Youth Gun
10-17-2014, 08:31 AM
#11
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,429
As much as some people hate to admit it, some kids are not physically ready or capable of handling and using a shot gun as early as others are. Better to wait till they are ready than hurt them with a gun that they cannot not handle the recoil from. When you are talking about hunting big game, using an unsuitable firearm and having wounded animals is not a good lesson for the kid. In PA when I started hunting you had to be 12 yoa. That didn;t seem to slow down kids from wanting to hunt.
10-17-2014, 08:58 AM
#12
Typical Buck
Thread Starter
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: IN.
Posts: 530
As much as some people hate to admit it, some kids are not physically ready or capable of handling and using a shot gun as early as others are. Better to wait till they are ready than hurt them with a gun that they cannot not handle the recoil from. When you are talking about hunting big game, using an unsuitable firearm and having wounded animals is not a good lesson for the kid. In PA when I started hunting you had to be 12 yoa. That didn;t seem to slow down kids from wanting to hunt.
10-17-2014, 10:53 AM
#13
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jul 2014
Location: south eastern PA
Posts: 15,429
My club holds a youth pheasant hunt each year for 25 kids, 12 to 16. All must be licensed and most of the kids come from a pool that several hunter education coursed put the names of all kids who score 100% on the test. Before we turn the kids over to the guys with the pointing dogs, we give them a safety lecture and have them shoot some clat birds. I find it incredible and sad that some of these kids do not even know how to load their shotguns, they bring their own, nor do they know how to shoulder them. Many of the guns are too long in the butt stock and some kids can' even hold the gun up to shoot. Sadly, we actually had to refuse to allw a few to participate because they were a danger to everthing and everyone around them. What kind of parenting does this to their kids. It hurt the guys running the hunt almost as much as the kids to refuse them to participate. Not all kids are created equal and should not be using a gun and some parents should not be allowed to have kids because they put their egos ahead of the kids well being and feelings. When I look back to the way I was taught to shoot and to hunt with safety foremost in both I just shake my head when I see some of the no clue people who give their kid a gun and not much more and say have at it. If it would not be for the mandatory hunter education classes, some kids would recieve no instruction at all. Kudos to parents who care enough to ask questions on forums like this so they can do their best for their kids.
10-21-2014, 09:41 AM
#14
Nontypical Buck
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Illinois
Posts: 1,482
I would not hesitate using the .44 mag out of a rifle. It is very effective for deer at close range even out of a pistol, so I don't see what the problem would be using it in a rifle. As you said, just limit the shots to 50 - 60 yards and use a .44 mag load that is tailored for deer hunting.
I understand about not wanting to make him recoil-shy by giving him too much gun at a young age. The .44 mag in a rifle with a nice recoil pad should be no problem to handle. Another option if it is possible for you would be a muzzleloader using a reduced powder charge and a lighter bullet - like a .40 cal 200 grain XTP with 60-70 grains of powder - very light recoil and very effective on deer at closer ranges (I've shot this bullet quite a bit).
I would not use the .410 for deer. My hunting buddy had his daughter use a .410 when she was younger and I saw firsthand the lack of effectiveness. She did take a couple deer with it, but it always involved some tracking as it did not kill deer quickly. After a couple years he switched her over to a muzzleloader with a reduced powder charge, and this worked much better.
I understand about not wanting to make him recoil-shy by giving him too much gun at a young age. The .44 mag in a rifle with a nice recoil pad should be no problem to handle. Another option if it is possible for you would be a muzzleloader using a reduced powder charge and a lighter bullet - like a .40 cal 200 grain XTP with 60-70 grains of powder - very light recoil and very effective on deer at closer ranges (I've shot this bullet quite a bit).
I would not use the .410 for deer. My hunting buddy had his daughter use a .410 when she was younger and I saw firsthand the lack of effectiveness. She did take a couple deer with it, but it always involved some tracking as it did not kill deer quickly. After a couple years he switched her over to a muzzleloader with a reduced powder charge, and this worked much better.
10-21-2014, 12:05 PM
#15
Typical Buck
Join Date: Dec 2013
Location: SW, missouri
Posts: 822
.44 will kill deer just fine. Heck! I killed my first deer with a .223! "Not something I suggest trying..."
Point is when hit in the right spot, A .22 will kill deer. So given the choice of .410 slug or .44 the .44 is definatly your best option.
Point is when hit in the right spot, A .22 will kill deer. So given the choice of .410 slug or .44 the .44 is definatly your best option.
10-22-2014, 08:28 AM
#20
Boone & Crockett
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Eastern PA
Posts: 12,745
i guess the .243 is illegal because you hunt in an area where only shotgun and pistol caliber rifles are allowed. Man that's crazy but something you have to deal with. If it were me, I would use the .44 over the .410. I have no experience with the .410 slug but I have shot a couple deer with a Marlin .44 mag rifle and also used 300 gr .44 bullets with sabots in my muzzleloader to take a few more. And that may be another option for you - a .45 or .50 cal muzzy which you can load down with 70 or 80 gr of powder giving you light recoil and sufficient energy to kill a whitetail.