Hi guys, age old question, my son is going to get his first rifle for Christmas, but I'm battling with choosing which caliber. He shoots my .22mag very well, he's 12, but tall for his age, going to be over 6 foot for sure, and has fired my 12 gauge several times without complaining. I want something that he won't be scared to shoot or start flinching with. We do lots of target shooting, and he wants to start deer hunting next fall. I'm thinking about .223 for the low recoil, but also thinking that a 7mm-08 might be better for a year or two down the road. For now I guess if the recoil bothers him we could go with those recoil reduced loads. Never tried them. Any info/experience you guys have would be a big help!
Son's first rifle
- Thread starter seebarg
- Start date
EcoHeliGuy
Member
- Location
- Vancouver island
338 Lapa 
What Kid wouldn't want that
30-30 would be my choice, Recoil isn't bad, they are fun to shoot, ammo is some what cheep. and its a great round to learn about shot placement, bullet drop and velocity.
What Kid wouldn't want that
30-30 would be my choice, Recoil isn't bad, they are fun to shoot, ammo is some what cheep. and its a great round to learn about shot placement, bullet drop and velocity.
Bought my son a CZ 455 in .22 LR last year. He enjoyed shooting it very much but since he got a new Savage in 223, the CZ has not been seeing much action.
Unless you plan on getting him another rifle, you will need something bigger for hunting. I think one gun will not do the trick.
If you go with a Savage as I did, it isn't too hard to spin on a new barrel chambered in a larger round.
Unless you plan on getting him another rifle, you will need something bigger for hunting. I think one gun will not do the trick.
If you go with a Savage as I did, it isn't too hard to spin on a new barrel chambered in a larger round.
338 Lapa
What Kid wouldn't want that
30-30 would be my choice, Recoil isn't bad, they are fun to shoot, ammo is some what cheep. and its a great round to learn about shot placement, bullet drop and velocity.
If not .223, then like Eco said, 30-30 is pretty mild for kick, or even 7.62x39. They would be my top 3 calibers.
It will work in a pinch but the .223 is not a deer gun especially for a novice who may not be too sure of shot placement in my opinion. I like a .243, 6mm or .257 Roberts for first time deer rifles for young hunters. All three have mild recoil(noticably less than a .30/30), not particularly loud and generally very accurate. Also a much flatter trajectory than the .30/30 or 7.62x39.
.223 Remington isn't what I would recommend for a young mans first deer rifle, not that a .223 can't get the job done especially with a good handload like a Nosler partition, Barnes X bullets, and if factory is required either winchester 64gr power point or Federal 62gr fusion have worked for me. The .223 is more of an experienced hunters round, someone who will pass on all but the best shots at 200 yards or less and who knows how to track. While my .223 has given me spectacular dead in their tracks results on deer I also had a deer shot in the lungs run 150 yards before expiring.
Assuming BC doesn't have New Brunswicks foolish laws forcing you to use or carry a centerfire rifle smaller then .23 caliber outside of big game seasons so a Kid can get real field experiences varmint hunting and informal pit shooting, off hand, estimated ranges and improvising rests etc, that make a shooter a better in the field shooter an important hunting skill set that some of us lack. The gentle cartridges like a .243, 6mm, .250 Savage, .257 roberts, 6.5x55, .260 remington, 7mm-08 and its near twin 7x57, .30-30, 7.62x39 and even .308 should all be given equal or even more consideration then the .223. If possible get him to a range with some other shooters and let him try a few rifles. You may be surprised by how much recoil he can handle/ enjoy.
Assuming BC doesn't have New Brunswicks foolish laws forcing you to use or carry a centerfire rifle smaller then .23 caliber outside of big game seasons so a Kid can get real field experiences varmint hunting and informal pit shooting, off hand, estimated ranges and improvising rests etc, that make a shooter a better in the field shooter an important hunting skill set that some of us lack. The gentle cartridges like a .243, 6mm, .250 Savage, .257 roberts, 6.5x55, .260 remington, 7mm-08 and its near twin 7x57, .30-30, 7.62x39 and even .308 should all be given equal or even more consideration then the .223. If possible get him to a range with some other shooters and let him try a few rifles. You may be surprised by how much recoil he can handle/ enjoy.
hometownhero
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Toon Town, Sk
243, 30-30, 6.5x55, 260, 6.5 creedmoor. With a good fitting rifle most normal cart rages don't hit you to hard.
- Location
- Winnipeg, MB
Grab him an SKS for $200 or less, probably the cheapest option as well, and for ammo! Mild kick, less than a similar caliber on a bolt gun. and can push the ranges out further. He would probably like the shorter length of pull on the stock more than you will.
MIRAMICHIER
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Miramichi,Nb
Ruger SR22 I have one and all the young lads just love it.Good Luck
Klebelenator
Regular
- Location
- Red Deer, AB
Got my 10 year old grandson a Norinco lever action 22 for his birthday he loved it. He also enjoys shooting my Russian and Chinese SKS's (w/bipods). All three are inexpensive guns. Started him out on a very old Remington model 6 single shot 22.
If he's going to be a decent size folk, I would suggest no smaller than the 7mm-08rem.
I just loaded up a box of 308win reduced for the Ruger American my buddy wanted for his son.
I talked him into the 308win verses the 7mm-08rem and the load we decided was 38grns of IMR 4320
behind Nosler's 125 grain bullets.
We tried this before and he shot them through his Model 100.
Him, his wife and son said they weren't complaining of recoil.
I'm curious to know how this plan works out with that light Ruger American.
He is to be home this weekend and said he would take the whole kit and caboodle to
their range and let me know. Their son is going with them. He just turned 14.
I just loaded up a box of 308win reduced for the Ruger American my buddy wanted for his son.
I talked him into the 308win verses the 7mm-08rem and the load we decided was 38grns of IMR 4320
behind Nosler's 125 grain bullets.
We tried this before and he shot them through his Model 100.
Him, his wife and son said they weren't complaining of recoil.
I'm curious to know how this plan works out with that light Ruger American.
He is to be home this weekend and said he would take the whole kit and caboodle to
their range and let me know. Their son is going with them. He just turned 14.
If he doesn't have an issue with your shotgun, I'd say he's good for anything up to .308 in a rifle (provided he can still shoot it accurately). For a first rifle though a nice classic cal like 6.5x55 or .270 might be nice if he plans on hunting deer with it. If you think he would do better with a less expensive round to do more plinking/blasting with...my vote would be a Mark II, 10/22 or an SKS. Personally I think he might have more pride in a nice centerfire that he can use to go hunting with you, I know I would cherish something like that if I were in his boots. A cheap plinker can be picked up anytime.
blacksheep
Member
My son's first rifle is a savage 116 in 270 winchester. It was given to me for christmas when I was 15 as my first rifle. He has been shooting this rifle since he was eight years old with managed recoil loads. He is deadly with that thing. It seems everything he shoots with it, and those reduced loads dies quickly. He's 13 years old now and he has killed a pile of game with his 270! So far he's shot 5 black bear ,(including a 7'1" monster and a 6'3" brrown phase)2 bull moose, 3 whitetail bucks and 1 cow elk, One of these moose and one whitetail, he shot this year with full power .270 loads. He's switched to them now and says the recoil doesn't bother him a bit. He's been hunting with me with a junior hunting licence which means we have to cut my tags! I haven't shot much since he's been hunting big game. Don't let anybody tell you that managed recoil loads don't work. I should note that He's been shooting a chipmunk 22 since he was four and fires thousands of rounds per year for target practice. Now has a 10/22 as well.
That sound like good advice. A CZ 527 in 7.62X39 would be a rifle he could use on deer and coyote the rest of his life and when he wants to go after moose and elk he can go for a bigger rifle.
