Cartridge selection for daughter

[aorams]

I’m up at 3 am rocking my brand new baby to sleep, picturing (hoping) that some day we’ll be backpack hunting in the backcountry together and it got me wondering what chambering her first big game rifle will be in! She’ll be on the smaller than average size (probably). Mom and dad aren’t very big…. So I’m thinking .243, .260 or 7mm 08…. What’s the sweet spot in those chamberings do you think? I have 10-12 years to decide so no hurry to reply

 

[Northpark]

Man I remember that. My little bundle of joy that I thought I was just rocking to sleep the other night is now headed towards 9 and her first hunt this year.

She’s on the small side has been shooting a 7-08ai with 113gr shock hammers over a mild charge or imr4166. Velocity is about 2830fps and it’s very mild recoil.

I’d also suggest a suppressor. Both my kids biggest complaints is the noise not the recoil. They’ve both shot full power 7-08ai loads with 168 Berger’s which do have some snap to them and they both just complain about the concussion.

And hang in there. Rocking them to sleep at 3am is a privilege.

 

[hodgeman]

I equipped my son with a 7-08 before the 6.5 craze hit, we killed a pile of caribou with it.

Doing it over, it'd be a 6.5CM or 260REM.

 

[Wyobohunter]

7mm-08

 

[Jstumbaugh]

My little girl turns 12 right before our deer season starts this fall. She's got options,(243. 6.5cm, 7mm-08). I've been waiting for the day to come when its her turn. She's been going with me since she was about 6 or 7.

 

[S-3 ranch]

.260 Remington, 130gr ttsx

 

[Catahoula]

7mm-08 or 308win

 

[mt100gr.]

Get a kid's sized .223 Rem and shoot a lot. Load it up with the right bullets and get her out there. My girl's love shooting the .223s!! And there's no arguing that it is very lethal. My oldest of 3 girls just turned 12 and she has killed the 2 bucks she has taken shots at quite easily - 175 yards and 190 yards.

Get her a rifle that she can use and be comfortable with and one that doesn't hit back. As tough as kids are, (and we think they are) recoil and muzzle blast is the death of fun.

 

[Wyobohunter]

Get a kid's sized .223 Rem and shoot a lot. Load it up with the right bullets and get her out there. My girl's love shooting the .223s!! And there's no arguing that it is very lethal. My oldest of 3 girls just turned 12 and she has killed the 2 bucks she has taken shots at quite easily - 175 yards and 190 yards.

Get her a rifle that she can use and be comfortable with and one that doesn't hit back. As tough as kids are, (and we think they are) recoil and muzzle blast is the death of fun.

True. I guess a progression would be best.

.22 LR
.223 Rem
.243 Win
7mm-08 Rem or similar
.416 Rigby

 

[aorams]

True. I guess a progression would be best.

.22 LR
.223 Rem
.243 Win
7mm-08 Rem or similar
.416 Rigby

Yes! The first one will be a .22 but my home state has a .24 cal minimum for big game

 

[Salmonchaser]

257 Roberts, done!

 

[hereinaz]

My choice would be a 6 ARC or 6.5 Grendel in a Howa Mini Action. They are comfortably lethal to 300 and 400 yards.

 

[Harvey_NW]

I got a 6 Creed as a fun practice rifle and now set it up for my hunting partners 9 yr old daughter, her first year she took a spike bull and a muley doe no problems. I'm building a 25 Creed now so she can use it and have some more punch. Obviously nothing wrong with any of the traditional cartridges but some of the new offerings with tight twist and heavy for caliber bullets have impressive ballistics. With creed popularity you should have plenty of awesome options in the near future!

 

[hereinaz]

I got a 6 Creed as a fun practice rifle and now set it up for my hunting partners 9 yr old daughter, her first year she took a spike bull and a muley doe no problems. I'm building a 25 Creed now so she can use it and have some more punch. Obviously nothing wrong with any of the traditional cartridges but some of the new offerings with tight twist and heavy for caliber bullets have impressive ballistics. With creed popularity you should have plenty of awesome options in the near future!

6mm bullets are underrated. In the boiler room and they will kill stuff dead. LOVE the 25 with the new Berger bullets. I think the 25 is the best caliber for the Creedmoor case.

 

[03mossy]

Started my daughter with Knight Littlehorn muzzleloader loaded way down. Recoil to start was like a .22. Worked up on powder over the course of a year and she has now taken 3 deer with it. Rifle season she hunts with a 6.5 Creedmoor and killed one last year with that. This fall my son was able to hunt and started him on the same muzzleloader progression then also to the 6.5 Creedmoor. He took a deer with each this fall. My daughter now 14 used my 30-06 to take a deer because her brother used the Creedmoor. We need more rifles!

 

[sndmn11]

My boy is 4 and a half, he gets a new gun every bday from me. He has a 6.5creed vanguard, tcr22 (10/22 basically), .300bo pistol, 223 pistol.

I'll hunt with the vanguard this year. I think 6/6.5 Creed, 7-08 in short actions, 25-06 in a long are probably wonderful.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington (If you hand-load and start buying brass now.) 90 gr. E-tip - 90 gr. Accubond - 100 gr. Partition

257 Roberts 100 gr. Partition - 110 gr. Accubond - 100 gr. E-tip - 115 gr. or 120 gr. Partition

25-06 Remington 100 gr. Partition or 100 gr. E-tip - 110 gr, Accubond - 120 gr. Partition

6.5 PRC (Just had to edit and add one more. 6.5-06 if you want to build a custom rifle. That would be just as good!!)

 

[BugleMeTimber]

I've been thinking nonstop about this lately with my 2 year old daughter. My first rifle was a lever action .300 Savage but I think I'll be starting her out with a 7mm-08. She'll be good for antelope, deer and elk. Wife shoots a .270 win. I'm sure I'll change my mind 1,000 times in the coming years.

 

[sndmn11]

25-06 Remington 100 gr. Partition or 100 gr. E-tip - 110 gr, Accubond - 120 gr. Partition

My handload for a 25-06 Tikka barrel I have gets those 100gr Etips at 3400fps. I have been lining for a friend or family member to try out hunting so they can run that into an animal.

 

[eaglemountainman]

260 Rem or 7-08, pick em.

Two of my personal favorites. For your daughter's first, I would say 260 (with an 8 or 7.5 twist) and 100 TTSXs.

I envy you, such a great problem to ponder. Enjoy the ride!