About to buy a youth rifle

[SMaxxin]

I'm about to buy a youth rifle for my son and was wondering if any of you have experience with them? I have never owned or shot a youth gun so I'm not sure what to expect.

I'm also not sure about which caliber I should go with, .243, 7mm-06, 25-06, .308? I have only shot 30-06 and larger so again I'm not sure what to expect out of these calibers.

It will be used for short range deer hunting, nothing over 200 yards and mostly on the edge of farm land.

Opinions, lets hear them!

 

[frickenjoey]

Ok first who old is the young'en? You don't wanna go with too large of a caliber since recoil can have a hell of an affect on them. I like the .243 since it is a very versatile round. It can be used for deer and varmint alike. The 25-06 is ok but I have seen a slew of Whitetail taken with a 22-250. Actually I have seen them drop quicker than even a .308. Neck shot and it is all over and damn fast too. The shock created by the explosive hydraulic shocking power of the higher velocity bullets is what generates the instant nerve shock paralyzes and therefore instant knockdown kills. Insufficient velocity or improperly constructed bullets that fail to produce the explosive expansion power that is needed, won't get the job done. You could also look at the .270 which is a semi-mild recoil round. But IMO the .243 is a near perfect deer round. I would not hunt say Elk with it but deer and smaller....oh yeah, lights out.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Give him a sharpened stick and a knife and tell him to "man up". LOL

 

[SMaxxin]

Thanks for the reply Joey, I was leaning towards a .243 because of low recoil and now I'm a little more confident. My son is 12 and a little on the small side and has not fired any rifle larger than a .22 cal. He handles his .410 shotgun very well shooting 3" steele shot so I'm hoping there not much difference in the recoil

 

[alpinehyperlite]

First rifle i got to bring my lil brother shooting when he was young was the Browning Micro hunter. You can get it in different cal. but I think i had gotten him the .223. It had a small capacity of 5 + 1, but it was a great gun, and i think he still might have it.

 

[Rolex]

I have never owned or shot a youth

I've shot a few, but I never owned one.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Well, i guess you could classify chaining one down in your basement as ownership.

 

[Rolex]

When I moved, I released him in the middle of the Mojave Desert where he could run wild and be free.

 

[SMaxxin]

Another thread derailed good job Oldie-Wan Kenobi :

 

[alpinehyperlite]

You should feel somewhat special, its the first thread I've actually put some useful info into in months.

 

[SMaxxin]

You should feel somewhat special, its the first thread I've actually put some useful info into in months.

I always feel special, my teachers always told me I was.

 

[alpinehyperlite]

Dats say'n a lot commin from da bayou.

 

[frickenjoey]

And now ladies and gentlemen.....Mr. Conway Twitty.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9V1fX-FvKW8"]YouTube - ‪You've Never Been This Far Before ( Conway Twitty )‬‏[/ame]