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Best round for a youngster #6020535 11/10/15 03:30 AM
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Looking to get my 8 year old a deer rifle to practice with for next year. Without getting into the debate of what caliber is better for this or that. He's a scrawny 8 year old. Was debating a 243 or a 7mm08 but also 300 blackout and 6.8. What have y'all found success in for smaller kids. Think he would do much better in the stand hunting rather than watching.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020555 11/10/15 03:38 AM
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I grew up shooting a 250 Savage. Great round for a kid.


The very atmosphere of firearms anywhere and everywhere restrains evil interference. -George Washington
Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020556 11/10/15 03:38 AM
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6.5 creedmoor or 7-08, I would also think about putting a brake on it. its something that can grow with them. My boys going to start with a 22 creedmoor.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020559 11/10/15 03:40 AM
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I considered the brake option too. Makes the old 300 win mag enjoyable.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020562 11/10/15 03:41 AM
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And I'd love a custom rifle for him that he'd kee forever but he isn't getting one before me.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020595 11/10/15 03:59 AM
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7-08 or 7x57 if you can find one. Mild recoil with extremely good BCs on the bullets and the loads can do anything from light varmint to elk/moose.

I like the .243 a lot and it is a very good cartridge, but it lacks the growth that the 7mm provides. 6.5x55 might also be something to look at or the 6.5 grendel that is coming out soon in those howa rifles.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020629 11/10/15 04:19 AM
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The .243 with mono-metal bullets at 3400-3500 fps is not your Daddy's .243. Don't underestimate its effectiveness.


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020638 11/10/15 04:27 AM
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Here is my thoughts in no particular order mostly because of prior experience or just what I've seen but no research as far as a youth size rifle

300 blackout
6.8
243
7mm08
25-06
308

Some hve reduced recoil loads. He shoots my old single shot youth 20 gauge no problem and I don't even enjoy it. Not stirring the caliber debate because I like weird stuff. A brake is an option and maybe what I do to any of them for the time being. Once it's sighted in it won't be shot much but don't want to develop a flinch either.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020692 11/10/15 05:44 AM
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Either a 7-08 or 308/30-06 with reduced recoil loads. Also, a 30-30 makes a darn fine deer gun for anyone.


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020697 11/10/15 05:51 AM
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243 is a good rifle for kids. It has mild recoil and shoots flat. My son started using his at 7 and has taken numerous deer with it. He is now 16 and even though he has other larger caliber rifles, he still uses his 243 most of the time. We use Hornady 100 grain ammo and it does a great job.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020725 11/10/15 07:43 AM
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A 243 will kill anything in Texas and is a great round for a first rifle. Shoots flat so less issue with incorrect distance estimation and bullet drop. And the recoil is very manageable.


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020744 11/10/15 09:10 AM
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243 hands down, but for exotic flavor that 300 blk can cover alot of territory, im just crazy about mine. 110/125 supers to 300 yds, or 100 yd subsonics with recoil that a sissy could smile about. Ruger ranch 16" bbl in 300 blk like $425 already has picatinny rail.


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: Mike Honcho] #6020782 11/10/15 11:31 AM
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6.5 Grendel


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020811 11/10/15 12:14 PM
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.243


Originally Posted by Russ79
I learned long ago you can't reason someone out of something they don't reason themselves into.


Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020839 11/10/15 12:40 PM
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I'd say a .223 or .243 is a nice introduction into a hunting rifle. You can practice a all you want with cheap ammo to get him comfortable with the .223. I grew up hunting with a measly. 22 hornet..makes the .223 look like a cannon. A bullet in the ribs behind the shoulder made a dead deer.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020880 11/10/15 01:20 PM
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The answer is NOT 708, 308, 2506

Buy something that can be used and liked forever since he will never be able to get rid of it. I would keep the biggest choice at 6.5 creed/243 level max for recoil. A 243 can be used as a deer gun, varmint gun, or long range gun. Many of those choices you can not.
My first guns were a 3030 and 3006. I never shoot them and wish they were something different but since they were my first guns I'm stuck.
So whatever you choose make it a good one or at least the platform.

.02

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020888 11/10/15 01:30 PM
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243


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020893 11/10/15 01:33 PM
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I also agree on the 243 as being a good choice. 7mm-08/308 are too much for a child. Kids should be learning, not dealing with recoil.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020911 11/10/15 01:44 PM
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I started with a 22-250 at the ripe age of 6, so don't rule that one out as a possible contender. My dad has sense sold my old one to his coworker for his son to use, since the stock was cut down. I picked up another one for my wife to use last year. She's very sensitive to recoil, but shot her first pig with it last year.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: J.G.] #6020913 11/10/15 01:46 PM
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Originally Posted By: FiremanJG
6.5 Grendel


Agree


lf the saying "Liar, Liar your pants on fire" were true
Mainstream news might be fun to watch
Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020943 11/10/15 02:12 PM
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All the common one's listed above would be fine (except the 300WM). But you can also take any of them and shoot reduced recoil ammo. My son (10 yr old) has been shooting a lot of 223, but also shoots my 300 blk out. He like the Tikka 223 rifle better, so he shoots that the most. But a 243, 7-08, 308 Win with reduced loads will have soft recoil. The trick is lighter bullets not going very fast.


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020956 11/10/15 02:19 PM
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This in a 243:
http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/10PREDATORHUNTERMAX1

They have a 9.25 twist where as most 243s have a 10. I haven't tried yet but it should shoot the 105 Amaxs down to the 58 Vmax. That will cover anything from prairie dogs to long range targets and everything in between. I worked up one load with an 87 Vmax and 38.0 grains of Varget for mine and it shoots under 1/2". Never even tried another load.

Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020967 11/10/15 02:25 PM
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I had a youth single shot 7mm-08. It worked great, but my dad also hand loaded shells so it didn't have any recoil to speak of.

Last edited by Aggieman775; 11/10/15 02:48 PM.

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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6020978 11/10/15 02:30 PM
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My first gun was a .243 and I still have it, although my dad hunts with it now. I picked up a Ruger American Standard 7mm-08 on a great deal in January and can't believe how soft it shoots. I bet with the manage recoil loads you don't even feel it go off. I'd go 7mm-08 so it can grow with him.


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Re: Best round for a youngster [Re: jhenderson] #6021002 11/10/15 02:45 PM
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I'd get him the 243. I think it's the obvious choice. Never a shortage of ammo at Bubba's Hardware, car wash, and burgers.


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