Need to get 6 year old a rifle for next season, he aint waitin any longer he wants to shoot his own now!! I use a .30-06 I think thats too much for him. Anyone use a 223 for deer or would 243 be allot better also if 243 is better does it kick quite a bit more? What are any of your guys youngsters shootin? Thanks in advance

Get him a 243 and use reduced recoil ammo. That way u don't have to buy him another gun in a couple years.

In my opinion, 22-250 or 243 would be a better choice. I will probably get bashed for the 22-250, but it is more than adequate. Most important thing is to work a lot on shot placement. Make sure he knows where to shoot and can put it there.

Can you kill a deer with a .223? Yes, but it's not the ideal caliber for a deer use a .243 with reduced recoil ammo.Once he gets the gun practice,practice,practice.

FYI.. Remington doesn't make the reduced "managed" recoil ammo in .243. Would have to got up to a .270 or .260 Rem.

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/centerfire/managed-recoil/managed-recoil.aspx

Might consider a semi-auto as an alternative way to reduce recoil. I've used mini-14's and a SKS with my kid's with good luck. But you need to greatly restrict the distance of the shot (which should be done with a 6 year old anyway).

Just my .02 cents.

Strange opinion but after taking a number wuth 223,I beleive its lower velocity makes it a better killer than 250 on deer and 243. Lot less external damage an loss.with total pass thru an collapse of lungs. The wound is from 7mag few weeks back, Noticed it and one of boys took her but now think should of let her go,as leg bone had some tissue still working, orange stain entry 223. off side exit IMG]http://i699.photobucket.com/albums/vv352/havaseat/newyears077.jpg[/IMG]

.223 will get the job done.

I've had a dialysis port in my chest and shot a Savage 25-06 -very light recoil.

30-30 w/ managed recoil ammo = very low recoil. The rifles are inexpensive, shorter length is easy for a kid to handle, and later you can always load it up with more powerful ammo if needed. My boy will be shootin' age here in a couple of years and that's what he'll be carrying.

243 or 308 with managed recoil are very light.... MR 308's allow you to upgrade to a full size rifle with just an ammo change, saving $$$ in the years to come

I hope this stays constructive...

Shot placement with a 223 would be very important. A 243 doesn't recoil that much harder.

Heck I was shooting 12 ga shotguns when I was 6. When hunting pheasants, I never noticed the recoil when I was shooting at birds.

The 223 is more than adaquate, but remember with the lighter bullet it is all about shot placement as well as with any caliber. My son is 8 and he shoots a 243 youth model, He never feels the recoil when shooting at an animal, he has killed a nice 10 pointer as well as hogs, I let him shoot my scoped 22 ans sks for practice year around, that way he will be ready when season comes around. I beleive the 243 would be the better choice, but that is just MY opinion.

Thats the ticket, shot placement for the young man would be a tough task with the .223, another reason my daughter, 10yr old is shooting a .243. She loves it, and it does not kick the chit out of her.

Good on you to get the young man out there, have fun at the range

Joshua age 7



Joshua shot his first couple of deer with a 223. We used 60 gr Nosler Partitions and made sure the ranges were 50 to 100 yards. I had my 300 out the window just in case, but it wasnt needed. Both deer dropped. With careful placement and a steady rest all should be good. Not that it matters, but all of Joshua's kills were in the panhandle on fairly large bodied deer. Including this cull he took in 06.

My son started shooting deer at age 7. He has killed 5 bucks, all one shot kills, with a .223. Since he was little I started teaching him how to shoot and where to hit a deer. He has had a painting of a deer in his room since his birth and when he was real small we would show him where he needed to hit a deer to make an ethical deer. As he got closer to killing time he would show me every night before I tucked him in where to hit a deer. He had done plenty of shooting and been taught where to aim before being allowed to take a shot. So basically what I am saying is a .223 will do the job with the proper education.




And they can kill with a bow at young age.

I like the 223 for deer hunting out of a blind. Heck I like 223's for everything.

Would not use a .223 I have seen alot of wounded deer with it, and most of the bullets are made for varmints not deer.

I think you'd be fine with either round, but make sure you don't get to light a rifle.

I was looking at picking up a Rossi combo chambered in 243, however, a friend of mine let me know his daughter shot one an it kicked like a mule.

There are some good well built bullets out there that can penetrate and do the job.

if you can find a rifle that fits him get it. the 243 does kick harder than 223 it is a law of physics. the larger heaver bullet will kick hard than a lighter one. and at that young of age a little more kick may be to much them

Shot placement is the key. I've never used a .223 but I literally don't remember how many deer I've killed with a 22-250. In fact I just killed a doe a couple of hours ago with it. I love the neck shot and with that a .223 will kill a deer no problem

my grandpa use to hunt em wit a .22, so im sure a .223 can kill just the same. if u can kill a deer with a bow and arrow, its hard to believe there is a gun that wont. (i know they kill differently and all that b.s., but they both damage vitals which kills deer, end result is the same) but personally id go with the .243 just because ive never noticed that much of a change in recoil.

Nosler Partitian and a well placed shot. 223 will be just fine.

My friends little boy is 5 and he killed all 5 tags this year using a TC with the interchangeable barrels. After losing one with a .204 he switched him to a 6.8 (110 grain I think) and said he killed the next 5 with it and none of them ran far. Also said the recoil isn't bad and if his 5 year old (turned 5 last month) can handle the recoil your 6 year old should. I would seriously look at this gun, because you can just buy barrels for about $190 and get him one every christmas and just keep getting bigger. I am buying one for my daughter.