Best Youth Gun Caliber??

[cwink]

What is the best Youth Gun Caliber and Why??

[MSDawg870]

I choose .270 because thats what I started with but I wasn't deer hunting with a rifle at 10yrs old more like 14-15. I guess if a youth started hunting with a high powered rifle at 10 then maybe a .243 would be better a little less kick.

[tombstone]

I think it all depends on their size and the age at which they start.
I started with a 243 at age 10. I have purchased a .223 for my little girl. She is 5 now and small for her age. Ina few years I think the 223 will be a good fit. Hopefully she will start hunting sooner than I did.

If I had a boy that was 9 or so, and I was purchasing a new gun, i would probably go with a 7-08 OR the reduce recoil loads in a 308. From what I have heard those reduced recoil loads are very tame and you can switch to regular loads as they grow.

I am always looking for an excuse to buy a new gun. If I could I would have one of all of them

[Dutch Dog]

I just got the kids a .243. I did quite a bit of research on it, and the next step up would probably be the 7mm-08. I have had a .270 and it would STOMP me, won't go there again...but it would do some major damage to a deer!!! One gun I don't see on there is a 6mm, that would be a great choice for a 9-10 yr child with normal build. 223 is a little small for deer, not saying it wont kill it, but still a little small.

[cwink]

I just got the kids a .243. I did quite a bit of research on it, and the next step up would probably be the 7mm-08. I have had a .270 and it would STOMP me, won't go there again...but it would do some major damage to a deer!!! One gun I don't see on there is a 6mm, that would be a great choice for a 9-10 yr child with normal build. 223 is a little small for deer, not saying it wont kill it, but still a little small.

The interesting thing I find is that a lot of people suggest the 7mm-08 for a youth gun. When in fact it is a .308 neck down from a 30 Caliber to a 28 Caliber. And the .243 is a .308 necked down to a 24 caliber. But not a lot of people would suggest the 270 which is a 27 Caliber and actually smaller than the 7-08.

Having shot the 243 my whole life, my first experience with the 7-08 was it had a pretty good kick to it and I wouldn't want my son to start out with that..

One more that I should have put on here was the 260 Remington.. Which is also a modified .308..

[Dutch Dog]

HMMMM, everyone I talked to said the 7mm-08 had a little more recoil than the 243, but still not much recoil. I got to looking at it, and I think I remember them having a 130 gr bullet for it which is what I shot out of the 270....which stomped me. I also think I remember seeing a 100 gr bullet which is probably what the folks were talking about shooting out of it. I'll probably go with somewhere @ an 80 gr bullet out of the 243 for the kids.

[cwink]

HMMMM, everyone I talked to said the 7mm-08 had a little more recoil than the 243, but still not much recoil. I got to looking at it, and I think I remember them having a 130 gr bullet for it which is what I shot out of the 270....which stomped me. I also think I remember seeing a 100 gr bullet which is probably what the folks were talking about shooting out of it. I'll probably go with somewhere @ an 80 gr bullet out of the 243 for the kids.

Go with the 85 Grain BTHP from Federal. It is what I have been using for years.. Never lost one and never had one run more than about 10 steps.. and that is at ranges up to 250 yards..

[Dutch Dog]

Thx for the tip. I've had the gun @ 2 wks and haven't shot it one single time yet. I wish I had a good place to shoot up here.

[DEERHUNT]

I'll say 30-30 for the first rifle

[missed mallards]

I would say a 243, 223. both are great for youth. I had a bad expereince with a large bore as a kid, and to this day i still have a tendency to flinch.

As i've gotten older i've been able to shoot a few larger guns and this is my take'

7mm-08 has quite a bit of bunch for a kid. A little too much when you need them to practice.

243 is easy on the shoulder and a joy to shoot. I shot a Browning BAR chambered in this caliber and enjoyed it.

270, I have one and at 22 it still kicks like a mule.

30-06 just to much gun for a kid.

Another thing to take into consideration is your optics. Make sure they have a good eye relief. the last thing in the world a kid needs to expereince is the scope slapping their forehead.

[DUCKAHOLIC]

My little girl hunts with a 243, she was 7 last year and killed 2 deer with it. I was a very proud papa to say the least.

We hunted one afternoon with just my gun, 7mm Mag. Right at dark a spike came out and I asked her if she wanted to shoot it with my gun. She wanted to know if it kicked, I told her it didnt kick any harder than her gun did.... ..... She shot daddys big ole gun and dropped the spike in his tracks.....I said did you feel it, and she said feel what lets go get my deer.......

Point is, dont let them target shoot with the bigger guns but "adrenaline" is an amazing thing.

I rarely remember pulling the trigger or letting the string fly when fixing to take an animal.

[rustypjr]

My first rifle was a 30-30 lever. Still have it. And still use it quite a bit. A 30-30 or a 243 would be my choice. One of my friends growing up got a 243 at the same time I got my 30-30. This was the first synthetic stock gun I had ever sen. It also had a stainless steel barrel. Thinking back on that gun it almost seems like it was a dream. Just a walk down memory lane. I wanted that gun so bad. Yes I am still pouting.

[chattahoochee]

I started with a .243 when I was 8. My dad bought me a bolt action to learn the safety of the gun and so I could learn the importance of a ''one shot clean kill'' philosophy. I was brought up by my dad and uncles duck hunting and they stressed safety and muzzle control very strictly. I dont regret the cussings one bit. But a bolt action IMO would be more suitable for a kid learning safety issues and shooting.

[MSDawg870]

But a bolt action IMO would be more suitable for a kid learning safety issues and shooting.

Definitely I saw a young fella hunting with a 30-30 lever action last year and it scared the heck out of me. My Dad has a .444 marlin lever action that I ain't crazy about shootin because of not having a safety on it.

[cwink]

So far the .243 is in the lead.. Which suprises me.. Ever since I moved to MS I have gotten nothing but grief for shooting a 243. All I heard was how much of a peashooter it was.. Everybody said you gotta have a 270 or 30-06 or 30-30.. I thought the 7mm-08 would really win this poll.. I like my 7-08 and got it primarily because I wanted something I could take out west... But IMO, for deer you don't need anything more than the 243...