Hello All, I'm looking to buy a rifle for my son who's nine (9). We both love to shoot coyotes and I would like to get him a proper calibre which will have little recoil yet affective. Again, he is nine and he is intimidated by my 22-250. Thanks guys for your suggestions.
Coyote calibre for Youth
- Thread starter howe2do
- Start date
Paulinator
Regular
- Location
- Southwestern Ontario
45/70
Youth Coyote Calibre
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Your best bet is probably the .223. Since he is affected by the .22-250, the .223 with it's much less recoil would be better.
Advantages are:
Lower Recoil
Ammunition readily available
.22 Calibre components are easily obtainable if you intend reloading
Accurate out to 300 yards
Effective on a coyote
Heavier bullets can be used in windy conditions
less muzzle rise when fired
less noise
Recoil has two components..felt and perceived. The felt recoil is the actual force, and the perceived recoil is from things like muzzle rise, twisting of the rifle due to torque, and noise. Also rifle stock design has is a factor. If a rifle has a sharp drop in the buttstock or a narrow comb, recoil feels more. Weight is another factor.
While light weight rifles are available, (such as the Remington Model 7), it might be better going to a slightly heavier rifle. The Stevens 200 is available in .223 and is inexpensive compared to other makes and brands.
A good 3-9 x 40 scope on top will be about right.
I have been hunting for over 50 years, and could use almost any calibre I want to. I use the .223 here in South Western Manitoba, and do not feel I need anything larger.
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Your best bet is probably the .223. Since he is affected by the .22-250, the .223 with it's much less recoil would be better.
Advantages are:
Lower Recoil
Ammunition readily available
.22 Calibre components are easily obtainable if you intend reloading
Accurate out to 300 yards
Effective on a coyote
Heavier bullets can be used in windy conditions
less muzzle rise when fired
less noise
Recoil has two components..felt and perceived. The felt recoil is the actual force, and the perceived recoil is from things like muzzle rise, twisting of the rifle due to torque, and noise. Also rifle stock design has is a factor. If a rifle has a sharp drop in the buttstock or a narrow comb, recoil feels more. Weight is another factor.
While light weight rifles are available, (such as the Remington Model 7), it might be better going to a slightly heavier rifle. The Stevens 200 is available in .223 and is inexpensive compared to other makes and brands.
A good 3-9 x 40 scope on top will be about right.
I have been hunting for over 50 years, and could use almost any calibre I want to. I use the .223 here in South Western Manitoba, and do not feel I need anything larger.
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.243 without question and then it will serve as a great starter rifle for big game as well. .243 is the most over-looked varmint rifle there is IMHO and with the super wide array of bullet weights available, it will allow him to grow with the rifle. It's ballistacally superior to the vast majority of mainstream varmint calibres plus has the option of using heavier bullets for larger game....you won't get that our of any sub .23 calibre.
Pudelpointer
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Lethbridge, Alberta
I have to dissagree with you Dogleg. i took a young fellow out to the range Wednesday and let him shoot my 22-250 with moderately hot loads of 55gr BT's. This was out of a 10+lb ruger #1 varmint. He is 11 y/o and not small for his age, but he did mention the recoil and I saw him touching his shoulder.
For a young shooter, I think a lot of the recoil is just a new experience and most learn to deal with it. At 12 y/o I would shoot my grandfathers 50 cal. muzzleloader all day long until I was too tired to hold it on target. At 14 I was shooting my uncles 8mm Rem Mag with little problems. Did I mention that I was a scrawny little kid for my age? I couldn't have weighed more than 90 lbs at 12.
I think the 22 Hornet (K-Hornet) would be a fantastic rifle for a youngster to whack yotes with. The muzzle blast and recoil are only marginally greater than a .22LR.
Good luck,
Ian
I think gun fit needs to be considered here. Chances are your .22-250 is too big for your son to assume a really good shooting position. When I was growing up my buddy's dad had a rifle that everybody knew kicked like a mule. It was the rifle everybody dared everybody else to shoot. When I got older, and looked at it, I discovered it's only a 7x57- but it's a european stocked BRNO with high rings, and lots of drop in the stock, so the comb gets a running start at the shooter's face. Pair that w/ short arms and lack of shooting experience, and you've going to cause a flinch. all this from a mild mannered 7x57. Pair bad fit with the sharp blast of the .22-250, and it probably is intimidating. Now, if you found a takeoff stock that you didn't mind modifying so it really fit him, and didn't tell him that it was the same gun that already intimidates him, he may well learn to shoot it well. Find a model 7, or 700, or Stevens, in a suitable chambering, mod the stock to fit your son, and get him involved w/ the process. Let him help w/ the handloading too- he'll be hooked. When he outgrows the stock, pick up another one and carry on. I'll jump on the .223 bandwagon too.
.223 all the way if you don't want to go up to .243 that is.
I agree with what was said before about .243 being a rifle he could use later on deer if he wants legally, but if he's bothered by the 22-250 I don't think the .243 will work.
My Tikka T3 Varmint in .223 has a heavy barrel on it, and there is almost no recoil at all, but it is loud. I think finding a .223 with some weight to it is the key as the weight will absorb the recoil instead of his shoulder.
I've never shot a 22-250 to be honest, but looking at the case it looks like it holds twice what a .223 case does so I would think there is more recoil felt.
I agree with what was said before about .243 being a rifle he could use later on deer if he wants legally, but if he's bothered by the 22-250 I don't think the .243 will work.
My Tikka T3 Varmint in .223 has a heavy barrel on it, and there is almost no recoil at all, but it is loud. I think finding a .223 with some weight to it is the key as the weight will absorb the recoil instead of his shoulder.
I've never shot a 22-250 to be honest, but looking at the case it looks like it holds twice what a .223 case does so I would think there is more recoil felt.
The difference in recoil between a .243 shooting 55 grain bullets and a .223 shooting 55 grain bullets is less than a pound so I really doubt it's an issue. In a properly fit rifle with some proper instruction, 6.5 pounds of recoil seems quite manageable to shooters of all sizes and ages plus you've got a rifle to grow with....just my thoughts anyhow.
Most of the recoil issues and being scared of a rifle can likely be traced to too long of a pull versus the actual felt recoil. If you'll notice that in all the cases here, it was a youth shooting an adult's rifle.
Most of the recoil issues and being scared of a rifle can likely be traced to too long of a pull versus the actual felt recoil. If you'll notice that in all the cases here, it was a youth shooting an adult's rifle.
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- Location
- Saskatchewan
I'm a huge promoter of the .243 as a hunting round for anything under a deer... with that said, I vote .223 for this application.
If he's bothered with the 22-250 then the .243 with only compond the problem causing a flinch or a fear of pulling the trigger all together.
There are some very nice .223s out there. Maybe the Savage Predator for that "cool" factor a 9 year old will latch onto.
He is only 9 after all. There is plenty of time to save up for a .243 later in life. It would make a great 13th birthday present! A "coming of age" gift.
If he's bothered with the 22-250 then the .243 with only compond the problem causing a flinch or a fear of pulling the trigger all together.
There are some very nice .223s out there. Maybe the Savage Predator for that "cool" factor a 9 year old will latch onto.
He is only 9 after all. There is plenty of time to save up for a .243 later in life. It would make a great 13th birthday present! A "coming of age" gift.
That Savage Predator is really nice to shoot. My friend has one and loves it, but he hurt it by running too hot of load in it and it's being repaired now. If he had stuck to factory ammo or appropriate amounts of powder he would have been fine.
I like it too, my only complaint with it is the 90 degree throw on the bolt (I like a 60 much better), and I find it a bit stiff and sticky... well that's compared to my Tikka of course... it's probably very normal in reality.
That would be a good one for around $650 I think... but then again I think the Tikkas have come down in price to around $750 too and I would get it first.
I like it too, my only complaint with it is the 90 degree throw on the bolt (I like a 60 much better), and I find it a bit stiff and sticky... well that's compared to my Tikka of course... it's probably very normal in reality.
That would be a good one for around $650 I think... but then again I think the Tikkas have come down in price to around $750 too and I would get it first.
I don't buy it....a .223 has about 1/2 a pound less recoil than a 22-250......I still go back to rifle fit. If he's scared of a 22-250, a 223 sure as heck isn't going to solve the problem. A .243 isn't going to compound anything.....a properly fit rifle is the only solution regardless of calibre. At less than a pound more recoil......a .243 isn't going to cause a flinch that a 22-250 or 223 won't.
