The kids first deer rifle?
 

Ok guys I am looking for a .25 cal or larger for my son. He is almost 10 but is less than 60lbs. I am looking for a light recoil rifle, I have used many different calibers but most of them were standard rifles 300 win mag, 30-06, 270 ect. I have never shot 7mm-08, 260, or the 25-06, so I not sure about the recoil. I am looking for a recoil that is not much more then a 243. Any info would be helpful.
Thanks Mike

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

A .243 is an excellent gun for a kid. I' m not sure about the 25-06 because I' ve never shot one but heard the recoil is mild. A 6mm would be good also however ammo is much harder to find and there' s not much of a variety either. My son (8 years old) is shooting a .410 shotgun right now and the recoil doesn' t bother him a bit. I' m looking at getting him a deer rifle this year and have been considering the 25-06 but would like to shoot one first just to see what the recoil is like. Is there anyone here that can give me a comparison of the difference in recoil between a .243 and 25-06?

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

Down wind,
A good .25 bore would be the old .257 Roberts this gun dose not get enough credit with todays ammo listing go with my favorite deer cartrige a 25-06 rem.I have killed mule deer and white-tail not a one has ever got away.

Ballistic,
The diffrence in recoil in the .243 and 25-06 is not noticeble,but I' m not 8.I have both the .243,6mm and 25-06,I would compare them all close to th .410 bore 3" mag.
If this is gun for him to grow in too,I would go 25-06. Buy a Ruger M77 MkII full size,then buy a Ram-lite stock and sawzall it down to his size and some 90 gr Barnes-X and shoot away.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

I would opt for a rifle with a heavy barrel if the young person can handle it from a good shooting position. They' re isnt anything like adding weight to dampen recoil. A 308, 7-08, 260, 270, 25-06 shooting the lighter weight bullets have very little recoil in the HB/varmint versions. The biggest problems with the youth/ladies rifles of today is that they are light and will have more felt recoil ie. Rem Model 7 in 7mm-08 verses the Rem 700 varmint variant.


my $.07...AA

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

Recoil with the 25-06 is a little stronger than it is with the .243. It is noticeable, but not something to be too concerned with.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

Down wind,
AA is right, a good Hvy barreled varmiter is a good option,I assume you are hunting out of a stand?
I have a .243 Remington Varmit Laminated rifle with a 26 in barrel,cut down for a youth for sale,3-9 x 40mm Burris scoppe,lee dot rectical and it' s for sale,no my wife said no it' s not.
I would go Ruger varmit 25-06,I' m tellin you can' t go wrong.

I would have mentioned the good Ol' 250-3000 but it is almost obsolete,but it is also a good .25 bore.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

Without question this job is tailor-made for the .257 Roberts or the .260 Rem.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

your youngster is 10 and you mentioned (I assume) he' s not tall.

By this I' m assuming you are willing to cut off a stock to fit him.

The ideal gun is a Rem 7 rebarreled to .257 Rob. or .250 Savage.....spendy

You really should reconsider the .25 caliber requirement. The .243 is a fully adequate rifle for deer. It' s not at all a handicapp!!

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

Thanks for the info Bareback. The .410 he' s shooting is an old single shot that' s really a little too big for him. He' s shooting skeet with the 3" mags in it and has not complained about recoil even after a few boxes of shells although there is a nice bruise on his shoulder the next day. :D I may ask around and see if I can borrow a 25-06 that he can try out. He' s got a really gentle trigger finger and I don' t want to do anything to mess that up.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

As was mentioned once earlier....look real hard at the .260 Remington. It' s 6.5mm bullets come in a fairly large variety. From lightweights meant for varmints up to heavyweights intended for the largest medium game. (In factory ammo it slightly exceeds the grand old 6.5X55.) The recoil is very similar to the .243 Winchester in the .260' s 120 grain loadings. (The 120 grain bullet in the .260 Remington has a sectional density similar to 165 grain .30 caliber bullets....which makes it more than sufficient for deer sized game.) You can have factory loads by various makers in 140 grain as well. Which is a better bullet choice for medium game heavier than the average whitetail. And if you reload there are bullet weights all the way up to 160 grains....(about the same sectional density as a 220 grain .30 bullet). Which makes a very effective short to medium range load for any herbivore on any continent. And with a very flat shooting load in its lighter weights. All of this with very mild recoil indeed!

And as a bonus...there are a number of companies that chamber for the .260 Remington in very short, light, rifles. Remington' s Model Seven in either blue or stainless. Ruger chambers in its Compact (with only 16.5 inch barrel) in blue or stainless and even with a laminated stock. Also a number of other manufacturers chamber for it in other models as well. It is a caliber easy enough for him to handle now...and one he won' t outgrow!

Good luck with your decision!

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

Vapodog
I have to have a .25 cal because it is a state regulation in one of the states we hunt. If not for that he would be shooting the .243 with 100 grainers. And again thanks for all the info guys.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

dw, Thursday I sold a Model 7 Youth in 260 to a man who had his small 8th grader with him (would guess him at 70-80#s). Topped, with a 2x7x33 VX I Leupold it was a SWEET feeling rig. I also recommended 2 boxes of Rem 125 Nosler Parts for it, which they got. If ever a more perfect rig for small beginners that is priced VERY reasonably exists, I' ve not seen it. The recoil difference between a 125/260 vs 100/243 is non-existant. My old Vanguard 25/06 while not much in the recoil department, is more than I would recommend for kids under appx 12 and/or 120#s. Stay away from varmint/bull barrels for youngsters, its hard enough for them to properly hold a fullsized, normal weight rifle nevermind one that is an extra pound or two heavier toward the front. The Youth models in the Rem 700 ADL and Model 7 are AWFULLY hard to beat for the money. And if you have more than one child, they only make more sense as you can " hand them down" to the other kids as the oldest one ages (as is the case with my above mentioned customer and my own kids!). You can also add a simple replacement stock of full length to make it ready for anyone.

Now if you REALLY want to see slick and dont mind a lil more money, check out the Browning Abolt in 243 Win SuperShort Mag. I LOVE the feel of that lil gun and will probably get one for my oldest! Ballistically its closer to a 240 Wby Mag than a 243 Win.

;)
RA

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

I will subject myself to hoots and howls and jeers here. Are you ready?
I currently own a 30-06, a 270, a 25-06, and a 6.5X55 Swede that has been customized. I hunt whitetails in the woods, not as a sniper on the edge of grainfields. Most of the time, I use my Marlin 44 magnum lever action carbine with a receiver sight. If you put that 240 grain ball into the vitals of a whitetail, he ain' t goin' far. We kill them with arrows, don' t we? That little 44 is the most pleasant shooting, quick pointing, easy-carrying gun I have ever owned. And this boy ain' t gettin' no younger! The truth of the matter is....100 yards is a long way in the woods. The 44 can handle that yardage quite nicely. I guess it depends on your type of hunting: do you sit watch on meadows, or do you go out and stillhunt in the woods?

Clint

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

Clint, I was about to say the same thing. A lightening fast lever gun with open sights and a stout load would be perfect. Welcome to forum Clint, are you a lever fan?

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

257 Roberts, 257 Roberts, 257 Roberts, 257 Roberts.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

250 Savage or 257 Robert. I did have a Marlin 44 Mag lever gun too. It would shoot nearly one hole three shot groups at 100 yards Near zero recoil. Not a bad choice either. I am a 25 Junky:)

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

BigBore 1895...Clint, I was about to say the same thing. A lightening fast lever gun with open sights and a stout load would be perfect. Welcome to forum Clint, are you a lever fan?

For some time, I have used bolt action rifles mostly. However, experience has taught me that a good lever action is a wonderful option in the deer woods where shots are typically much less than 100 yards. I particularly like the way an iron-sighted lever gun balances in my hand when I am miles from no where and solely (no pun intended!) on foot. I miss an old 35 Remington lever gun that I let slip through my fingers 25 years ago! As I have grown older, I have also learned restraint. I no longer shoot at every deer I see. It is best for me and best for some deer if I let them pass. They are fine game animals. I am glad to let them pass if not given a good oportunity. A wounded and lost animal is a travesty. Thank you for your welcome to the forum. Glad to meet you folks.

Clint

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

The .260 is attracting alot of gun buyers. I picked up a NIB .25-06 win mod 70 lt sporter for $350! You can' t go wrong with ANY of the quarter bores (or larger) the other fellows have mentioned. Remember, whatever you decide on, you will have to replace it with a larger bore in the future!!!

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

If it' s a light recoiling rifle your after I have a braked 30-378 Wby Improved that recoils the same as a 243 Win shooting 60 grainers. It' s has plenty of range too! Loaded with 115grs of H-5010 behind a 180 it does alittle over 3500fps.

:D:D:D oh oh oh never mind the above, it' s not for sale. Any of the small .257, .264, .284 or even .308 calibers will work. It' s a trade off though, a light rifle will be easier to handle and the recoil will slap you harder and a heavier gun will be harder handle and the recoil is moot. it' s really up to you which is the lesser of 2 evils[>:]


My small framed wife loves her 257 Roberts.......;)doubleA;)

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

several manufacturers are making youth model in 7mm-08

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

you know if you loaded some 180gr 44.mag into that semi auto ruger deer field carbine it might not be bad at all and it would take deer out to 100yards at least

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

The 243 is a fine caliber for a young person to start out with, heck i know guys who use a 243 all the time now. The 25.06 is also fine caliber for a youngster but does have more recoil than a 243 just depends on the bullet weight and load in general if handloading. In my experience a 25.06 loaded with a 120grn bullet and a full case of powder packs a pretty good punch probably as much as a 270 imo. The same gun with a 100grn bullet and a lighter load will kick less. My son killed his first deer with a 243 and a 100grn bullet at the age of 11 and used that rifle for several years. He' s now 13 and uses a 25.06 and even shoots a 30.06 from time to time loaded with a 130grn bullet so i think bullet weight does make a difference.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

As the question stated " 25 cal. or larger" and " deer rifle" I will comment accordingly.

A 260 Rem. would be hard to beat. A 257 Roberts, 6.5 X 55, 250 savage would also be great but ammo may be just a little harder to find.

I got a .243 for my kids to hunt deer and antelope with but have not been happy with it. I am looking to get something a little bigger like the above. The .243 was not really designed and brought out as a DEER cartridge. It was and is a compromise varmint/deer cartridge for the hunter who wants one gun to do two jobs. It is not the best for eather job but " capable" for both.

I hope you .243 fans don' t take offence. I am not saying a .243 will not kill deer. I know it will (I' ve shot two deer and two pronghorn with one) Just stating the facts of the original purpose it was designed for.

Robin

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

new england arms makes a youth model 243 single shot, my little girl has one. shots like a dream. she dropped a buck in his tracks at 200 yards.

it runs around $140. not to bad

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

NEF also makes that youth model in 7mm-08. I don' t know if you can get your hands on one or not. I have seen their handi -rifle last weekend in 7mm-08 so they have made it to market.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

My son shot a Remington Model 7 Youth in 7mm-08 up until this year. He was always small until recently, so this was a perfect gun for his frame. There was not much recoil at all and he has always been confident with it, as he has killed seven deer with it in 5 years. I would highly recommend it. The 7-08 can utilize 140 grain bullets which offer a bit more forgiveness for a youth who may not make the absolutely perfect shot. Just my opinion!!!

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

If I was you i would go with the 25-06. It is a good caliber and doesnt have much recoil.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

I 6.5x55 Swedish or .257 Roberts would be great for your son with not much recoil and wicked results.

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

HR1871 offers a single shot youth model in 7-08, comes with scope base and hammer spur extension, no sights, fairly heavy barrel. Bought one in .243 for my grandson age 10. Check them out at Marlin's websight.:eek:

RE: The kids first deer rifle?
 

I think these guys who are saying that the 25-06 is light recoil are nuts, I shoot much bigger, but we're talking about a 60lb kid and that 25-06 is going to, as patrick Mcmannis said: "relocate his nose to a spot above his right eye" were it will be convieniently out of the way for the next shot. Stay w/ the short actions. 260rem, 7mm-08,257roberts, 250 savage, in no particular order. They are all common and ammo is easy to find. The 243 and 6mm are excellent also, but if the regulations say .25 cal and up then they are out.