Small built girl, big attitude

[high country]

pretty much any rifle in the 243-308 range. give the 257bob, 260, 6.5x55, and 7/08 a few extra looks....they are all about perfect. howa youth guns are fair priced, have the best stocks and are light actions that seem to always shoot tight.

[Straight Shooter]

I just back-ordered a Marlin XS7 (Cabela's has them on sale for $259.99  , but didn't have one is stock yestereday at the Post Falls store) in .243 for yotes.  The sale is through the end of this month.  You can download the flyer from their website.  I think that you can get the youth model for the same price.

[wapiti hunter2]

Read this link and maybe it will help. 

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm

I second something like the 30-06 or .308 with reduced recoil rounds that she can grow into and keep forever.  BUT....having faced a similar dilema several years ago, I would take her to someplace like Sportsmans Warehouse where they have a big selection of guns and let her try a bunch on for "Fit".  focus on weight and balance.  We ended up with a .308 savage that I then ended up getting used.  I started my son off shooting reduced recoil 125 grain 30-06 then 125 grain .308 and by the time hunting season rolled around he was comfortable with 150 grain bullet.  Now he still loves the .308 and uses 165 gr. for elks.  After you get the gun for her replace the recoil pad with one from Limbsavers.  It will knock 20% more off the recoil.

[bearhunter99]

I will add my support of the 7mm-08.  I bought an Encore single shot for my wife and she still absolutely loves it.  3 deer and an elk, one shot kills.  Hits like a ton of bricks for a smaller gun.  I'll also second the Libsavers comment, makes a big difference.

[D-Rock425]

I shoot a sako 7mm-08 and love it its killed 3 bears in the last 2 years.  I would check out the tikkas

[runningboard]

7mm-08. my little girl who just turned 14 and still hasn't broken the 100lb barrier handles her mom's very well. I bought a Rem 700 in a youth model and put a new take-off barrel from a full size model on it. got youth length stock with limbsaver pad and 24" barrel for little extra velocity, less muzzle blast, muzzle blast further from shooter, recoil seems to push rather than rise as it did with shorter barrel.
I got the new take-off from a gunshow, and see the guy there all the time with different stuff. take-off barrels, stocks and what-not. he told me he gets them from gunsmiths who buy new guns and take them apart for the actions.
you could get a full size gun and look for a youth stock, be easier than doing what I did.
that gun  has taken many deer and elk, never felt undergunned. Remington loads them in reduced recoil too.

[huntnphool]

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=156644681

[C-Money]

I'd look at the 260, 257 roberts, 7mm-08 or 308. Most rifles are just fine! I am not a Tikka fan.

[halflife65]

I'd look at the 260, 257 roberts, 7mm-08 or 308. Most rifles are just fine! I am not a Tikka fan.

Blasphemy.

[Pathfinder101]

As you are looking for her, make sure you check to see what kind of weight she can handle.  My 10 year old shoots my Rem 700 .270 just fine off bipod or stix, but he can't carry it.  It's too long and too heavy.  That's why I got him a youth model.  I saw that the Marlin XL7 ands XS7 (full size models) were a lot cheaper than special ordering the youth model (XS7Y), but I had him heft a couple at Cabela's, and they were too long. 

Also, keep in mind that if you are buying a new youth rifle, you will be limited to the short actions (.243, 7mm08 and .308).  If she can handle a full size firearm, your caliber choices improve dramatically. 

[huntlakewood]

I think for deer and elk 270 or a 308. My daughter shoots a 243 and loves the gun but I don't think I would want her to shoot at an elk with it even know I will say a 243 can take down an elk with the right shot placement. My gun is the 270 and that is what I grew up hunting with but now that my daughter is thinking on elk hunting I just might have to start hunting with the 308. My 308 only has a 20" barrell so it has a good kick to it I wouldn't want her to get scared and flinch when she gos to shoot. I would too go get a recoil pad for her. Gasman's daughter shoots a 270 single shot newengland and she loves it. She is also a small framed girl ( but a tough little girl) Good luck and be sure to pot pics of her first trip with Dad.

[Pathfinder101]

I think for deer and elk 270 or a 308. My daughter shoots a 243 and loves the gun but I don't think I would want her to shoot at an elk with it even know I will say a 243 can take down an elk with the right shot placement. My gun is the 270 and that is what I grew up hunting with but now that my daughter is thinking on elk hunting I just might have to start hunting with the 308. My 308 only has a 20" barrell so it has a good kick to it I wouldn't want her to get scared and flinch when she gos to shoot. I would too go get a recoil pad for her. Gasman's daughter shoots a 270 single shot newengland and she loves it. She is also a small framed girl ( but a tough little girl) Good luck and be sure to pot pics of her first trip with Dad.

X2 the recoil pad thing.  Either a Remington R-3 or a Limbsaver pad are worth their cost 10X over, both for yourself and especially for a kid just getting started.  First time I set my son up behind my .270 he was scared to death of the thing (it's a Remington 700 and came with the R-3 out of the box).  After the first shot he looked at me with big eyes and said "That didn't kick at all!", then proceeded to put 10 more shots downrange.  Knowing that the gun isn't going to beat the crap out of you goes a looooooong way to improving anyone's accuracy.

[danceswitharrows]

30-378 Wby mag but with a muzzle brake and it should shoot like a 243.  Might be hard to find that gun in a youth model tho

[Pathfinder101]

I had a .300 Win Mag with a muzzlebrake on it.  Shot nicely, but sounded like Armageddon when it went off.  Couldn't shoot it without hearing protection, or your skull would be ringing for 3 days...