.243 or 6.5 prc

[WVmike]

My son is 8 years old but he is almost 5 foot tall and about 140 lbs. He shot his first deer last year with the .223 wylde AR I built the year before at 400 yards. I want to get him something other than the .223 with a little more knockdown power. I've been set on a .243 but having looked around I can get a 6.5 prc in the same model for a little cheaper than the .243. I'm looking to get him a Ruger American go wild with the brake. I have a shot a 6.5 prc savage high country and it had virtually no recoil but he has not. Nothing bigger than the .223. I also have Remington 700 ADL .308 with a choate stock with a 24 inch barrel with no brake on it and its not bad with recoil either. Just don't want to teach any bad habits. Anyone else with the same problem?

 

[VikingsGuy]

I’d get him a .243 no break.

Also, put it in a stock that fits his body size. Otherwise he learns to twist around to fit the rifle instead of a natural position.

 

[WVmike]

That's what I was leaning more towards. The ar has the same barrel length as the .243 I was looking at and he handles it well.

 

[belshawelk]

.243 would be my choice. Lots of choices of ammo from great deer/antelope rounds to excellent varmit. .243 is my coyote gun and I use if sometimes for deer. It shoots so flat you can use two different rounds without to much dedication and moderate ranges. I shoot a 105gr for deer and a 55 grain for varmits. Out to 300 yards it makes little difference. Mine is sighted in for the 105 grain at 200yards.

Plus you can get him a moderate priced gun ( or inexpensive) and let him hydro dip it or something to make it his. Mine is a Tikka and I dipped the stock and it looks great. ( I think)

 

[Scott85]

There is a great 243 in the classifieds.

 

[TN2shot07]

Another 243 vote but no brake, that’s what we went with for my wife. We went with a model 7, so far so good

 

[VikingsGuy]

That's what I was leaning more towards. The ar has the same barrel length as the .243 I was looking at and he handles it well.

As for fit, I was referring primarily to length of pull, not barrel length. An AR-style stock for the .243 would be nice and LOP would grow with him.

 

[Deleted member 16014]

Unless you handload I’d go .243, and even then probably same.

 

[mtmuley]

Started both my kids with a .243. Moved them to bigger cartridges as they got older. Stayed with the same kind of rifle so the only difference was the cartridge. I'm taking a .243 as my back up rifle on an antelope hunt in October. mtmuley

 

[DFS]

243 was my coyote gun for a lot of years 95 grain bergers. That being said I recently purchased a 6.5 prc and have been very impressed. If you handload 6.5 prc is my vote.
But 243 is also one of my favorites. It will do all he needs with not much recoil.

 

[Addicting]

I originally started him with a 243 and then bumped him up in to a 7mm08. He never really knew the difference.

 

[S-3 Ranch]

I like a 243 , but IMO I would go 6.5 or .270, 308 , recoil is manageable and got room to grow for +/- size game , no break , seen a break create a flinch from noise

 

[Gr8bawana]

Definitely a .243 because it would be pretty strange seeing an 8 year old wearing a 6.5 man-bun.

 

[steveshuntn1]

I bought my daughter a.308 when she started out and shot the Hornady light ammo…she killed several deer with it, and now that she’s grown she can shoot any ammo she wants. Between the.243 and 6.5…with the better ammo options for the .243 I’d have to go with that.

 

[shannerdrake]

Another vote for 243, but regardless of which route you go - NO BREAK.

My experience is the increased blast negates any recoil savings. Kids are IMO more impacted by perceived recoil more than actual.

 

[Don Fischer]

8 yrs old and first deer at 400yds with a 223 Wylde. Sounds to me like you taught him to shoot very well. Ya gonna teach him to hunt too?

 

[Hammsolo]

I’d look at a Tikka 243 and put a Boyd’s At-One stock on it. They have adjustments to really fit him.

 

[klampson]

Another 243 vote, never met anyone who regretted getting their kid one, just a fun cartridge to shoot!

 

[Tikka06]

My 9 year old is 4’9” and 75lbs and shoots the crap out of his 243. It’s a Ruger American compact with the 18in barrel. 100gr Hornady BTSP handloads and he loves it.

 

[bucdoego]

First, good for you getting another youth introduced to guns and hunting. It serves us all and so, shouldn't be skipped past.

On to the topic. As you are considering a .243, there is another similar, more modern, option that you might consider, i.e., the 6mm Creedmoor. Twist rates and bullet options might be the difference. Anyway, just a thought and another option to explore.

From there, I like the 6.5 Creedmoor or the 7mm-08, as they both offer a bit more flexibility as to hunting application. The 7mm-08 is a proven Elk capable round. The 6.5cm has detractors related to use for Elk, but it has been done by some with success too. Both would work for deer-size game.

Whatever you do, he will be set up with a rifle that he can use throughout his life. If he graduates to needing a bigger caliber, he can add that to this first rifle. The 7mm-08, if he can handle it now, might be my choice of an "all-arounder", since it has good history up to Elk.

If I was inclined to think he might end up with two rifles, I'd likely start him with a 6mm Creedmoor. He'd be set for whitetails, 'lopes, coyotes, etc. Then, as he gets older and displayed enough interest, I'd start looking at Elk guns. Just another opinion, but it was fun to consider!