SHoNUFFtx22

looking to get my daughter a gun that i can hand down to my son when he gets older( hes 2yo). I was thinking about a single shot rifle. something that is big enough to drop Texas deer/hogbut will not kick her to hard and make her not want to shoot it. She has been on the old 22lr a little and enjoys shooting. Any ideas? i was thinking 223 but its kinda small for a pulled shot. I am also not familar with "youth" guns at all as i was handed full size guns from day one. Most of the rossi/NEF single shots go around $180-$210. Any input as far as cal/model/anything else would be great. -Lynn

SHoNUFFtx22

I have also noticed that most of the youth models go around 7-8lbs. I am guessing that this is to help with recoil.

Soilarch

NEF handi-rifles come to mind (if things go wrong you can buy another barrel in a caliber that YOU want)

And the .243 comes to mind in cartridges. I've shot my friends, and it had more *noticeable recoil than my 22-250...but not much, not much at all. Both are guns are/were big-scoped 700s so they had at least a pound or two over the handi-rifles.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm make sure to notice the differences in gun weights. (don't you wish the 6.5swede was more popular....I sure do)

I don't know what kind of recoil pads the handi-rifles come with but I would put a good pad on before she takes your first shot. The new remington pads (R3, i think) or awefully soft.


Didn't read you first post that well, if their youth models are going around 8 pounds there won't be much difference with the 700s aside from scopes.

North Texan

For a good hog/deer rifle, I would go with a .25 caliber bullet, in either .257 Roberts or 25-06. Both have plenty of power to bring down deer and hogs without a lot of recoil.

biscuit jake

Funny, North Texan, I have heard that the .223 has a following amongst Texas deer hunters. But I too would go to a 243 or 257 if the shooter was big enough.

OhioHunter222

if you get a gun that you can put a limbsaver recoil pad on then it will make a world of difference, with them you can feel a push but no pain at all. like i shot a 12 gauge and it pushed me a bit but i never felt pain or discomfort at all

JeffS

A little NEF in .243 would be good.

SHoNUFFtx22

i was looking at the limbsavers as well. My daughter is tall and skinny for 7yr. i was looking at the 243 today at gander mountain, and combine that with a nice little 4x scope and limbsaver. I have been makeing her us the open sights on the 22lr and she is pretty good out to 50yards with it. aiming at a can. May go pick one up this weekend and take her shooting with it.

North Texan

I have one and have used it on hogs many times. All successful. And I wouldn't hesitate to use it on a deer if the opportunity were to arise. But I have a decent amount of shooting experience, which makes a world of differencebetween what I am capable of doing with a .223 and what a beginning shooter is capable of with a .223.

TFOX

We just got my 7 year old SON a Rossi in .308 with a 20 gauge shot gun barrel.The Rossi fit better than the New England and had a much better recoil pad than the NEF.I didn't see the need to change it.


I know that .308 sounds big for a 7 year old but the gun kicks less than the pump 20 gauge he shot a couple weeks before.As a matter of fact ,I think the Rossi .308 kicks LESS than the Synthetic .243 Youth Remington that I have.Another nice aspectis it will allow a little more forgiveness on shot placement.With the young ones,we know nerves sometimes play a role,heck,nerves sometimes play a role with us older ones.

You know your daughter better than I and you have to make the coice but I knew my son would shoot the gun if it tore his arm off.Just the way he is.[]My son isn't big but he is strong.


I also have a .223 NEF that my daughter started with along with a couple cousins of hers.I didn't like the gun because it left NO BLOOD TRAIL.We lost a couple deer among the 3 kids that used it so I refused to let my son use it.I did use the gun first and had no problems finding my deer but I watched it fall in an open field.But there was still no blood trail with a perfect hit.[:'(]



One last thing,you may want to consider a red dot scope instead of a regular 4 power scope.I really like the fact they can immediately find the target and they are so easy to aim.Naturally this is for close range but most kids need to keep it close anyway.