I bought both my girls Savage Youth package rifles. The theory being that at about $430 per copy, not much investment if they decided not to continue hunting.
I would have preferred a 260, but these rifles only came in 243. IMO, not the best deer rifle, but a good COMBO coyote/deer rifle.
Both girls started hunting at age 12 (minimum legal age in Alberta). They blow me away how well they shoot, especially as they are right handed, but left eye dominant. They both CHOSE to shoot right handed, which means that they have to overcome the left eye dominance. At that the range, a little tape on the left lens of their shooting glasses works wonders. In the field they usually don't have a problem, but closing the left eye works.
We have only used 85gr TSX Federal Premium (I have not gotten around to reloading). Over the last 5 years they have taken 9 deer, both mule deer and whitetail.
Here are the results:
2009: WT buck. 200yd high shoulder shot dropped buck in his tracks. Deer was still thrashing around a little, so I had her shoot it through the spine right behind the shoulder (back was facing us. she didn't want to get closer).
2010: WT buck. Neck shot at about 60 yards as the buck looked back over his shoulder at us. Youngest girl refused the Texas Heart shot (my theory was that if the pelvis was broken, the buck was going no wheres. She advised that that was not a good shot and refused to take it. Good girl!)
2010: WT doe. The does with the buck did not run off too far. Older girl got up on the fence post and dropped a doe with a neck shot at about 250-300. (I was watching one much closer and luckily saw the doe she shot at drop in my binocular field of view. I asked why did you shoot one so far away? It had the best shot presentation and no other deer around.)
2010: MD buck. He was hit around the margins. Not sure how he died actually, but my 300WSM had the same effect (she got rattled when he didn't die on the first shot. Missed or shot legs until the gun ran dry. So Dad had to finish it.) Bottom line, he died.
2011: WT buck. About 330 right at dark. At the shot I was very confident that the buck was going to keel over, but as it continued to run, too late I realized it was going to make it into the timber. As it was getting dark, we tried to followup immediately, but kept bumping it without a shot opportunity. We gave up and found it dead the next morning. Unfortunately the coyotes had been feeding on it. (No meat was edible, very rank.) Shot was a little low. I underestimated the range in the low light.
2012: Both girls had MD does at 300 cross canyon. For what ever reason, they had problems hitting these deer. They finally got one. I have no idea what the problem was. They can make that shot. We checked very carefully, but there was no evidence that the other doe was hit. Later in the day, the other girl shot a broadside doe at about 250. Perfect lung shot. Doe ran about 150yds before dying. There was no good spot for it to die. Both retrieves were very strenuous!
2013: MD doe. Head shot at about 40yds. DRT obviously. MD doe at about 130yds. Broadside lung shot. Ran about 120yds before dying further downslope in think timber.
So what have I learned? They need more practice? Probably. No deer shot at and hit have escaped. Some drop in their tracks shots. Some where they are dead and still run 150yds. With my bum leg, it makes the retrieves very difficult in this canyon country we hunt.
What to do? try the 80gr TTSX, 85gr Sierra BTHP, Nosler 95gr BT?
Bigger caliber?
I guess, that the results aren't much different than what I have seen with the 25-06, 270, 30-06, 280, 300WSM. Shoot two deer the same, one drops at the shot, the other goes on a death run.
I still have a little prejudice against the 243. I would never use a 243 on an elk at 680yds. For one thing, they probably could have gotten closer and/or used a heavier caliber and a heavier bullet. Yet that elk dropped at the shot? Go figure.
I'm torn between trying other bullets, buying them 308s and keeping the 243s for coyotes, or now that they are 5'7" and 120 or 130lbs, selling the 243s and getting them 260s as a do everything caliber. They do like the recoil of the 243. In their wisdom, Savage just put a plastic plate on the youth stock. I think for adult length, I just need to ad a 1" pad. Recoil would be even less.
Mr Clark, for what you posted, get the 243. I think you will be happy.