I'd go with either a 243 or 6mm

NEF makes a single shot youth rifle in .243 win. I have one for my son (age 10) he loves it. Winchester and Savage make a youth bolt action as well. I prefer the single shot as it's safer and makes the young shooter think about shot placement as there is no quick second shot. Good luck

30-30 is a great gun for kids just starting out.

I love shooting the same .243 bolt action I've been shooting since I was 6. I thought it had alot of kick untill my dad made me shoot his 7mm Rem Mag. After that the thing had the recoil of a bb gun to me.

Save the sport. Take a kid hunting twice and hook them for life!!!

I agree with those who have suggested the 243 or 30.30. My daughter loves the 243 and my 11 year old son loves the 30.30. I am not sure why someone would suggest the 25.06 however. Ammo is not commonly found, ammo is expensive and the thing kicks like a mule... worse than the 30.06 in some choice of rounds. Don't believe the hype about the 243 and 30.30 not being enough gun. That simply is not true. I have gone down to a .357 model 94 carbine, because all the deer where I hunt are at one hundred yards or less and the 30.30 was causing too much meat loss. I know a guy who had hunted years with a model 94 in .44 magnum but he has switched to the .357 for the same reason... too much damage and loss of meat.

The 25-06 kicks less than the 30-06 in an equal rifle.The recoil listed for the 100gr load is 13ftlbs while the 30-06 provides 17ft lbs for the 150gr load.Ammo is easy to find and the cost is in the same range as ammo for the 270 and 30-06 where I live.

Edited by - stubblejumper on 09/07/2002 08:59:09

Every kid is different, you will know what to do, but the marksman ship and familarity with a gun, is very imporotant prior to any gun selection. You certainly don't want your young-uns to wound and lose game, it could make them quit altogether as well as recoil sensitivity. Practice, practice, practice of course, but I would also consider action type as an important factor. Single shot or bolt are top choices with youths. Correct length of pull is important, to good easy gun handling and reduces felt recoil.


Some kids have been shooting starting with BB guns since they were 5. The important thing to do is not scare the kids with massive recoil right off the bat. Some kids are tougher than others when it comes to guns. My 12 year old just thought he was invincible when he was 5. Nothing would do him but shoot my 12 guage. I told him he couldn't, but he kept insisting. I put one number 7 shot it it and let him try to hit the skeet we were shooting. Well you know what happened. The gun came up and whacked him across the forehead and I caught the gun as he landed on his butt. All of a sudden it was my fault that it happened, but he decided I might know something he didn't after that. Since then he has worked his way through 22's .410, 16's and now he hunts regularly with me, handles the 12 guage and 30-06 great.

My 9 year old wasn't quite as silly, and took guidance a little better. He's worked up to the .410 and has shot the 16, but didn't quite like it to much. His only error in judgement was we were sighting in our guns one time and he insisted on shooting the 30-30. Well he bench shot it good, hit his target, but had that look on his face of, "if no one was looking, I'd cry about that recoil and my newly sore shoulder!" My bud and I both turned to him and said HEY! Nice Shot! and he smiled and walked off a bit rubbing his shoulder.

Both my boys are crack shots at what ever they are shooting, (better than old Dad), and both have been dogging me to take them up to hunt a hog. The 12 year old could use just about anything, but the 9 year old given his options would probably choose a .410 slug, or the 16 with buckshot. I don't think I'd let them try with the 22 for fear they'd just hurt a hog and then we'd all feel bad. Importantly, keep distance short and shots double lung for starters, you want them to be successful, at all costs.


Good Luck to you and your sons. Use your best judgement, cause you know them better than anyone!

Thank you all for your replies and advice, it is appreciated by me and the boys. I wish you all a great upcoming (current for some of you) season.

Thanks!

In my opinion the 30-30 Win is not a good cartridge for novice shooters. For one it is anemic at best in factory loadings and it carries less energy downrange with more recoil than a 243 Win. Secondly, most rifles that you find in 30-30 Win are lever actions or single-shots. Lever actions and single-shots have hammers that can slip out from under small, excited thumbs and cause an unpleasant end to a hunt. Also, I wouldn't even consider taking a shot at deer sized game with a .22 caliber of any flavor. In some states it is illegal, but at best it isn't wise. There is a difference between varmint bullets and big game bullets and .22 bullets are generally of the varmint variety. Having said that, there are several cartridges that would neatly fit the bill. 243 Win, 6mm Rem, 260 Rem, 257 Roberts, 6.5X55mm,7mm-08 Rem or even the 270 Win. All have mild recoil with good knockdown power.

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