Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Youth Deer Rifle

Yeah, that’s it. I had a senior moment.

Someone said "Mini"?

No finesse required........

Dam’n Dan, you win

That will leave a mark.

Does the brass coming from that make a chink chink chink sound?

I missed this post until just now, but it's worth repeating. Just because a certain cartridge, and in this case the 223, will kill a deer, does not necessarily mean it is a good choice. I have seen deer killed with a 22 LR, but in reality, it is a very poor choice. I have also killed deer with the 223, for the record.

Here is the deal with a beginning hunter, and every single one of us on here were once a beginning hunter.......they are going to make mistakes and take a bad shot from time to time. I remember the time when the 243 was the minimum one legal for use here in Kentucky, and the debate about whether or not it was "adequate" reminds me of the argument about the 223 today. I saw a number of deer wounded and lost with the 243, but in every case that I can remember, it was not the fault of the 243, but the fault of the hunter because they did not place the shot properly. It would also have caused a wounded deer if they'd been using something bigger, because of the bad shot placement, as these were inexperienced hunters, who did not know how to choose their shot.

Today, the 243 is pretty much universally accepted as a good choice for deer, and it's one of my favorites. For a beginning hunter, I prefer it to anything else......just as I believe they need plenty of help in the decision making process on when and where to place their shot. Although I know plenty of adults who do so, I would not let an inexperienced hunter under my tutelage use a 223, unless they were an exceptional shot and there was not doubt that they could place the bullet precisely, and then I'd much prefer something bigger, like the 243.

Well Supersize it ain't set up for you. Like them about 12 3/4-13".

Hard to say, what with that bish roaring in your face. Might be though, kinda like the sound of taxpayer change falling on the floor. Or maybe it was a "Dink, Dink, Dink" noise?

My first shotgun was a Model 12 20 gauge with a short LOP, and my first deer rifle, a Lee-Enfield also had a short LOP. Maybe they rubbed off on me, but I prefer a shorter rather than longer LOP. I'm 5-11, so I'm not kid sized, and I can shoot the standard LOP's just fine. I also turkey hunt with Remington 11-87 and 870 20 gauge Youth models, with all the spacers added.

Whatever you buy, make sure the trigger is adjustable and the wrist of the stock fits his hand. Nothing worse than teaching bad trigger form on a rifle that doesn’t fit.



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A 223 is going to allow the slight lad to shoot much better than anything else due to less recoil and noise.

There is no possible way that a bigger gun is going to "help him" when he is afraid of it. It will not make up for any sort of lesser shot placement. Just coach him into a good shot, or no shot. He ain't stupid.

If a kid wants an AR, then give him an AR. Why make his life less pleasant than it could be?

What about .300 Blackout or 6.5 Grendel?

Is that a Brace. 😂.

A Brace! A Brace! That's Compactical the dashboard packable tactical!

Neighbor dude delivered a 243 to the house yesterday, some Savage youth model Cabelas had packaged with a scope on sale.
Made it easy for me, the AR 223 is in route.

Kid still says he is going to use his 410 with slugs, but don't know the AR will be arriving.

Hunt is the last week of the month, we'll see what happens, I am promised pics and video, will share.....

Thanks for all the input....

What did you order.

The deal is done, but fyi, much as I like my new Henry, I wouldn't get one for my grandson, who's about the same size as the boy in this story. The hammer, even with a much-lightened spring, is a bit much for a kid to handle safely, hand size being part of the problem. They're also not light, even the very pretty youth-model 20 I handled was a bit beefy for a kid.

I chose a Howa Mini for my grandson to use, a 7.62 because Darrik was out of Grendels. The boy shoots it just fine. One of the Grendel combos is on layaway; but he may get something else when he moves up. .223s aren't a legal option where he lives.

BTW Dan, I picked up a 20ga 26" Deerslayer not long ago, and it feels pretty sporty to me with slugs and no pad. Love 37s, my favorite pumpguns, and fit me very well, just like A5s.

I ordered nothing, the 223 I mention is from my own collection.

Ithaca M37, 20ga right? How nifty. At 6.5lbs does it have a matted or vented rib?

My daughter shot my wife's Beretta A400 28ga and hit a pheasant last year. Now wants her own shotgun. I was thinking a used Ithaca M37 20ga, plain bbl, full choke as her upland game-getter. 95% of shots at clay with low-recoil 20ga shells, save the peppy stuff for just before and during a hunt.

Then buy her a couple other barrels for other purposes. IC or removable choke if she wants dove/quail in the future. And a slug or riot bbl for HD (when she gets out on her own) or deer.

Ozello? I have camped there'bouts back in high school. Don't forget your gum boots. Never got to hunt there, though, aside from an armadillo who thought our camp irresistible and finally had to be dispatched. Where I lived it was more piney (south of there, before it was all built up), but still lots of oaks and beau coup palmetto bushes.