My son's deer rifle is a Remington Model 7 Youth chambered for .243. Ran about $500 with the scope. When he outgrows the youth-sized stock (probably already has), I'll swap on one of the full sized ones, and he's got a deer rifle that he'll be able to pass on to my grandkids...

Mossberg makes a pretty nice youth model. Saw one yesterday at Academy for $289.