caliber advice for a 13y/o girl

samabell

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Jan 15, 2014
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The .243 is an excellent round for a young hunter. My son (10yrs. old) has been hunting with the Rem. model 700 for 3 years & has had excellent results with it.
 
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Browtine

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Oct 11, 2013
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Kansas
Both my kids shoot a 7-08. My 10 y/o son still shoots it downloaded a bit with Nos 120 BTs. Great round, but it will still pop them pretty good in the lighter youth rifles with full power loads.
 

tstowater

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Apr 26, 2012
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My son started with a 270WSM when he was 12. Tikka T3 and not a problem. 150NPT. He shot it excellent. I worked him up from smaller centerfires and he was used to the noise. I had a 25.06 around that would have worked also. I'm more concerned about the fit as that is a big part of the kick if the gun doesn't fit. 243, 7-08 or 308 will all work.
 
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Helena, MT
My son started with a 270WSM when he was 12. Tikka T3 and not a problem. 150NPT. He shot it excellent. I worked him up from smaller centerfires and he was used to the noise. I had a 25.06 around that would have worked also. I'm more concerned about the fit as that is a big part of the kick if the gun doesn't fit. 243, 7-08 or 308 will all work.

My 13yr old daughter shot shot her first deer with my tikka 270WSM 130gn hornady SST. Asked her if she felt the recoil? She didn't know what I was talking about, nope but she did notice a little muzzle flash.
 
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Nov 9, 2013
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Kenai, AK
We finally settled on a rifle for my 10yr old son that he thinks fits him well. Savage mod 11 Trophy Hunter combo, youth, left hand, .308. Have to order it since its LH.
He shot an old clunky Winchester 88 lever with a solid but plate we have last week with factory ammo. He shot it repeatedly & said that he would be comfortable with the .308 & wanted to go that way.
He's paying (Alaska kids usually have more money than their folks from permanent fund dividend) a little over $500 for it and he can get an adult stock for it later if he wants.
 
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OP
60x

60x

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Dec 20, 2013
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We finally settled on a rifle for my 10yr old son that he thinks fits him well. Savage mod 11 Trophy Hunter combo, youth, left hand, .308. Have to order it since its LH.
He shot an old clunky Winchester 88 lever with a solid but plate we have last week with factory ammo. He shot it repeatedly & said that he would be comfortable with the .308 & wanted to go that way.
He's paying (Alaska kids usually have more money than their folks from permanent fund dividend) a little over $500 for it and he can get an adult stock for it later if he wants.

Just looked one up that's a nice gun I bet he is thrilled!

So here's the next question. What scope? I was thinking a basic Leupold 3-9.....
Dave
 

JP100

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Dec 20, 2013
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South Island New Zealand
My main gun is still a .243 so I haven't really stepped up from using a "kids" gun haha.
With the right bullet the .243 is an amazing killer.
6.5x55 sweedish is an often over looked caliber. it has plenty of power and good bullet selection is you hand load. plenty of big game taken with it.
I would strongly suggest some good ear muffs/plugs. you can electronic ones that you can still hear with.

My brother(19yrs) started shooting a shotgun at age 10 and he is partly deaf now. the noise from fire arms is very damaging to young ears(and old)
 
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Just looked one up that's a nice gun I bet he is thrilled!

So here's the next question. What scope? I was thinking a basic Leupold 3-9.....
Dave

The one it comes with is a Nikon 3-9 with their ballistic drop (or whatever they call it) reticle with 4 little circles below the crosshair. Seems to be a nicer scope than on most of the combos. We shall see.
Great advice on the muffs JP. I have him wear the cheap Caldwell electronics over soft plugs. Really helps & he can still hear range commands.
 

Beastmode

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The one it comes with is a Nikon 3-9 with their ballistic drop (or whatever they call it) reticle with 4 little circles below the crosshair. Seems to be a nicer scope than on most of the combos. We shall see.
Great advice on the muffs JP. I have him wear the cheap Caldwell electronics over soft plugs. Really helps & he can still hear range commands.

A buddy of mine has this same rifle and says it shoots clovers out of the box. I may have to get one.
 
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Beastmode, good to know! Where are you located? I used to live in Klamath Falls OR & hauled logs all around that country down as far as Redding. Left for AK 25 yrs ago.
 

Beastmode

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I live in anderson. My wifes family is headrick logging. My sister is moving to Keno in a couple months. I am trying to convince the wife to move to alaska. Im so sick of California it is ridiculous.
 
Joined
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Kenai, AK
Small world. I used to haul logs into the mill at Anderson (98 was last year)! I think it was an SP mill. Had 2 sets of aunts & uncles that lived there :)
Keno is a neat place. Parts of Alaska are neater!
 

Beastmode

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Small world. I used to haul logs into the mill at Anderson (98 was last year)! I think it was an SP mill. Had 2 sets of aunts & uncles that lived there :)
Keno is a neat place. Parts of Alaska are neater!

It is my dream but my wife doesn't want to leave family. It is a small world!
 
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