Looking at getting one of my daughters their first and forever gun. What's everyone's opinion on quality these days. Browning micro midas, ruger Hawkeye compact, savage 11 lady hunter, etc.
If you’re planning to get a forever rifle I’d get something that has a decent aftermarket and available prefit barrels so things can be easily adjusted later as necessary. The ability to swap stocks makes for easy birthday/Christmas presents down the road when they are ready to move up in size.
A compact tikka in 243 fits that bill and is a nice rifle for the long term.
I have a slick little old school wood stocked & blued metal Remington youth model 7 in .243 that immediately comes to mind.
Lots of character in that little rifle.
Another vote for a Tikka. I have become a Tikka fan after first hand experience. Lots of options for caliber, compact or not, box fed or blind mag, wood-synthetic-laminated stock, synthetic stock just black or with a pattern, threaded or not….
Just starting to build one for my 6 year old. Bought a Tikka in .223. It'll get dropped in a KRG Echo stock as soon as they're released. If and when he decides he wants something else, we'll rebarrel to the caliber of his choice in a carbon barrel. Maybe at some point send it to UM for bolt fluting and lightening. That's as close to a custom rifle as he'll ever need.