Kids rifle manifesto

[Nine Banger]

Here's a nice easy shooting load for kids we whipped together with some stuff we had laying around:

223 Remington:
55gr Sierra #1365
24gr Leverevolution
2.230" OAL

 

[Nine Banger]

 

[farmer14]

@Formidilosus is it unrealistic for a 9 year old to shoot a Tikka
6. 5 PRC suppressed? It’s either between that or a 6.5 Creedmoor. He needs to be able to shoot elk and I’ve always been a .30 caliber guy.

 

[eric1115]

@Formidilosus is it unrealistic for a 9 year old to shoot a Tikka
6. 5 PRC suppressed? It’s either between that or a 6.5 Creedmoor. He needs to be able to shoot elk and I’ve always been a .30 caliber guy.

I can't recommend strongly enough that the 6.5CM is already above what is ideal for a 9 year old, even suppressed, and is more than what is needed for elk especially at 9 year old shooting distance. 6.5PRC is absolutely a poorer choice, and if possible I would take a step down from the 6.5CM.

 

[RWT]

I can't recommend strongly enough that the 6.5CM is already above what is ideal for a 9 year old, even suppressed, and is more than what is needed for elk especially at 9 year old shooting distance. 6.5PRC is absolutely a poorer choice, and if possible I would take a step down from the 6.5CM.

Agree 100%. 6.5 Grendel or 6 ARC are the way for kids. Same big boy bullets and speed just less distance.

 

[WestMOhunter]

I can't recommend strongly enough that the 6.5CM is already above what is ideal for a 9 year old, even suppressed, and is more than what is needed for elk especially at 9 year old shooting distance. 6.5PRC is absolutely a poorer choice, and if possible I would take a step down from the 6.5CM.

Agree! My 8 yr old is bigger than most 10 yr olds. I have an 11# suppressed 6.5CM and I will not let him shoot it. Sure he could, but my 6.5 Grendel or 6 ARC are better choices. In fact we’re moving back to .223 w/ 73 ELDM for deer this year. His shots will be limited to 100 and he loves shooting it. That’s a recipe for success. I’m sure there are kids that are exceptions, but I think a 6.5CM would set my kid’s shooting back considerably.

 

[ResearchinStuff]

My 85# 9 year old has ~1000 rounds of 223 under his belt. And he is no where near ready for a suppressed 6.5 creed, much less a prc.

 

[wirehead]

Agree 100%. 6.5 Grendel or 6 ARC are the way for kids. Same big boy bullets and speed just less distance.

Page 2 has a lot of info.

Page 4 has a good video series that shows the difference in recoil of a few common youth cartridges. The recoil energy of the 243 is way too strong, in my opinion. Think about whether you would *want* to learn how to shoot with good form if that was the penalty. No way.

223 with gold dots, 77 TMKs, ELDMs., etc are just outstanding deer rounds.

 

[wirehead]

.243 with a 108

6mm ARC with a 108

.223 with a 77

Suppressor brought .243 to near unsuppressed ARC and brought ARC to near unsuppressed .223, I can upload those too if people want to see.

Here are the videos

 

[eric1115]

@Formidilosus is it unrealistic for a 9 year old to shoot a Tikka
6. 5 PRC suppressed? It’s either between that or a 6.5 Creedmoor. He needs to be able to shoot elk and I’ve always been a .30 caliber guy.

Just for a little more perspective, if your 9 year old is 100 lb and you are 200 lb, the high-teens recoil energy of a 6.5PRC accelerates him backwards with at least as much violence as a .338 Lapua moves you (high 30's recoil energy). Probably more, since a 9 year old usually carries more of their body weight in their head and in long skinny limbs vs mass in the chest/shoulders of an adult that actually absorbs/slows the recoil.

If you put a 9 year old's brain (emotional regulation, anticipation of an unpleasant event, focus, etc) in a 200lb man's body and put him behind a light weight .338LM, will he develop good shooting habits or bad ones?