Need suggestions for grandsons first hunting rifle.

[howlnmad]

Here's the deal. This coming hunting season will be his 1st time to carry and fire at any game. He'll be 9 by then but has a short length of pull at 10 1/2" so whatever I get, I'll have to cut the stock down so I'm looking for inexpensive. In Tn we can use any center-fire caliber but my smallest are 270 and 30-30 and there aint no way I'm cutting them down. We will be stand hunting so weight isn't a major issue. Can you folks throw some ideas my way please.

[Alpo]

"Inexpensive" and "works" might combine with the NEF Handirifle, in 243. 'Course, you only get one shot, but that should be all it takes. I'm gonna presume that Grandpa will be in the stand with him, and if he wounded it, Grandpa could do the finishing shot, kinda like a Professional Hunter, on safari.

It's small enough that it should not be too heavy for a 9-year-old. Cheap enough that it should not upset you too much to take a saw to the stock. I believe it even comes in a youth model.

[TCoggins]

I agree with Alpo's post about the Handi rifle. They do make a youth model in .243, but you can also buy a youth stock and attach it to a standard rifle (all the receivers are the same size). You can order a stock directly from H&R, or check the classifieds over at the Graybeard forums.

My son has been shooting a .243 Handi rifle for a few years now, and got his first deer with it last year.

Just my $.02.

Tim

[76Highboy]

I started my daughter off with a .243 and it was perfect. They are easy to find in a local classified ad and usually pretty reasonable. You might even place an add looking for the rifle and see who calls. State your price and see what happens because you just might get a great deal. Hope you find what you want and your a great grandpa.

[JLA]

The remington model 7 is another good choice. They come in .243 and 7mm-08 and either one would be a fine deer gun for a youngster. Plus its basically a shorty rem 700 so itll look just like any other hunting rifle.

[Zane71464]

I'm not sure on the "Inexpensive" part and not really sure on the lenght of pull on the Circuit Judge, but it shoots the centerfire 45LC. And if it's something that he'll be interested in and plan to do in the following years, it may be worth looking into.
Like I said, I'm not sure of the lenght of pull on one but it isnt a long one.

[howlnmad]

Thanks for the ideas guys. I was leaning towards the 243 and even looking at the NEF and Rossi. I almost considered the 204 Ruger but don't know enough about it to put it up against whitetails and hogs.

Alpo, yup, grandpa will be right there just in case.

Josh, you don't think the 7-08 will be too much?

[jack404]

howlin, its a bit big for what you want , for my 11 yr old grandie i'm ordering this



a rossi muzzle loading .45 in youth size .. 12-14" stock

they'll be 12 by the time it arrives , and legal here for it

i can add a .270 barrel or .17 barrel as well , but later

[Bindernut]

Originally Posted by howlnmad

Thanks for the ideas guys. I was leaning towards the 243 and even looking at the NEF and Rossi. I almost considered the 204 Ruger but don't know enough about it to put it up against whitetails and hogs.

Alpo, yup, grandpa will be right there just in case.

Josh, you don't think the 7-08 will be too much?

I think the .243Win or 6mmRem is about the perfect youth deer rifle too. Plenty enough power for 200yds & under and mild recoil.

If you do go with one of the little single-shot break actions, I'd probably stick with .243 as the largest caliber. They're nice light rifles but as the weight goes down the recoil goes up.
In a bolt gun, I kinda agree with Josh that the .260Rem, 7mm-08, or .308 are doable for most little folks as long as they've got a good recoil pad.

I don't remember if you reload or not, but if you do, you can always brew up a lighter load to soften the recoil a bit too.


I wouldn't even consider the .204 for deer. There are no bullets available for the 5mms that are built heavy enough to stick together in deer-sized game. They're all thin-jacket "varmint grenades" that won't penetrate to the vitals.

[jstgsn]

Okay, I'll throw my two cents in. Ignore that groaning sound you heard from your monitor. I’ll make it brief. Sorta.
(Disclaimer: I have suffered a shoulder injury in a car accident and recently a surgery where they field dressed me - so I wanted a lighter, easier to carry gun. No matter what the others say, I’m not a big sissy.)

I shopped around and then purchased a Mossberg 20 Ga. Youth Model shotgun for less than $240 at the local Wal-Mart. It came tapped (sp? had screw holes) for a scope and I stuck an inexpensive Red Dot on it and carted it off to the back yard. It shot slugs and buck shot better than I imagined it would with the modified choke in. At 50 yards from the shoulder it easily put three slugs in the center of a 9 inch paper plate. At 40 yards it put three buck shot in the plate. In October it did the same thing to a doe, ( I had loaded slug, shot, slug) which was delicious.

I used a large red dot scope and can use it for birds, rabbits or squirrels too, as the appiture (sp?) is big enough to shoulder and snap shot (or I can just take the scope off = two screws.) The stock is plenty short for a child and the kit came with a coupon to use for an adult stock later on. I've known several hunters who swear by a twenty gauge for deer, pigs, (and people ie home defense).

All three of my sons grew up with 20 ga. youth model shotguns and they still often carry them afield for pheasant, squirrel, and rabbits. I think you will get more bang for your buck with this type of gun.
Keep us posted on what you do, and send some pics of the youngster out hunting.
Good hunting to you.
Fred

[JLA]

Originally Posted by howlnmad

Thanks for the ideas guys. I was leaning towards the 243 and even looking at the NEF and Rossi. I almost considered the 204 Ruger but don't know enough about it to put it up against whitetails and hogs.

Alpo, yup, grandpa will be right there just in case.

Josh, you don't think the 7-08 will be too much?

Not at all. the rem 7 has a good soft recoil pad. My 7 yr old has been shooting my .308 for about 6 months from the bench. He really likes the BOOM.

.243 is probably the better choice for a kid, but the 7-08 shouldnt be ruled out. the bigger round would allow him a larger margin of error. A good thing to have as a beginner hunter/shooter.

[JLA]

and jstgsn has a fantastic point witht he youth model 20 ga.

[CJ_56]

For cheap and accurate it's very hard to beat a used Savage 110 in whatever caliber floats your boat. I bought one for $225 with a decent scope. It even had iron sights installed. Mine was in 30.06 but they make them in lots of calibers. Mine is an older model so it doesn't have the AccuTrigger but that doesn't make it a terrible rifle. It's a very good rifle actually. And to be honest I don't think young kids should use rifles with really light triggers.

[howlnmad]

You guys are great and I thank you all. I'm going to hit the local shops and pawn shops to see what I can find. If I can keep it under 250 with a scope I won't be to bothered if I need to take a saw to it.
I do reload so yes, I could work up a softer load if needed.

[savage170]

I have a old savage 340 30/30 that most of the kids in the fsmily used as their first deer rifle I paid 120.00 for it's not pretty but accurate

[JLA]

Originally Posted by CJ_56

For cheap and accurate it's very hard to beat a used Savage 110 in whatever caliber floats your boat. I bought one for $225 with a decent scope. It even had iron sights installed. Mine was in 30.06 but they make them in lots of calibers. Mine is an older model so it doesn't have the AccuTrigger but that doesn't make it a terrible rifle. It's a very good rifle actually. And to be honest I don't think young kids should use rifles with really light triggers.

actually the old savage triggers are wonderfully adjustable. Most folks just dont know quite how to do it.

Th accutriggers were a fix to a non existent problem IMO.

[CJ_56]

actually the old savage triggers are wonderfully adjustable. Most folks just dont know quite how to do it.

You wouldn't have that info handy would you? I've seen it before but it's been a while. I really don't shoot a lot it because it's a 30.06 and my neck is a .223 if you get my drift. Still I'd prefer having it better if it could be better.

[JLA]

PM Dale. Zane71464. Hes the one that sent it to me originally in a PDF file back when I bought my Savage 116 in .30-06. Hes got the same rifle but all the factory paperwork.

I know i have it somewhere too but I cant find it.

[howlnmad]

Update for y'all. I stopped today at my local gun shop. He had a Rem 770 youth model in 243 with a 3x9-40 scope on it for just over 300. I just had to put some $ down on it . I hope the boy likes it.