I don't have kids, but my wife is rather recoil sensitive so I have her shooting a 6.5x55 swedish mauser. Good shooting little gun, has been sporterized as far as the bolt handle being turned and the safety flopped over the top. Picked it up at a gagrage sale for $65, put a 4x leupold on it I had in the gun safe. I had planned to handload for it, but she can run 3 shots of the federal 140gr into right at 1 1/4", so I'm not toying with it. I have had several buddies borrow it for their kids "first" hunt and they have all done well with it. Being the Carbine with the 20" barrel, very easy for a kid to carry.