Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Better youth cartridge?

The choices are A, B, or C.

The 'Fire responds: R, F, Z, Q, Y, M, D....

I have made 7 carbines that were commissioned for small women and young boys and girls and the one that are getting the best results overall are AR15s in 6.8 SPC and 6.5 Grendel. Tele-stocks and standard A1 size grips are a "one-size-fits-all". VERY light recoil. I install match triggers in them so the pulls are excellent. I install both folding irons and a scope so the kids can (and should) learn how to use iron sights well as well as learning the use of the scops. Accuracy is very good to excellent, and both shells kill deer and antelope very well.

Most parents today never think of a "1st gun" being an AT, but I think they probably should.

If you don't like the semi-auto to start a kid, you can buy the fake magazines with the trough in them for single-shot application and they are cheap. So you end up with a single shot rifle until they are ready to progress.

The MDT LSS chassis gives the pro's of the AR adjustability with the pro's of a bolt action usage....not that an AR is bad but I prefer a bolt for most of my use. LOP that works for any age.

You can decide the merits of the round you want based on what you value most. One thing that you should consider is practice. The more the kid shoots the better he/she is going to be....it should play into the decision on the round. Choose something they can (and will want to) shoot often. If your decision is based on "they only have to shoot once in the field" I'd encourage you to rethink.

This was from Monday. Hard to see in the pic because I had to downsize it but the middle of that orange is bare from 70 grain speer spitzer's in a 223AI.

Started both of my boys on 7mm08. Both lefty's so went with M700 20" youth models and found adult sized SA stocks for them to grow into. Swapped in Timney triggers just to be completely worry free.

I have found 2-7x33 Leupolds in low Talley rings work just as well as for grownups once a foam and neoprene cheek piece kit is in place.

Youngest shot his first one with 120gr Hornady SP over 36 H4895 at 2400 fps. Did the job very well at 80 yards.

Last year he was 10 years old and all of 80# when he used the classic "campfire load" of 120 TTSX over 44 RL15 to take a big doe. Doesn't mind the recoil or the muzzle blast.

My only regret is he may never need another rifle.

GE

Don't you know need isn't a restriction on rifle acquisition?

JCMCUBIC makes a good point about practice/familiarity being important. I recommend time in the front yard or even in the living room, with the bolt removed, practicing getting set up for hypothetical shots. We did a lot of that as kids. Also spent a lot of time around the house with a youth-sized RWS with 4x glass. It was good fun and taught us how to not take forever to get a shot off.

I do, OH do I. But, that's on his checkbook ... not mine.

GE

I started my sons on whitetail deer an 30-30. I'd still recommend it for a kid. One nice thing about a visible hammer is that Dad can instantly see the status of the rifle.

Of the stuff I've played with since my kids graduated to 30-06, I'm eyeing 7mm-08 for my #1 Granddaughter. I just bought my first one myself, but I am really fond of the light recoil. I'll be using it this season and see how it goes.

Honestly, I'd not shy away from any of the choices for a yute chambering. It all depends on how much recoil the kid can handle. One of mine was a complete recoil hound and his younger brother got himself all wound up over the 30-30 and couldn't pull the trigger without wincing. We worked on it for a year and by the next season he was shooting a Mosin Nagant M44.


One other thing: Bring the kid into the discussion and have them do some reading on their own. It motivates them a lot and they try harder when it's something they helped on. My sons were talking with me for years about what they wanted to shoot their first deer with.

My oldest started on a BB gun, then 17hmr, then 243 He is 10 now

At 8 the 243 was brutal too him. Bought a suppressor which helped tremendously, but he was still scared. I know everyone can’t or won’t get a suppressor but for kids it has been a game changer for us. 22lr is so quiet they never develop a flinch due to noise when starting out

Picked up a Remington model 7 Kuiu 300blk. Shoot Barnes 110 or nosler 125 nbt. Kills deer with ease and no recoil.(7 for 7 so far with not a one going more than 35 yards). When I say no recoil my 40lb 5 year old shoots it in a youth stock and it doesn’t bother him at all

It changed everything for my oldest. He went from being terrified to loving it. He shot 50 rounds last weekend from 50 yards to 150. No issue at all

Nephew started on the 300blk as well. He isn’t as recoil shy. He is using the 243 this year at 9

Kids are all different. Need to know how your kid will handle recoil from a 6.5 or 7-08 before you should buy one. Try a buddies gun first. Or a 243 you have and see how they react. May need to start with a 223 or 300blk and then advance

Started my 10 year old daughter this year on Rem 700 MR in .260 Rem in a chopped up Tupperware stock with a 1” Lymbsaver and an adjustable cheek rest. Been practicing with some reduced loads with 100gr bullets at 2000fps and have some 100gr Partition loaded at 2600fps for hunting.

308. more/cheaper ammo and the diff in recoil, etc is negligible. that said, when anyone asks what caliber for deer for kids, newbs, etc, 308 is my answer. my son was small and hunted with my 77 RSI 308 for years. never had a problem.

308 vs 243 in the hands of some kids is a minuscule difference. For others it’s significant.

Wouldn’t say 308 has cheaper ammo for hunting than say a 243. Plenty of good cheap ammo available for a 243


Learn from my mistake. Try your kids out and see how they handle it before you commit to a caliber

Example

Best friends 9 year old daughter. Maggie is a really good shooter for 9. She shows the boys up! Started on a 300blk. Moved to a 243. Handles 243 with ease, even stout loads for a 243. She is a confident shooter to 200 yards at 9 years old.

Shot her dads 6.5 creedmoor and was almost in tears. It kicked her hard. She is afraid of it now. 243 is a cake walk for her though.

Try them and see how they do before you commit.

I can feel a big difference between the 6.5 creedmoor and 243. And a huge difference between those and the 308.

I think the 6.5 grendel is a great option for kids

Lot's of truth on what folks are saying about each kid being different. Some may be bothered by the physical recoil more/less, some it may be muzzle blast, some both...... One things for sure. Less recoil and less muzzle blast is a positive for any of them....even those it bothers less.

How about a CZ 527 in 7.62 x 39?

60 second review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DMi_yAkJRn4

Hickok45 review
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WSu7EuQr6o4

Available in a youth model too.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4xkZKseNx9E

As stated somewhere above, not enough difference between the chambering to fret too much over. Stock fit and type will be the key player in this quest. Any Light and narrow type butt stock is going to punish the kid. A quality recoil pad at proper length is key. My boys were average size at best but had no problem shooting anything that fit them well. They are all grown now but they still talk about all those days at the range when they were learning and how much fun it was.

Starting an 8 yr old and utilizing for 5-6 yrs + I’d look for an inexpensive Rem 700 new or used in caliber 6mm, or new Rem action and add barrel. 6mm is a potent caliber and has no problem piling up deer size game and beyond. Easy to shoot on one end plenty of power on the other end. If used Rem SA in 308 Win is found, I’d be tempted to rebarrel as 243 Win or 6mm Creedmoor. A nice Rem 700 Magpul stock is extremely adjustable for LOP and comb. You can dial it in for years of use from 8 yrs old on up to adult use.

I have really come to like the 6.5 Grendel for the kids. Howa makes their mini action in it. It's such an affective pussycat I am thinking of using it.

Thinking really hard about that MDT LSS chassis I see they make them for a Tikka. Anyone confirm for me how short the lop on that can be adjusted to?

Here’s some pics of the 300blk in use. I have a aac in a Remington model 7 wood youth stock and the Kuiu model. Buddy has the Kuiu for his kids as well. 2 guys at work bought ruger American after seeing how well they did for us. If more people tried it for kids they would Impressed at reasonable ranges. There is literally no recoil