Youth Deer Rifle - Which Caliber?

[Big pig]

The 6.5 is a Savage Axis Heavy Barrel in Camo, and it shoot ridiculously well, and I'm no savage fan. Literally 3 bullets touching at 100 yards. And that particular rifle seems to fit youth particularly well.

I am a huge Savage fan. My kids and wife went from .22 to .22 mag to .222 to .243.
I cut down a .222 and the .243. Added large butt pads.
Wish I had a suppressor back then

I used 80 grain rem. in the .243. Now son and wife shoot .270s with large kick pads.

But that was before the Creedmore. I like my mine cause it’s already threaded

[kc5rkg]

7mm-08. Start them on the Hornady light loads, they are about the same energy and recoil as a 243. They can grow into the full power 7mm-08 loads.

Solid advice right here!

[TxAg]

223

Check out this thread. Look at the pics. Keep an open mind.

https://www.rokslide.com/forums/threads/223-for-bear-deer-elk-and-moose.130488/

I had my wife (who has never shot a rifle) hitting at 200 and 300 yds today with a 223. Literally her 3rd and 4th shots ever with a rifle. The no recoil thing is a big deal.

[txtrophy85]

7mm-08. Start them on the Hornady light loads, they are about the same energy and recoil as a 243. They can grow into the full power 7mm-08 loads.

I bought my oldest son a 7mm-08 and used it with hornady custom lite. No issues at all

Bought my youngest boy a 6.5 Grendel to be different. Had a less than stellar experience with it and then I shot a deer and had less than stellar results as well. A .22-250 produced better results.

Both my kids and my wife shoot A 7mm-08. The custom light ammo is real similar to a 6.5 cm and is devastating on whitetail size game. We now use 140 grain accubonds and wife killed a kudu and a zebra with hers.

Imo the 7mm-08 is one of the best deer rounds ever made.


That said, a 6.5 CM is a great youth rifle round, a great deer round in general

[KNEE DEEP]

22-250 would be a great choice. Excellent round. I’ve shot many a deer and hog in over 40 years of hunting with a 22-250. 7-08 and 25-06 would be my next choices.

[Gulfcoastin]

Remington Model Seven in 7MM-08.

[bphillips]

7mm-08. Start them on the Hornady light loads, they are about the same energy and recoil as a 243. They can grow into the full power 7mm-08 loads.

This is what mine have and use the same ammo. My 5yr old handles it no problem

[Mike D]

The 6.5 Grendel is a perfect transition caliber and there’s some really nice guns like the Howa and CZ mini action rifles.


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[wingnut]

My daughter(15yrs old) has hunted with a 22-250 for the last 5 seasons. She has killed numerous deer with it! Very rarely does one run more than 20-30yds. Only thing I don’t like about it is that there is never a pass through on bigger body bucks. But they don’t run really anywhere. I keep telling myself I need to get her to shoot a bigger caliber but I really don’t know if it will produce any better results?? If it ain’t broke don’t fix it��

[RR 314]

I like the 22-250 with partition ammo. I also picked up a 7-08 last year and have been surprised at the light recoil.


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This is exactly what I did. Started off with the Browning micro-Midas in .22-250 and then switched over to a Weatherby in 7mm-08.

[jamenefee]

I grew up hunting with a 30-30 and a 243. I also have a 6.5 Creedmoor now I think all three are great youth guns. I can’t see you going wrong with any of the guns mentioned though. Right now for me it comes down to bullet availability

[TB80]

Youth Deer Rifle - Which Caliber?

I’ve had a 223, 243, 7mm08 and 6.5cm.

I ended up starting my kids on a 223 axis youth and 243 youth ruger american. If I had to choose one to start them with I’d do a 223 and keep shots at less than 50 yards due to the low recoil. Then I’d move them up to a 243 or 7mm08.

One problem with the youth sized models is they are lighter so they end up having more recoil than a full sized gun. Just something to keep in mind.

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[RF76]

7mm-08

[Boyd1212]

Another vote for the 7-08. My 10yo daughter shot her black bear this year with the reduced recoil loads at 100 yards and it ran 15 yards. I’m highly impressed with the caliber and the ammo.

[TxDispatcher]

Yet another vote for 7mm-08...its my wife and kids go to, and if I have to be honest, I’ve used it myself more than any other rifle in the last 4-5 years. Great round