Deer Rifle for 12 Year Old - What to Buy?
- Thread starter 2ndHand
- Start date
bueller
Moderator
I love my levergun but I don't like the idea of a young kid having to pull the trigger to decock it, even though many are now also equipped with manual safeties.
I'd vote for a bolt action with less recoil than a .30-06 so he doesn't end up getting scoped like I did the first time I shot at a deer :eek:. On second thought it was kinda of a rite of passage into the sport ;).
Whatever you do don't get a semi auto. Too easy for kids to develop a mindset that they can always get a quick second, third, or fourth :eek: shot off so they lack concentration on the first. One shot one kill is all that should be on their mind.
I'd vote for a bolt action with less recoil than a .30-06 so he doesn't end up getting scoped like I did the first time I shot at a deer :eek:. On second thought it was kinda of a rite of passage into the sport ;).
Whatever you do don't get a semi auto. Too easy for kids to develop a mindset that they can always get a quick second, third, or fourth :eek: shot off so they lack concentration on the first. One shot one kill is all that should be on their mind.
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
I agree no semi. His .22 is a bolt with no scope - wanted him to learn to shoot iron sights first.. Thanks for your thoughts...;)
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Thanks for the info!
jaximus
5 year old buck +
my first few years i used an 8mm. then we changed the barrels to .30-06, we did some minor gunsmith work on them and my 2 brothers have the same guns. we were all 'average' sized at 12 years old and we shot the bigger bullets. i took my bruises, but it is a right of passage. my thoughts is that its better to have a bigger bullet/hole/blood trail for a youngster than to have them only wound a deer because of the excitement getting the bullet slightly off target.
foggy
5 year old buck +
OK....this may not be an ideal cartridge for everyone. But for somebody that is very recoil sensitive.....a good carbine in 357 Magnum with good bullets has ample energy out to 100 yards or so for deer.....and will kick 1/2 as much as a 243 Rem. In the "off season" they are good for cowboy shooting or home protection....or just fun plinking. Skinner peeps on a Marlin '94 Lever gun.....and your golden for the most recoil sensitive hunters.
John-W-WI
Administrator
Jake, my 8 year old deer hunted for the 1st time last season.
I'm not saying it's the best, but I bought him a .243 youth model bolt action.
Little did I know (until a friend of mine educated me) they can load 'reduced recoil' loads (for any caliber I'm sure). We started light and worked our way up prior to hunting. The 1st time he shot it we started on a lead-sled, then a shoulder pad, then nothing but the gun. All in the same day. The reduced recoil was the key. Being he was only 8, recoil was an issue.
I think making sure the young one isn't 'scared' to shoot it is important.
Jake connected on the 1st day of his first hunt. Thanks to a friend that was our guide. Still my best day hunting ever.
-John
I'm not saying it's the best, but I bought him a .243 youth model bolt action.
Little did I know (until a friend of mine educated me) they can load 'reduced recoil' loads (for any caliber I'm sure). We started light and worked our way up prior to hunting. The 1st time he shot it we started on a lead-sled, then a shoulder pad, then nothing but the gun. All in the same day. The reduced recoil was the key. Being he was only 8, recoil was an issue.
I think making sure the young one isn't 'scared' to shoot it is important.
Jake connected on the 1st day of his first hunt. Thanks to a friend that was our guide. Still my best day hunting ever.
-John
2ndHand
5 year old buck +
Thanks John, I appreciate your thoughts!...;)
Jim Timber
5 year old buck +
Handi rifle in 300BLK. You can put irons on it, they're light, small, and if our govt ever gets their heads out of their asses we'll be able to suppress it. 300BLK doesn't kick as much as a .357 mag in a carbine either. It's got more ME too. Single shot, so they'll have to make it count, and the price is pretty decent as well.
Tony Cornish is why we can't have cans. Everyone who encounters that statist douche should enlighten him that our hearing is more important than his mythical poaching issue they'd suddenly cause.
Tony Cornish is why we can't have cans. Everyone who encounters that statist douche should enlighten him that our hearing is more important than his mythical poaching issue they'd suddenly cause.
Another vote for the .243 here. I am one of five children, all of which grew up hunting. The only way to keep rifles in all our hands was to utilize the .223 and the .243 in Dad's arsenal. We have killed plenty of deer with both. The 7.08 would be another great choice, but don't doubt the effectiveness of the .243 with a good bullet. The 25.06 is too much for most little codgers, unless you load it way down or they are impervious to recoil. A .260 would be another possibility- similar to the 7.08. As far as which model, is there another model besides the Remington Model 700? ;)
I chose the 7mm-08 for my daughter who was 11 when she started. My daughter is quite small for her age. She is using a Savage youth model bolt action. Cheap gun yet shoots very well. I went with the 7mm-08 over other choices because of the reduced recoil ammo that is available. Once she grows she can move up to regular ammo. She had no problem with the reduce recoil loads. It works and can kill a deer. She proved it. I went with the Hornady Custom Lite ammo from Cabelas.
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NWWI
5 year old buck +
Personally I like the youth model Browning A bolts in 243. They have a clip that is easy to install and remove. Less lost bullets in the mud and snow and most importantly through the action. I personally have not witnessed any deer make it any farther using a 243 over any other caliber.
B
BJE80
Guest
7mm.08 is where I would go.
BluffCountry
5 year old buck +
I have 3 kids who started hunting at 10. And I've mixed it up based on the kid .243 for my oldest daughter who absolutely loves the gun shot a buck at 10 and has shot another buck and doe since a total of 3 deer have made 3 steps between the 3 of them after the shot, .300 savage an oldy but a goody for my 2nd daughter and .308 for my boy which he has no issue with the recoil but I'd be careful with this one. I think the 7mm-08 is a good choice as well.
Good point and the bullets are cheaper. The 7mm-08 is becoming more common, still not as common as 243/308. Last year I had a hard time finding hunting ammo for my 308. Lots of FMJ/Zombie ammo in 308, just couldn't find the good ol' hunting version.
BluffCountry
5 year old buck +
One more thing on ammo, if you don't hand load and decide on .243. 100 grain Nolser Partitions are hard to beat. IMO Nolser Partitions are hard to beat in any rifle if it will shoot it accurately. Not cheap but you get what you pay for.
foggy
5 year old buck +
This is part of the appeal of that new Mossberg Lever-action rifle. They have done away with the old-style cross-bolt safety and have a tang safety and a rebounding hammer (safe) to eliminate this issue. Just read up on this Mossburg.....and its quite accurate out to 200 yards. Seems like they have re-invented America's first "assault gun". Recoil in 30-30 would be similar to a 243 with a heavier, larger bullet. Hmmmm
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