Well, here's an oldie.... But, since it's seeing daylight again....

I've seen a few posts over the last couple of years regarding the purchase of a "starter" or "beginner" rifle for a young hunter. Just a FEW of my observations from the range and from the field:

1. Possibly the most important - Length of Pull and stock design. None of us wants to cut down a beautiful piece of walnut, but consider that many bad habits grow from poorly-fitted rifles (as well as shotguns, for that matter). Fortunately, many makers now offer stocks specifically for the youth market, whether part of a factory deal like Howa's, or the possibility of affixing a full-sized aftermarket stock down the road.

2. Overall weight. A couple extra pounds slung on adult shoulders, or propped up for an offhand shot isn't a big deal for most of us. For someone half our stature, it can be a deal breaker. Discomfort, if not an out-and-out liability moving through the brush safely - all the way to needing shooting sticks (one more thing to carry) to put lead on target. Youth rifles tend to be built on short-actions to start with, shorter stocks, often with shorter barrels as well. All are obvious weight reductions over a standard rifle. But, one can still cut down on weight by NOT putting on the biggest, most powerful 4-20x50mm scope one's parents can find or afford. A good 4x will not only handle most shooting situations, but also save a few more ounces and potentially be more reliable than a cheap variable.

3. Choice of caliber. When you're looking at a lighter weight rifle as a desirable trait, felt recoil becomes a more serious concern. Put a "standard" like the .30-06 or even the .270 into a "youth"-type rifle that weighs a pound or so less than its full-size counterpart, put it in front of a person who weighs half what most of us do, and you'd better be prepared for them to take a beating. The flinch they learn will follow some of them for the rest of their lives, possibly ruining their experience in the process. In a lighter rifle, I'd recommend cartridges based on the .308 Win: the .243, the .260, and the 7mm-08. If your youth hunter can handle the .308, he/she can probably handle a .270 or possibly even a .30-06. As has already been mentioned, many states mandate a minimum caliber of .23 or .24, which makes calibers like the .22-250 questionable choices for deer hunting (check your local regs to be certain)

4. Don't assume that the "starter" rifle and caliber will be abandoned once your young shooter grows up. My first centerfire - a .243 - remains in my battery in spite of my moving to heavier calibers in the years that followed. Nonetheless, it continued to fill a niche for long-range varmints and light big-game work that my .30-06, .300 Wby, and .375 H&H didn't make sense for. While that first rifle - A Remington 600 Mohawk - seemed cheap (hardwood stock, pressed checkering) in comparison to my Dad's and my uncles' 700 BDLs and 70 XTRs, its major metal components were of sufficient quality to ensure reliability, function, and accuracy. Compare that with some of the "youth" packages today. Cheap stocks are common, but now we add cheap components and wonder why our kids complain? (think of the Remington 710 or 770, or any number of single-shot package rifles). If you purchase them something intending it to last, it will. Purchase something you wouldn't carry to the field, and they won't carry it either. Nonetheless, if it's all you can afford - it's all you can afford. Something is still better than nothing.