Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Perfect kids gun

With my 10 year old hunting this year ive been on the quest for the perfect kids gun. At 10 most kids don't have much for muscle mass so I've learned light weight is important. I've also learned that 1 bad recoil experience can sour a kid quick. An adjustable stock that can get them behind a scope correctly is important too. I've also learned that flawless functioning is important without too heavy of mag release springs ect.

So far this year I've set up a howa mini 6.5 grendel in an mdt less with a magpul adjustable stock. I've also set up a 700 youth 20" 243 in a metal lss as a backup. I have a lightweight AR with a pencil weight BHW 8 twist 3 groove with a 13" lightweight forend and a ctr stock. Then I found a cz 600 field with a 7 twist 223 barrel and adjustable stock so on an impulse I picked it up.

Still not content I'd found a light enough weight option I dug out a NIB kimber Adirondack in 300 BO I bought on clearance years back and put a scope on it. It seemed about perfect with the lightweight 16" barrel but it unfortunately has feeding issues and I haven't been able to tune the spring properly yet to get the backend of the cases consistently up where they need to be come go time. Nothing like a jammed up blind mag when you're in a hurry.

In the end for the next 2 kids I think I'll go 700 action in a fast twist 223 or 6x45 or similar on up to 6 creed max. I'll go with a short 16.5-18" mtn contour barrel in a first gen ti stock cut down to 12.5 lop or so with a bdl style mag box so it can dump and re-sort in a hurry.

Adjustability is nice but in a hunting situation in a hurry I've learned that having it fixed at right is better. So lightweight, easy to operate, low recoil, fixed at the right size, and flawless functioning is where it's at. Seems very obvious in retrospect but it's been an embarrassing journey. Just because the kid shoots well with a 4 pound pellet gun doesn't mean the said kid will do well with a 7.5 pound rifle.

The main thing I learned is figure it out early and get the kid lots of practice. We aren't hunting from a bench in a blind so learning to shoot from field posisitions is key. The next kids will be killing lots of water filled milk jugs from sitting, prone, and standing before deer season.

I've got a couple of walmart clearance 700s in 223 rat holed that I'll be looking for a lightweight remage maybe 16.5"- 18" mtn contour fast twist tube for. I have some first gen ti stocks modified for bdl that will get cut diwn. Allhough I also have a few .473 bolt head actions that might get the nod in 22 or 6 creed because a flat trajectory point and shoot to 300 plus round also seems like a good idea for newbies.

I've had serious thoughts of taking the 243 youth out of the mdt lss and dropping my criterion remage 22 creed in it because it's shooting 88s at 3200ish 1/2 moa. That gives the kid less worries about elevation than a 129 able from a grendel at 2350. I had to dial a whole mil on the grendel to hit a coyote at 280 yards.

In the end though, all my kids love the 16" ar. Maybe that's the tree to bark up.

What works for your kids?

Bb

I've still just got my boy on air rifles and 22s, but my plan is to have him start off with either my Henry 327 Federal carbine or my CVA 300 Blackout for the short length and low recoil when I think he's ready for centerfires.

My old man started me with an '06 for my first when I was a kid, and the azz whupping it gave me made me real trigger shy for a long time. I don't plan on making that same mistake with my son. He likes shooting, and I want to keep it that way.

My two grandkids have used a Remington 700 Youth in 243, just as it came out of the box. They started out around age 10, and were big enough that the stock fit them just fine. I reload for this rifle, and I started off loading at the minimum load in the 85-95 grain bullets, and restricting their shots to a 100 yards. However, both girls proved to be good shots and were able to quickly graduate to full power loads and be able to shot at longer distances.

I am probably somewhat old school, but I believe using a 223 for deer hunting is best left up the experts. I know I'll get an argument from someone out of this, but a 243 is a much better choice for deer than any 223 is, and given the fact that most kids don't have the needed experience in being able to place a shot perfectly, I would feel better not letting them use a 223. I also have a Grendel that would make a good deer rifle for a kid, but the one that's still hunting likes the 243 better.

Agree

With all those rifles in hand, I’d drop $600-700 on a 5” .30cal suppressor for them to use.

A Krunchenticker wearing M4 RSS with pad and foam comb,is tough to beat,as ergo's are a solid foundation. 16" LW Middy and no Loudener. CMC Flatty and Hornie 75 HPBT's in ASC 10's. Hint.

A dot keeps things light,eliminates parallax/eye relief and makes it fast. Hint.

One could argue a dupe,in a dedicated 22LR build. Hint.............

My kids and most grand kids started out with a short stock .243 for KY WT's. No issues...

Savage Axis youth in 243, maybe 7mm-08. 8 yrs






Had it dipped for Madalynn At 11

Something along these lines with a SS 1-4 on top would have saved me a lot of trouble when my son was younger. A dot would definitely have benefits too.

I ended up putting a LW 16" stainless upper together from PSA with the above mentioned scope and its one of my son's favorite rifles.

Lightweight AR with either a dot style or low mag scope - if the kid's spindly.

1. Ruger RAR (Compact) .22 LR w/ Tech-Sights MXT200 aperture - Drilled out to 3/32" (50% increase (0.062" -> 0.094") so sight picture of 25% shorter RAR (Compact) 18.5" Bbl. is equivalent to 24" Bbl. M1 Rifle w/ 0.072" USGI aperture.)




2. Ruger 77/357 .357 Mag. w/ NECG Ruger Peep Sight.






GR

Pardon reality. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!..............

I think noise mitigation is as if not more important than actual recoil. You see kids with improper ear protection "hunching their shoulders" trying to hide from the noise. I think that creates a flinch faster and IMO worse than any mild short-action rifle cartridge could. We forget just how tender a new shooters ears are. Remember when a 22lr used to make your ears ring?

Certainly the proper fit is a great way to start off on the right foot by ensuring that the rifle/recoil doesn't have a head-start due to improper ergos. I can't count how many times I've seen a relatively new shooter leaning back to get a long-gun that's either too long, too heavy, or both into some sort of shooting position. Leaned back, improperly balanced, all their weight on their back foot, and no way for their legs or core to soak up any recoil.

I'd wager that the above 22 KHorn wears a chopped LOP,chopped spout,CeraKote and 33gr V-Max magfed Smooches. Hint.(grin)

Hogue is heavy,but forgiving when cold. Hint.




Fhuqking LAUGHING!..............

Beautiful, clear pics Mr Big!!!

7" RPM Mike Rock duped 223AI Montucky. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!.................

I wouldn't go shorter than a 20" barrel unless you're going to use a suppressor. Report is a lot worse in shorter barreled rifles, unless you slow the velocity down. If all you're wanting to do is knock deer down in controlled situations (100 yds +/-, from blind/stand, stable rest, and a little time), any old 1:9 twist .223 and a 55 grain TSX will do.

I wouldn't waste time building a 6X45 unless you just want one or the .223 isn't legal to hunt with. The 6 ARC or Creedmoor will handle things better than a 6X45. 6.5 Grendel with lighter bullets is a killer as well.

I hear good thangs about a Flyweight 6BR and 105's. Hint.



Though in fairness,I shoot 224,243 and 264 Grendels too. Likely have some Flyweight Montucky 270 LOVE with 105's too. Hint.

Fhuqking LAUGHING!...............

I don't think you can go wrong with a .223 Rem in a light platoform. If you can find a Kimber MT grab it. I'm not letting mine go anytime soon.

224 Grendel. Hint.



264 Grendel. Hint.



Beloved 270. Hint.



243 Grendel. Hint.



Fhuqking LAUGHING!...............