Youth 243 recommendation

[waitforit]

I found some older threads but figured that Id ask for new input with some new options on the market.
My almost 9 year old has the hunting bug and Id like to get him a youth rifle in .243 or 7mm-08. He isnt all that big so I was leaning toward the .243 (and I already have an ultralight 7mm08) for his first rifle.

He can hunt deer in our state as a 10 year old and im hoping he will eventually join me out west for antelope, elk, etc. He has been shooting a .22 for awhile and has improved on the mechanics of shooting.

Recommendations on brand? Ill probably buy scope separate, id like to get him something with more generous eye relief than bargain scopes usually have.

Another thought i had was to find a bolt .223 instead, still adequate for deer and even more mild than a 243. Might end up needing a bigger safe...

 

[howl]

.223 not bad if you don't depend on blood trails, 6.5 Grendel will be more satisfactory than 243 for blood trails. Cheap Grendel ammo is 25 cents per round.

I would get the Grendel or load .260 down with 120gr.

 

[N2TRKYS]

Remington Model Seven

 

[vonb]

I started mine on a .223 and then went to a .243. If I had to do over, I would have gone to a 6.5 CM. You can shoot the 100 gr monos and have better results than the .243

 

[BCD]

I bought my son the Savage Axis 2 in 243 an he loves it. It's perfect for a first deer rifle without spending a bunch of money. The action is a bit sloppy but it's a tack driver and he killed his first deer (a buck) with it recently and it performed perfectly. I personally would not consider the 223.

 

[browning2480]

Mine started on a Savage Axis as well in .243. You can shoot the low recoil rounds from Hornady for target practice and move them up to the 95 grain SST for hunting. I was pleasantly surprised at how good this round is at killing deer. My boys have killed a ton of deer with it, they just drop dead. I am sure there are better rifles out there, but mine has been through two boys already and it shoots great. I enjoy shooting it as well.

Plan on putting some antelope down with it this fall.

 

[PantherCity]

I got my small wife a Howa 1500 in .243.

I think it was the “Ranch hand compact” model and it has a light profile 20” barrel and a Hogue stock that I cut down a bit. Good trigger, similar to the savage accu-trigger with the blade in the middle. I like the 3 position safety.

I was considering a better stock, but my wife really likes the rubber texture in the cold and it’s plenty accurate for her. I think the rifle was under $500

I put a VX3 2.5-8 in Talley LE mounts. She likes it and it shoots really well.

I think for a kid/new shooter a scope with forgiving eye relief is critical. That 2.5-8 might get swapped to a 30mm tube scope when it time for my kids to start shooting it.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[BAKPAKR]

My daughter, now 10, has been shooting 223 and
6.8 in an AR but I wanted to move her on to a bolt action. I was looking at a Tikka T3X Lite Compact in 6.5 Creedmoor with the plan of starting her out on it with lighter bullets and reduced loads of H4895.

When I stopped at a sporting goods store with the intent of letting her handle a Tikka, I found a new compact Ruger American Rifle in 243 on clearance at right around $180. I couldn’t pass it up (plus my daughter liked the pink Muddy Girl camo). It shoots better than 1 MOA and a reduced load behind a 90 gr Hornady ELD-X worked great on a whitetail this year. It isn’t a pretty rifle, but it works.

 

[browning2480]

It isn’t a pretty rifle, but it works.

Best statement when buying a rifle for a youth

 

[Xbow hunter]

I bought a CVA Scout 243 for my daughter. Nice little gun at 34 inches overall length.

 

[loggerchas]

My wife is sub-5'0" and daughter has topped out at 5'3". Both shoot a NEF .243 Handi-Rifle-Youth easily. Low recoil and shoots MOA off the bench at 100 yards. Just be sure to get a thumb extension if you put a scope on it!

 

[kda082]

My son killed a lot of deer with his Savage Axis 243. Pretty affordable rifle. Friend loaded Sierra Game King 89gr I think. Most deer dropped stone dead which I didn't expect with that caliber. He shoots a 7mm 08 now which is another soft shooting caliber. We've moved up to the Savage 110 with the accutrigger.

 

[wildwilderness]

Definitely a .243 over a .223 if deer hunting. If you have to go .223 get a high twist barrel 1:8 to shoot heavy bullets. One of the most important things is a short LOP. I have a rem 700 I put a laminate stock (extra weight) on and cut to 12" LOP and the barrel to 19". hardly kicks at all and is a tack driver. I actually use it more than my kids!! Its' really handy

 

[MrTim]

Ruger American Youth model. Fit was great for my 8 year old. No problems with recoil shooting from the bench using reduced loads. Extremely accurate even with factory ammo. Nikon prostaff 3-9 provides ample eye relief and clean crosshairs. That short barrel is loud though. Don’t skimp on the ear protection.

 

[MattB]

I bought my daughter a Tikka .243 and put it in an XLR chassis. They are nice in that they are infinitely adjustable and the minimum LOP will fits any kid old enough to be shooting such a rifle.

She can also switch back to the factory stock when she grows up if she would like.