Just got back from driving around trying to look at youth rifles on racks in stores. Found two, the Howa version which still comes with two different stocks and a Weatherby Vanguard.

The Howa had a large scope mounted on it that was half as large as the rifle. The guy at the counter said that was the way all of their Howas came.

The Weatherby did not have a large scope but both rifles were puzzling to this old man.

Why make a "youth" rifle that is supposed to be for physically smaller and weaker people with proportionately smaller hands with a fat, bulky fore-end on the rifle?

My hands are not unusually small (perhaps a little small for my height) and I take a size large in gloves; but the fore-ends of both of these "youth sized" rifles were wide and square and very hand filling. (Synthetic stocks on both.) The fore-ends are larger than the fore-end on my son's 375 Ruger African.

I walked away from both rifles. I also found the sheet metal safety on the rifles a little off-putting as it seemed flimsy.

Could not find a youth version of the Model 70 Featherweight to look at which while more expensive --by almost twice as much-- is now on my want to see list. I may just cut down the stock on my 1985 vintage M70 PF 257 and give that to her.

Well, that is the end of my rant for the day! My old Mauser rifles look and feel better to me all the time!

"It is wise, though, to remember above all else: rifle, caliber, scope, and even bullets notwithstanding, the most important feature of successful big game hunting is to put that bullet in the correct place, the first time!" John Jobson