Let's hear your thoughts.
 

My nephew wants to start deer hunting with me. He's built on a small frame, so I'm wondering what caliber might be a good choice to start with. My spare 30.06 is too much gun for him, I was thinkin' about a 243, or a 25.06, or maybe dusting off my old bolt action 44 mag. What do ya think?

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

Get him a Marlin® Mdl 336 in 30/30. Recoil is very light, & with the new Hornady LEVERevolution® ammo he can cleanly take a deer @ 300yds.

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

7mm-08

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

Just exactly how small is his small frame?

The .243 is an excelent deer cartridge with the correct bullets. It shoots fast and flat so it can be sighted in so he won't have to worry about holding over the deer or anything like that.

The 30-30 is another great deer cartridge for a first time hunter. So is the .257 Roberts, 7mm-08, 260 Rem, 6mm Rem.

Still another option is letting him use the 30-06 until his dad can get him his won rifle. Get him sighted in and practicing with the Remington managed recoil loads. These kick about like a .243 and have plenty of umph at 250 yards for deer.

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

this aughta be good......30-30 @ 300 yards.....I got the BIG bucket o pop corn for this one!!!!! In the hands of a beginner noless:D

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

I like the .25-06. Plenty of power and plenty of bullet with less recoil than the 30-06.

One question: Have has he tried the 30-06? It may not be as bad as you thing. Ifit isn't, get a new gun anyway, because, well, you'll have another gun. And more guns is always better.

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

Get him a 260 or 7-08...he wont ever outgrow either of them. They will both kill farther than most folks can shoot.

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

Here is another vote for the excellent little and surprisingly effective 260rem that’s so much more effective then its paper ballistics show.

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

The 260 or 7mm-08 would be a good choice. Why not try that 44 mag. just for the heck of it. See what he thinks...

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:D:D:D

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

Small people roll with the punch of bigger guns and are probably less effected but recoil than big heavy people. This to a point anyway. I have a friend who is a 110 lb girl who routinly shoots a 375 H&H. I would let him try the 30-06 before going smaller. I have a very bad shoulder and can still shoot rifles up to the 30-06 without to much discomfort. Get a box of the reduced recoil 30-06 to start with and let them try it. JMO

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

I'm in the same sitution with my nephew who is 11 his dad told me he could handle his 06, I tried him and he was flinching so bad he couldn't
hit a bull in the ---, also he was not strong enough to work the action(742 semi)
and there were safety issues. He was scared of the gun, a few sessions
with my marlin lever 44 mag with light loads and he is grouping good. He does notknow he is shooting light loads yet, am thinking about just slipping a hunting load in at the moment of truth.
I have 30-30 and 7mm-08 but the shot will be under 100yds so the
44 will be ideal, also he can work the action.

Martinfaw

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

The 44 Mag rifles can be a Jeckle and Hyde gun. With 180 grain bullets its pretty mild but load it to the Max with 300 or 300+ grain bullets and it can jar your shoulder pretty darn hard.

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

very true. my 44 lever gun kicks the crap out of me with the hunting rounds. i would recommend the 06 or a 25-06... or one of the other smaller caliber guns.

RE: Let's hear your thoughts.
 

Thanks for all the advice. I'm gonna take my '06 with some reduced recoil loads, and the 44mag to the range and let him try both for now. I've been hunting on my own for about 8 yrs now because all my hunting buddies have either passed away or moved away. However, my wife knows the first rule of hunting is not to go alone.So now that my nephew is interested in joining me, it gives me an excuse to buy another rifle. Thanks again for the advice.