Best caliber and rifle for a youth hunter

[john17427]

308 and it's popular derivatives.

The .308 Family

 

[Seadonist]

IMO and experience with my three kids, it’s been hard to beat the ole Tikka T3 youth model .243. It’s a tack driver, the trigger and action are both butter and of all the deer taken with that rifle by my kids, only one has run close to 100 yards before dropping dead. The majority of them dropped where they stood when they were shot. Don’t let the “small” caliber moniker fool you, .243 is a deadly round for white tail deer. Side note, the longest kill they have with that little gun is about 200 yards, dropped dead in its tracks.

 

[bsimp21]

What do you think about a .350 Legend

.350 Legend is really intended for states that have a straight wall cartridge rule. It kind of falls off after about 100 yards, so if you possibly have to take a shot farther than that its not ideal. Leupold does make a scope that is matched for .350 Legend so you can quickly turn the turret at the top and it will automatically adjust for said distance. The recoil is definitely manageable for a kid, I know lots of guys who bought .350 Legends for their kids but I would agree with most a say 7mm-08 would be a good choice. You can pick up a 7mm-08 in a Ruger American for a good price.

 

[John_]

My vote is .243 Win. Hard to beat.

 

[Bmash]

I missed how old and how big, but an AR with adjustable stock is so easy to fit a small child. For my grand children, as they grow they go from 223 with a heavy barrel, (64gr) to 300BO, (with Barnes 110gr Vor-tx) and then to 6.5 Grendel, (129gr ABLR). (all suppressed).These have served my grandkids really well (starting with granddaughter at 7). 13 yr old, not very big child, killed one at 200 steps with the Grendel last week. Model 7 in 6mm Remington with no suppressor on the other hand hurts! Very lightwieght so more recoil and loud (And I mean me)
If you only want one a 300bo is great inside 150 yds. And everybody needs at least one AR! The negative is to use suppressor they have to be with an adult on the trust.

 

[Jstudz220]

I’ve been researching this same topic pretty extensively lately. I have 5 year old twin boys who are showing interest in hunting with me and some family members. I’m as green as it gets when it comes to deer hunting. I’ve only been hunting once just this year and have yet to have the chance to put some meet in the freezer. I’ve hunted small game my entire life mainly squirrels, doves, and rabbits. From what I’ve been able to gather 7mm-08 seems to be the most recommended followed by .243.

 

[Seadonist]

I’ve been researching this same topic pretty extensively lately. I have 5 year old twin boys who are showing interest in hunting with me and some family members. I’m as green as it gets when it comes to deer hunting. I’ve only been hunting once just this year and have yet to have the chance to put some meet in the freezer. I’ve hunted small game my entire life mainly squirrels, doves, and rabbits. From what I’ve been able to gather 7mm-08 seems to be the most recommended followed by .243.

I bumped my kids up to the 7-08 from the .243

 

[CatCam]

IMO and experience with my three kids, it’s been hard to beat the ole Tikka T3 youth model .243. It’s a tack driver, the trigger and action are both butter and of all the deer taken with that rifle by my kids, only one has run close to 100 yards before dropping dead. The majority of them dropped where they stood when they were shot. Don’t let the “small” caliber moniker fool you, .243 is a deadly round for white tail deer. Side note, the longest kill they have with that little gun is about 200 yards, dropped dead in its tracks.

THIS!! Tikka T3 in the .243 win -- Add a nice Vortex scope and you have a meat slayer.
There is a reason the .243 win is still popular -- introduced in 1955, and remains one of the most popular whitetail deer cartridges today.

 

[Finfish]

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 both of my kids .243 caliber rifles. The easy availability of the round in stores and the variety of bullet weights and configurations was a selling point for me. Son got the Savage 111 and daughter got the Weatherby Camila. Both have harvested several deer with the rifles and caliber. No regrets.

 

[Kuhndog]

Lots of good calibers listed. I’d put another in for the 7mm 08. Does a solid job and the recoil is very manageable for kids,

 

[Emperor]

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.

This is a factual statement about .243's. I've seen deer shot with it that didn't even bleed!

 

[Seadonist]

This is a factual statement about .243's. I've seen deer shot with it that didn't even bleed!

I agree with the shot placement statement and the need to put it where it counts but I would say the same about most calibers generally. The only experience I have with the .243 is with my kids and granted, every shot made was either a heart or double lung shot in the lower 1/3 of the chest cavity and when tracking was required I never had any problems finding blood. In fact, they all bled more than the deer I’ve taken with my 6.8 SPC. Again, I do agree, the shot does need to be a well placed one with a .243 so range time is required to get the kids good enough to make the shot on a live animal but again, I would say that anyone shooting at a live animal should have enough range time to confidently put the shot where it needs to go, regardless of caliber chosen. That being said, I have been VERY happy with the performance of the Tikka T3 youth model 7-08 that I moved them into after their time on the .243. No matter the caliber, I can’t say enough good things about that youth rifle, except for the cheap plastic stock. For a youth gun though, I’ll take the smooth action, clean and crisp trigger and MOA or better out the box with the cheap stock. No matter what you choose, best of luck to you and your kids!!

 

[AK shooter]

 

[Bigchillin83]

Hard to beat a tikka t3x compact

Tikka T3x Lite Compact Rifle

The Tikka T3x Lite Compact Rifle is a precision hunting rifle with a shorter length of pull. This compact rifle is perfect for beginners and youth hunters. SCHEELS

www.scheels.com

With a $75 rebate

Beretta Tikka T3X Rifle Rebate

$699 for 7mm-08

Beretta Tikka T3X Rifle Rebate

I personally love a .308 plus I reload for it so makes it easy

 

[James Thibodeau]

Started my first son with a 700 .243. Very poor blood trails w core loks. Started 2nd son with axis 7-08 American whitetail sp. Amazing difference!! 7-08 hands down he will be able to use the rest of his life with absolute assurance!!

 

[2tix2gunshow]

We found .243 to be great. Couple of points:

1. We used federal fusion bullets, perfect mushrooms at the high velocity of a .243 hitting at Louisiana woods distance (100 yd). Core-Lokts were not designed for 3100 fps impact velocity.

2. Kids shot placement was great, which I attribute to minimal recoil of the .243. And the suppressor.

We have been so pleased with the little break action .243 that we still use it over it 6.5 CM and .30-06 options!

 

[Xeon64]

Long Rant..

"Not Very Loud"

When I read something like this , I cringe...
My hearing was fine for the majority of my life ,then about 15 years back I started having problems . Came on kinda suddenly. Wife started telling me to turn the TV down. Then really couldn't understand people unless they were talking directly at my face.
All you Dads.... you really need to educate yourself and your children on hearing loss from gunfire. How many times I've heard....I've been shooting since I was a kid and my hears are fine, and just shake my head. It's gonna roll up on you like it did me and others I know.
There are plenty of electronic muffs , over the ear and in the ear for sale. They actually enhance you ability to hear while hunting and protect your ears when firing. Do yourself and your children a favor and wear them. There's no logical excuse to justify not wearing hearing protection. This is 2024 not 1964 when I started to shoot a lot and people were ignorant of the dangers
It ain't no fun going deaf.
Even with some of the best hearing aids on the market, my social life has changed for the worse. Can't go out to eat, movies , anywhere groups of people are talking cause all you hear is.. everyone.. talking. No way to isolate the different voices. I can use certain cell phones , but landlines are useless. I have to wear a $300 set of headphones just to watch tv now. If my wife passes before me , I'll have to get a big guard dog to sleep at night to warn me of any noises,, cause now when there are unusual noises she alerts me to check. I can't hear sh&t at night after taking them out

The internet has dozens of websites to explain how gunfire is some of the most dangerous type of exposure out there.

You and anyone else out there can continue to ignore the danger, but that don't mean is ain't real.

You know why it's "Not Very Loud"

cause the damage has already started

Rant Off


BTW.... 30-30 Is an excellent 150 yd deer rifle

I know shooting can damage hearing but I have never seen a single hunter use ear plugs while shooting when hunting. I do not even know how it is possible. I have been hunting for almost 35 years and done way too many jump shots that I have no time to put in plugs. Tried muffs and walker game ears and they all get very uncomfortable after wearing for a couple of hours. Fortunately with hunting you don't shoot as much as you would at a range. Plugs are always used at the range for me and my boys.

 

[Seadonist]

Silencers are great for hunting situations. If you buy one thats decent at decreasing decibels at the shooter’s ear there’s no need for hearing protection.