Best deer caliber for 10yr old son?

[John Browning]

I passed my hunter safety test when I was 10 and my dad let me use his .270 because he didn't believe in spending the money on a youth rifle. It sucked. It made a trip to the range an unpleasant experience. People don't understand how the recoil of a .270 to a ten year old is like a .416 Rigby to a grown up. The math backs that up if you want to run it. I did not enjoy shooting it and I developed a flinch that haunted me into my teens.

I would encourage you to think about reloading which will really open up your options.

What I plan to do when my kids are a little older is just get them a .308 or .30-06 and load reduced recoil loads until they can handle the real stuff. For the price of a basic reloading set up, you can get them a rifle they can use for the rest of their lives. A .30-06 will do things that would really, really be a stretch for a .243/.257. You can load super light 110gr powder puff loads and when they're older they can use the most stout 180gr loads they would ever need to kill anything except big bears. It will also help you deal with the ever increasing retardation of CA DFG regulations because you can put together whatever non-toxic loads you want. I haven't looked because I don't need to, but I imagine that non-toxic ammo isn't easy to find in calibers more than a hairs breadth off the beaten caliber path.

In the end, you can't go wrong with taking your kid hunting.

[blasterp7]

.243

[zinfull]

Just do not get him a lever action that is tube feed. I seen to many people become careless when unloading. A 270 is just like a 30.06 in kick so maybe for his graduation present.

[Don@Tahoe]

Be careful u don't set the kid up for failure, it's your responsibility to give him enough gun for his skill level to do the job, and shooting copper has changed everything, it's not like shooting lead.

[TMB 1]

30-30 or 243 or both

[Section 101]

I'm impressed he passed hunter's safety on his own.

I passed at 8 years old.

I had a 30-30.

[Bluesman]

I passed my hunter safety test when I was 10 and my dad let me use his .270 because he didn't believe in spending the money on a youth rifle. It sucked. It made a trip to the range an unpleasant experience. People don't understand how the recoil of a .270 to a ten year old is like a .416 Rigby to a grown up. The math backs that up if you want to run it. I did not enjoy shooting it and I developed a flinch that haunted me into my teens.

I would encourage you to think about reloading which will really open up your options.

What I plan to do when my kids are a little older is just get them a .308 or .30-06 and load reduced recoil loads until they can handle the real stuff. For the price of a basic reloading set up, you can get them a rifle they can use for the rest of their lives. A .30-06 will do things that would really, really be a stretch for a .243/.257. You can load super light 110gr powder puff loads and when they're older they can use the most stout 180gr loads they would ever need to kill anything except big bears. It will also help you deal with the ever increasing retardation of CA DFG regulations because you can put together whatever non-toxic loads you want. I haven't looked because I don't need to, but I imagine that non-toxic ammo isn't easy to find in calibers more than a hairs breadth off the beaten caliber path.

In the end, you can't go wrong with taking your kid hunting.

I grew up in northern NM where everyone hunted. My first deer hunt was with a 30-06 my dad borrowed from a friend. I had shot my father's 270 many times, but that was his for the hunt. Took and passed the HSC at 12.
I'm trying to line up a hunt this year for my youngest.

[Sutcliffe]

The Swede is a *****cat

6.5 Swede. Get a solid rifle for $300ish and buy an S&K scope mount. No gunsmithing required. Buy a cheap LER scope and you are good with laser accuracy and little recoil. If he is a smaller guy, I would buy the 96/38 carbine version. Howa also sells a modern bolt in 6.5x55. I own one in Stainless steel.

Great beginner rifle that won't need to be discarded later down the road.

I guess Kittycat would be more censor appropriate.

[frt96]

I'm impressed he passed hunter's safety on his own.

My kid took it with his mom and passed when he was eight.... Kids are smart!

We got the hand book a couple weeks early and helped him study.

[NapalmCheese]

For the price of a basic reloading set up, you can get them a rifle they can use for the rest of their lives. A .30-06 will do things that would really, really be a stretch for a .243/.257.

I feel the same is generally true for 7mm-08, .308, .25-06 and so on.

I agree that the .243 and .257R are a bit of a stretch as a "this is my lower 48 rifle"; I wouldn't want to shoot an elk with a .243 if I had a choice, but I know a guy who does, it works for him. There is wisdom in buying a rifle that will last your youngster a lifetime with only a change in ammo and a new stock.

Then again, I hunt in griz (and occasional moose) country with a 7mm-08 and don't feel like my life is in jeopardy every time I go into the field. My wife shoots a .243, she wants something bigger for elk and moose, we're thinking .30-06.

That being said, .30-06 is certainly a versatile choice.

[2761377]

^^^ like a .243? youngster can use it for everything up to elk, then when that trip comes into sight, he gets to buy another rifle.

and the .243 will be there for his girlfriend/wife and then his kids.

there is zero reason to buy a rifle for junior hunter and expect it to last his lifetime.

what's the fun in that?

[Tere_Hanges]

I realize .243 is super popular and has taken many deer, but isn't it really barely adequate? Wouldn't it be better to go with a 260 Rem or 7mm-08?

[ucsdryder]

I feel the same is generally true for 7mm-08, .308, .25-06 and so on.

I agree that the .243 and .257R are a bit of a stretch as a "this is my lower 48 rifle"; I wouldn't want to shoot an elk with a .243 if I had a choice, but I know a guy who does, it works for him. There is wisdom in buying a rifle that will last your youngster a lifetime with only a change in ammo and a new stock.

Then again, I hunt in griz (and occasional moose) country with a 7mm-08 and don't feel like my life is in jeopardy every time I go into the field. My wife shoots a .243, she wants something bigger for elk and moose, we're thinking .30-06.

That being said, .30-06 is certainly a versatile choice.

The recoil between a 257R and a 30-06 is huge. If your 10 year old isn't ready to be a linebacker at the local high school I don't think putting him behind a '06 is a good choice. He's 10. He will have plenty of time to buy a rifle when he's ready to go hunt elk or moose. If you're looking for a CA gun it's not necessary to have an 06. I haven't looked around but you might be able to find a youth gun in the marketplace that a kid has grown out of. Or if you're like me, you will keep it forever and have a gun for your kids. Trust me, it isn't that far away!

[bombadillo]

.243

7-08

.260

.270

In that order.

[Tere_Hanges]

The recoil between a 257R and a 30-06 is huge. If your 10 year old isn't ready to be a linebacker at the local high school I don't think putting him behind a '06 is a good choice. He's 10. He will have plenty of time to buy a rifle when he's ready to go hunt elk or moose. If you're looking for a CA gun it's not necessary to have an 06. I haven't looked around but you might be able to find a youth gun in the marketplace that a kid has grown out of. Or if you're like me, you will keep it forever and have a gun for your kids. Trust me, it isn't that far away!

The only 06 guns I own are milsurp M1s and 1903s. Why? Because I can hunt pretty much all game in CA with a .308 Win and if I need to step it up I'm going magnum with a 7mm Rem Mag or .300 Win Mag. If I can handle the recoil of a .30-06 180gr hunting load, I might as well shoot a magnum.