Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

This will be our first year for deer hunting and I need to find a gun for my 8 year old. This past year was his first year hunting, we did a few rabbit and duck hunts. He was shooting a 20ga, which he liked except when I bought 3" #4's for duck hunting. He really didn't like the amount of recoil. What gun should I get him for deer hunting ? The less recoil the better. We will not be shooting any long range shots, probably 100 yards or less. I was think of getting a slug gun for myself.

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

if you can use a rifle in your area just get a .243 if not look into porting your shotgun barrel and try some reduced recoil slugs. i think remington makes them. i think noise is half the fear for younger shooters. double up on the hearing protection.make him wear foam plugs and headphone hearing protection together.i would also pick up a cladwell lead sled shooting rest . this rest eliminates just about most recoil. he will be able to shoot all day. you have about 9 more months for gun hunting and im sure he will grow a bit. GOOD HUNTING!

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

I would vote for the .243

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

I would look into guns such as a Browning Micro Hunter, or a Ruger M77 Compact or a Remington Model 7 ( all are bolt action guns ) . Any of them in a .243 would be great. Another route to go is a single shot rifle like a Rossi, or a New England Firearms ( NEF ) in a .243. You can also get them in a heavy barrel model which will help cut down on recoil. And finally, you can get him a bigger gun ( depending on his size compared to other kids thatage....) in something like a 30.06 or .270 in a bolt gun and use Remington Managed Recoil rounds, which actually have a little less recoil than a .243. Then as he grows, he can move up to full size loads with the same gun. If you have not heard of the Managed recoil rounds, then go to the Remington website and read up on them. I have used them with a gun I bought for my wife, and they work remarkably well, and they are good to 200 yards.

One last note, you can get him a 30-30 and put a good recoil killing butt pad on it, and use the new Hornady leverevolution rounds. It is a 30 -30 with a soft point instead of a rounded nose, which gives the 30 -30 more down range energy, making it a true 150+ yard deer rifle. You can find info on that round at the Hornady website.

God Bless

Michael

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

243 or 25-06. Both have very mild recoil.

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

You can put a limb saver recoil pad on the shotgun for about $25-30, and it will reduce the recoil to pretty much nothing. However, I don't know how accurate he can be at 100 yards with a foster slug and bead sight. You may want to buy a rifled barrel.

If you can use a rifle, any of these should be great: 357mag, 30-30, 243, 257, 25-06, 260, 7mm08, 308. If recoil is too stout on any of these (most likely not), put the limb saver recoil pad on it.

I put a slip-on limb saver recoil pad on my 12ga Nova, and it makes 3 1/2" high velocity buckshot feel like a 35Rem, which is a substantial reduction in pain. I can shoot 100 shells without flinching or bruising.

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

243 or 25-06 in a semi auto andManagedRecoilammo.
http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/centerfire/managed-Recoil.asp

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

a good recoil reducer is a semi auto say in a .243 .223. i have been told that a 7.62 semi auto is less then a shotgun

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

Note: Since managed recoil ammo has less powder , and thus less energy , leading to less recoil, then it may not operate and fully eject a spent shellin a semi-auto rifle.

Remington did not say anything about this when they intorduced the ammo, I bought some for my wifes 30.06 and it shot likea .223 or less, but the cases hung on ejection. I contacted Remington and spoke with their technical dept. They said they had not conducted tests with the ammo in a semi-auto,because they never really intended it for that purpose. A couple of months later I noticed that their ads in magazineshad notations that the ammo may notfully operate semi-auto action guns. So while it is great ammo, and semi-auto guns are nice, the 2 don't really go together. If you try it , fine, and if it does operate the action fully, great, but if it does not..... well , now you know why....

God Bless

RE: Deer Gun for 8 year old
 

The Ruger Mini-30 makes an excelent childs or womans deer rifle.