What rife caliber for a 10 yr girl for elk

[HuntingJudge]

my daughter is 15 now but started hunting when she was 11. she loves her .308 with a reduced recoil load. she has shot that fine since the start.

 

[go_deep]

Reduce recoil load in a gun with a very soft pad.

 

[Broomd]

Hard to beat a 270 win. for an all around gun she can use the rest of her life

Yep, crazy how everything gets so convoluted and people leave what actually works and has worked for decades.

Hopefully folks that are getting pre-teen kids on big game are starting them on small game, squirrels and hares.
The best way to get a new hunter comfortable under the gun is with small game.

 

[LostArra]

Maybe I'm biased because I have four adult daughters (two hunt) and my .270 is a 1960s Model 70 Featherweight but there is no way I would put a 10 year old behind a 270 when her only experience is a .22.

"Yes, teacher that is called a scope bite. My shoulder looks worse but my parents really don't hit me, I've been practicing for elk season"
Just the muzzle blast will set her back a year or two.

Get a .243 or maybe a 07-08, get close and kill an elk. She'll enjoy bow season more anyway.

She's probably going to have three different cars before she's 21 so why lock her in on the first rifle.

 

[Trial153]

257 Roberts

 

[hereinaz]

.223 with 77 grain Sierra tipped match kings. There is a whole thread of men and women killing deer, bear, elk, and moose.

It's more about the rifle fit, bullet and shot placement. That's why a .243 is a sinple choice as well.

Don't over think it. .270 might work, but it is far more than you need.

 

[DRP]

I have a very petite daughter and bought her a marlin youth XS7 .243. I already had a savage 93r17 17hmr and they are extremely similar in fit and both have the accutrigger. we practiced alot in the garage with a pellet gun for different shooting positions, trigger control ect. then shot alot with the 17 hmr out in the field. I used Hornady reduced recoil loads for her to get used to the .243 but I sighted in the gun myself with handloads 85grain sierra gamekings so she didnt experience the recoil. At 12 years old she shot a cow elk at 230 yards, 1 shot through the lungs and the elk was dead within 20ft. she has since killed 2 mule deer bucks and a whitetail buck with it. In my opinion your daughter will be good with a .243, 6.5cm, or 7mm-08 as long as you take it slow and make sure she feels comfortable shooting the rifle. I personally feel to much emphasis gets put on larger caliber rifles "just in case you make a bad shot" when more time should be spent practicing real world situations and making sure you are the best shot and best prepared.

 

[Tsal]

7mm-08

 

[Rufus]

What rifle caliber for a 10yr girl hunting elk

Hello. Lots of good info here. My own experience is limited, but I used to work at an airport and helped off load a lot of antlers for people returning from hunting trips. Lots of young kids with big smiles. . I always tried to talk with the kids about the hunt, their experience and also asked about rifle/caliber. Seemed like for deer size and under , usually a 243. Larger than deer and 7-08 was the one I heard most often. Lots of elk, caribou and few moose to kids shooting 7-08.

 

[Travis907]

What brand of rifle im thinking savage xp youth

I plan on buying my two young daughters a Savage XP compact 6.5 Creedmoor and use reduced recoil ammo for a couple years. After a couple years of shooting the reduce recoil ammo then move to full charge ammo. Hopefully a solid plan for the youngsters!

 

[Jb917]

7mm08 shooting 140gr accubond. My son at 12 and nephew at 11 both killed kentucky bulls with this combo.

 

[Aubs8]

Hi. Not sure if mentioned but 7mm-08 has reduced recoil ammo as well to practice or hunt with. That is what I did with my daughter...practiced with reduced recoil and hunted with regular ammo.

 

[eightyeight mag]

Another vote for the 7mm-08 with 140 accubonds.
Also spend some time teaching recoil management. Too many people out there cry about recoil because they have poor technique.
The only girl in our elk camp weighs maybe 110 and handles a 30-06 better than a lot of the guys.

 

[AkRyan]

My 11yr old daughter and my wife killed moose with my daughters Tikka compact 7mm-08. When I got it for her my though was it is a rifle she can use for the rest of her life for everything but grizzly. We use accubond or partition federal premium loads.

 

[ExpectNoMercy]

7mm-08 or 6.5 PRC with a brake

 

[ebhunter96]

I bought my boys (10 & 6) a Ruger American Compact 308 and installed a brake. They have killed a number of whitetails. With light loaded 168 TTSX you can easily handle an elk.

 

[Ryan Avery]

They need to be able to practice with it. I really like to start kids or new shooters out with light recoil and a suppressor. I would look at a .243 or 6CM

Here is my friend's daughter with my 6CM.

 

[higgibrc239]

270 win is a punch, 270 wsm is a smack. The 270 wsm smack is worse.

My vote is a 308 win, 168 or 180 grain monolithic bullet, with a muzzle break.

 

[6mm Remington]

6mm Remington or 243 with good bullets such as 100 gr. Partition, 90 gr. Accubond, or 90 gr. E-tip.

257 Roberts or 25-06 - 110 gr. Accubond or 120 gr. Partition

6.5 PRC or 6.5 Creedmoor or 6.5x55 Swede - 130 gr. Accubond, 120 gr. E-tip, 125 gr. Partition

7mm Mauser (7x57) or 7mm-08 - 140 gr. Accubond, 140 gr. Partition, 140 gr. E-tip

 

[sro914]

huge fan of the 7mm-08 for youth. I bought my son a remington 700 youth model some years ago. The recoil is pretty minimal but I added a mercury recoil reducer to the stock and now the gun is like shooting a 223. The thing I like about the 7mm-08 compared to the 6.5cm or 243 is that you can the best premium bullet selection for bonded, monolithic and well constructed bullets in a wide variety of weights. We shoot 139 hornady interlock and 120 barnes ttsx. both have performed very well for us on deer and elk. Right now a large concern would be what ammo is available for any rifle I buy or what components if you are a hand loader.