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Feb 12th, 2024
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 Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: cb66]
#794580
07/24/09 08:31 PM
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Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,786
RonKaye
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 1,786 |
I started out with an old Enfield No. I Mk. IV, back when I had to stand up real straight to be longer than the rifle! Cost all of $14.99 at Monkey Wards. Issue metal buttplate really left its mark on my shoulder, but I put down a lot of deer with it.
Couple years later, the man whose lease I worked bought me a Marlin 336 in .30-30, and it's been my drug of choice ever since. I'd pit it against anything on this continent at 100 yds, and whitetails considerably farther than that. Beyond a minimal set of ballistics, how familiar / comfortable / proficient one is with a rifle & caliber is more important than extreme ballistics figures. Get him something that feels good to him & that he really likes, let him shoot it a LOT, and he won't be disappointed. Just my 2 cents worth...
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: RonKaye]
#794581
07/25/09 12:08 AM
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Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,262
RICK O'SHAY
THF Trophy Hunter
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THF Trophy Hunter
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 6,262 |
I'm gonna chime back in with some reasoning.... pic something 243 or smaller because if you go with say a 270 and have to put a limb saver on it the stock gets longer.
Also go with a full sized gun if they can shoot one, kids at that age grow fast and will quickly out grow a youth model.
with 243 (or smaller) even if or when they move up to larger calibers they'll have the 243 for a "varmit" gun
at 11 I saved my money and bought a 30/06, that gun kicked the crud out of me for about 10 yrs until I bought a 6mm
I know own and shoot a 300wm ... but still if I break out the 30/06 I flinch!!!!
DISCLAIMER
ATTENTION: Your decision should NEVER be based SOLELY upon my advice, recomendation, or opinion.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: RICK O'SHAY]
#794582
07/25/09 12:15 AM
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Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 965
WTTH
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 965 |
West Texas Thermal Hunting
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: WTTH]
#794583
07/26/09 11:52 PM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,056
FOsteology
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 1,056 |
If you roll your own, quite easy to download for any rifle you currently own. If not, Remington has a line of Managed Recoil loads for .260, 7mm-08, .270, .308, and 30-06. All of which would be less or equal to the felt recoil of a .243 Win
Find either a youth stock to fit one of your rifles, or a take-off stock and cut it down to size and add a Decelerator pad.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: jds15151]
#794584
07/27/09 03:23 AM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 558
no-guts-no-glory
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 558 |
Quote:
OK, I am looking for recommendations on a caliber for my sons first rifle. Right now they shoot a 22/.410 at targets. They have also shot a 9mm pistol and an M-1 carbine. I am looking at getting them a bolt action rifle for their first hunts this year. All I have are 06, .308, and 8mm(mostly surplus stuff). I am looking for a smaller caliber with less recoil and blast, but still big enough for hogs, deer. 243? 270? Any help is appreciated.
The .243 is what I would pick.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: Greg]
#794586
07/28/09 03:34 AM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 488
CFR
Bird Dog
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Bird Dog
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 488 |
I'd recommend the .308. I started my son with the .30-30, which worked very well as long as you keep shots fairly close. I would assume that you'd want to keep your son's shots fairly close anyways, so that would not be a problem. My son was threatening to take my .308, so we just bought him his own. Look not only at the caliber, but also the gun. Both my son and I shoot a Remington 700 in .308, and both of them have recoil that is more tolerable than the Marlin .30-30. The Remingtons have a recoil absorbing butt pad, while the Marlin has a hard plastic one.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: CFR]
#794587
07/28/09 03:38 AM
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Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,474
Driller
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 11,474 |
I started with a rem 700 .243 and plan on starting my kiddos with the same rifle
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: Driller]
#794588
07/28/09 06:10 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 98
Bweger
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 98 |
I go with the .243. They can hunt with that caliber from now on unless they go hunting for something bigger than a whitetail or muledeer.
Elite Archery- '07 NVG Energy, '08 GTO, Sarrels Archery- Custom Sierra, PSE- '07 X-Force
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: Bweger]
#794589
07/29/09 06:51 AM
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,882
CTK3
Extreme Tracker
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Extreme Tracker
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 3,882 |
I'll second the 243 also. Killed two pigs with mine today, both head shots, DRT.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: CTK3]
#794590
07/31/09 02:56 AM
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Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 12
PMgunner
Light Foot
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Light Foot
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 12 |
.243 all the way. Its a stable round, and depending on the loads you can use it for deer, hogs, or varmits. Also, with the way things are looking right now, at least in my area, anything other than factory ammo may end up being hard to find after a while, and .243 shouldn't be hard to find.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: PMgunner]
#794591
07/31/09 07:51 PM
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Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,777
mightyp
Pro Tracker
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Pro Tracker
Joined: Aug 2007
Posts: 1,777 |
my wife and kids shoot .243, not too expensive to shoot, little recoil, flat shooting.
It's still "we the people", right?
"If it bleeds, we can kill it."
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: Jayrod]
#794592
08/03/09 08:05 AM
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 244
redonthehead
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 244 |
Quote:
I'd go with a 7mm-08 or the .260 remington. I've heard nothing but good things about both those rounds.
+1, these calibers are the same cases as a .243win., you can get bullett weights close to 100 grains, which will have less recoil and you can graduate to heaver bulletts when they get older. That way you don't have to buy a new rifle later on.
Your words and how you use them will expose your character
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: jds15151]
#794593
08/03/09 09:37 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,762
cbump
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,762 |
Quote:
OK, I am looking for recommendations on a caliber for my sons first rifle. Right now they shoot a 22/.410 at targets. They have also shot a 9mm pistol and an M-1 carbine. I am looking at getting them a bolt action rifle for their first hunts this year. All I have are 06, .308, and 8mm(mostly surplus stuff). I am looking for a smaller caliber with less recoil and blast, but still big enough for hogs, deer. 243? 270? Any help is appreciated.
270 He is gonna want one when he gets older anyways so might as well get it now.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: jds15151]
#794594
08/03/09 09:41 AM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,762
cbump
THF Celebrity
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THF Celebrity
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 20,762 |
Quote:
Thanks again for all of the responses. I've pretty much narrowed it down to a .243, .270, or .308. I'm leaning towards the .243 or .270. Now are there any recommendations on the rifle? I am looking at youth guns by Savage, Marlin, and Mossberg. Never owned any of them so I just wanted some opinions. Thanks in advance.
Why go youth gun? Before you know it they will have outgrown it and then you will have to get another.
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 Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: cbump]
#794595
08/04/09 10:40 PM
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Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 234
jds15151
OP
Woodsman
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OP
Woodsman
Joined: Jul 2009
Posts: 234 |
Because one is 8 years old, and the older one is small framed. And I never complain about buying another gun! 
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: jds15151]
#794596
08/05/09 05:00 AM
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Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 213
GERRYGARRETT
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 213 |
.243 IF THEY ARE SCARED TO SHOOT IT WILL DO NO GOOD, GET THEM SHOOTING WELL GET CONFIDENCE ,CAN ALWAYS TRADE FOR BIGGER GUN LATER AND 243 WILL ALWAYS SALE AND NOT LOSE MUCH IF ANY MONEY FOR QUALITY GUN ,IF YOU CARE ABOUT MY 2 CENTS
Last edited by GERRYGARRETT; 08/05/09 05:04 AM.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: CTK3]
#794597
08/07/09 05:55 AM
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Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2
txbassass
Green Horn
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Green Horn
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 2 |
I got a 243 when i was 14 . . . and nailed everything i shot at. It never made me flinch. I loaned this gun out to many friends and family members who also shot very well with it and all had success. I think it was mostly because it was not intimidating. I used it until i shot a VERY large whitetail and lost him in the brush. Teach'em to shoot well and they could use just about anything centerfire. 25-06 is a sexy caliber but that 243 is a hammer and tack driver if you get a decent one. I could always buy 243 shell just about anywhere . . . 25-06 not so much. Forget your ammo one time and see what i mean.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: txbassass]
#794598
08/07/09 10:51 AM
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Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 96
Geoff927
Outdoorsman
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Outdoorsman
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 96 |
I must still be a kid I shoot a 243 and a 7-08mm love both of them. For whitetail I really don't see the need for any other rifles there just deer not elk or bears. Other larger cal. rifles are for braging rights around camp to see who can have a sore sholder and nothing to show for it. Most folks on here have never shot past 100 yards anyway. And a 30/30 is a fine shooting rifle that seem to get left out of the mix.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: Geoff927]
#794599
08/12/09 08:06 AM
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Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 515
coyotekiller
Tracker
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Tracker
Joined: Jul 2008
Posts: 515 |
HD Coating & Firearms
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: FOsteology]
#794600
08/12/09 08:18 AM
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Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 44,585
RKHarm24
sergeant
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sergeant
Joined: Nov 2004
Posts: 44,585 |
Quote:
If you roll your own, quite easy to download for any rifle you currently own. If not, Remington has a line of Managed Recoil loads for .260, 7mm-08, .270, .308, and 30-06. All of which would be less or equal to the felt recoil of a .243 Win
Find either a youth stock to fit one of your rifles, or a take-off stock and cut it down to size and add a Decelerator pad.
Second   
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: Geoff927]
#794601
08/12/09 10:33 PM
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Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 119
lonestar
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 119 |
My $.02. Started my first son with .243 at 8 years old and quickly traded it for a 7 X 57 (7mm mauser) in Ruger 77. Has a larger bullet and same or less recoil. He is 27 and still hunts with that gun. My youngest son I started in a youth model Remington 700 ADL in .308 when he was 9. At 13 bought a full size stock for the gun and he is 20 and still hunting with it.
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: lonestar]
#794602
08/12/09 10:51 PM
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Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461
rifleman
Sparkly Pants
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Sparkly Pants
Joined: Nov 2008
Posts: 44,461 |
I still have my first 2 rifles.... my dad got me the rem model 7 youth model 243 and I actually will use it from time to time when I have a long walk somewhere with my climber on my back...and can only see about 200yds once I get set up. Is a great gun to hunt from treestands with. The 30-30 doesn't even know what the woods are, but I'm going to hang onto it forever. Take it for what it's worth, but my advice wouldn't be so much about what caliber, model, etc, but if you are planning on giving this gun to your kid, get something that they will want to hang onto forever and perhaps pass along after they have kids of their own. 
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Re: Caliber recommendation for a boy's first rifle.
[Re: CTK3]
#794603
08/13/09 11:18 PM
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 123
TEXAS GRINGO
Woodsman
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Woodsman
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 123 |
7-08 not much kick but hard hitting. Not sure why every one loves the 243. Its a good round for deer but needs a good shot behind it. Too many deer run off with a 243 hit in the wrong place. 7-08 hit is harder and has better knock down power. I hunt Louisiana swamps and went to a 8mm Mauser in 700 Rem Classic to make them stay put.
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