Youth Rifle Recommendations??????

[RIVERRAT]

I have a nearly 10 year old daughter that wants nothing more than to shoot her first deer (next season).   She has a bow but isn't pulling enough poundage at this point,  So I am looking at rifles.  She has a 10/22 at this point....I just fear scaring the tar out of her with too big a wallup of large caliber.     Any experiences or suggestions of caliber/brand would be greatly appreciated.     By the way....I am one thrilled dad with her love of the outdoors and hunting!!

[Huntbear]

do you have or have access to a .223 to introduce her to center fire rifles?

after that, .243 and .257 Roberts are the softest recoiling of the big game guns.... most youth rifles are .243, .260 and 7mm-08. 

[dscubame]

Tikka t3. In .243.  I did a lot of research and handling.

[Raul Duke]

My daughter (12) just took her first deer this year, after completing her hunters ed during the summer. I picked up a Remington Model 700 .243 from Walmart.  She did great. Every time we went out shooting , I made sure she had hearing protection on so the BANG wouldn't scare her.  I've seen other kids not want to go shooting because of the bang. They can usually handle the kick, but the bang makes them flinch. So they tend to jerk the trigger.
 Needless to say , I one proud dad. Meat in the freezer, and a .243 casing on my desk.

[Dan-o]

NEF HandiRifle in 243 or 7mm-08,

Either will kill any deer out there.

I've read bad things about the 257 Roberts on this site, so you might steer clear of that caliber.   (OK, that last art was just a joke....   Sorry John)

[Bob33]

Hearing protection, youth sized stock, mild ammo. Caliber can really be a secondary consideration these days because of reduced recoil ammo. My 10 year shoots a 300 Win Mag
with no trouble...with mild ammo. A 30-06 turns into a 243 recoil wise. If I had to pick a caliber I would choose 7mm-08.  Versatile and powerful enough for elk. A 243 is a good deer cartridge but marginal for elk IMO.

[RIVERRAT]

Thanks guys!!!   I will have to look into these and the prices.   

[runningboard]

remington 700 youth sps in 7mm-08 but make sure it has the 24" barrel, yes they come that way. pushes instead of rising when shot and less muzzle blast further from shooter, more fps than same in a short barrel.
check out the new lady hunter by savage too, nice rifle but only if you expect her to not be a 5'-11" grown woman.

[724wd]

7mm-08 (or 7x57 if you can find one!) or a .308 with managed recoil rounds would be great for a small girl.  either will be enough gun to grow with and hunt larger and larger game.

[RIVERRAT]

hahahaha  ....  no she will be a lil thing.  mom made sure of that.    Any thoughts on the Marlin X7 youth 7mm-08?

[sirsnap]

I second the 7mm-08.  I bought my daughter one in weatherby vanguard when she was 10.  It came with 2 stocks so it can grow with them.  I just put the little longer one on this year which is a much nicer stock.  It has very little recoil with normal 140 bullets, but also has reduced recoil options from remington and hornady.  She has now shot 5 deer in 4 years with that gun.  Had a second deer tag this year.  Everyone has dropped in it's tracks all the way to 200yds except the doe this year which ran just a little.

[viva_che1363]

maybe im biased with my appreciation of lever guns but a good old 30-30 is nice in my book, but that kinda limits you if you want to go after elk

[elkoholic1]

3rd the 7mm-08  its an awesome youth and all around good round even for a non youth itll last them forever..

[runningboard]

also might wanna look at Howa, also comes with 2 stocks, hogue which are quieter when bumped than other synthetics. just for reference my wife shot a raghorn bull elk with a 140 Nosler partition from her 7mm-08 at 248 yards, he took 3 steps and fell over. couldn't have been deader if he was hit with 338 Lapua or Rem Ultra-Mag

[huntnphool]

 My daughter shoots a Ruger 7mm-08 compact, 16.5" barrel and really likes it.