Rifle for my son?

[Kowsrule30]

I swear by my 243 I got when I was 11.... I'd still use it today on deer and elk if I didn't get into ML.... They are light.... Very accurate.... Minimal recoil.... And good ammo won't break the bank.... 

[WA hunter14]

i have a weatherby vangard 7mm-08, got when i was 9 an got my first deer with it the next year. im 14 now an love the gun, was to much recoil for me though the first year i started shooting it(9) caused me to jerk the trigger an was hard for me to get over that when i was little

[youngbull]

Dude i gopt a 30 30 marlin thats great for bt I have shot a few with.  If you dont have a rifle yet let me know we can work something out so he can shoot it before the season starts

[Emptyhanded]

I was at Cabelas today messing around with a Marlin XL7 in .30-06. I was really surprised at how well the gun was built and it felt. For around $300 you are getting a lot of gun for not much $$, in my opinion. I have held the Savage Axis/Edges in the past and to me the Marlin feels much better. The main thing I didn't like about the Axis was the plastic clip on the magazine. It seemed cheap and could see it breaking off with time (my 1st impression). Keep in mind i don't own either of these guns, this is just my impression of the 2. Nothing against the Axis or anyone who owns one but I think the Marlin is a better choice. 
PS: As stated above 7mm-08 is another great choice.

[coachcw]

I like a the modle seven youth . my son shot the .260 with 140 tbbc bullets it worked greaqt with many one shot kills . The .308 would also be a great choice and would work bettter on elk .

[kckrawler]

Stay away from the 770...the price tag is nice but the rifle is crap.   

[Recurve-Elk]

I really think a 243 is the ticket for a 9 year old.  Don't scare the guy off with some bigger rifle. 

[HUNT]

As some of you know my nine year old drew a youth moose tag for Mount Spokane.  I have a Remington model 7 in .243 that i started my other two kids shooting when they were 8.  Recoil is not bad at all.  My nine year old has been shooting it once or twice a week for about a month.  Knowing that a .243 is too small for hunting moose with I looked for a Remington model 7 in 7mm-08.  Recoil is a little more than the .243 but not much.  Very similar recoil if you look it up.  I loaded up some 120 grain bullets for him to shoot.  He says that it kicks less than the .243. 

I would probably go straight to a 7mm-08 if I were you.  Maybe borrow a smaller caliber rifle for your son to start on.  It wont be long at all before he can handle the 7mm-08.  It has much more knockdown.  The Model 7 is a great size for smaller shooters also because the length of pull is about 2 3/4 inches shorter than a standard rifle.  Wish I would have known more about the 7mm-08 in the past.  I would have owned one a long time ago.   

[DoubleJ]

My 9 year old shoots my .308 Savage Stevens that I got at Cabelas for $350ish.  Shot his first deer last year with it when he was 8.  Only modification I had to make was to move the scope as far back as it'd go.  Moved it about an inch back and locked the rings back up again.  I also got a .243 barrel for it.  He practices with the .243 so it doesn't kill his shoulder to shoot a box of ammo and then I put the .308 barrel back on it when we go hunting.

[DoubleJ]

Also remember when you're looking that, it's easier for a small kid to carry a synthetic stock through the woods but a wood stock kicks WAY less.  Make sure to take that into consideration.

[Pathfinder101]

I bought 2 of the Marlins in youth .243 a couple years back for my kids my son was nine at the time I think I got them on sale at Cabelas for 289.99 wont find a used one for that cheap.  That is my son in my signiture with the buck he shot with his the next fall.

I am going to second this advice.  I bought PathfinderJR the Marlin XS7Y (Youth Model) in a .308 for his birthday last year.  Less than $300 out the door.  It comes with a sweet recoil pad, stock fits great, it's got something like Savage's Accutrigger and man that thing is a little tack driver.  We have been shooting it every week at the range.
Last weekend we were up in Kettle Falls shooting with a buddy of mine and PathfinderJR made 2 shots in a row at 525 yards on a man-sized metal target.  His 100 yard group can easily be covered with a quarter.  I am VERY impressed with this gun.  All of his buddies that we take out to the range LOVE to shoot it because of the light recoil and the accuracy.  I hang clay pigeons on the 100 yard target stands and they have contests to see who can bust the most in a row.  I know of 3 of his friends that are begging their dads for one now (Marlin should pay me a finder's fee... ).
I just saw two at the White Elephant in Spokane in .243 and 7mm-08 for less than $300.  We got the .308 so he could use it for elk and bear as well as deer.
 I would buy it again in a heartbeat...

[Recurve-Elk]

Sure there is a lot of young guys out there that can shoot a bigger gun, but I know there is also a large amount who can't.  When I was 9 I was deathly afraid of my dads 30/06.  Shot it a few times then never touched it till I was probably 14 or 15.  I specifically remember tensing up while pulling the trigger and often closing my eyes in anticipation.  If he can handle it then go for it.  Maybe he should try a few calibers out at the range.  Just make sure he's comfortable.  I suppose he could indeed get a larger caliber and just shoot a lighter bullet.  That would be essentially the same as shooting a smaller caliber. 

Now that I think about it the cartridge could be actually what you need to look at not so much the caliber. 

[steen]

Our son has a youth model 243 and will never sell it.  He lets the girls use it and will keep it for his kids when he has them.  I'm sure his 5 yearold nephew will use it someday also.  Just nice to have around.  His Dad had him fold laundry for a loooong time to earn that rifle.  One of our girls bought one, used it once and decided not to hunt so she sold it which was a bummer.  I think she may regret it someday.  Her boyfriend of 2 years loves to hunt also.

[scottfrick]

Trying looking into the Harrison and Richardson rifles. My cousin that started back when he was 9, thats the gun my dad bought for him. Since then he's killed 2 bears over 200 yards, and 3 deer. The Guns are only single shot, but are cheap wonderful guns!!! Being the proud owner of a 300 rum, rem 7mm stw, and a rem 270 win mag, i'm now even starting to look into being one of these H&R Handi rifles.

[MIKEXRAY]

My first gun was a 270 cal and I think that is a great first bullet size, my first rifle when I was a youngster was a Winchester lighter bolt rifle ( forget the model ) .  As discussed it is a caliber that he can use his whole life for deer and elk. You can get factory ammo near 100gr  now for deer and go heavier when older. My only rifle in the house is still a 270 , might be old school to some but one I would at least consider. Mike