hey guys, long time no see.
but down to buisness, im looking into getting a NEF either .22 hornet, .223, or .243 rifle to use as a kind of "mess around rifle" or just something to carry when im out in the field. The possible targets would be squirrels (headshots), raccoons, the occasional possum, if im lucky a coyote or bobcat every once in a long time. one of the only reasons for the .243 beign thrown in there was bc my little brother is 8 years old (abeit a mature one, physically) and i was potentially thinking that if it came down to it and we decided to let him take a deer her could try with that because i doubt he would be able to handle me 7mm, 30-06, or dad's .270, but thats just a side thought.
so yeah, if it makes a difference it would definately become scoped and definately not a bull barrel model.
-Thanks in advance! Im glad to be part of the community again, ive been gone for a few years.

I own a .243 that I bought for my son when he was 8. He can handle it fine. It is quite accurate. But, just an aside to what you asked about, These days you really dont have to nuy a smallish gun for a kid. You can get a short action gun like a rem. model 7 in .308 , and use the remington managed recoil rounds in it. The recoil is at or just below that of a .243. They also have it in .270, and 30.06. A model 7 is a great gun, and it is not too small for an adult either. I know , I hunt with one. I own several other rifles, but that has become my favorite.

thanks man, yeah we're looking into getting him his own rifle soon so im not that worried about him and deer. im lookin more for a very accurate, dependable smaller caliber gun i can tote with me when im scouting, messing around, target shooting, and varmit hunting and these rifles look perfectly suited for the job, but what caliber? im having 2nd thoughts about considering the .243 just becasue its basically a full size round as opposed to the .223 or .22 hornet which are both smaller and less loud/expensive/recoil (not even an issue though with these size rounds)/ etc etc.

I'd go with the 223 or a 204 Ruger and Nef has both. If you want more info on the NEF go over to the Greybeard.com form. Zeak

My little 243 nef is very accurate but the only issue I had at first was spent brass not ejecting on occasion. Other than being a little unbalanced when compared to a bolt rifle, no complaints. I will be taking it to oklahoma for whitetail this year. Took a doe with it last year, it did fine.
My advice? Get him a little larger caliber and get it in that stevens 200. It will cost 40 bucks more, but your getting a better long term setup. EJ

Yes go with the Stevens 200, because it can be had for not much more than the NEF, also it will be a good introduction into the world of bolt action rifles. But if you want to get the NEF, that is also a good choice.

okay, lets say we take deer and the little brother out of the scenario. would a .223 or a .22 hornet be a better choice? it'll be in a synthetic blued handi rifle, and will have a scope (suggestions? {inexpensive}).
-.223 model}246.25
-.22 hornet} 223.99
-the pricing of the rifle itself isnt really a concern, 23 dollars isnt a big deal.
i just want the cartridge to be really accurate, i dont handload if it makes a difference, and be fun but still have enough power and versatility for something from a headshot on a squirrel to a rare shot at a coyote (only seen a few here, shot one with my 30-06, doesnt happen often at all) and for some fun target/junk shooting.

I would go with the .223. You can buy bulk ammo for it really cheap and it is a really accurate round.

you think a FMJ .223 round would work for headshots on squirrels every once in a while? and what kinds of groupings would I be able to expect from this rifle? effective range?

I'm thinking of getting an NEF in .223. Just for plinking and varmints. I like the .223 because of the cheap ammo. If you wan't another caliber you can always get a new barrel. I might get the muzzleloader barrel too.