My son is pretty small and was recoil sensitive. At first I used reduced recoil 243 hornady loads and it seemed to work. Then I let him shoot my youth model 20 gauge I got when I was probably 9 or 10. No more sensitivity to the rifle.

So much this. Teach her to hunt, then teach her to hunt deer.

I’d go with a 22-250 and don’t look back.

6.5 Grendel, 123 gr bullets = good

6.5 Grendel, 123 gr bullets + suppressor = perfect

Any caliber with a suppesor

Youth 223 is what my kids used. They shot plenty of deer and nothing got away

I faced the same thing this year. My 8 year and very petite daughter started hunting. I loaded a 65 grain GAmeking for my AR and she shot a 250 pound boar and he ran 30 yards and fell over. Few weeks later she anchored a nice buck. No recoil and suppressed is perfect for her. No way I’d hand her my 6 pound 243

My kids practice with 22s and then just shoot their deer rifles at deer or pigs. So far they don’t flinch and this approach works

Yep..

You'll never find the .223 listed on any chart as acceptable for deer. However, you will find it at the top of group for varmints, and bottom of the group for predators. Most of the charts that I've seen list the .243 at the bottom or starting point for deer, and top of the group large enough to take down predators.

I once killed a young spike with a .22 short (long story), but I wouldn't stand on that success as a recommendation for anyone, young or old, to use it on deer.

I did a twelve inch 6.8 M4 for the collapsible stock to fit my daughter, and then added a suppressor for the noise and recoil reduction. My 11 year old girl made a perfect 100 yard heart shot and made her daddy's season.

I had the same question cause my daughter has always been small natured. So I bought a 6.5 Creedmoor thinking it would have dual purpose, largest soft recoil caliber. And accurate too. Took her on a hunt and the bang! was too much so the guide pulled out a Bergara 6.5 Creedmoor with an Omega 300 Suppressor and let her use it for the hunt, like shooting a 22. A couple heart shots and she was smiling. I've purchased a suppressor and just waiting on mine from uncle sam - thats the way to go!

223 is plenty for texas deer. My kids have shot several, not all of them were perfect shots and nothing got away. I don't let my boys shoot much past 100 yards. I also know a guy that has killed plenty of deer with a 22 mag. He shoots them close and in the head. 223 is legal and great for texas deer. I want hunting and shooting to be much fun for my boys so I'm all about light recoil

This is what I'm doing as well. I have a 300BO AR for my son to shoot when he's ready and I believe he's very close. He just turned 8 but barely weighs 45 fully dressed soaking wet. Our family has a tradition of the boys shooting their first deer with Papa's .243 but he's still just too small for it. Can't get good eye relief, while getting the gun into his shoulder properly. The collapsable stock on the AR allows the gun to fit him much better. By the time hunting season gets here, he will have over 1,000 trigger pulls on his 22.

Either of these two, or both.

I started on a 22-250 at 5yo for my first deer. Shot MANY deer with that little rifle. Zero kick and effective. Back then, my grandfather loaded some Sierra 63gr Semi-Points that were the cats meow on deer and pigs. I've started loading the same for my wifes 22-250 I got her and she's pretty recoil shy.

For factory loads the Winchester super-x PSP in 55gr does good work. If you can find their 64gr, its a little better and will stabilize in a 1:14 twist.

.45-70 Pistol

Thanks for all the great ideas.

I have also been messaging with Chad, I am probably gonna start with some custom loads for the 336y from him. Also gives me an excuse to put some good glass on that rifle. Up to now it's been strictly open sights, for the girls to hunt I will give them every advantage I can afford.

If that doesn't curb recoil to my satisfaction, then I will probably go the 6.5 Grendel route, maybe even in AR configuration. I never considered 6.5 Grendel or an AR until now.

For ear pro, I have peltors for the girls. Now I need some top quality ear plugs to go with them. Something better than the typical stuff on store shelves. I could use a good recommendation for that, other than a suppressor, for the time being.

My oldest girl was hitting pop cans at will with the bb gun off hand yesterday. Used to take a lot of concentration just to hold the lighter .22 crickett on target with the scope without a good rest. It's crazy how fast they learn. That is the difference it makes when they can shoot casually in the yard. My last place, I couldn't get away with even an air soft in the yard. I'll never live that far in town again if I can help it.

In my 6 firearms, I don't have $1,500 tied up in them altogether, including the 336Y that we bought brand new a couple years ago. Now I am looking at possibly a 6.5 Grendel AR with a suppressor, plus optics... I'm thinking $3,000-$5,000 for one rig. I paid $5,500 for my pickup truck. So that seems like a aweful lot of money to me.

I am sure a .223 is plenty of gun in the right hands. My former stepbrother killed deer and pigs with his dad's .222 when I was a boy. But he also wounded a beaver with several shots using the same gun- I am sure it died, but not impressive at all. A .223 doesn't have much more stink than that.

The other route, would be a nice Leupold fixed scope on the 30/30 and some custom low recoil ammo from Chad, 10-20 percent of that investment altogether. Makes alot more sense (alot less cents haha) to me.

I don't trust the low recoil offerings from the big companies, I don't believe they will meet my expectations. But I put a limbsaver on the 30/30, which felt like it shot softer than the old .243 in the first place. I think some custom handloads barely pushing over 1,000 foot pounds energy in the 30/30 might be a better option for us. According to Chad, he can brew me up a 150 grain load with half the recoil of typical factory 150 grains that will still expand in deer at close range. If it's too much, I'll be looking for a deal on a Howa mini action in 6.5 Grendel. I am looking at them now, anyway. Be a great truck gun too.

Thanks again ya'll.

Just FWI, the suggestions for getting a suppressor isn't just for noise reduction. They will reduce recoil as well. Depending on the suppressor, it can reduce quite a bit, actually. For example, without the suppressor, my 7wsm kicks like a 7mag. With the suppressor, it kicks less than my BIL's Tikka T3 light in 243.

I'm tracking the recoil reduction from a suppressor. I understand it works similarly to a brake. I also understand that at probably $800 plus a $200 tax stamp for a decent one, it is just too rich for me at this point in life. Maybe a couple years down the road.

Going he suppressor route, you better believe I'll buy as much quality as I could afford. Gotta make the most of that $200 tax stamp. Plus eventually rebarrel the Savage in a caliber to match it and so on so forth... it'll never end!

The 6.5 Grendel seems like a perfect caliber for the family though. It has legs for far targets and shoots soft, good sectional density, low recoil, blah blah blah. Why isn't it more popular? I hope it catches on.

Makes sense. I wasn't sure if you knew about the recoil reduction or not. Just trying to help out. I have right at 1k into my Silencerco Harvester. That's the can, tax stamp, and gun trust all included.

The Grendel is a sweet little round. I love mine. The biggest problem with it (that I found at least) is finding ammo on the shelves at the store.

Seems federal thinks its ok. So do I.

In these instances most of the time I think parents are pushing things harder than they should or making mountains out of mole hills.

I would use a 223 (with good bullets) 6.5 Grendel, 243, 300 BO without hesitation. I wouldn't buy a light weight rifle unless your going spot and stalk hunting with it. If your sitting in a box blind a 10 pound 243 would be great.

Another one that has been around for a while




bullet manufactures have taken note of that 223 as a deer round and answered with better bullets for the task. The Partition, 62 gr Bonded and 70 gr Accubond from Nosler, Swift 2 weights of the Sirocco Winchester and Sierra 64gr and 65 gr bullets of heavier than normal 223 bullet jackets, Barnes to name a few. The old Speer 70 gr semi pointed is another.

That old myth of need 1000 foot pounds of energy to kill a deer is a myth. Love the gun writers that spout that or even higher energy figures to be adequate, then some of those same writers hunt and kill moose with a 44 magnum handgun.

Dan a 22 short will kill a deer if put in the right spot but like you I would not condone it and rimfires have been illegal for taking large game for years

Get her a 22-250

****300 Black Out****

My son turned 8 this past December and has always been gun/noise shy. He shoots the wheels of his new rifle and actually took his 1st deer with it this November. Fun shooting little gun!