Hunting & Fishing Building a rifle for youth hunters

[PowerstrokeOBX]

I help out with a organization that takes young boys hunting and fishing. There usually ends up being more kids without their own firearm so we are usually a gun down. So, I want to build a good solid gun for kids anywhere from 10-18. Generally the kids are 13-17 though. Some kids are 6'2 to just 4'10. I want to build a rifle that will try and fit most shooters. I think a bolt action will be the best bet but I am unsure of how I want to set it up. I also think a AR10 will be a good choice to but Ill take any suggestions. My only requirement is to have enough energy to kill a deer at 250 yds max. Also must be a readily available caliber at most gun stores. I don't have to have an uber light rifle because we are almost always shooting supported but under 15# would be nice. Heres what I've been thinking:

Savage 10 Precision Carbine in 308 20"
MCCrees Carbine Compact chassis
Stock Accutrigger with lighter springs
Vortex Viper HS Or Non-HS 2.5-10

Savage short action from NSS trued up by Rifleworx
MCcree carbine compact
Criterion .243 Varmint barrel chopped to 18"
Stock Accutrigger
Vortex Viper

DPMS Sportical in 308
Troy TRX 13" rail
Vortex Sparc or Vortex Viper
JP Yellow Springs

 

[Cuckler]

Im a little biased but the mcree option works great. Recently i put together a Remington 700 .308 for my friends 10 year old son.
The mcree chassis can be adjusted for almost an infinite number of body sizes and types. In fact my friend can just adjust the stock longer and lower the cheek piece and he can shoot the same rifle.
If you will be shooting from a shooting house primarily, i would suggest getting a standard length chassis. This way you will have more surface area to rest the chassis's flat base on a window sill or something. Also get the standard buttstock as well. I can assure you it will work great and will take a beating.
Hope this helps!

 

[dogmessiah]

Are you buying this solely for the purpose you stated, or is this a play toy for you that can work double duty? I am assuming based on your location you are talking about hunting whitetails and hogs. If so you do not need anything fancier than a stock hunting rifle, i.e. no need for a heavy rifle.

If I were you I would pick up a savage or Remington youth model in 243 and buy a second adult sized stock. That way you can just swap stocks depending on the hunter. I know that only accurate guns are interesting, but most factory guns can be made to shoot 1MOA or 1.5 MOA at a minimum. Even at 1.5 MOA that puts you shooting inside of a 4" circle at your max distance of 250. Plenty accurate enough for the 8-9" vital zone on a typical whitetail.

Starting out as a 9 year old kid (big for my age) and working with a varmint barreled 243, it was doable but too heavy when it was time to quickly reposition for follow up shots on a second animal. I would move your goal to being more 10 pounds and under. A 17-18 year old boy/man at 6'2" should be able to handle the 12 or 13 pound rifle, but it will be hard for the 13 year old kid who is small for their age.

If this is really a toy for you that will double duty for your charity work, disregard the above, get what you want in a hunting rifle and make it work when you are out with the kids.

 

[long range newbie]

I'd say 308 with brake (for the little ones) or a 243 without. I'd make sure to use a chassis for the "fit all" part of it. I think the light recoiling 243 would work good, but make sure you make it a short and handy rifle so it balances well and maybe even get it ceracoated with a quote on it, or something like that. Thanks for bringing kids hunting, people like you are what are country should be like, giving back to the people and not being selfish, also your passing on a tradition or giving them a memory that they'll never forget. P.S If your running a short gun and if you can hunt with a suppressor and can afford one I'd get one since no hearing protection needed and less recoil so 308 would kick like a 223 shooting 30gr bullets.

 

[PowerstrokeOBX]

Thanks for all the posts guys. To be honest I like tinkering and building guns as much as I do taking kids hunting. I would probably have fun shooting it as well but it would be primarily a kid gun. We can take longer shots than 250 but I don't have confidence is most of the kids skills at further ranges. I don't see a need to have a barrel longer than 20" on this build.

I will eventually have suppressor for it so shorter is nicer. The extra recoil suppression and quieter report will be nice. I am really unsure if I want a brake. The kids are wearing mandatory ear pro. But a short barrel with a brake can be aggressive. I don't want to create any bad habits like flinching from the sound or recoil.

How about eye relief? Should the optic be mounted in a QD mount so I can move it forward for kid with short arms?

 

[knockemdown]

Was just talking about this today with a friend!
Gonna build my niece her first center fire in the next year or so, it will be a .223AI...

 

[long range newbie]

probably better to be safe than sorry. So yes.

 

[long range newbie]

nice that'll be a big kicker . You going to throat it for heavies? or medium weight?