Bullkllr

Wow, thanks for all the great replies. I think I sort of had tunnel vision with the 243/308 issue and forgot there are some other great possibilities. I may end up going with "the best rifle available."

As far as the size and build of my kid issue, he is a pretty sturdy 95# and in great shape from constant sports, but I don't think this is the issue. I know kids, and I know a thing or two about shooters, recoil, and accuracy. Letting a young kid fire a rifle one time and not having them fall over and scream from the recoil is a far cry from developing confident shooting habits that will allow responsible hunting. I want my son to be as comfortable and experienced as possible before he gets a big-game animal in the crosshairs.

How many adults do you see sighting in their rifles who have horrible flinches, etc. as a result of guns they can't really handle? These guys can't be any better on game; I see them having trouble hitting paper at the range. I don't want any part of this for my son. I expect within a few years he'll be able to shoot most anything;but most shooters who learn to handle recoil well start small and work up to big. Most everyone would flinch like crazy (at least for a while) if they started out with a 338. These habits are tough to break.

I'm more concerned with getting a gun he'll find enjoyable to shoot enough to be highly accurate. I also want to make sure it fits him stock-wise. I remember battling full sized stocks for years when I was a kid. I was thinking 243 because they make some "youth models."
Any ideas on cutting-off or replacing stocks to make a rifle fit better?

Incidentally, I've got two 30-30's (94s) on my rack, and while kids have been using these for years with some success,if you haven't shot a straight stocked, 5#, butt-plate rifle for a while - they do whack a bit.

Thanks again, all!