My daughter (age 10) recently passed her hunter safety test. I would like to get her a firearm which she will be comfortable shooting and not scared of. Some youth guns are still a little big for her to hold comfortably. We hunt both deer and turkey here in Vermont. I know a .243 is a popular caliber for youth. She has a .410 which she shoots so something with a kick similar to that would be great.

Any recommendations on a nice youth size firearm for deer and what do you think is a good caliber?

Thanks, Rob

A .243 is a great caliber to start deer hunting with. I got one for my two grandsons, two shots, two dead deer. Very easy on the recoil. At about $230 at Wal-Mart the H&R breech loading rifles are hard to beat.

I started out when I was young with a Winchester 94 30-30. The stock was cut off some so it would fit me. I even added a scope to it later (get the angle eject).

I still use it!!!!! It is a great gun for less than 100 yd shots and has little or no recoil....(at least it doesn't when a deer is in the crosshairs....LOL). It has taken 69 deer since the first year I hunted with it.

I would go with Rem. 7mm-08 in the lightweight700 Mountain Rifle..bout 6-1/2lbs. anduse 139gr. Hornaday SST's. a little under max. The recoil what little there is...is less than a 410 and the rifle will begood for her lifetime.

I started, and still use a remington 30-30 (top eject, side mounted scope) never failed me.

Im 14 years old and I shoot a .260 which doesnt have too much recoil, but afriend of minejust turned 12 and he's a pretty small guy for his age, and he shoots a .25-06 with 115 grain bullets for deer, the recoil is barely noticable


Mike

I started with a model 94 in 30-30 but I would not recommend it for a youngor very small shooter.While the 30-30 cartridge is very mild,it is ballistcally very poor and the design of the 94 does not absorb recoil well.I would recommend a bolt rifle with recoil pad in 243win,257 roberts,260 or 7mm-08.

I will have to second the .257 Roberts. I used it to kill my first deer at 12. My brother uses his to hunt deer every year in Canada. He likes it because it is easy to shoot and has very little recoil. A .243 is a tough caliber to beat for a youth as well. You won't go wrong with either of these.

I also agree!

I would get the Browning BAR Short Trac in .243 Winchester. The rifle will have virtually zero recoil, and will take deer reliably at whatever distances you can hit them at.