Best caliber and rifle for a youth hunter

[L Vizinat]

I am looking for the best caliber and rifle to buy for my youth hunter. I am looking for caliber that will be fatal at 150 yards and a rifle that they can use as they grow older. Thanks for all opinions in this matter.

 

[Bigchillin83]

7mm-08

Or

.308 has some nice might loads for youngsters

.243 or 25-06 in the light side but I don’t really care for them to much

 

[L Vizinat]

What do you think about a .350 Legend

 

[Bigchillin83]

Flavor of the week… not for me

they just trying to fluff the market…and a money grab.. I mean I get it but none of those calibers have ever done anything for me except maybe .300aac just for the fun with subs.. some do have there purpose for up north hunting where they are restricted to straight wall cartridges but not affected down here

In no particular order…

.300aac
6.8spc
.30ar
6.5 grendal
6.5 creedmore
.450 bushmaster
.350 legend
224 val.
204 ruger
458 socom
50 Beowulf
6mm
Ect
Ect

 

[L Vizinat]

What in your opinion is a good youth rifle in 7mm-08?

 

[obryap]

Both of my kids shot 7mm-08, and my wife still uses hers for rifle season, along with .350 legend for primitive. I have killed several deer with her rifle.

 

[Gator 45/70]

What do you think about a .350 Legend

Hey, Hows about a 350 legend

 

[Bolt Head]

I like to stick to the classics for most things, especially for hunting, based off of either the .308 Win. case or the .30-06 SPRG case.

For a youth I'd say either a .243 Win. or a .260 Rem. (just pay close attention to the .260's twist rate).

There are plenty premium hunting bullets in .243" and .264", and plenty enough of them are on the lighter side so recoil can stay lower with less bullet weight.
Brass for either is relatively common, as is factory ammo.

Rounding up for inflation, this is my $1.02.

 

[pullstart]

7mm-08 or .243 or 25-06 IMO

I still deer hunt with a .243.

243 ammo is common and can shoot a 55-110 gr. bullet

 

[twinin]

.350 Legend is only good for primitive or hunting in the midwest.

.243 Win and 7mm-08 are great options as others have already said.

To give you another idea, think about a 6.5 grendel. Very low recoil, very lethal for hogs and deer. It can be had in an AR-15 that can fit a youngster. There are also bolt actions, but options limited there.

To give a good rifle recommendation, would need a budget.

 

[john17427]

I started my kids on a Rem 700 ADL in 243, and used the same rifle to start my wife's cousin's son in hunting. All took deer with it. I also like 7mm-08. I'm shooting 6.5 Grendel right now which is also really good for new shooters, very little recoil in an AR frame with 20 inch barrel.

 

[SSaltz]

7mm-08

 

[highstandard40]

I've never been a fan of the 243, but that's just me. The most challenging tracking jobs I've ever been involved with were deer shot with 243....and I've been asked to help track too many wounded deer to count. Small entry wound and no exit wound with less than perfect shot placements. With good shot placement and the right bullet it will do the job, but many younger folks (and some older folks) aren't capable of good shot placement in real life hunting conditions. I would suggest the 7-08 with reduced recoil loads as others have in this thread.

 

[falshooter]

What ever the caliber....learn to shoot first. It takes practice. Lots of practice. The more the better. Shot placement means everything.
I see people buy the biggest caliber and hope that any hit will drop their quarry. The bigger the better attitude.
One of my welders used to hunt Mule deer in Colorado yearly with a 6mm and never failed to bring home the meat. 1 shot , 1 kill . Had another who couldn't shoot worth a damn, kept blaming it on the caliber, and ended up buying a .300win mag and just continue to wound and mutilate deer , hoping he could find the body later and salvage some of it.
Before you go to the field to actually kill something, you owe it to the "victim" a clean and ethical demise.

 

[T-boy]

You already know Lando---7-08---the one with the buck on the trigger guard

 

[Bigchillin83]

Ask and you shall receive … that’s a great price on a solid rifle

WTS: - WTS LNIB Remington 700 youth model .243 $400

Bought for my niece and she wanted a .223 instead. Still in box and never fired outside the factory. Comes with factory scope installed.

bayoushooter.com

 

[James Thibodeau]

Savage Axis Youth 7mm-08 Son has taken several with this rifle shooting Hornady Whitetail SP or 44mag CVA single.

 

[mylongscreenname]

7mm-08 is a necked down 308. Think of a 308 case necked down to a 274 bullet. Great caliber for youth and adult. Ammo is reasonably priced and available. Decent priced kid gun....Ruger American. Buy once and they will shoot it all their life. Tikka.
Have both, very accurate. Ruger makes great option if they are a lefty. Adult or kid - the caliber works fine.

 

[La Rebel]

The second generation Ruger American rifle comes with a stock that has a removable spacer. The LOP can be adjusted to either 12.75" or 13.5". I like others, am a fan of the 7mm-08.

 

[CaptPeace]

I am looking for the best caliber and rifle to buy for my youth hunter. I am looking for caliber that will be fatal at 150 yards and a rifle that they can use as they grow older. Thanks for all opinions in this matter.

I got my son a Ruger youth ranch 243 when he was 8. He killed several deer and hogs with it. He’s 13 now and we still use it as a guest gin but he’s moved up to a 30-6.