My oldest is 13 and we are setting up a rifle for her and her siblings to use. Looking hard at the tikka compacts, but trying to decide on a caliber. Down road I can rebarrel to whatever as have all tools needed to do this.

For an off the shelf rifle for antelope/deer and some limited target shooting with it how would you go???

.243 Win
6.5 Creed
.22-250

Will be running reloads and have stuff for all the above.

Input appreciated from guys who have been down this road.

Rem 700 1:8 243 win

243. Will take any deer if you teach the youngster to shoot well, and practice

223 by lightyears. Hint..............

Have a tikka t1x in .22lr in a compact stock and also have a .223 compact on way. Was wondering if it would do everything they will most likely do as it s 1:8 and have several decent .224 bullets on bench.

Wasn’t sure if I should look at something g heavier or just run 65gr sgk or 77gr TMK’s in the .223 and go forth…..

If you are already going to have a good .223 with decent twist, I would go 6.5CM for the kid's rifle. Would be a nice pairing, especially with handloading. If you wanted to shoot lighter bullets at slightly reduced velocity for a few years in the 6.5CM, you could. Within 2-3 years you can go full-throttle. My daughter had no issues with full-power 6.5CM and 7mm-08 loads in sporter-weight guns at age 14-15. We downloaded before that.

The T1X/3X melding in 22LR/223 is simply fhuqking sensational. Scope them alike and dots will be connected by default. Hint.

The 8" 223 Teeker's bane are their fhuqking Dog Schit magazines,regarding feed/function,reliability,durability and COAL. I toted another one home yesterday,making it #5 in the larder. Later today,I'll toss a CTR bottom in it and have it sipping from that VASTLY superior system and Smooching mag fed 75 ELD's. Unless I just say "fhuqk it" and toss it in a CTR handle. Hint.

The 75 ELD is KING there. Keep it FUN and keep a knife handy. Hint.............

Stick, are you buying the ctr bottom metal and mags from somewhere or picking them up used?

Do they fit in standard factory stocks or is some inlet work required?

Thanks
David

223 yes

Scooping second hand,for both CTR stocks/DBM's and rather often Ebay or The 'Horn. Hint.(grin)

You'll need to inlet,to toss CTR bottom,in a non-CTR stock. No big fhuqking deal. Hint...........

These clowns act like traditional twist are not killing animals. I am not a fan of the .223 on medium game .. Yes it will kill, but something with a bit more bullet wt. would be my preference. The .243 will do, or a nice 7mm=08. If you have all the stuff, I would go with the 6.5.

You may want to consider the Games Laws of what state you are hunting. For example, Colorado Rifle laws.

No "Herd-Clips" in CO, who'da thunk.

You Crying CLUELESS Kchunts,who have never shot anything,are a fhuqking riot! Hint.

I could roll hours and hours of kill footage and you wouldn't be able to tell a 223,from a 243,6.5 or 7-08,if only because I shoot them all and a fhuqk of a LOT more. Hint.

17 Rem here. Hint.



22 KHorn here. Hint.



I'd happily countersink a muzzle and scribe "24-223" on the shank,before fretting an archaic "Law",expounded by a Clueless Fhuqking Drooler. Kids connecting dots,make a WAY bigger fhuqk to me. Hint.



Just sayin'............

Pick the the 77gr TMK's and go forth to slay.

P.S. depending on twist rate the 22-250 is quite capable as well.

Have never seen a Teeker in 22-250. Hint. LAUGHING!



The 77 Sugar TMK is an easy pass,due it's pedestrian .420 BC and added mass,as compared to the 75 ELD M's .467 BC and svelte figure. One grabs some speed and reaps improved atmospherics and higher impact velocties,with better Terminal Effects. The TMK is made with a schitty profile,to play nice in AR confines. I prefer the 75gr Hornie HPBT there,as they fend trips up feed ramps happily and are ruggedly fhuqking RELIABLE. Win/win. Hint.





CTR 223 COAL is 2.600",while T3X OEM 223 mags are hilariously fhuqking trite. Hint.






Just sayin'..................

Tikka t3 compact in 308

I pity your kids.

Yeah, that sucks for them. Been fighting a flinch since I was kid because of that damn SS 12 ga.

That deer was shot in the head----look at the bulged eyes!

What do you expect DICK HEAD?

Let him use a rifle at least 24 cal. even if he wears panties!

Dude, you live on Long Island. Come on now.

Buy a 22 creedmoor in the barrel length and profile that suits them best. Maybe a heavy sporter.

Drop deer, coyotes, and such one after another....

Yeah, I live on Long Island where there is a bigger population of deer then in Many,Many areas of the United States! They are considered a pest here. I live in a very populated area and my house plot is 100' x100" and i have seen deer across the street as well as flocks of turkey.

And DUH!!!! I don't hunt here but hunt in the Catskill mountains and have shot a lot of deer there where you have to actually hunt for them and not sit in a n elevated blind with hot and cold running water, full kitchens, Hot showers and a flush toilet!

'm talking about hunting here!!!

Hip (A hunter----not a girly man!)

Cool story bro. Do tell me more. I'd love to not hear about it.

Skull fu c ked is the proper term

Kchunt Shoot,

Meat simply gets shot in the face. Hint.

Pickles don't. 1-8" 223AI. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!...............

I went with the Tikka T3 Compact chambered for .243 Win 1:8" twist for 11-12yo Grand daughter who wanted to hunt white tails here in KY. Leupold 1.5-5x20 on top. Minimal recoil. Forgiving eye box. A 95gr NPT sealed the deal on her second hunt.

Back in the early 80s I worked on a diesel barge outside of Ketchikan with a guy who used to hunt moose with a 22-250. At 200 yards they were dropping 47 feet and getting less than an inch of penetration on woodchucks. I used to tell him all the time that he needed upgrade the CTM with CTR12 chromoly backed with vanadium, put colored tape on the scope to boost muzzle velocity, and load a batch of 57 hootenanypoppers but he ended up selling the rifle and got a job at Howard Johnson's. Moral of the story: HOW MANY TIMES DOES STICK HAVE TO RE-TEACH YOU MORONS THE SAME THING? NEVER STOP STICK. NEVER STOP FIGHTING. THROW MORE IN THE CREEK. MAKE THEM LEARN.

You expect us to believe a .243 killed a deer? The photos are clearly AI generated and Stick hasn't even seen them. How many times did you throw the rifle in the creek? If it's less than 30 we know you're lying.

All the youth who've tried it have liked my 6.5CM Howa with a B&C youth stock on it.

125 gr reduced loads- very light recoil
Daughter has been shooting it since she was 10 now 17 she loves the 308.

You are there. The step from the T1/22 to the T3x/223 will be easy. If one of the kids is especially recoil sensitive you can even download the 223's practice rounds since you hand load.

Taking kids hunting is awesome when they have fun and take to it. I was asked to take a nephew out for his first buck a few years ago. He borrowed a 223 and after we practiced a bit he placed a 62 grain Federal Fusion bullet neatly behind the shoulder of a 7 point. (The wound was tremendous and the buck died quickly by the way. The tissue damage looked more like a wound from a 270-type cartridge.)

Enjoy those hunts and take lots of pics. They grow old fast and those memories will mean a lot.

It’s too bad they don’t chamber a bunch of factory rifles in 250 savage. It’s the cartridge I wanted to start my kids with.

I’m with the .223 crowd.....

Light loads in a .223 to start, then on to full power stuff as they grow.
Deer/antelope die easily if hit properly.
Once old enough/proficient enough, I’d go 6.5. CM and never look back - load it light, medium or heavy depending on the the need..... the road map to success....

Yep .223 gets my vote too!

243 gets my vote. Doesn't need to be a fast twist either. You don't even need a fancy scope or a fancy bullet. Some guys overthink this schidt. It would look something like this:

Rifle:
1. Winchester model 70 featherweight
2. Tikka T3x lite or superlite
3. Sako AII
4. Ruger RAR
5. Stevens 200
6. Myriad of other rifles that would work perfectly

Scope:
1. Burris FFII 3-9x40 with ballistic plex reticle

Bullet:
1. Hornady 100gr BTSP interlock

Keep it simple, like what is outlined, and it's really hard to go wrong, or screw up. After that, practice, practice and more practice. Teach them to learn that reticle, and I guarantee they can be deadly out to 500 yards, with this combo.

Your 6mm "Understanding" is Fhuqking HILARIOUS!. Hint.



The 223 simply gets the nod,with a real scope and real projectile. Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!.............

L O L O L O L ! ! ! ... Don't need the sarcasm font for this one... ... As BSA said, don't overthink it.

243 seems like the best choice to me, especially given that you handload.


Don't listen to the guy who is recirculating 15 year old pictures. Miraculously for a game slayer who loves to brag about success and wares, there are no recent game kill photos.

All my kids started antelope hunting with youth model .243s and 7mm-08s. All standard twists, all crappy BC bullets, and at least one of the rifles isn’t even sub-MOA (Gasp!!!)….but the rifles fit them well, the kids shot straight and we made an effort to get them within the ranges they were comfortable shooting.

This was my youngest boys first season and he used his Tikka superlite 7-08 with a 120 NBT. I started him with reduced loads and he now shoots pretty well.






In the .243s we have mostly used the 85 TSX



If I was starting from scratch I would take a hard look at the 6mm CM and the 95 LRX. We shoot that bullet in my 6-06 and it is a hammer without excessive damage to the real trophy on an antelope.

There are plenty of rifles to choose from these days. As stated read the regs where you're choosing to hunt and use what's legal. I live in Colorado so you need a 6mm minimum, that said the first deer my daughter took was in Oklahoma with a .223 Rem at 9 years old.

I let her use the .223 three years and then moved her to a .300 Savage at 12 years old so she could hunt elk. She now hunts almost exclusively with a Howa Alpine in .308 Win. We used 125 grain NBT in the Savage and .308 for her first Mule Deer and Pronghorn and a pretty big pile of whitetails down in Oklahoma. She's 21 now and about the only thing she doesn't shoot is 180 grain ammunition.

I'd look at 6 and 6.5mm rifles first, it's hard to go wrong with a Tikka. However, you might look at the 6 ARC and 6.5 Grendel options out there as well. There are a lot more factory options for smaller framed hunters these days.

Very nice!

243 boys. 243.
Sumbich flat ass eats!
My boy is 10 and I got him a 280 and he shoots it great. He killed 6 deer this year from 120 to 375 yards. Could have done it all with his 243. A 100 interlock or a 105 berger will kill any deer or goat. Lost count on the numbers with a 243 win/ack but it's over 200 deer. Tried a 25-06 for a while. Not a bad deal, but I honestly could tell a difference from a .243.

A 223 ack is stupid. Don't even consider that. If your gonna build one, a .22-243 is more like it. I ran a fast twist 22-250 for several years and it was a dog. 3000 and an 80 grain bullet is weak sauce. Run that 22-243 and an 80 and you'll see what a laser is.

Then again, a 243 win with an 80 stock, right out of the wrapper will get your rocks off too.

😎👍👍

First problem here is that the 243 was invented before 2002. So we all know you're lying that it killed game and these images are all AI generated. Second problem is that you just won't listen to Stick. HE IS TRYING TO TEACH YOU THAT RIFLES YOU *THINK* HAVE BEEN KILLING ANIMALS FOR DECADES OR EVEN CENTURIES ARE FAKE. Back in the 70s, I was running twin Yamaha 16000cc saws with 87 inch bars on the Klondike. One of the guys in camp tried to kill a bobcat with a .243 at 75 yards. The bullet was carrying -47 foot pounds of energy at 50 yards. Think about it. At 2000 yards, even if you have a village person mustache, a 30-06 drops 700 feet. Taping the scope might get you an extra 200fps but how could you possibly kill deer with it at 100 yards? THE ANSWER IS YOU CAN'T. AND STICK IS GOING TO KEEP THROWING RIFLES IN THE CREEK UNTIL YOU FINALLY LISTEN. NEVER STOP STICK. KEEP TEACHING. THEY WILL LISTEN EVENTUALLY.

Man, if they still had the 6mm creed barreled action Howa's at Brownell's I'd get one in a heartbeat and throw it in that B&C youth stock for the ultimate kids/loaner deer rifle.

Deer are not exactly hard to kill.

1-7" Mike Rock 223AI. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!..........

If you have the time, this is a fun read:

https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/223-for-bear-deer-elk-and-moose.130488/


I’m in there somewhere, having used my T3 and 75 ELDM to fill my deer tag last year.

The .223 Rem is easy to shoot well and it’s fun. Two crucial components when you want to get kids involved.

And it’s lethal, too.





P

Lots of good options and suggestions. A 22lr 223 and then 243/6.5 creedmoor tikkas would be a great trio.

I think the 6 ARC Howa in a stocky stock timney trigger JO floor plate and nomad ti is just excellent too. I can’t say enough about it for adults or kids.

1-7" Mike Rock 223AI. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!..........

Don't forget the 7mm-08 worth looking at.

Pretty easy to start them on a PSA 22LR upper on a AR15 for learning, then 6mm ARC for deer.

Adjustable carbine stock = forever rifle.

Village people mustache? Ha ha ha.
I like a 223 rem with heavies. Everybody does. But it ain't a hunting cartridge. I quit calling at coyotes and whatnot with one due to the fact it just don't buck wind. A 20 mph wind is the norm. When your bullet is blowing a foot at 250, it's time for powder. Now that same 80 grain bullet in a 250 will work great, but step up to a 243 and you've hit the sweet spot. Plus, one year I was calling song dogs during a general rifle season and came across a good buck. Shot his azz at 375 with that 243 on a cold, windy morning. Buck was 24 inches wide and score up in the 160s. That 223 ain't getting that deal done cleanly 100 percent of the time. Behind the shoulder, lung, blah blah, whatever. It's like elk hunting with a 243. It can be done, but step up to the 06 or 280 ya know? I've been shooting coyotes and deer with a 243 win or ack for 30 years. Never wanted more. Great cartridge, and for prairie goats? All day, every day.

Funny thing, I have a howa mini in 7.62x39 in the safe with an 18” 6arc barrel on its way to swap over. I’m on waiting list for JO bottom metal. Have thought of that route too but dad needs some toys to him self

Do you enjoy being so frequently incorrect?

In order to have a 223 powered 80 grain eld drift a foot at 250 you’re looking at a 30 mph wind. Funny thing….an 80 grain Ballistic Tip or TTSX from a 243 drifts further in the same wind.

And don’t forget, Coyote, the OP is talking about kids, not experienced shooters. Too much wind is a pass for a newbie.

Not to mention, prairie goat is right.





P

Good point. In a 30 mph crosswind with a new hunter, the answer is not to get a bigger gun, the best remedy is to refrain from shooting. A 30 mph wind isn’t only affecting the bullet, it’s physically pushing around the rifle and shooter. Not great for any shooter, and especially problematic for a lightly built inexperienced kid.

105s in my 243s. Didn't get much wind drift on those. Also, a 223 rem in no way, shape or form, is a better hunting cartridge than a 243 winchester. Doesn't matter if it's an 8 year old or an 80 year old behind the gun. Also, if your gonna hunt antelope, and you think the wind ain't gonna blow then your mistaken. You'll have a couple decent days, but you don't want to limit junior with a 223 hunting antelope, when he could have a better cartridge in a .243. Also, that 223 at 2850 with 75s IS drifting a foot at 250 in 20 mph! Keep hunting with your 223s lmao!

And don't think I encourage a young hunter to take stupid shots. But, he's not gonna get too many shots broadside at 100 yards, there will be wind 9 times out of 10, and he may want dad to lay his rear end down with whatever rifle he gets and shoot that rifle out to 3 or 400 yards to get some practice in. Work with a 22 lr, then grab that 243 and make him get on targets quickly and practice making the shot. I like a 10 to 14 power scope with a reticle that has hash marks. Figure it out, them goats ain't easy to get close to, and you'll be way better off with a cartridge such as a 243 or I hate to say it, a dang creedmore.

Savage Storm. Stainless, and stock has removable spacers for length of pull adjustment and height of comb.

In the conditions listed above where a 223/80 is drifting a foot at 250 yards, a 243 with 105s (either 105 Amax or VLDs) is drifting around 10-11”. Either one would require a wind call to be made. Of course one could fart around with max loading one and handicapping the other and skew numbers as one sees fit.

A 75 eldm at 2850, in typical Eastern Montana fall conditions, will drift a foot at 250 in a 29 mph wind. Not sure what 75 you’re using to come up with your numbers. I’m betting it’s a guess.

Yea, a validated guess. 75 hornady match in the .223. Drifting 10 to 12 inches on a 20 to 25 mph day.

105 berger, which the remington rifle I suggested would shoot just fine, is about 6 to 7 in 20 to 25 mph. Also, validated. May times on both. I don't have to guess man, I've been there, done that on shooting critters.

To the OP, I'm sure whatever you get will work just fine and you'll have many good memories on the prairie with your kids, but if it were me, and I was gonna drop some coin on a hunting rifle for a young, novice shooter, you'll be much more happier with a 243 win.

As usual, lot's of stupidity. Prairie Goat knows of what he speaks - kind of obvious really.

My son (now 31) started at age 12 with a 223 and 53 TSX's. He turfed several antelope beyond 200 yards with that combo. It's a great round for anyone of any age. If I were building a kids rifle/cartridge combo, and was a handloader, I'd build a 22 CM with a 1-8" 23" bbl on a Kimber 84M Montana platform. Barrel would be a hybrid that works in the barrel channel and mic's .650" at the muzzle. Otherwise a 1-8" 22-250 would be perfect.

My friend Dober has a string of something like 40 one shot kills on deer and antelope with that combo. Actually, I think one of the forty took an extra round. It works, and I'd use the same on open country elk.

To the guys running .22Creeds what bullets are you using and what kind of velocity are you seeing?

A 53 grain bullet won't even legal in most states, and open country elk? Come on buddy.

Go bust one of those 300 pound mulies or big whitetails on the shoulder with that 53 grainer and see how that works out for ya. Obviously, recoil is the issue here. If a kid or teenager or whatever cant handle a 243, then they prolly outta stay in the truck. Hate to be that way.

There’s a big difference between the 75 BTHP and the 75 ELD.

Thankfully I don't live in those states...

A223 for smallish deer and antelope, a .243 if the deer are bigger .................. I carry my .243 regularly with elk tag in my pocket. I am 6' and 220 lbs. I much prefer shooting a .243 to anything bigger. I started with a .30-06 and it took me 15 years to shoot good.

So, is it legal to hunt any elk, in any state with a .224 cal or 53 grain bullet?

Thankfully here in MT we trust people to have the good sense God gave a walnut. So yeah, it's legal here.

If you're concerned about a .24 minimum requirement you need to seriously consider the 6mm Max. It's not only in a sweet spot performance wise, but also not as finicky as the 6 ARC.

Some of you guys LIVE to make easy problems into difficult/complicated ones.

Buy a .243, call it a day, take the kid hunting.

Don't make much sense to me to shoot an elk with a 22 centerfire, but I ain't from Montana either.
Kinda been saying that.

If you ain’t done it, or seen it done, you’re no judge.

I’d tell you to read the link from Rokslide, with an open mind, but I don’t think you can.





P

If you ain’t done it, or seen it done, you’re no judge.

I’d tell you to read the link from Rokslide, with an open mind, but I don’t think you can.


Send me the link. I'll give it a try.

Dude

Read the thread.





P

We can tell. If you were, you might not be making disingenuous arguments comparing bullets of dissimilar ballistic coefficients, whether your 80 grain comparison that suddenly turned into 105 grain for the 243, or the 75 grain bullets of ordinary bc compared with a 105. Shoot the good ones in both and they'll kill the same.

It will work just fine. You should stop guessing on stuff you know nothing about.

Go back and find the countless number of elk pics scenarshooter used to post. 220 Swift and 55 grain Hornady.

I doubt you have enough fingers and toes to count em up.

Wow dude. I have literally killed deer with about every configuration of .224 or 6mm bullet you can throw at me. Oklahoma requires 55 grain 224 bullets and up, so we can start there. I have seen some deer get absolutely smashed by a 55 grain bullet from a 223 and then I've seen some take it and run off never to be recovered. I've seen and done the same thing with varmint bullets in a 243 but have yet to see any problems with a proper hunting bullet from a 243 win. I have no guess work involved. It's 30 years and literally hundreds of deer that I stand behind when it comes to what works and what can work, but isn't necessarily the best option. Will your 53 grain bullet work? Yes. Will it fail more than that of a bigger cal? Most definitely. And I promise you, we've ran the fast twist 22 cal schit way more on deer sized game than you have bud, I know that for sure. An 80 grain berger from a 22-243 is great, almost a 243 win and 105s, but it's not never will be. My boy's 10 and he shoots a 280 rem and 140s. I've seen and shot deer that did some dumb schit after being hit, even with the bigger magnums. If you think I'm guessing, then you got the wrong impression my friend. I skinned 30 deer this fall, I think I have a clue about what a certain bullets capability is on deer/antelope sized game. But unless you have seen what a few 3/4 ton trucks with deer piled to the cab, then you more than likely have no idea what I'm talking about. My buddy shot over 50 does in one year with his 22 cheetah and will still tell you it's not a deer rifle. Keep using your pea shooters, it'll bite you one day.

Is “scenatshooter” a 13-year old girl, just started shooting centerfire rifles at large game??

Nope. But if we restrict this discussion to kills only a 13 year old kid has made then more than half of the replies here need tossed out.

There are none so blind as those who will not see.




P

No they aren't.

A big deer around here goes 250#, hardly a big animal.

OK. 13 year old girl and her siblings.
To the OP, how much field/hunting experience does your daughter and her siblings have on deer sized game?
Can they shoot, aquire targets/game?
What's their limitations on distance?
Is recoil an issue?

Also, sorry for the derailment, different strokes for different folks. Obviously nobody does things the same.

To the OP, sorry for all the hijacks.

I’ve started out a lot of kids into shooting, and I did it contrary to how my dad started me. To be fair, he didn’t know any better and he didn’t have the time or the resources I did. Three kids under the age of three and 25 years old, he did a damn good job keeping food in our bellies, clothes on our backs, and a roof over our heads. But giving a skinny kid a model 70 30-06 with no sissy pad is a recipe for a flinch and boy howdy I still have it.

Whatever you choose, make sure the rifle fits. Fit goes a long way towards recoil tolerance.

Speaking of which, start them out easy. There are some, myself included, who believe in the lethality of the .223, given proper bullet. Clearly, that’s not your only choice.

Whatever you choose, make it fun. You won’t go wrong if you keep it fun.




P

Sounds like you're not lacking in experience, just the ability to interpret data. For example, seeing problems with a 223 and also with bigger magnums (i.e. they all do weird stuff sometimes).
I'm not surprised that a 22 CHeetah was found wanting. Experience shows that high speeds with cup and cores isn't the best combo.

I would recommend 243. I started my son off with one and used the hornady reduced recoil sst load. Took several deer with no issues. Eventually move to full throttle loads with 100 Sierra Pro Hunter and he took several nice trophies including mature Mule Deer and big TX pan handle bucks. Simply a superb little cartridge.

Lou

Yep, silly me. I thought this was a thread about “What’s a good kid’s deer rifle?”, not “Will a .22 cal kill a deer?”…

Nothing like a 24HCF thread derailment…

Nighty night…

See first response.
Rem 700 243 1:8

But that 223 is deadly🤪

My bad. Thought I saw a 22-250 mentioned in the original post.

It certainly was 😆

I would pick any of the above in the original post.

OP handloads, means the loads can be adjusted from reduced to full power. Trailboss, H4895, starting, medium and full power powder charges. There are plenty of bullets that will work in the above cartridges at chosen velocity that will cleanly kill deer and antelope.

IMO, the most important thing is picking a rifle that fits, and the kid likes. Have them shoot it a bunch. Confidence and familiarity will lead to success.

Arguing about what a 22 cal is capable of, is not the point of this thread. But I will say that a 53gr TSX at 3800fps out of a 22-250 will cleanly take an awful lot of critters. Been there, done that. Have never recovered a bullet in over 50 animals. I would not hesitate to use it on elk in open country.

I will repeat myself, we are talking about kids, A huge amount of variables exist. But letting them pick a rifle that fits, and giving them the range time to become competent and confident goes a very long way to success in the field. Every kid is not the same in mental, and physical capabilities.

We like to nitpick about many things on here, but a lot can be solved simply by shooting a bunch at expected hunting ranges.

No one likes a 243 more than me, due to rifles, ammo selection recoil etc, I’d go 6.5 cm


And I’ll never own a 6.5 cm😂

You’d look good with a man bun.




P

Good post. We might as well argue about what won't work well. If you want a kid to stay interested in shooting and become proficient, get them something they can shoot well, and not get beat up when they pull the trigger. I also hear a lot of guys suggesting the 53 TSX. A fast twist 22-250 will sling a 62 TTSX just fine. If I had to use a 22 cal, that's the bullet I'd lean toward, since we are picking nits. Been doing some testing with that on in particular in one of my 22-250's, and it's working out quite well on paper and steel.

Ummm, I haven’t had hair in 20 years. 😆

But I probably would loook good with a bun!haha

Agree, will never own another. I have owned a couple of Creeds and a 6.5x55. 6.5 PRC and 6.8 Western have me intrigued, but... Hand me a 270 and I am good. A fast twist 270, even better.

Back to the OP, any of the cartridges will work. A lot a flexibility with handloads and todays bullets.

Trigger time is paramount with young shooters.

Tikka 6.5 creedmoor , guns and ammo everywhere at decent price.

Said that too. Can't go wrong with a tikka. At least we can all agree on that!

So we live in Iowa which until recently was a slug gun only deer state. I started at 12 with a 12gauge wingmaster, smooth bore dog barrrl and breaker slugs. Absolutely zero fun.

All 4 of my older kids have shot deer with a combo of a Winchester XPR in .350 legend or a Ruger #3 in 44 mag. Just don’t see either one of those being real effective out west, but that’s just me with 6-7 trips out under my belt.


They all like shooting, and we mostly use the .22lrs now, although all will shoot clay pigeons with a 20ga as we have bird dogs and my friends and I do a fair amount of shooting at clays and kids like to participate.

Kids are now aged 13,11,9,7 with 2 younger ones who will go down this same route if things work out. With the pair of t1xs my thought was to keep rifles set up with same scope, stock, trigger so they all felt the same.

The .22 is an obvious no brainer as it cheap to shoot and slows alot of practice. The .223 compact also slows more longer range practice with also being able to let them shoot at prairie dogs and coyotes.

Ideally I would let how they shoot dictate distance as my 11 year old shot her deer last year with her .350 @ 170 yards on her own while i watched through binos.

Trying to set them up right as I absolutely hated shooting that 12ga as a kid and was a poor shot due to recoil. Some are not old enough to hunt in certain states and we will cross that as they get older. Goal is to set them up for success and hope they continue to enjoy doing this with dad so we have a trip to look forward too each year. Like a previous poster said they grow up fast. Luckily I have a job where I have ) weeks vacation and a wife who is ok with all the hunting, even more so as I involve the kids and don’t just pass them off on her so I can go.

I don't understand why the difference between kids deer gun and a grown man deer gun.

I pack my 6mm Remington more than anything and have no issues killing deer.

85 grain Sierra SP has been used most in it for about 40 years and flat kills.

Some 100 grain stuff has been used, 80 grain, 95 grain, it all works without much drama.

In the 22-250 I have used all styles and they work but the best was the 60 grain Partition. Broke shoulders with no problem and was a very quick killer.

Be hard not to recommend the 6.5 CM as you can load light bullets with reduced powder for smaller or more recoil sensitive shooters all the way up to over 140 full power loads get the full potential of the round.

My buds boy started with the CM and 100 grain Barnes, been killing with it for about 10 years now and won't even entertain the idea of a different cartridge or bullet.

So they can shoot, and already popped some critters on their own. Nice. .243 win or 6.5 creed with the availability of bullets should get you the wide spectrum of bullets to kill a prairie dog or an elk in about every situation your in.

Only difference being some states don't allow .24 caliber for elk.

Just something to keep in mind if one has elk on the menu.

308 Tikka compact. Can be loaded from sub sonic to 30-30 levels, to 300 Savage levels to full house. Now with the mono bullets 110 to 130 grain opens yet another window. I have 4 Tikka compacts and they all shoot lights out. Over 30 years ago I started my son with a stainless model Seven in 308 with 30-30 equivalent loads and with the 150 grain Remington 30-30 bullets. The several deer he killed with it never complained.
Good Luck,
Rick

I had the same experience with a 243. I was a puny 11 year old. Rem 788, factory Federal 100gr fodder, hard buttplate, tank top in August, no hearing protection. Hated it, and my shooting suffered because of it.

Started my two girls out with a CZ 223 until they got the basics down then bought them a Tikka compact in 7-08...l loaded 120BT /RL15 youth load. Between that and a Howa Alpine 6.5 CM that's all m kids and wife carry.
Wide selection of bullets, mild recoil , very easy to load and heavies later if needed.

There's value in ensuring a child has a rifle they enjoy shooting regardless of target. Popping primers can be fun and should be fun - builds good habits.

A youth deer rifle need not be painful but some of the cartridges listed seem to have suddenly become "hard kickers". Proper mounting, form and fit alleviates a lot of that.

My son's progression was basically BB - 22lr - 243 shooting 105's and now he switches between 243 and 30-06. He also grew up shooting 20 and 12 gauge, 2 3/4 shells. It's amazing what a "small statured" person can handle if given proper form and technique along with fit.

Said son never qualified below Expert in the Army and is getting married in 6 months, which means grandchildren soon. I expect them to move along similar path.

Teaching how to shoot is as important as what to shoot. Good rifles in good condition helps make the lessons easier. Never understood the struggle some had. Bullets are the truth. In a rifle that shoots POI to POA - if the bullet didn't hit - shooter error. IOW - don't break the shot till sights are where they're supposed to be - hitting targets isn't that hard once you make sure you're doing that.

My boy shoots a 22 lr all the time. He goes back and forth between irons and a 4x scope. I have steel out to about 150 yards behind the house that he routinely shoots at. He shoots sitting down, laying down, off the corner of the house, off the storm shelter, ect.
When fall come around, and we get the centerfires out, I have steel to 600 and a bench and mat to shoot from. I can tell that 22 lr is what made him shoot effectively. I also let him screw around with a little 223 ranch rifle and a red dot. It's all in the practice and learning to shoot. When it comes to recoil and kids, it's not a bad idea to teach them how to hold the rifle and warn them they might get busted. From a bench, it's always a good idea to have that rifle in the crease of your shoulder and your elbow down. It'll help most of that recoil run into their chest as apposed to their collar bone or bicep. I've taught him to be effective and what to do. He's been shooting larger calibers for a few years now. He's 10 and only weighs 85 pounds and was shooting my buddies m77 06 guide gun without a problem. When I was growing up, I had one option. Dad's 30-06. I still have scars in my forehead from that bastard. There wasn't no kid gun/adult gun. It was what ever dad had. So I feel like my kid is spoiled in that aspect. The OPs kids are already slinging lead with a 350. I think they could handle any 6mm. If 223 floats his boat, power to him. But as mentioned before by myself and many others, practice makes perfect.

And it's so simple to load a 243 down to adequate killing power and great accuracy. It's always easier to throttle back than load to the nutz.

I have lots of 270's,ARC,243 Grendel,6BR's,Dasher,Seex Kreeds,243's,243AI's,6mm,6mm AI,6-284's and 6-06. Often shoot same side by each. Hint.




I'm generally toting a 223/223AI or 22PPC AFI,because they are fhuqking FUN and kill Critters dead. Hint...........

Here’s my $.02, my daughter is an average to smallish 12 year old. I started her with a 223 at 8 yo. She shot that 2 years before I decided to get her a left handed rifle instead of shooting my right handed rifle. I went with a 243 for the new rifle. If I were doing it again I would have stayed with 223. I do not hand load, so that could make a difference. Your 13 yo can probably handle the 243 or 6.5, but the 243 recoil is all my daughter wants. It’s not an issue shooting deer, but it is shooting paper for practice. Of your three choices I vote fast twist 22-250, especially for the younger kids.

22 ARC and 6 ARC,for those who don't load. Hint.................

Out of your original choices, I think the 6.5 creedmore would be hard to beat. You can load it down until they get used to a little more recoil.

22 arc is pretty dang cool.
Can't argue that one.

I’m gonna error on the side of caution, and guess that a ‘250 is made for huntin goats. Just spitballing though.

I have one of those 6 Creedmoor howa's. I put it in a full size Vangaurd stock but haven't shot it yet. I didn't get the deal on it that some people did because I bought it before they cleared them out. I thought about getting a youth stock for it but its still a little heavy for small kids in my opinion. I haven't even shot mine yet.

My kid started at 10 with a mini in 6.5 grendel and was still a little recoil shy shooting 129s from that little rifle. He said he just wanted to use my light weight little ar but I pushed him to use the bolt mini grendel.

I got him on 2 very good large mule deer bucks the first day and he missed them both because he was scarred of the gun and didn't practice enough. If I had it to do over I'd have let him use the light ar and he would have had more fun with it and practiced with it.

The next year I let him use a lightweight ar in 300 hamr. I put a big break off of my m5 6.5 Creedmoor on it and it didn't kick at all. He wasn't scared of that gun and made a perfect heart lung shot at 200 yards with the first shot at the first deer he saw. I used it to hamr a buck too.

I learned to take the kids shooting and let them try a few things and they'll tell you what they like if youre listening. They always seem to like light 223s with adjustable stocks.

The next 2 kids are going to start with fast twist 223s and get more practice. They already gravitate towards my 16" ar with a bhw 3 groove pencil barrel on it so I'm building them similar ones. I also need to get them some light fast twist bolt 223s so thry learn to work a bolt better.

When they get to be 12 or so I'll move them up to to 6 Creedmoors or maybe 6.5s. They'll be chasing elk too so I'll keep moving them up as their comfort levels grow. I've seen elk taken with smaller rounds but personally prefer 6.5mms and up. For myself on elk im most confident with my 300wsm and 215g hybrids but most 10 years wouldn't do well with that.

There's some good bullets out these days that turn smaller rounds into giant killers. I've even seen the old 100g 6mm partitions do big things but still prefer a 6.5 or up if the person can shoot one well.

Bb

Good point on letting the kid choose. When my boy graduated to the 7mm-08 I worked up three different loads for him to try and let him choose which recoil level he wanted. I think they feel better about it when they get a choice.





P