Kids First Deer Rifle

[UA_Blake]

I live in the Southeast and my kids (5 and 7) both decided they wanted to kill their first deer this year. I’m not sure if I’m going to let them pull the trigger yet, but setting that aside I’m trying to determine what rifle to let them shoot. I have a .22 Hornet which is a legal firearm in my state but that is a very light round and I don’t want to set them up for failure in the field. Also don’t want to put them behind my 30-06 and have them scared to shoot. Anybody have any rifle builds or out of the box ideas you have let your young kids shoot?

 

[keystone112]

Haven’t tried them myself, but something you could use a reduced low recoil load out of may be worth looking into.

 

[KenLee]

6.5 Grendel, 223 or 243 in adjustable or 12 inch length of pull seem great for those ages.
Adding a limbsaver pad made for AR adjustable stock to an AR-15 in 6.5 Grendel would be my choice if I was buying new today. It would fit anyone reasonable sized also.
I have youth sized 243s and a 7mm-08 micro midas that I have kids use, but I bought em years ago.
Mossberg makes a "Super Bantam" Patriot bolt action that has spacer which allows a 12 or 13 inch length of pull.

 

[UA_Blake]

6.5 Grendel, 223 or 243 in adjustable or 12 inch length of pull seem great for those ages.
Adding a limbsaver pad made for AR adjustable stock to an AR-15 in 6.5 Grendel would be my choice if I was buying new today. It would fit anyone reasonable sized also.
I have youth sized 243s and a 7mm-08 micro midas that I have kids use, but I bought em years ago.
Mossberg makes a "Super Bantam" Patriot bolt action that has spacer which allows a 12 or 13 inch length of pull.

I had considered my AR-15 but it’s very heavy. Although with the kiddos we would be hunting from a shooting house so a rest wouldn’t be an issue.

 

[KenLee]

I had considered my AR-15 but it’s very heavy. Although with the kiddos we would be hunting from a shooting house so a rest wouldn’t be an issue.

Heavy helps with recoil, so it wouldn't be a deal breaker for me if kids had a rest.
For instance, a "compact" light Ruger American in 243 will thump you

 

[Trapperkid]

I killed my first several deer with a 22 hornet head shots. If they run away they missed if they call they killed them no wondering if they made a good shot bad shot or completely missed. Teach them to shoot at the base of the ear and they will learn a bit of patience for taking the right shot. Later on when they want to shoot in the shoulder bc there are more shot opportunities dad got me a 243 that I shot and killed loads of deer with till a year ago when I sold it just to get a nicer rifle in the same caliber. If you shoot 243 I can’t recommend the hornady SST 95 grain enough. Have never lost a deer that I hit with that round and know if several others in my family with the exact same experience.

 

[Southernhunters]

243


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[long hunter]

My granddaughter hunts with a .243 from about the age of 10 She is a tall girl and thin never had a problem with the rifle and put a few on the ground D.R.T. Also perhaps a bolt gun in .223

 

[highcj5]

I bought my daughter a youth rifle in 243. You can add pieces to the butt stock as they grow. It’s a Remington model 7 youth gun. Gun shoots very well. I think that getting a smaller framed gun that fits them well would help them.

 

[specneeds]

I downloaded a 30-06 with 110 grain bullets for my grandson at 10 & he was good with it. I’d probably prefer a heavy bolt action in 243, 30-30, or similar low recoil round. Not an option in my state but a can on a 243 would seem ideal.

 

[VizslaHunt]

I bought my son a Weatherby Vanguard .243 youth model. Recoil is minimal which helps him shoot better not anticipating the shot. He took his first deer last year at 8 years old.

 

[Newtosavage]

I bought my son a Weatherby Vanguard .243 youth model. Recoil is minimal which helps him shoot better not anticipating the shot. He took his first deer last year at 8 years old.

Was going to recommend the .243 as well. My daughter shot her first deer with one at age 12. She probably weighed about 70 lbs at the time. No issues handling the recoil. 2 shots, 2 deer in 2 seasons including a pretty nice buck at 130 yards when she was 13.

I had her in a 4-H rifle program so she had shot a lot by that point. I think that's really important, that they learn to shoot properly on an air rifle or .22 before they ever handle a high powered rifle.

 

[Rich M]

.357 mag rifle. Light, soft muzzleblast, light to nonexistant recoil. Deadly. A 158 gr xtp fp over lil gun powder is “tha bomb” inside 100 yards. I also have some pointed soft points that shoot well to 200 and are supposed to expand at those velocities but havent had an opportunity to test them yet.

350 Legend has less recoil than .243, IMO. Good to 250 yards. Better option than .243 IMO.

Im not a huge .243 fan. Have never shot a 223/556.

 

[Grumman]

My son shot his first one with my 270 Sendero using reduced recoil ammo. The reduced recoil ammo is great for kids. AR’s are great also for their adjustability.

 

[wind gypsy]

A howa mini in 6 ARC would be a good platform to start with if you can get the LOP where you want it.

 

[kipper09]

I have a left handed and right handed kid. Best solution I could find. Encore frame. 6.5 cm mgm barrel 20”, and added a mgm muzzle brake since. Then Made the stock off of the hobbit rifle thread here. Sldmtn shared that info and it helped me alot. The gun is a legitimate 1/2” or 3/4” rifle too. The stock will extend as they get older. I put a 3-9 Swfa on it. I think it’s pretty perfect for them. With the brake it doesn’t hardly kick at all.


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[seand]

My 12yo daughter had her first hunt this year and I gave her the choice of a bolt gun in 223 or an AR. I would have had to cut down a stock for the bolt gun. She asked if she could just shoot an AR, she’s comfortable with the platform as she’s been shooting a 15/22 for about 6 years. I built her a new upper in 6ARC and it was great, lower had adjustable carbine stock of course. Most accurate upper I have, hardly any more recoil than a 223. Heavy, about 10# with suppressor, but she hunted out of a blind and shot off a tripod. Was cool, she watched the buck fall through the scope.

There is no way I would let her shoot a 30-06 or anything approaching that level of recoil. She is shooting the 6arc approx MOA to 600yards, and I think lack of recoil has a lot to do with that.

Next year I’ll get her on a bolt gun, nothing bigger than 6br class in a lightweight hunting rifle.

 

[FLATHEAD]

.243, .260, 7.62x39, .357,
reduced recoil loads in some.

 

[Laramie]

I live in the Southeast and my kids (5 and 7) both decided they wanted to kill their first deer this year. I’m not sure if I’m going to let them pull the trigger yet, but setting that aside I’m trying to determine what rifle to let them shoot. I have a .22 Hornet which is a legal firearm in my state but that is a very light round and I don’t want to set them up for failure in the field. Also don’t want to put them behind my 30-06 and have them scared to shoot. Anybody have any rifle builds or out of the box ideas you have let your young kids shoot?

Pick a combination of rifle and caliber that fits and has recoil of less than 10lbs. Here is a table to help simplify;

Rifle Recoil Table

I like the .243 because ammo is easy to find, it is a fantastic deer round, and it is readily available in many youth platforms. That said, it may be best to start really young kids with something with even less recoil like the .223. Pretty big difference between 5 and 7 and only you can judge what your kids can handle. My youngest at 5 wasn't ready for anything more than a .223 but was able to handle a 20 gauge with turkey loads by 7.

 

[Gutshot007]

Started my kids on 243 win shooting big bodied MN deer . That's what I would go with. Haven't used a 350 legend but hear good things about it in states requiring straight wall cartridge. Good luck and have fun hunting with your kids