Son needs a rifle for deer hunting

[shale]

7mm-08. All my grandkids use one. No problem for them at all. Youngest girl is 9

 

[RaiderRich]

I am going to agree with a few here and say the .243, with this caveat, OP said oldest son is turning 9. I am going out on a limb and assuming there is/are younger son/sons/daughter/daughters. Start the eldest with the .243 and when the next is up to start shooting graduate the eldest to a 7mm-08 or 6.5CM, if the age difference is more than say 3 years, maybe at that point you could have the oldest shoot a few other calibers and let them decide what they want. The 243 is then available to have the next up use to develop their shooting skills.

I like the 7mm-08 myself but my adult step-daughter finds it a bit much for recoil and prefers the .243. I have yet to have her shoot the 6.5 Creedmoor. .243 is a great starter caliber rifle.

 

[WinkB]

First choice would be 7mm-08 with the Nosler 120gr ballistic tip hunting. With Varget they are going about 3,100 fps in my daughters rifle. She has taken game out to 350 yards. That 120 gr does a great job and if you want to load heavier bullets for different applications you always can.

My second choice would be the 6mm creed over the .243. The reason for that is factory offering of the 6 creed come with a typical 1:8 twist. This would allow you to run light to 110gr class bullets. Most factory .243 have a slower twist and do not shoot the heavy for caliber rounds well.

 

[Pamountainman]

Adam
My vote would be a CZ 527 Carbine...223 a great rifle light weight that can be used for a very long time and passed down.

 

[Addicting]

I have a Rem 700 sps barreled action in .243 I am getting ready to part with depending on what shows up from PTG next week. Load data is done for it, it’s a shooter. I think this was a 10 shot group. Let me know if your interested.

 

[KilZdonk]

grew up with 25-06 myself. Better than a 6.5 and recoil is not bad at all. Used this cartridge on everything from coyotes to elk.

 

[Otto Matic]

Awww.... c'mon guys! Get him a .300 Wby Mag! Make him a man!

Hell, "I" won't even shoot one of those! LOL!

Honestly, I think the .243 is over rated as a "beginner" caliber.
This is just my opinion.
1) the venerable .30-30 Win is an excellent starter cartridge. But everybody wants to start a kid with a bolt action. Tough finding a bolt gun in .30-30 Win.
2) no body mentioned an AR. The AR platform comes in several deer capable calibers.
6.5G
6.8 Rem
.300 BO
just to name a few

3) With an adjustable stock, a kid can use it for years to come.
4) an AR is soft recoiling and light weight

When H&R was still around, I always suggested a single shot break over.
A single round made even a beginner have to stop and think. Not a bad thing.

Don't just go buy something you like and give it to a kid. Take the kid with you, let THEM help make the decision. The happier the kid is, the happier you will be.

This is my current "deer slayer".
It's an Anderson home build in 6.8mm Rem SPC w/Leopold 1.5-4×20 w/Pig Plex reticle.

 

[Cheesehead]

.243, 6.5 CM, 7mm-08 would all be great choices.

 

[DamascusSteel]

Reviving an older thread here, having never shot a 243 win. What is the real world comparison to a 6.5 creed? Considered loading up some 120 gr nosler ballistic tips and letting my son shoot that and I have also considered getting him a 243... as of right now he is learning the basics with a 22LR.. he's got another a year or 2 before I need to actually make a purchase

 

[rideold]

As I understand it and from what I've read the .243 and 6.5 CM have pretty much the same recoil if using the same weight bullet. That said, it seems the .243 can be softer shooting. I went 6.5 CM for my son and it has been OK. He's pretty recoil sensitive and it is a bit much for him. I was going to buy a .243 and see how that went but I couldn't bring myself to spend more money that I already had. I opted instead for a scope for his .22 and spent 99% of the training time using that and only had him shoot the 6.5 CM enough to make sure he was accurate with it. Someone else had commented that they went that route and only had their kid or grandkid shoot the center fire rifle while hunting so that's why I decided to try that.

 

[Stocker]

7mm Mag! Get that flinch down early so he has excuses for missing the rest of his days!

Seriously 7mm-08 or 243 are good. I killed a lot of deer with a 243 from age 9-25. I don’t rifle hunt deer much anymore, but I’ll grab the ole M77 II 243 if I do.

A buddy of my dads told me a 243 isn’t big enough for deer. I heart shot a buck, that evening he hit a buck with his 30-06 at 50 yards. We never found his. ~20 years later I still rub it in.

 

[Fire_9]

If you’re hunting states where 22 cal is legal, I’d go with a .223 and a 77 gr TMK

 

[Trial153]

How about a nice little .257 Roberts ?

 

[Two7D]

They grow up fast. Get a rifle with an adjustable stock ie Savage, CVA, Weatherby. I got the first a 7mm-08. I'll get the second a .243.

 

[DamascusSteel]

They grow up fast. Get a rifle with an adjustable stock ie Savage, CVA, Weatherby. I got the first a 7mm-08. I'll get the second a .243.

Any particular reason why you're moving to a 243 over the 7-08?

 

[Don Fischer]

I don'tknow what the op's plan is down the road but lots of guys give me the idea this is the only rifle they will ever buy their kid. As a result cartridges like the 308 and 30-06 are mentioned with the idea the kid can grow into it. Right off I'd be with everyone else and say the 243 but he mentioned he reloads. Well I had a load worked up for my 30-06 with a 180gr cast bullet and Red Dot powder that any kid could shoot! So First I'd say the 243 and something bigger down the road. Or go ahead with something bigger now and load cast loads for it. Cast loads will pretty much limit range but still work well.

 

[THUNTER]

My kids grew up shooting the .25-06, and still do. Don’t underpower your kids because you are scared of recoil. A wounded, but lost, deer will do A LOT more damage.

 

[Westxhunter]

I'm getting on the bandwagon and saying .243. It will still be useful when he gets older. I still have one and now that my dad is older, he uses it for whitetail. I know everyone has their preference. But I use 30-06 and .243 for most everything. well except small game....lol

 

[gallagher71]

Got a 7mm-08 for my son to use this year. Got it instead of the 243 because at 250 yards or under, he could use it on an elk hunt. He 's 12. He was able to draw a non resident dow deer and cow elk tags for the same zones in Colorado this year. As a youth, his tags were $106 by the way. Shot his first deer, a fawn. His (and my) favorite cartridge for him right now, but I might be a little bias.

 

[Bambistew]

I think the 243 has to share now.
We got my 90-pound Granddaughter a Howa Mini in 6.5 Grendel.
A short pull and 6 pounds with a scope. Do yourself a favor and check it out.

Exactly what I bought for my 7yo