Both are capable and I am a speed kills guy, but in this case I'm with Dinny. I started my youngest daughter out with a Marlin 1894CP in .357 at eight years old. She was reasonable petite and it was not an issue with recoil and we limited shots to ~50 yards. She shot her first 3 deer with it and all were pretty much bang/flop. I would say fit and weight might be the final deciding factor. I had a second stock and cut it shorter for her to handle and for the oldest had a youth stocked Model 7 in .243 (but she was a bit bigger and stronger at the same age). Good luck to you with the nephew.
Last edited by DBrink; 09/01/22.
