Suggestions for kids first rifle

Too early for a youth that has yet to show his potential for growth.
Stick with the 22 to learn and make absolutely certain the gun is for him, fits him and will not make him recoil shy.
The right gun is the one that fits him and there are lots of guys who will assist in letting him "fit" behind their rifle or their wife's rifle long before you make a purchase.
Your LGS or the range may be best locations for fittings.
Many of those young men will eventually grow into a gun but that is still not the right way to go.
So what is the rush? Waiting is not impossible. Does your range have a youth component? Good place to start.
And now the you are into the second page are you any wiser?
 
the most important question hasn't been asked or answered yet...what will his quarry be...BC has a smorgasbord of options from coastal jackrabbit sized deer to mountain muley's, to long range mountain sheep targets, to bears to moose. If you want a good all round rifle for them all that can be loaded up or down as his recoil management grows, you cant beat the war horse of them all with a 30-06. 150 gr for any deer/sheep big or small that you might want to reach-out and touch or 180 and up for moose and bear.
If just deer/sheep are on the menu I would recommend another tried & true option...a 25-06, recoil is very manageable but will still "reach out and touch" with authority for a smaller stature shooter.
 
I have two CZ 527 in 7.62x39 two for me for now and whichever one she wants for my daughter when she is ready. At 6lbs short and sweet you cant go wrong with that little beauty.
 
I was going to agree with the Tikka in 308 but then fingers284 reminded me about the 25-06. Now that is a laser beam without excessive recoil! And with either a Barnes 100gr TTSX or a Nosler 110gr Accubond it will take out anything up to a moose. Then if he wants something bigger for a dedicated heavy game gun (338 Win Mag, 375 Ruger, 9.3x62?) when he's older, he can still keep the 25-06 as a deer/antelope/coyote gun.
 
Chambering isn’t as important as size.

Remington also has a youth model that has spacers that can insert or remove. For a youth, I would think about this type of system, wood of synthetic. The stock cal always be swapped out later, when he’s done growing so the material of the stock shouldn’t be, at least in my eyes. Worry about the barreled action, maybe something that can grow with him in all avenues. The 700 is the king of adaptability.
 
Carbon12 said:
Why wood for a first gun? It is going to get scratched up and it really narrows your selection and price will actually go up.
Click to expand...

Because it's his first "real" gun.. given to him by his father... and I want that gun to be with him for the rest of his life, and possibly pass down to his kids. Wood tells a story. Wood is art. Plastic is just that... plastic. I'm not looking for a practical gun... I'm looking for an emotional gun.
 
horseman2 said:
Stick with the 22 to learn and make absolutely certain the gun is for him, fits him and will not make him recoil shy.
...

So what is the rush? Waiting is not impossible. Does your range have a youth component? Good place to start.
...

And now the you are into the second page are you any wiser?
Click to expand...

He's got his own CZ in 22 - although prefers shooting my BRNO even though it's too big for him... he likes it because it's "Daddy's Gun". He's also been enjoying shooting the WK180 (semi auto 223 AR Style thing I bought for kicks) - using peep sights and I can see no flinch.

The rush is he wants to go deer hunting.

Am I any wiser?
Well... I didn't even think of buying reduced loads for 30-06 and 308 - so really appreciate that suggestion from some folks. I will not ever reload (time constraints) so will look and see if these are available off the shelf.
Same with the CZ in 7.62 X 39 - I don't want a 243 because I don't want a "deer only gun" - the 6.5 I mentioned can take moose and elk at reasonable ranges - but now I want to look at this calibre and see what it is capable of.

David
 
fingers284 said:
the most important question hasn't been asked or answered yet...what will his quarry be...
Click to expand...

Mostly deer... BUT... the reason I wanted bigger than .243 was in case he comes with me for moose or elk. I'm confident that a 6.5 bullet can take either of those, and others have suggested reduced recoil loads on .30 calibre.
 
Ruger #1 with mannlicher stock in .223 or .308 or 6.5 in that order, mainly because of ammo cost and availability. There was a no1 in 223 for $800 at Accuracy Plus last month that I hesitated on... it took me 4 days to decide and it was sold on the 4th day and I have been kicking myself ever since.

These rifles have beautiful American walut, they are made in the US, Ruger is a good company, the short action is light, has, good balance, compact, simple, strong and reliable and in my hunting experience, a single shot is all that you need for the majority of the time. Hit of miss your target, if the animal does go down right away, it is gone from view before you can think about taking a 2nd shot regardless of whar type of rifle you have. Plus it would help teach you kid good hunting practices and marksmanship skills.
 
Pootle said:
Because it's his first "real" gun.. given to him by his father... and I want that gun to be with him for the rest of his life, and possibly pass down to his kids. Wood tells a story. Wood is art. Plastic is just that... plastic. I'm not looking for a practical gun... I'm looking for an emotional gun.
Click to expand...

Tikka T3 Compact , many suitable chamberings, lightweight. Customize it with a walnut or laminate stock from Boyds .
 
I’d recommend the following:
Remington Model Seven or 700 Youth in 7mm08 or 260 Rem
Ruger Hawkeye Compact in 243 or 308
Winchester Model 70 Fwt. Compact in 243 or 308
Winchester 94 or similar Marlin 336 in good ol 30-30.
 
308win, 25-06, and 30-30 are going to start an 11yo kid on a flinching habit. I'd stay 6.5cm or smaller cartridge. Probably even put a muzzle break on it. He could use the 22lr for varmints and 6.5cm for hunting/varminting. 6.5cm will handle any north American game animal.
 
ScottMisfits said:
Chambering isn’t as important as size.

Remington also has a youth model that has spacers that can insert or remove. For a youth, I would think about this type of system, wood of synthetic. The stock cal always be swapped out later, when he’s done growing so the material of the stock shouldn’t be, at least in my eyes. Worry about the barreled action, maybe something that can grow with him in all avenues. The 700 is the king of adaptability.
Click to expand...

Cant really say that I agree with the title statement here. while I agree that fit is important, it is the "chambering" part of the tool that does the end job that the tool is needed for...fit can be done and perfected on the wood portion at any time but once the chamber is cut, your limited to the criteria it gives you to work with forever.

for the most part I agree with the post's mentioning flinch might become a problem...especially with the "muzzle brake" option put forward by one. There is no doubt in my mind that the lad will develop a flinch from the accompanying muzzle blast, not the recoil, with a brake in use...let him learn to shoot and absorb the recoil in its natural state first then use his own judgment on a brake later in life. I shot a .300 win mag for years and never developed a flinch but I sure did when I had the opportunity to start using a .32-378 Weatherby that had a brake on it that reduced the felt recoil down to a sub .270 or 30 06. level.
 
Scope kiss vs ear muffs and muzzle break...… My 7yo daughter prefers ear muffs and the muzzle brake as do most adults looking for low recoil. You don't have to install a clam shell brake, they actually have brakes that don't direct the percussion back at the shooter as much as others.
Also to be fair, you can put any combination of components together and make any cartridge kick less than the other, but when you realize one cartridge has over 10 more grains of powder than another, and 400fps more velocity, it is going to kick harder. Why are we talking reduced loads in a rifle that is going to be used for hunting anyway? Pick readily available appropriate sized cartridge and done.
 
I bought my boy a Browning Xbolt Micro Midas in 7mm-08 with a nice wood stock for $900.00 new. It is a great rifle and comes with 3 stock extensions that can be added in as needed. This will be a rifle he keeps and can use throughout his life.
 
Last edited:
fingers284 said:
Cant really say that I agree with the title statement here. while I agree that fit is important, it is the "chambering" part of the tool that does the end job that the tool is needed for...fit can be done and perfected on the wood portion at any time but once the chamber is cut, your limited to the criteria it gives you to work with forever.

for the most part I agree with the post's mentioning flinch might become a problem...especially with the "muzzle brake" option put forward by one. There is no doubt in my mind that the lad will develop a flinch from the accompanying muzzle blast, not the recoil, with a brake in use...let him learn to shoot and absorb the recoil in its natural state first then use his own judgment on a brake later in life. I shot a .300 win mag for years and never developed a flinch but I sure did when I had the opportunity to start using a .32-378 Weatherby that had a brake on it that reduced the felt recoil down to a sub .270 or 30 06. level.
Click to expand...

Then you aren't understanding. The right chambering in the wrong fit, is worse. The rifle fit is the first consideration, or at least it should be. After the rifle is decided upon, then the chambering is the next option. Obviously a 338LM will not be right for an smaller frames 11 year old, but if the fit is right, there are work around pretty easily for the chambering.

Rifle or shotgun, fit should be the first consideration, and then chambering.
 
I bought a tikka t3x compact in .243 for my sons first rifle. The light recoil and being deer capable were factors as well as the tikkas reputation for accuracy. I know that he will eventually want something bigger to hunt moose and bear but when that day comes he will have plenty of choices in my gun safe to choose from. I can understand you wanting to give your son something to keep for a lifetime but I think it’s important not to overwhelm the boy. Give him something that fits and won’t knock him into next week and he will love it. Just my two cents

Hurketthunter84
 
The old boy started me out a Brno 21H in 8x57.
I believe I was sport'in ten or eleven years of age.
It kicked pretty well for a young kid.
I just sucked it up as I sure didn't wish to show any displeasure.
Most hunting rifles aren't to plink with at the range.
Sounds like the OP has them for his son.

I started my youngest with a 308win and she did complain about recoil.
I put on a Kickease and eventually went to a heavier stock.
Kick or weight she soon learned.

Funny thing though, when she shot her first deer I asked her about the recoil.
???????? is all I got.

Stay with the 30's.
He should grow into it quick enough.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom