What caliber would you choose?

[Bob33]

Headspace is the vacuous void inside a cranium which results in incohesive thoughts, babbling, and flinching. That never happens with a 243.

[jasnt]

Headspace is the vacuous void inside a cranium which results in incohesive thoughts, babbling, and flinching. That never happens with a 243.

[Biggerhammer]

Headspace is the vacuous void inside a cranium which results in incohesive thoughts, babbling, and flinching. That never happens with a 243.

Perfect.. 

[yorketransport]

I'm surprised that the 243 gets so much attention over the 6.5 CM, 260, and 6.5x47. 

Just find a gun that fits him and then go from there. Let him try it with some reduced loads to see how it works. If it needs a brake have one installed. The extra noise shouldn't make a difference because he should have hearing protection on no matter what. The price of electronic muffs have really come down and my kids never come shooting or hunting with me with out them. Heck, I won't even fire a shot while hunting unless I have some sort of hearing protection on!

Andrew

[mountainman]

Ask a counter monkey at a local gunshop, I'm sure they will enlighten you. 

My god, please no!!! We'll have another tikka/vortex sheet show out in the woods...

doesn't take a couple of you long on any post to try to turn it into a tikka/barnes/vortex bash fest. Sheesh, stay on topic..if you can

Yes, not many comments on the 260 Rem. It fits the OP also, with a wide selection of,  this is for 257Weatherby, "Boolits" 

[Westside88]

Lots of good choices. I'd go with a 270 win. Extremely versatile, you can get ammo anywhere with many choices of bullets. Recoil isn't bad and could even be tamed down with reduced recoil loads. Many options at good prices. Many would disagree, but I consider it a minimum for Elk.

[257 Wby Mag]

260s are cool, momma has a model 7 260 with a hot pink McMillan , dandy little shootin iron. For a small framed kid I'd still run a 243. In Oregon Idaho or Montana it would be a 22-250..

[Fowlweather25]

7-08 perfect gun for a youth that will kill whatever it has to with little recoil. Its hard to beat.

[BLR 243]

22 longrifle it kills steers and pigs all weigh more than deer. 22 magnum for elk and black bear. Or you could use a Zwicky cedar shaft and recurve kills deer dead.

[mountainman]

I'll stick with the zwickies! !!

[Halo]

I'm a fan of the .243 and the 7mm-08 we have both, my 13 year old daughter is a great shot with the .243 and loves shooting it. Will likely go put some rounds out this afternoon. I hate to see kids shooting more gun than they are ready for and developing a flinch or giving up on shooting or hunting. Recoil can take the fun and enjoyment out for kids pretty fast if it's more than they are ready for. And besides I would rather see a kid put a well placed shot on elk with a .243 they shoot a lot and are comfortable with than a crappy flinching shot with that rifle they will grow into. Just my 

[BigGoonTuna]

I'm surprised that the 243 gets so much attention over the 6.5 CM, 260, and 6.5x47. 

probably more due to the .243's availability than anything.  the only (relatively) common cartridge in local stores that you've listed is the 260, and when i see them it's usually nearly twice as much as a box of .243 ammo on average.  i agree that it's a neat caliber, though.

[JimmyHoffa]

.264 Win Mag is pretty tame on recoil

[Wingin it]

Another vote for the 7mm-08!

[bobcat]

.264 Win Mag is pretty tame on recoil