Which youth rifle?

spdrman

WKR
Joined
Dec 3, 2012
Messages
459
Will you adopt me and take me hunting 😂
I won’t talk back much and can afford to buy the gas!
Man, people have hunting buddies that aren’t mouthy and offer to help cover expenses?!? I might need to look into this 😂
 

crowlja

FNG
Joined
Apr 10, 2024
Messages
69
Location
Colorado
The Thompson Center Encore was a great rifle for childern. I grew up with this rifle just getting different barrels as I got older. Starting out with the .243, progressing to .308 & .30-06, then .300WM.

I don't believe T/C still has this in current production, but I'm sure you can find them used with a couple different barrel options. None of my barrels were threaded, but a good gunsmith can help with that.
 

JRS3

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Sep 24, 2022
Messages
177
The Thompson Center Encore was a great rifle for childern. I grew up with this rifle just getting different barrels as I got older. Starting out with the .243, progressing to .308 & .30-06, then .300WM.
That is good advice.

I have an Encore and have been kicking around the idea of having MGM build a threaded 6mm CM barrel for a youth setup.
 
Joined
Jun 7, 2023
Messages
715
Location
Wyoming
The problem with the Encore route is threefold.

1. Receivers are discontinued and pricey.
2. Custom barrels cost as much as complete rifles.
3. You can't upgrade the design.

It was and is a clever firearm, but unless you’re already an owner, buying a TC single-shot now makes little sense.
 

MarkOrtiz

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Dec 24, 2022
Messages
244
Location
Minden, NV
An economical option is the the Mossberg Patriot Bantams. Not high end but very functional.
That's what I went to after 22lr for my son. Patriot Bantam in 7mm-08. Doesn't kick much more than the 22 with 120 grain reduced recoil loads and can grow with them. Took a mule deer last year no problem with that load and you can load it up to heavier bullets for elk etc.
 

eric1115

WKR
Joined
Jun 26, 2018
Messages
816
We purchases a .243 with a muzzle break. Really loud, but no recoil.

The more I see of kids with brakes, the more confident I get that they are a really bad solution. (I dislike them for myself and other adults as well, but with less intensity)

I see so many kids get beat up by the noise and the blast and develop as bad of a flinch as the ones with bare muzzle.

The solution as far as I'm concerned is a cartridge with less recoil, effective bullets in those cartridges, and suppressors if possible.

.223, 6mm ARC, and similar (.22 ARC if you want to be cool and new) are awesome kids cartridges with heavy for caliber match bullets. It's all my kids shoot, and the ones that started on these have way less baggage and bad habits than my oldest did when he was their age (I started him on what I used to think was a good "kid's gun," a 7mm-08 shooting 120's.

He's fixed a bunch of it, and a lot of that has to do with shooting more .223 this summer through his new Tikka than he did 7mm-08 in the 4 years before combined. Probably 800-1000 rounds through the .223 this summer.
 
Joined
Nov 8, 2024
Messages
17
Location
Western Pa
We have two that the kids have shot, a Savage 110/111 in 350 legend and a Thompson Center Venture in 6.5 Creedmoor with radial brake, the kids shoot both well. They are 10, 8, 7. They have only hunted with the 350 and have taken a couple deer with it.
 

Or.hunter

WKR
Joined
Oct 9, 2016
Messages
330
Location
Oregon
Bergara Stoke. My nephew has one and he’s 9. Gun shoots 1/2 MOA if not tighter with every factory round we put in it. We tried 4 different factory rounds and they all did it. Highly recommend.


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