What caliber would you start a hunter with?

[Oncorhynchus.nerka]

I live and hunt in Oregon, hunting mostly deer, elk, and the occasional pronghorn. I am looking to get a couple of young hunters into the sport and am curious about your experience for a young hunter and a caliber of choice. I am looking for something that is capable of all of Oregon's big game, has reasonable recoil, long barrel life, and ample ammunition availability. Something they can use now and well into the future. I have narrowed my selection down to either a 6.5 Creedmoor or a 308 with reduced recoil loads. Any experience going either way?

I know there are other great options, but I am sold on either of these two avenues...

 

[S-3 ranch]

Both are good choices, especially when combined with a good bonded or mono bullet,

 

[N2TRKYS]

.264 and .308 are both great calibers with alot of different cartridges in each. Just pick the cartridge that checks most of the boxes for you.

 

[browning2480]

I started all of my boys with a .243 in a bolt youth rifle. Practice with reduce recoil loads or varmint loads and hunted with 95 gr SSTs. Deer killing machine.

 

[wesfromky]

Kids rifle manifesto

I've chimed in on so many different "what rifle for my age XX kid?" threads that I thought I'd try to consolidate my thoughts here. My oldest son is 14 now, started shooting centerfire rifles at 9. My younger kids started shooting centerfire rifles at between 5-7 yrs old. 5 kids shooting now...

rokslide.com

 

[JMundy84]

Kids rifle manifesto

I've chimed in on so many different "what rifle for my age XX kid?" threads that I thought I'd try to consolidate my thoughts here. My oldest son is 14 now, started shooting centerfire rifles at 9. My younger kids started shooting centerfire rifles at between 5-7 yrs old. 5 kids shooting now...

rokslide.com

Beat me to posting this same link

 

[7mm-08]

Pretty hard to beat that 6.5 Creedmoor caliber and that's coming from a guy whose caliber of choice is obvious from my moniker.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

How old are they and what size human? They need to develop skills to handle and function a rifle safely on their own before ever going "deer hunting".

A good recommendation can be made with some more information.

 

[Finn16]

I started my son off with a 270 Win with reduced velocity handloads. As he got bigger, I increased the FPS and the recoil that goes with it. He was big for age so he didn't need a youth stock to start with but I'd go that route for smaller kids and then switch to an adult stock as they grow into one.

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Kids rifle manifesto

I've chimed in on so many different "what rifle for my age XX kid?" threads that I thought I'd try to consolidate my thoughts here. My oldest son is 14 now, started shooting centerfire rifles at 9. My younger kids started shooting centerfire rifles at between 5-7 yrs old. 5 kids shooting now...

rokslide.com

There you go, this is great!

Go into that thread, use the search function and then use the "everywhere" drop down and change to "this thread". Next go to the bottom where it says "by:" and type in @Formidilosus

Then read and report back.

 

[StuckoYota99]

6.5cm or 270 is what I recommend to new shooters and hunters. I'd also recommend a suppressor

 

[Fetty Wapiti]

6.5 creed will have lower recoil and is ballistically superior in every way. Further effective range, less recoil, more resistant to wind, and on and on.

 

[WCB]

6.5crd, 7mm-08, 243, 6mmcrd etc. I think getting an adjustable gun set up will help a lot also. I properly fit gun is more enjoyable to shoot and easier on the shoot. So if you can find a caliber above in a normal weight rifle (not light weight) with adjustable length of pull and cheek weld. That is where I would put my money.

 

[cnelk]

I think you’re jumping too far ahead with the new hunters.

Get them a 22 and a thousand rounds of ammunition.

Get them shooting. When the 22 ammo is gone, then have the big caliber discussion.

 

[ddavis_1313]

Kinda fitting for your question..



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[MT-nuffgun]

Out of the 2 you listed, 6.5 creedmoor with light loads. Personally, with kids, I’d go even lighter if state game laws let me. 6mm creedmoor, .243 Winchester, 6arc. Plenty of evidence on this forum proving the 6mm/243 as a “all around” hunting caliber. Heck a lot of guys prefer a .223 Remington and after seeing the proof, I cannot argue against it.

 

[Amos Keeto]

Friend of mine was known locally as a "gunsmith" and people often came to him for advice.
He got a call from a gentleman who needed help getting his son ready for his first trip to Colorado. He had bought the kid a rifle and the kid just could NOT hit anything with it!
Mitch met the pair at a local shooting range.
Dad told the kid (12 years old, maybe 110 pounds) to shoot one round to show Mitch.
When the kid pulled the trigger, a choking cloud of Texas dust erupted in front of the bench due to muzzle blast, the kid's cap flew off and recoil nearly flipped him off the bench!
Mitch asked dad what the rifle was.
It was a .300 Wby Mag!
Mitch told dad, "The first thing you need to do is get the kid a rifle he can shoot!"

Dad bought the kid a .243 Win. The pair had a fine trip and Jr. killed a mulie bigger than Dad's!

There are WAY too many fine, low recoil cartridges out there to start a kid on heavy recoil.
In fact, if I started a kid that I would be hunting beside, a .30-30 Win is a fine starter cartridge.....and within it's capabilities, it will take anything on the North American continent!

.257 Rbts
7×57 Mauser
.243 Win

What about AR calibers?

 

[Northern Safari]

6.8 Western.

It's got the reach of the 6.5's and the power of the 30cals.

 

[Justin Crossley]

6.5 CM if you don't want to go with the 6 CM.

 

[PredatorSlayer]

6mm CM or 6 ARC.