Asking the young gentleman, which of the two, or the rifle, he wants, may just be the way to go.

As an aside, and just because I want to talk about it, and nothing you can do about that, here is a thought on a gun for a young hunter:

Whay not start with a singleshot?

[Linked Image from content.wirjagen.de]

Bought such one in .308 Win. for my 14 year old. My idea was, to benefit from the virtual impossibility of any user induced mishaps.
Rifle is carried unloaded and loaded on stand. Rifle per default is uncocked until you get ready to shoot. After the shot, rilfe is obviously safe - as the cartridge is spent and the gun can not be opened while cocked.

To screw up, one would have to set aside a cocked rifle - thats about it. While realizing that we should never rely on mechanics to safety - complexity adds to the pressure.

Good on y'all getting young guys shooting.

Member of the Merry Band of turdlike People.