My 12 year old started last year with a 308 and shoots it really well. My Winch mod70 '06 fthwt. seems to rock him uncomfortably.

I'm a big proponent of building good rifle shooting form and habits through quality practice. Its tough for a kid to do that if he's worried about getting knocked around.

My son practiced and got really good before I took him afield. He drilled a really big 3x4 mulie with the only shot he has taken at a game animal with a rifle. Range was around 200 yds.

A friend of mine has his two sons shooting his '06 with no recoil pad. They have taken a few shots at deer and bear and have yet to hit anything.

While some people have more ability to absorb recoil than others (both kids and adults), lighter recoil really helps build shooting skills.