Author Topic: best hunting setup for youth (Read 1162 times)

firefighterhm15 · « **on:** August 10, 2007, 04:03:45 PM »

My 7 yr. old is ready for some deer hunting this year. I've never shot a handi so I'm not sure about which ones are the lighter recoiling calibers. Should I get a lightweight,standard or heavy barrel? Is a youth stock alot shorter than standard? Should I start off with a youth gun or standard? He is deadly with a scoped .22 and is really wanting to shoot a deer this year.

trotterlg · « **Reply #1 on:** August 10, 2007, 04:14:46 PM »

You need to tell us where you will be hunting I think, if it is the 70 pound California coast range deer it may be a 357, big Mule deer may be a 243 or 308. Handi's are kickers, (they are kind of light) I think a 243 or 308 would be a bit much for a 7 year old. A handi in 30-30 may be about as much as he can stand, and I think there are some managed recoil loads that would work. The youth stock is shorter, but not so short that you could not shoot it also. Go with the youth stock or cut down a wood stock and put on a slip on recoil pad. Larry

quickdtoo · « **Reply #2 on:** August 10, 2007, 04:34:33 PM »

Here's a couple pages of discussion on the 243 vs 30-30 for a youth rifle, with some alternative suggestions. FWIW, I've shot the 30-30 w/150gr bullets and 243 Superlight with 100gr bullets side by side, there's little difference in recoil, the noise and thump from the comb of the stock would be more of a concern for a yougster than the recoil itself. You can see the differences in lengths by comparing the specs on H&Rs web site, they list LOP and OAL too.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,120768.msg1098406333.html#msg1098406333

http://hr1871.com/Firearms/Rifles/youth.aspx

PeterCartwright · « **Reply #3 on:** August 10, 2007, 05:19:44 PM »

I ordered the youth stock for my .30-30 Handi a few years ago. My son was 13 and just starting his hunting experience at the time. He's 16 now (today, in fact) and I've set him up with a nice, clean, used Marlin 336 (also in .30-30) topped off with an equally clean Burris Fullfield 2.5X scope as his first "very own" rifle. (It's his birthday present).

The Handi, however, remains in "youth" mode. Our county Wildlife Unlimited works with younger hunters (some of whom have no adult hunter in their home). Michigan has a program that sets aside one weekend in September to introduce kids to the hunting life. We (our county WU group) purchase their license, take them to a range to train and equip them with a rifle to use, serve as "guide" in a blind which overlooks food plots or travel routes to same, assist them in field dressing and even pay for processesing. It's a very rewarding program. My .30-30 Handi serves perfectly as a teaching rifle that has limited recoil and adequate power to cleanly harvest whitetails. Oh, and this rifle will put 3/150 gr. Remingtons into about an inch @ 100 yards with great regularity.

Of course, there are other rifle/cartridge combinations that would serve equally well. I'm just very pleased with this set up.

firefighterhm15 · « **Reply #4 on:** August 10, 2007, 05:50:51 PM »

We live in N Alabama. We also hunt everything from fields to thickets, bottoms and mountains. This one gun needs to be pretty versital. Starting out I would keep his shots inside 100yrds.,but I'm not sure that will always be his limit. I wouldn't have a problem with a 30 30 if I knew he could handle the recoil. It sounds like a 243 would kick just about as much. My main concern is I don't want him to be scared or develop bad shooting habits by being overguned. What would be a good factory load for a 30 30 that would have limited recoil?

trotterlg · « **Reply #5 on:** August 10, 2007, 06:21:30 PM »

I have never shot these, but they look like it could be the ticket. Larry

http://www.outdoorlife.com/outdoor/bragginboard/article/0,20036,1064225_1192321,00.html

quickdtoo · « **Reply #6 on:** August 10, 2007, 06:48:23 PM »

That's a good recommendation for the 30-30 loads, Remington is even offering up to $10 rebate on 2 boxes!!

Tim

http://www.remington.com/products/ammunition/ballistics/comparative_ballistics_results.aspx?data=RL30301

http://www.remington.com/pdfs/2007-FallPromoCoupon.pdf

Doug K.A. · « **Reply #7 on:** August 11, 2007, 06:35:37 AM »

I don't have a NEF 30-30 but i do have a marlin 336 30-30 and it don't have much kick to it, I'm only 13 and weigh about 105 pounds and it doesn't bother me and I'm kinda little for my age.

wcf3030 · « **Reply #8 on:** August 11, 2007, 06:44:34 AM »

Get the 30-30 and get rid of the stock recoil pad and put a kick ezz on it.
Then buy the 125gr hp Remington's, or load the Sierra 125gr hp of Speer 130gr at modest vel.
Wow at 7 they get to hunt deer.
We have to wait until 12 here in Michigan.

goodwrench6710 · « **Reply #9 on:** August 11, 2007, 08:06:15 AM »

The 30-30 is the way to go. More deer are taken with a 30-30. the recoil is mild & even better with low level loads. The 243 is loud to me, I have heard more people telling stories of tracking deer & when asked what they were using it was a 243. I think the 243 makes a better varmint gun than a deer rifle. If the 30-30 is to small for the range you shoot, the a 308 0r 7mm-08 would be better for longer shots, but then you don't want to scare a 7yr. old, he may not want to shoot again & miss out on all the fun.

canon6 · « **Reply #10 on:** August 11, 2007, 11:14:16 AM »

In my experience teaching anyone to shoot center fire rifles,there are two problems.
First recoil which can be managed with reduced loads and good recoil pads.second and IMHO the most important thing is good ear protection.The sound of most center fire rifles causes a startle response that magnifies the effect of the recoil,especially with new shooters.
Even us old F*rts shoot better with hearing protection,so start the youngun's out with good protection and the day of the hunt he/she will never hear the rifle go off, ain't adrenaline great Doug

300winny · « **Reply #11 on:** August 11, 2007, 02:47:57 PM »

Hi there eveyone, im not sure if this will help you at all but i use the remmys reduced recoil load in a 30-06 for ground hogs and in my humble opinion i think it kicks much less than my 243 ultra varmint to the point where i can actually see the hits in the scope after the shot so i would think that they would be an excellent choice for the youngster.When i first started shooting my father told me that "if you wanna shoot a rifle you're gonna start with the 06" scince that was the only rifle i had in my house at the time and i developed a very bad flinch from that. And it took me about 3 years of practice and alot of dry firing the old 22 and random loadings to finally get over it, so with that,i think reduced loads are the way to go. Good luck and many great hunts for the fella!!

snakeskinner · « **Reply #12 on:** August 12, 2007, 03:26:41 PM »

Two years ago my 11yo (9yo then) started deer hunting. I had ordered a wooden monte carlo youth stock from NEF but it did not arrive by opening day of muzzleloader. I removed the stock recoil pad from an adult stock to shorten the length of pull. At 9am on opening day he dropped his first buck with a single shot to the boiler room at 50 yards. He used a Huntsman 50cal with 100 grains of powder. He had never shot the gun before. He was an experienced squirrel hunter. He is small in stature and we hunted from a buddy stand with a railing else he could never shoot the thing. We also carry shooting stick to and from the stand in the event that we may need to shoot from the ground. Later that year he shot another deer with a Marlin 336 30-30 with a Ramline youth stock. This past season he shot a deer with my Browning A-bolt 30-06. I have short arms so the stock was shorted by 1" over a factory stock.

Anyway, he now has a Handi youth superlight in 243. I don't particularly care for this guns shooting ability but I am working on that. It has other merits though. It is small and light enough for him to carry himself. That's important because I hope to carry this year. Also the gun has a great length of pull for smaller shooters. I've seen way too many dads handicap their kids because the stock is too long. You gotta factor in heavy hunting attire into the equation. This gun is very light so it recoils more than a normal 243. At the range my son and I both noticed that the recoil had more barrel jump than shoulder push than other rifles we were used too. We also thought this gun was the loudest gun we have ever shot. My son had no trouble squeezing the trigger to ensure he shot well at 100 yards and was not afraid of the recoil. If I could change anything about this gun it would be the caliber. I wish it was a 30-30. Although the trigger is good it could use a little smoothing out.

carp · « **Reply #13 on:** August 12, 2007, 04:19:42 PM »

I asked the same question awhile back. You may get some good info. out of it.

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/topic,68555.0.html

whiskey101 · « **Reply #14 on:** August 12, 2007, 04:37:57 PM »

I bought my 8 year old daughter the Superlight Youth in .243 but the recoil is too much for her.

IMHO the worst thing you can do is make a kid hate the recoil so much that they do not want to practice alot.

I bought a Superlight Youth in .223 (legal in Tennessee). She shot if for the first time this weekend. She did not mind the recoil. She weighs 58 pounds and is a bit of a princess, so I am sure your boy will do fine on a .223. Th only question is do you feel ok with him hunting with such a light round. Many deer and many more hogs have been taken cleanly with a .223 and I am comfortable with my daughter using it with the right bullet. I am sure the shots will be in the 50 yard range and I will make sure she is ready before going hunting. She has been on the .22 for a couple years and enjoys squirrel hunting. We will really spend a lot of time in the woods this year during squirrel season and lots of time at the range shooting the .223.

I am in North Alabama quite often, where are you?

kenbev · « **Reply #15 on:** August 13, 2007, 03:02:08 AM »

I bought the 7.62x39 barrel for my wife and grandson to hunt with. There is not much recoil with it and you still have the 30 caliber load...

oneshotonekill · « **Reply #16 on:** August 13, 2007, 02:53:21 PM »

If H&R ever makes a 6.8 I think you would have a great youth gun. Decent ballistics with a 110-115 gr bullet and little recoil.

firefighterhm15 · « **Reply #17 on:** August 14, 2007, 04:27:45 AM »

Do you think the 6.8 is here to stay? Will factory ammo always be available? I do have a contender frame I'm not using and they offer a 6.8 barrel. We live in Huntsville Whiskey 101

PartsMan · « **Reply #18 on:** August 14, 2007, 04:49:57 AM »

30-30 for just deer.
223 or 243 for all around rifle. (varmints and predators also)

oneshotonekill · « **Reply #19 on:** August 14, 2007, 04:54:23 AM »

Quote from: firefighterhm15 on August 14, 2007, 04:27:45 AM

Do you think the 6.8 is here to stay? Will factory ammo always be available? I do have a contender frame I'm not using and they offer a 6.8 barrel. We live in Huntsville Whiskey 101

I don't know if it's here to stay. It has not been adopted as a military caliber yet, and I don't think there is enough of a following in the civilian market yet for it to survive. If its adopted by the military it will be around a while. I just bought an MGM pistol barrel for my encore, dies, brass, etc. so I hope it stays around for a while anyway. The field reports I have heard show it performs better on game than the paper ballistics would suggest. I've also heard some good reports from the guys using the 6.8 in AR's. I think the contender carbine or even a short handi barrel would be the ideal set up for the 6.8 using relatively fast burn rate powders you could get good velocity from a 18-20 inch barrel. That combined with a light weight youth stock and the light recoil may be a great youth combo.

greg916 · « **Reply #20 on:** August 14, 2007, 03:28:25 PM »

I think the 6.8 is getting a lot of competition from the 6.5. Seems the 6.5 surpasses the 6.8 in everything except close range stopping power (less than 100 yards) where the 6.8 maintains a slight advantage. Might be the death knell for the 6.8 as a military chambering.