The Sims recoil pads do a very good job of reducing recoil and put one on my Ruger 300 WSM and it still kicks a lot but it is better than it was.

Konaboy, do you still have the pictures of the mooseI sent you?
If you do can you post them?

My brother and I started shooting my dad's 308 at eight. It may be to large for some kid's, but I am sure most 8 year-old's can handle a 243. I have bought a 243 winchester youth model for my son to use when he gets older. It has very little kick.

Thanks for the opinions on calibers, guys. Keep 'em coming.

Vapodog & Virginia7, she started with BB & pellet guns when she was 5. Was shooting .22's when she was 6, and has for the last several months been shooting a .17HMR. She's ready to move up.

I'd take a hard look at a .25-06. Softer than a .260, better performance than a 257 Roberts. Both of my cousin's daughters have them in Savage 110. They each started hunting at 12 and love their guns. An aftermarket recoil pad like a Kick-eze or Sims should also be considered to be on the safe side. Don't want her to hurt, that's negative feedback from the gun,vs. the positive of shot placement.

i bought my wife a remington model 7 in 260, i was actually looking for the -08 because i have a encore pistol in -08 and reload, well a friend of mine was selling the 260 and gave me a great deal, had been used one season, and he is meticulous on everything he owns. now this is the gun i pick up 98% of the time, it's a dream to shoot, so far the caliber has proven to be very accurate, and it's a dream to carry, and great in a portable climber, i have 2 7mmmag's a 7mmSTW, that don't see alot of action anymore unless if i'm hunting a big bean/corn field. as far as the age my 9 year old grandson has been shooting it for 2 years, being a boy he thinks the recoil is "kinda cool" but i believe the young lady could handle it, if not it won't be long, and you got another great little deer gun, btw i would say the 260, 08, the 6.5 sweede, will all be close, imo, the one advantage of the -08 is the broader bullet selection

I bought a remington Model 7 in a .260 for my boys then 7 and 11. After the trigger job this is one sweet shooting little gun. My 7 year old was no monster when he shot his first few deer and hogs with it last fall, maybe 50 lbs. I've been shooting a 120gr round through it using a VX-II 3x9 40MM and you will find that you are tempted to borrow it from your kids. A nice little tack driver.