Kids hunting rifle?

zr600 · Dec 10, 2024

What’s recommended for a rifle for kids for deer hunting now? My youngest is signed up for hunter safety and wants to hunt next year. She’s going to be 12. Has shot a 243, will try a 6.5creedmoor. I found her sister a nice youth model Remington 700 243 when she was this age and that rifle shoots very well and works great. Also what would you recommend for a scope? She is possibly interested in shooting prs and nrl hunter with me too. So I was thinking 6creedmoor. I do reload but wasn’t thinking a custom
Was the way to go since she will be new to hunting and I don’t know if she will like competing.

stello1001 · Dec 10, 2024

If we're straight up talking hunting, I think the 243 is good. The 6.5 gredel, 6arc, 22arc, and even 300BO can be good deer killers if the distance is kept reasonable.

hlee · Dec 10, 2024

Do you still have the 243? If so, does it still have a scope? Why not use that?

She may not like hunting. She may not like competing. Maybe I’m just a terrible dad, but I wouldn’t invest heavily on the whims of a 12 yo.

My oldest son’s first deer rifle was an ar15 chambered in 223rem/5.56. He had short arms and the collapsible stock gives a very wide range of pull lengths. His brother shot his first deer with an ar15 chambered in 6.5 Grendel. Both rifles do their jobs at modest range.

zr600 · Dec 10, 2024

Problem is her sister will be using that rifle during deer season. So she needs something to hunt with. I have a 6mm ar15 but I would prefer for her to shoot a bolt action as a new hunter. I also have a 6.5creedmoor but it’s very heavy not setup for hunting more of a prs/nrl hunter or target rifle she wouldn’t be able to carry it out hunting. I do have a savage 308, maybe putting a different barrel on that might be a good option I guess too.

Partsunavailable · Dec 10, 2024

243 historically has probably been the most popular youth deer cartridge. 6 creed is it's modern equivalent. A faster twist on the creed opens more possibilities for high bc prs games, while still having hunting options. Nothing wrong with 243, but if I'm buying a new rifle today, id go with 6 creed.

gopherslayer · Dec 10, 2024

Howa mini 6ARC?

My daughter uses an AR chambered in 5.56. She thinks a bolt gun is weird. She’s 16.

John? · Dec 10, 2024

my 12 year old son uses an AR in 5.56. My 14 year old son uses an AR in 6.5Grendel. Both do the job at ranges they’re capable of making the shot.

Collapsible stock makes it easy to fit the stock to them. Neither are at full adult height yet so standard stock LOP is too long.

Adjustable LOP is helpful with youth hunters.

bohem · Dec 10, 2024

We live in a state that requires manually operated firearms only, so no AR's are allowed for big game hunting.

I built a 6mm Creedmoor on a Rem 700 action with a 16.5" barrel for my older son. It's been extremely effective on whitetails from point blank out to 540yd so far; he's been using it for 5 seasons. My younger son used the same rifle to bag a nice buck at 370 yards this year as well.

ETA: I cut down an AG Composites stock to fit a 6 year old and put a pad on it at 11.5" LOP. My older son has since outgrown it and my younger one is going to be using it for a few years. Most chassis out there today will collapse down fairly short and they're better if you remove the butt pad on them. The shortest one that I've found is the ARC Xylo, without a pad on it my sons could both use it when they were 6. It's pretty heavy for a hunting rifle, though it sits well on top of a tripod in a blind.

fdkay · Dec 10, 2024

zr600 said:
What’s recommended for a rifle for kids for deer hunting now? My youngest is signed up for hunter safety and wants to hunt next year. She’s going to be 12. Has shot a 243, will try a 6.5creedmoor. I found her sister a nice youth model Remington 700 243 when she was this age and that rifle shoots very well and works great. Also what would you recommend for a scope? She is possibly interested in shooting prs and nrl hunter with me too. So I was thinking 6creedmoor. I do reload but wasn’t thinking a custom
Was the way to go since she will be new to hunting and I don’t know if she will like competing.

I'd go for a 6mm creedmoor.
Very similar in performance to the .243, except has heavy for caliber factory loads and fast twist barrels standard.
Personally, I don't think most PRS scopes are suitable for hunting and vice versa, that said the delta stryker 3.5-21 and NF 2.5-20 could probably pull it off.

tacoman69 · Dec 10, 2024

223, 6arc, .243 or 6cm shooting ELDMs or Eldx. Minesbstarting out on a 223

TheJeanyus · Dec 11, 2024

It doesn't take anything particularly exotic to kill deer. About 15 years ago my dad bought a Rossi single shot youth gun in 243 for "the grandkids". All of my step-mom's grandkids killed their first deer with it, and this year it's my 10 year old son's turn with it. They've all used factory loaded 100 grain Remington Core Lokts. Not one has been wounded or difficult to track to my knowledge.

Benz1 · Dec 11, 2024

My son started at 8 years old with a 300BO AR with collapsible stock to fit him as he grew. Last year upgraded to a Springfield Waypoint all carbon in 6.5CM which is a damn fine gun he will keep forever

waveslayer · Dec 11, 2024

I'm running a 6.5 G for my daughter, she is 13 but small in stature. The collapsible stock makes it work for her. She's not taking 500 yard shots, if so she'll have to use Grandpa's 6.5 Creedmoor, lol.

diggler1833 · Dec 11, 2024

I know that it is not legal in some states, but an AR with a carbine stock that will accommodate a wide range of LOP is one of the platforms I can't recommend enough. Even my daughters at 5 years old could get behind one comfortably (trigger finger reach is another topic).

Out to 250, I don't think that there is anything wrong with the 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, and 6 ARC for deer. All will kill with ease and good shot placement. Bonus for suppressor use as it will cut down the concussion and recoil too.

For bolt action platforms, a stock/chassis with the adjustable LOP is still a great idea. I got my F-I-L a 'Salvage' Timberland with the Accu-Fit stock and took it down to 12.75" for him due to his smaller stature. It fits my wife well too.

fdkay · Dec 11, 2024

I see that a lot of the recommendations are not taking into the account that there may be some interest in shooting PRS style matches with the gun.

diggler1833 · Dec 11, 2024

fdkay said:
I see that a lot of the recommendations are not taking into the account that there may be some interest in shooting PRS style matches with the gun.

Very true. Although I don't put nearly as much weight into "possibly interested in shooting prs and nrl hunter" and " I don’t know if she will like competing" as I do taking the kid hunting and giving them something that doesn't hinder their chances at harvesting game. Just make sure you can use it too if they don't want to keep up with it.

I've put together a dozen guns for my younger daughters that vary from hunting to LR plinking. They still just like shooting .22s. My lesson learned is to see how they like it before you build it for them. Fortunately, I made 'their' guns manly enough that I wouldn't get sand kicked in my face for taking them out and shooting them too.

hlee · Dec 11, 2024

fdkay said:
I see that a lot of the recommendations are not taking into the account that there may be some interest in shooting PRS style matches with the gun.

Well, combination hunting/comp guns almost universally are not terribly good at either. Even a gun built for the new Sportsman division will be too heavy for hunting (IMO) and too light for PRS (outside of sportsman division).

But, an AR in 6ARC or 6.5 Grendel will hold it’s own for both…

fdkay · Dec 11, 2024

hlee said:
Well, combination hunting/comp guns almost universally are not terribly good at either. Even a gun built for the new Sportsman division will be too heavy for hunting (IMO) and too light for PRS (outside of sportsman division).

But, an AR in 6ARC or 6.5 Grendel will hold it’s own for both…

Agree

coryj · Monday at 8:12 PM

All 3 of my kids used/still use ARs in 6.5G to good effect. First three photos are this season.

david walter · Tuesday at 1:00 AM

I started my kids on an AR with a PSA 22LR upper, now a 6 ARC.

Same lower, so same trigger and stock.

One and done.

PRS has an auto division, I’m told.

Rick H. · Tuesday at 10:01 AM

Bergara now makes a version called the Stoke. It's basically their B14 with a snorter LOP stock, and it's chambered in a few appropriate cartridge options that would work well for PRS after some mods and accessories.

B-14 Stoke - Bergara USA

Do you crave handmade craftsmanship? Do you want a rifle built specifically for you, built for your needs, and with a level of quality that is evident the moment it touches your hands? Are you the type who hones your skills until your confidence is unwavering and your actions are second nature...

www.bergara.online

Dirty D · Tuesday at 10:06 AM

gopherslayer said:
Howa mini 6ARC?

My daughter uses an AR chambered in 5.56. She thinks a bolt gun is weird. She’s 16.

This, it’s light, handles easily and has minimal recoil. The Hogue stock is decent and it’s so inexpensive that you can cut it down to her LoP and it’s no big deal, just add spacers as she grows.

david walter · Tuesday at 2:15 PM

Drop a KaliKey bolt into your kid’s AR and it’s an instant bolt gun. Pick 6mm ARC and go forth.

https://kalikey.com/

ASC and others make 5 round to 20 round mags, so you’ll be good there even if your state requires limited rounds on board.

bohem said:
We live in a state that requires manually operated firearms only, so no AR's are allowed for big game hunting.

Herodles · Tuesday at 11:26 PM

Started my grandson out this year with an Ruger American gen 2 in 223. Little thing is good with the 70 grain accubond. Easy to make to fit a kid with the LOP spacers.

bohem · 2024-12-27T10:05:46-0500

david walter said:
Drop a KaliKey bolt into your kid’s AR and it’s an instant bolt gun. Pick 6mm ARC and go forth.

https://kalikey.com/

ASC and others make 5 round to 20 round mags, so you’ll be good there even if your state requires limited rounds on board.

That's really cool, I have to see what the PGC says about those. They're a little bit "fudd-y" when it comes to things like this but it's worth a shot. Right now both of my boys have bolt guns that are setup in 22 or 6 creed and they've been doing well with them.

143lrsd · 2024-12-27T10:09:45-0500

There are a lot of good suggestions here but, I bought one of these for my daughter and honestly, for hunting under 200 yards, with a can, you can't beat it in my opinion. https://www.sportsmansoutdoorsuperstore.com/products2.cfm/ID/124264

gopherslayer · 2024-12-27T10:56:44-0500

bohem said:
That's really cool, I have to see what the PGC says about those. They're a little bit "fudd-y" when it comes to things like this but it's worth a shot. Right now both of my boys have bolt guns that are setup in 22 or 6 creed and they've been doing well with them.

Why ask? It’s a straight pull bolt action chassis rifle.

hlee · 2024-12-27T11:10:39-0500

gopherslayer said:
Why ask? It’s a straight pull bolt action chassis rifle.

You can fight the charge, but you can’t fight the ride.

gopherslayer · 2024-12-27T11:49:30-0500

If I could post a pic of the regs I would. It says

Deer and Bear, Regular Seasons
Manually operated (pump, lever, bolt actions, single-shot) centerfire rifles, and handguns (revolvers or single-shots) with all-lead bullet or ball, or bullet designed to expand on impact;

The KaliKey makes an AR a straight pull bolt action.

hlee · 2024-12-27T13:44:44-0500

gopherslayer said:
If I could post a pic of the regs I would. It says

Deer and Bear, Regular Seasons
Manually operated (pump, lever, bolt actions, single-shot) centerfire rifles, and handguns (revolvers or single-shots) with all-lead bullet or ball, or bullet designed to expand on impact;

The KaliKey makes an AR a straight pull bolt action.

You obviously expect the best in people. I expect a GW to see an evil assault rifle, regardless of how it operates. And, while you’ll probably get let off the hook eventually, as I posted above “you can fight the charge, but you can’t fight the ride.”

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