Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Deer rifle for 10 year old girl

CZ says designed to shoot .311 bullets. I might call them and get a clarification but reports are that they shoot well. There is also a bolt that has a lower lift sold at CZ.

Of the choices listed, I'd go Ruger American in 223 or 243.

The 44 and 30-30 are too much for a young girl/beginner.

A Rem 7 in same would be good. They may still even make a youth model......

I am not sure I agree a 100gr 260 would have any more recoil than a 95gr 243. Maybe there is some physics there I don't understand? I would much rather hunt deer+ with a 260 than a 243 once I got all grown up but just personal preference.

A 223 with a 62-70gr TSX or a 243 with an 80gr TSX, more specifically, would be my top 2 choices.

Either bullet will shoot through a deer, lengthwise.

If I had to go "on the cheap" a 64gr Win PP and 80gr Win PP, respectively.

Anything with more recoil is too much, IMO, and not needed......

I'd say it is you who is clueless, thinking there is only one way to skin a cat. Run the recoil numbers on Blue Dot 7mm-08 or 260 loads versus a standard 223 or 243 load. Better yet, shoot some and get back with us.

7 years old. Something light with low recoil. A bolt gun in .223 would be the best. I would not go above a .243 myself, as there is really no need.

I dislike kids hunting with 223's.. I have never been on a trail of a deer shot with a 223 that bled well at all. The last one shot on our farm was shot with a 223 and a 60 gr Partition (I loaded it for her) she shot it at 90 yds perfectly behind the front shoulder.That big doe ran a long ways and bled very little. I have seen them run off after the shot like they are not even hit. I would like to find a good 260 for the kiddos.

I have never had to blood trail any deer shot with a 223. Ever.

When you describe "a perfect behind shoulder shot that bled little as if never hit", I gotta question how "perfect" that shot truly was..........

I would say you are very lucky!! It had a small caliber hole in each side.. I would have shot the deer in the same spot. I have loaded a lot of 223's for buddy's kids. Some drop in their tracks.. others are track jobs..and in the evening that is not much fun in clear cuts.

No luck involved. Any caliber hole can result in tracking, if not placed accordingly.

A 60gr Partition will kill deer 1000/1000 times if you place it correctly.

Sounds like maybe the shot was angling toward the brisket. Just a hunch. Angling at vitals, its a dead deer, every time.....

270

My son killed two WT bucks in Fall '05 w a 12.5-in. Barrett M468 & original weak-azz 115 OTM Rem. Died really fast. One at 60 yards &second @ 30. Looked as if they'd been popped w full power .270/130s

The Rem MR .270 (basically 6.8mm ballistics) loads will kill quite well within 250 yards.

270 has worked great my boys.

I have used H4895 with great success. A 85gr TSX at 1900 worked great on deer.

He is now on to 110gr NAB'S at 2600.

.243 for 75 pound girls.

My 9 year old daughter didn't have a problem with the 7mm-08. She certainly practiced many hundreds of rounds with various lighter calibers. She is 17 now and a very good marksman so limited shots with larger calibers did cause any issues with her. Each individual is different though.

How about a model 7 or a win m70 compact? Both are great rifles, pretty light, easy handling, and come in great deer/elk/black bear calibers. Both are quality guns that can be used for a lifetime if cared for properly.

Oh it's a safe bet I might a shot a 7/08 or 260 once. Do tell about all the reduced loads that hang with full tilt 223's/243's and all the "advantages" given that route.

I have rifles in .243 and fast twist .223 bolt guns /AR rifles. They are great fun and kids do like them also. I started out at age 10 with an M700 in .243win, as did my brother and my two cousins of the same age. Somewhere around age 14, we all moved up to 270/30-06 class rifles for deer hunting.

The OP was asking about a hunting rifle for his 10 year old. My point was that a rifle of the 7mm-08 class can be purchased as a "do it all" rig if a person handloads and intends for that rifle to be their child's primary big game rifle for years to come. Yes, a person can hunt a .243 for deer at any age, but our experiences have shown more reliable performance on game with the slightly larger chamberings. Dead is dead, but consistent blood trails are the shortcoming of the 6mm rounds.

A reduced 100-120gr load from a 260/7mm-08 will certainly not "hang" balistically with a full-power load from a 243win, regarding drop and wind drift. Then again, a .243win won't let a person launch 140-160gr bullets in later years. I find that kids/women can indeed have a good time with 100-250yd shooting and the lighter loads in the bigger chamberings. For many, the flatter trajectory and lower wind drift of the 6mm play bullets will never really be recognized as an asset, especially if the child/woman is not shooting 300-400yds. I don't have newbie hunters shooting game that far, for certain.

I asked my daughter yesterday if she wanted to shoot my 223 or her 7mm-08 today for the opener of youth season. She grabbed up her little red rifle immediately. She's got confidence in it and shoots it well, probably just as well as she'd shoot a smaller chambering. I agree with your notion of letting people burn through ammo to breed familiarity and confidence, I'm simply saying they can also do it with a larger chambering if a person handloads. Your portrayal of all the posters reccomending a 260/7mm-08 as "clueless" is simply incorrect in my opinion. Those chamberings are indeed up to the task for the handloader. My 9 year old daughter's whitetail from this morning would likely agree. (7mm-08 120's at 2,400-2,500fps: 2" high at 100yds, 2" low at 200yds) Also 30% less recoil energy than a comparable 243win sporter with full-house 100gr loads.

I am pretty sure I could load my 270's to 223 and 243 levels.

The advantage would be one gun to grow with and use for life. An advantage that is usually lost on us loonies.

Nice job JPro. Congrats to your little girl. You must be very proud of her. I dig her rifle.

I have a question. How did you figure out the "30% less recoil than a 100gr .243 thing? Thanks.....