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

My first deer rifle is a Interarms Mark X in 30-06 still have it. But my go to rifle for the last 20 years is a Tika Whitetail Hunter in 308 with a Nikon Monarch 4 x16 x44 it is a tach driver.

Shot my first couple of deer with my Dad's sporterized Springfield '06. I just bought my granson his first hunting rifle - Ruger American compact 243.

Tough to recommend anything but a 6.5 Creedmoor anymore. It really works well, low recoil, easy to get ammo for, plenty of rifles available (from cheap to expensive) - typically very accurate and enough for elk if he ever gets the notion.

Seeing as how the boy is already 13, I agree. For an 8-9yr old, I'd probably go with something easier to shoot, or at least use some reduced loads for a while.

I got a Winchester 94 .30/30 for my 16th Christmas. I couldn't hit crap with it, though, and when I turned 18, I bought a 600 Remington in .308. That wretched thing shot well, but kicked so hard I hated it, and I sold it to fund a new 700BDL, also in .308.
It was okay, but I eventually went to a Ruger tanger in .243, then another in .270, and so on.

I didn't get a deer rifle until I was about 28-yo, when I was stationed in Mississippi. It was a Rem 788 in .308 I got with a scope for $135. I still have it, and it does NOT suck.

It is a shame they can no longer be found, but the perfect first deer rifle for a youngster would be a youth-sized bolt rifle in .250 Savage. For years, I lobbied the high mucketymucks at Browning to make their Youth Hunter rifle in .250, to no avail. They made it in .243 instead. If one were limited to factory loads, that would do.

Handloaders could cobble up "youth loads" in almost any cartridge. Light bullet at moderate speed is the ticket.

My youngest boy is turning 12 this January. He is pretty scrawny but has been hunting with one of the family youth model .243s. On his 12th I want him to have a rifle of his own. I have been trying to find a NIB Tikka stainless in 7-08 but not having much luck so I bought a .270 to have on hand if I can't round up a 7-08 by then.

Thanks to a member on here I have a stock on its way to cut down and save the original stock for when he grows. I have some lightweight bullets and piles of Trail Boss so I can get him shooting it right away until he is comfortable shooting loads appropriate for elk. My guess is he will be elk ready by the fall of 2023 just like his shrimpy older sister was last year.

My first was a 7 x 57, model 95 mauser. I started off my children with a.243. Today I would start them with ( dare I say it) 6.5 , of some sort!

My first deer rifle was a M94 30-30. I took my first deer (7 pt.) with it in Louisiana. I hunted two years with it and then a M336 30-30.

My youngest daughter, I have three, is the only one that hunted. Her first deer was with my Browning A-bolt .308 loaded down to reduce recoil. She got a spike on my uncle's farm at 16.

And finally, we come to my grandson, her oldest. He's now 10. We've been shooting all summer and he's doing well. I don't think he'll have any problems out to 150 yards, which is about as far a shot as we have in Mississippi. We still don't have a rifle or caliber picked out for hunting season. His mom wants him to use the .308. We'll see what he wants.

As for me, 45 years later my brother and I are going back to our youth. We've been on a lever gun buying spree and we have dedicated this year as the year of the lever gun.

Remington 700 .243 cal, should have kept it. Bought it on sale at Kmart

LH 788 remington. Was very accurate and later had to have the shiny 700 BDL in bigger 7mm mag so went down the road.

Remington 700 sps in .270. I’m sure I’m about to get mauled for my caliber choice, but it’s been really good for me. My 9 year old is going to take a few with a .223 this year. He’s pretty dang handy with it.

I'm in a similar situation right now. I bought a Tikka Compact in 308. The shorter stock is hopefully perfect for my 8 year old grandson and others along the way. I chose the 308 because I have data to load the 308 from lighter than a 30-30 to full house 308 loads. My son, who is 37 years old now killed his first few deer with a stainless model Seven chambered in 308 and loaded like a 30-30 with 30-30 Remington round nosed bullets. I have data from DuPont published in 1990 for several different cartridges which I use as a guide.
Good Luck,
Rick

Rick,

I bought that same T3 .308 compact and have a full size stock for later if needed. I've also picked up a Tikka compact stock that I can put on a 25-06 or 6.5x55. I was able to find a Rem. 700 bdl youth stock that can be used on the .243.

Which ever rifle gets picked I've got plenty of components for reduced loads.

My first rifle bought with my own money was a M700 ADL .270. The deer I hunted before that was with my uncle's M99 .300 Savage.

If buying only new, I would get him a M700 6.5 Creedmoor.

If he could be proud of a used classic, I would try to find a tang safety Ruger m77 in .25-06.

700 ADL 3006 when I was 14.

If I was buying a deer rifle for a 14yo today id buy a Tikka t3 in 6.5CM, 708 or 308 and call it a day.

Go with the Tikka T-3 and if you can find one in 7m-08 that would be an added bonus.

270

You can buy her a new Ruger American 243 Rem and a quality
Burris Fullfield 3 x 9 scope for about that price including
shipping. Would be a good starting outfit for any prospective
deer hunter, Then get her started reloading and she will be
one of your BEST hunting pals Forever. Mine is!

My first deer rifle was a 7.7 Arisaka. I put a Bishops stock on it. Took in to my shop class ( metal shop teacher was part tome gun smith) shortened barrel to 21 inches and drilled tap for scope.

That started my life long love for all things rifle related