Caliber for a kid?

[Walker]

This may ruffle some feathers, but I’m not a fan of the 243 in a beginners hands. If you are a great shot 100% of the time a 243 is a super round and more than enough. However in a beginners hands with a mild case of buck fever, it doesn’t perform well. I have trailed only three rifle shot deer for 500+ yards. Two of them were 243’s in kids hands and one was a 260 Rem.

For a kid that can sometimes make a less than perfect shot I like some Margin for Error. All three of my kids took their first deer with a single shot 44mag. Three bang flops, and the 44 mag is almost no recoil in a rifle platform.

As they got older all got a bolt action 7mm-08

A bad shot is a bad shot.

[TN_boy]

We built his AR together.
6.5 Grendel
10 yrs old
Shot a Javelina at 165 yds this past weekend.

[Dale Moser]

Caliber for a kid?

The 6.5 Grendel has been absolutely perfect for us so far. My 7 year old has killed 2 pigs and a buck with it, I've killed 1/2 dozen or so pigs with it, and other guys on the lease have killed a dozen or so pigs with them.

Zero complaints with the 6.5 Grendel, can't say the same for the .223...please go with something more substantial than the .223.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[joevillars]

My 5 year old loves the creedmoor. I’m going to try to get him on the 22-250. The problem I have is that it is **** hard to find a small rifle that a 5 year old can use.

[rockyraider]

Anything.243 to 7mm-08. Most are soft shooters and relatively efficiently calibers. I personally like .243 as every hunter should own one just because it’s pretty much the perfect Texas deer caliber. I’d suggest buying a wood stocked rifle and having it cut down if necessary. The cheap entry level plastic guns of today will kick more due to weight and they aren’t exactly what I think about when it comes to being a multigenerational pass it down gun.

[TN_boy]

We also have a single shot CVA plastic stock youth 243.
I cut the stock 3 inches shorter, filled with sand and made a metal butt plate for it. I then installed a limb saver recoil pad. Paired with reduced recoil Hornady loads, perfect for the younger kiddos.

[db@100]

Where do y'all find stocks to fit the young kids? My grandsons are 5 and 6. I guess they must have short arms because I would have to cut a stock in half to make it fit them. Do you cut down a stock and then in a few years, when they grow, replace the stock?
Anyone have a cut down stock for a Rem.700 ADL short action they want to part with cheap?

[Palmetto]

Where do y'all find stocks to fit the young kids? My grandsons are 5 and 6. I guess they must have short arms because I would have to cut a stock in half to make it fit them. Do you cut down a stock and then in a few years, when they grow, replace the stock?
Anyone have a cut down stock for a Rem.700 ADL short action they want to part with cheap?

^^^ AR Platform. If you don't have one already, this is a great excuse to get one! Adjustable stock grows with them.

I turned my Rock River AR .223 into a 6.8 SPC by changing out the upper. Bought it in TBH classifieds. SUPER easy to do. I hate a .223 round, and not sure that I will ever reinstall it on my lower. The boys love to shoot it, and the 6.8 has some knockdown power to it. I have seen it put a 200lb whitetail on its ace.

[softpoint]

.243. Good for longer ranges, less recoil in lightweight rifles than the 7/08, good factory hunting ammo easily available.

[BDKeeling]

Myself (50 years ago) and my kids all started with an open sight 30/30 Winchester.

Mike Harr said you started with rocks[emoji13]


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[cehorn]

Full power 6.5 Grendel in AR platform. Adjustable length of pull for any size shooter and almost NO recoil. My 6.5G has absolutely anchored everything I’ve shot with it. Ammo is readily found in academy type stores. 123 grain hornady very accurate.

I just ordered both my boys (10 &13) their own 300 blackout in AR platform for xmas. I did it for the same reasons you stated, adjustable length of pull and very little recoil. I wouldn't call either one scrawny but they are both going to be on the short end with shorter arms so the length of pull was a big deal to me. They have both shot mine and love it. It has plenty of knockdown power and has been a devastating round for me, especially on pigs. I'm sure they will get other guns in the future but the blackout round will do everything they need where we hunt for as long as they want it to. And with the AR platform that leaves options for future xmas presents (new trigger, bipod, etc.). Plus there is the cool factor that hopefully will make them more excited to shoot (but it may be just me that appreciates the cool factor).

[txhunter90]

Single shot Rossi single shot .243.

[Dale Moser]

^^^ AR Platform. If you don't have one already, this is a great excuse to get one! Adjustable stock grows with them.

I turned my Rock River AR .223 into a 6.8 SPC by changing out the upper. Bought it in TBH classifieds. SUPER easy to do. I hate a .223 round, and not sure that I will ever reinstall it on my lower. The boys love to shoot it, and the 6.8 has some knockdown power to it. I have seen it put a 200lb whitetail on its ace.

This is exactly how we got to the 6.5 Grendel. Started him on my AR in .223 because the adjustable stock was the only one that fit him. Shot a doe with it and I did not like the bullet performance so we upped it to 6.5. I understand the 6.8 is very comparable in performance. I never told him I'd changed calibers...just be sure to put ear protection on them.

[AgHntr10]

Plenty of good choices and everyone has their opinions so I will give mine as well.

Get something bigger than a .22Cal. I like .243, .25-06 or .270.

[Smithwr]

I shot a 243 from about age 7 to 23-24 just because it worked and i never had a need for anything else on texas deer