Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire starting over... need a new rifle.

so my wife left and i found a new girl friend... she's got a couple boys of bout the rite age to get started shootin and fishin. hope they like it. my boy's just a bit young, 2 1/2. problem is i got rid of my .243 mountian rifle, and i aint found "the" 6.5x55. it took me 13 years to amass what i currently own on a little mans budget. you know, trade marbles for sling shots, and sling shots, for knives, ect. ect. i now have NO hunting rifles for kids that'll take a scope. they should really learn on open sights i think, but for hunting i'd like a scoped rifle. guess i just gotta find "that" gun. bad problem to have aint it now lol. problem i have is i like "nice" guns not just your run of the mill sps, m77, and i hate savage, not that they don't shoot... i gust like "nice" things. let him shoot with a $700-$800 rifle. i shoulda baught that 1885 browning .243 but it was the wrong cal. for ME and it is MY rifle. so i need a "nice" 6.5 "kids" gun. i like a mannlicher stock and a 22" bbl. and it needs to be about 6.5lbs. no scope... i know, bad problem to have aint it? any ideas or am i just being too picky?

IMO you are being too picky. Besides, do you really want to put a $7-800 rifle, plus scope, in the hands of a young hunter and expect them not to bang it up? Go Stevens or used. you can always trade up later.

http://cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-550-fs/

Available in 6.5x55

Superlight Handi-Rifle� Compact 243 and 5.5 pounds open sights and scope mounts

shoot 85 grain TSX bullets and call it good

Don't think you can do 6.5# with a Mannlicher stock unless you go Model 7 and a MPI synthetic. http://www.mpistocks.com/manlk.htm
You'll be way over budget. As bbassi said, go Stevens, or a synthetic stocked Savage package gun. Here's the youth model.
http://savagearms.com/firearms/models/
Best bang for the buck. Put an adult stock on when they grow into it, or sell it and get a nicer one. Especially if this relationship ends up going south, you don't want a high dollar firearm going with it. Not to say that that'll happen, but you never know.

The CZs are heavy and bulky items. The only lighter Mannlichers are high dollar European makes. The Model 77 RSI in 250 Savage might do but it is going to eat up your budget.

For just about your budget, you could get a Ruger 77 compact in 243 or 6.8 SPC and a low grade Leupold. An ideal kid's gun, low recoil, handy, and the right scale too. If, that is, the kids can get it away from you.

1B

Don't forget the Savage/Stevens ability to swap barrels yourself. Buy a cheap stock and lop it to length. Later change stocks as the kids grow. My last Stevens stock cost me $10. With the wide availability of stocks and barrels, you can mix and match as needed. New factory barrels can be had for under a $100.

yes i would hand them a $700-800 rifle, but not a $1500 rifle. things get dinged sometimes, unless you keep them in the safe. i rode my steyr down the hill last season like it was a sled... ouch!

the ruger rsi in a 6.5 sweed would be perfect if nor for the 20" bbl. anyone chronographed one?

And my biggest worry is what rifle should I purchase next?!


Nothing wrong with this picture.

Stevens 200

i didn't think so

that's why it's MY gun! or My kids gun and they can use it.

Why is it when the man says "and i hate savage" so many guys recommend Savage? That's funny ashell right there

Used Howa 1500 in 7MM-08 or .270

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=162467581

I'd spend as much as I could afford and get good glass on a rifle for a youngster to be used for a long time.

Lots of competition for their attention out there. Make there quest successful and important the very first time.

I, and probably most of us here, were given minimal tools for success. But that was another time, with less distractions.

Plenty of pawn and gun shops that carry used in WA. Do some shopping around.

An excellent youth rifle is being offered for sale right here on the 'fire.

http://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbthreads/ubbthreads.php/topics/3936141/WTS_Youth_Rifle#Post3936141

Prezactly!

For $39 more than his starting bid you can buy a brand new Weatherby Vanguard (same action as the Howa) at Academy if you have one of those nearby.