That one included the reloading dies and a bunch of empty shells too. Kids would have needed a different stock, but you could have sold the custom for more than it would cost to get a factory one easily.
***ETA, in fact, I think there's a Savage 110 .243 with scope already mounted in the classifieds now for something like $375.
Most large rifle makers offer youth models, which usually are just a shorter barrel and stock, so you could later add a full size stock.
Or get a full size to start with if they can handle it.
Watch the classifieds here. I picked up a custom VZ24 7mm-08 on here that is pretty light on recoil, and was $400 with a 4x scope already mounted. It was a purty looking rifle to boot.
Also got a Remington 700 .243 with custom stock and 6-18x40 scope for $600. That one included the reloading dies and a bunch of empty shells too. Kids would have needed a different stock, but you could have sold the custom for more than it would cost to get a factory one easily.
***ETA, in fact, I think there's a Savage 110 .243 with scope already mounted in the classifieds now for something like $375.
Lever action 44 or 357 might not be a bad choice either.
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