looking to buy a new rifle for my 8 year old daughter need suggestions

[pendoreilleadventures]

My  8 year old daughter passed hunters Ed in April and I want to buy her a rifle for elk and deer just looking for suggestions from everyone on here as to what they think is the best.

[huntnfmly]

I started my daughters off with a .243
That would be a little light for elk imo.
Good for you getting your daughter out there.Take it from someone who's been there it will be awhile before you get to shoot another animal 😆

[Swatson]

When my boy was 8 and he started I bought him a little Savage youth model 11 in 7mm-08(came with a little Nikon 3x9) and its been a sweet little rifle for him and he's 12 now.  He's take a couple deer out passed 300 with it.  I load 120 gr Barnes TTSX and it's done the job on both elk and deer for him.  The scopes not the best but plenty for a youngster I think.  I think I paid $475 for it new. 

[JakeLand]

When my boy was 8 and he started I bought him a little Savage youth model 11 in 7mm-08(came with a little Nikon 3x9) and its been a sweet little rifle for him and he's 12 now.  He's take a couple deer out passed 300 with it.  I load 120 gr Barnes TTSX and it's done the job on both elk and deer for him.  The scopes not the best but plenty for a youngster I think.  I think I paid $475 for it new.

Perfect setup!!! 

[Halo]

I got a couple Ruger compacts for the kids in .243 and 7mm-08 and put leupold 3-9 compacts with the CDS dials on them and they are tack drivers, both sub MOA. I put a mercury tube in the 7mm-08 but I may take it out to make it lighter because my daughter does not mind recoil at all. I shot a blacktail with the 7mm-08 and I would use it for elk without hesitation but I have seen a .243 fall short on elk.

[Thenewguy]

7mm08. Will kill anything and she can shoot it now and later on life

[Magnum_Willys]

Son started at 8 with ruger compact 7mm-08 for deer and elk.  Was a good choice.

[DoubleJ]

Started my boy at 7 years old with a Savage .308.  It "pushes" more than "pops" the shoulder.  He was fine with it.  My second son was quite a bit thinner, like Ethiopian thin.  I bought a .243 barrel for the gun and swapped it out.  He shot the .243 just fine.  Before deer season, I put the .308 back on.  He shot his deer with the .308 just fine and didn't believe me that it was the .308 until I showed him the shell.  When the chips are down, the adrenaline is going and they don't notice at all what caliber it is.

[meatwhack]

To hunt up to elk size game I'd go .308 or .270. Both great rounds with good ballistics and a lot of bullet options and neither kick much.

[hunter399]

I would get what ever caliber she will feel most comfortable shooting.With that said ,for the rest of the comments on this post a 243 will and has killed everything in north America.And is a legal option for a reason.

[biggfish]

I would suggest finding people she can shoot with that might have youth rifles in different calibers. That way you can test out what works. If you feel under gunned or over gunned you're not going to have the confidence to make an ethical shot. If you're shooting with more recoil than is comfortable you might shy her away from hunting altogether.

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[highside74]

Ruger American Compact 7mm08. You can get factory 120gr loads that will kill any deer and only about 3# more kick than a 95gr 243. Best part is she can move up to a 140 or 150gr bullet with almost the same exact ballistics as the ever so popular 6.5 creedmoor. No 243 can do that.

[Wingin it]

7-08 is what I would go with as well. There are even reduced recoil rounds available that you could start her out with but recoil is pretty minimal anyway. She could practice with the reduced stuff 120 grain and hunt with 140 grain.

[carpsniperg2]

Ruger compact 7mm-08 best bang for the buck and I have sold many and own several. Great guns for the price and you will be happy with the purchase.

[bobcat]

Another option is a gun that I've been considering for my daughter. It's a CVA Hunter Compact, single shot, available in 243 and 7/08. It only weighs 5 1/2 pounds. It's $199.99 at Cabelas:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/CVA-HUNTER-COMPACT-SINGLE-SHOT-CENTERFIRE-RIFLE/1994641.uts



https://www.americanrifleman.org/articles/2014/9/17/cva-hunter/