Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles New project rifle for my 9 year old daughter

My daughter will be going thru Hunters Ed soon and turning 10 allowing her to hunt this fall. Obviously - she just has to have her own rifle. My son - who is now 12 has a very nice custom 6.5 creed I built him, but it is too much rifle for her to shoot. I have a 22 creedmoor build underway, but its for me and wont work (full size stock, heavier barrel) So I need to figure out something for her.

She loves shooting my AR and recoil wise handles it just fine. Again - she shot my sons 6.5 once and that was way too much. Legally in Idaho, you can hunt deer with a .22 caliber, I just don't know if I am sold on the .223 for that task. Yes I know it kills thousands of deer every year and bullets and placement are the most important, but there are some big tough Mountain Mule Deer were we hunt and even if its purely a mental thing, I would just feel better about something more.

She wont be shooting long range (Probably 2-300 max) and that's assuming she practices enough and I feel comfortable in letting that happen. And she is smaller framed, so the rifle will need to suit that as well. Here are the options in my head:

Tikka 8 twist 22/250 with a compact/youth stock shooting 75 grain bullets
Tikka 243 or Ruger American 6 creed with reduced loads based on her tolerance and ability to shoot - both with a replacement compact stock.

Any other thoughts or suggestions? Will keep it simple with a 3-9x40 FFII on top as I have a NIB one setting in the safe.

6.5 Grendel or your .22-250 plans. If you are going to reduce loads with a .243 or 6 Creed why not do the same with the 6.5 Creed? Recoil will be likely very close regardless....

Good point, I still think the reduced loads option may still be too much. I don't know much about the Grendel - I really had my head around the 22/250 option.

A 6.5 100 grain ballistic tip at 2650+ using under 30 grains of powder in a mid weight rifle is a sweet deal especially at the ranges you stated.

Yep. I'd go this route and start her with Trailboss loads to get her comfortable. Move up to the 4198 loads a bit later. Both of my daughters shot centerfire youth 700 rifles in 260/7mm-08 with Blue-Dot or Trailboss at age 7 or so. The 4198 loads are good killers inside 150yds or so.

18" Rifle Gas FF AR in M4 223. Zero recoil,more than plenty of ass,cheap to shoot,no blast or bullschit and will fit her like a glove. Hint.

The FF glass proposed is a piece of fhuqking schit.

Let her have FUN with said platform and then as she grows(literally),do a second rifle. I'd be in 10rd ASC,75 Hornie HPBT and Lever' Mode at 2850fps...with a CMC Flatty. 6x MQ,hold The Fluff and let her STEAL The Show. Hint.

Thank me later.

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

Get a 6.5 Grendel or 6.8 SPC II Upper for your AR. Recoil in either cartridge is mild, just a bit more than a .223, and benefits further from being in a gas gun.

Your daughter already shoots an AR, so the ergonomics would be familiar.

I shoot Whitetail deer with my 6.8 and I have no doubts it would killl mike deer.

She does enjoy shooting the AR. It is only a 16" barreled model but if I stuck with it - I'm not concerned about the velocity lost. Maybe a 69,75, 77 grain bullet in the AR would be better than I think?

(Side note, this AR is an 8 twist - any issues shooting 75-77 grainers? All our practice has been with 55grain target ammo to date)

Have to research the Grendel upper option.

Being a Bolt Action guy - I am going to have to come around to the idea of Big Game hunting with an AR.

Would be shooting a Barnes 55 or 62 TTSX for deer if it were me out of that AR.

I started my oldest with a 14.5” AR shooting 75 hpbt. At longer ranges we had a few rodeos even with good shot placement.

Last year I put together a 12.5” barrel 6.5 Grendel “pistol” suppressed and had great luck for the kids. Low recoil, low report, and clean killing with 123 eld factory ammunition.

Here is a post with the results from last season: https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...season-with-the-6-5-grendel#Post14356670

Not to bad mouth the 223 as I’ve had great success with it in the past.

I shoot 224,243 and 264 Grendel Gassers. As per the application cited,the 223 is gonna bear more fruit,simply because Proficiency will help punch more Tags,than a headstamp swap EVER will. Hint.

As projectiles go,I've shot everything cited and the 75 Hornady cuts to the fhuqking chase,from any/all angles and I purty sure that a 2850fps launch was plainly cited,for a couple/few fhuqking reasons. Hint.

Keep the front scope ring,on the receiver proper too. Hint.(grin)

Thank me later.

Hint.............

How about a Weatherby Vanguard Camilla Rifle in .243?

With the VG Vanilla in 243,you "get" a Retard Twist Rate and a buncha' fhuqking noise. Hint.

No kid likes shooting a 243(ANY fhuqking 243),more than a 223 and especially a 223 Krunchenticker. HINT.

This schit is VERY fhuqking easy,so quit trying to fhuqk it up. Hint.

Thank me later.

Hint................

Howa Mini Action in 6.5 Grendel cut down or rebarrelled to 18”? Could put in a adjustable stock and add the Aftermarket bottom metal. I have a with the 20” #1 barrel on a youth stock but think they stopped making them. Personally trying to decide if rebarrel or sell as suppressor on way and need a thicker profile. It’s a great fun though.

Never have heard of them either...shaking my fhuqking head. Hint. Congratulations?!?

I enjoy how you gals wish to turn things into a DUMB Fhuqk Tournament. Hint.





Pretty fhuqking funny! Hint.

Some folks actually shoot more than a smidge and ain't forced to fhuqking guess. Hint. Laughing!

This schit is VERY fhuqking easy,so quit trying to fhuqk it up. Hint.

Thank me later.

Hint................

My boy who is 9 and on smaller frame size, can shoot my tikka 223 all day long from the bench. I think trigger time and low to zero recoil is the key. She can have that 223 for life for plinking or varmint or deer with proper bullets.
Obviously next year when my boy comes out deer hunting, I’ll carry a bi or tri pod for him. Right now, off bench he can hit 8” gong consecutively at 200 yards.

223 will be a GREAT way to teach her how to track game....

Laughing........................

A couple of things here. A kid doesn't have to worry about twist rate in that they ain't going to be shooting very far. All though all children are different my daughter killed her first deer with a 7mm-08 at age nine. I also know the the Weatherby Camillia stock is womens specific and works well for for most women and younger girls. The plus side is it is a rifle your daughter can keep and use for a lifetime. Due to twist and future use the Creed may be the best choice and load it down, but folks have been doing just fine for many years with 10 twist 243's and 7mm-08's.You can rebarrel in the future too. I know for a fact that women like the stock design of the Camllia and it fits them well. The AR is a good choice too but if at this age you want something she can use and will also be a keepsake the Weatherby is where it's at.

I would be in either 6 or 6.5 Grendel mode in a light handy bolt package but we have a 6mm minimum for big game in WA state

These deer were taken by my daughter with a TC Encore 7mm-08 at ages 9,10,11, and thirteen. At age nine and ten we hunted out of a ground blind and she used shooting sticks. At age thirteen she hunted by herself for the first time in a climbing tree stand. But again kids develop at a different rate physically. The Camillia fits her perfectly now and would have then too.