First time hunter youth gun

[Rayzor]

I am wanting to put together a deer rifle for my 12 year old daughter. So I would like to hear some recomendations for a light recoiling round that wont scare her to shoot. I have already done up a youth 410 for her and she can manage the recoil from it just fine with 3 inch rounds. My plan is to trade off my 270W to get her the caliber best suited. I am thinking a 357 mag 44 mag or 30-30. The projected range will be 75 yards max from a stand on pretty burly sized mule bucks. just for the record a 223 or 243 is out.

[quickdtoo]

This is a real common question asked often, there are numerous threads on the same topic, there's a link in the FAQs to a 2 page thread titled 243 OR 30-30 FOR A YOUTH with many other suggestions, it would be a good place to start. Use the search feature for youth rifle selecting just this forum from the list, you'll get 8 pages of hits.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php?action=search

[thejanitor]

-EDIT- After buying a .270 handi I retract my thought on use of regular hunting loads for a kid. The 130 gr I shoot packs a wallop in this Handi, my daughter would not have wanted to shoot this gun with the normal loads I shoot in my heavier bolt guns.-

I had my neice (13 yrs old) along at the pit last weekend and she really liked shooting the 30-30 topper (old single H&R pre Handi) with 130 gr spitzers without a recoil pad. That would take out a mulie buck at 75 yds easy. I also have a 7mm08 for kids (me mostly) and it is mild to shoot with 120 or 130 gr. bullets. But the 270 can be a just fine kid gun if you use light loads. The size of the case gets their eyes to widen a little but My daughters first deer came out at 225 yds and she left the 30-30 leaning on the side of the blind and took my 270, shot her first deer and I have not got it back since and that was 6 years ago.  
Thanks for getting the kids started. Brent

[STUMPJMPR]

7-08 isn't a bad caliber.  I would vote for a 30-30 over the .357.  My first years deer hunting was with a 30-30. It kills them dead. 

[zoner]

i'll vote for the 30-30

[Spanky]

44 mag with 240 gr. ammo
Bad deer medicine and mild recoil. I have a 44 and 30-30 Handi and the 44 kicks less.



Spanky

[Rayzor]

Thanks quick, I will check it out. I should have done there search.  The 270 I feel is still way to much even with 130 grain loads for her 80 pound frame, plus the added weight of the scope does not help much. I had to chop 3 inches off the 410 stock and shorten the barrel to fit her right. So I would no doubt have to do that to a rifle barrel. I am more concerned about her shooting the gun no matter what the caliber is comfortable and without building in a flinch. I have shot 357 before out of a lever gun and recoil was not even a issue. 30-30 has a little snap to it, but I think it also can be delt with.

[godogz]

I purchased a 270 handi last spring for my 12 year old son.  I bought him the reduced recoil rounds to practice and to use for his first couple of hunts.  He was okay with the recoil, but it was the sound that got to him and caused him to flinch.  I just purchased a 30-30 topper and plan on him breaking it in this spring to see if it improves his shot and reduces the flinching, plus I have 2 more sons who will be coming up.

[FLNT4EVR]

 My vote is for the 30-30. A great cartridge that will serve her well for life.

[Rayzor]

I agree on the muzzle blast. Both my kids take cover when I go to crack off a few rounds. I dont think I could even talk her into trying to shoot it.

[canon6]

30-30, with either a 125 or 130 grain reload.The Nosler Ballistic Tip is deadly on Mule dear.
Nosler says you need 1500fps for it to expand, so load accordingly.  hth   Doug

[Rayzor]

I am considering the 30-30 as it can be loaded down for lighter recoil and there is more room to grow into it. I will see if one pops up here in the next few days. If not I guess I will try this barrel  program. That is of coarse if there still doing it. I read a while ago they were stopping production for a few months for whatever reason. Also, does the 30-30 have open sight or peep sight options?

[quickdtoo]

I t has open sights, but the Williams WGRS and others can be mounted in the two read scope base mounting holes, but that would require a taller front sight, see Peep and Firesights in the FAQs.

Tim

[Doublebass73]

.357 Magnum, .45 Colt or .44 Magnum would be my choices for any kid at that range. With a lot of kids the noise bothers them more than the recoil. A 30-30 isn't too bad recoil wise but is much louder than the 3 calibers I mentioned out of a rifle. Any deer will be dead at 75 yards with a boiler room shot from those 3 pistol caliber rifles so I'd personally stay away from the 30-30. My 11 year old daughter hates loud guns and would never shoot a 30-30 but has no problem with a .357 Handi or .45 Colt Handi. Since you mentioned that you reload the 30-30 with some Trail Boss powder might be fine in your case for some nice reduced loads.

[briannmilewis]

Even as an adult who can stand a little recoil, I am going to get a 357 Mag reamed to 357 Max...that way at 75 yards with decent placement the 357 Mag will kill them and the 357 Max will kill them even deader, big Mulie or not, and the recoil will not be noticeable at all, and they will not have their hats blown off by the sound either.

[gcrank1]

I have two grandsons and the CR-45 fits and balances pretty well. You could buy an inexpensive youth shotgun buttstock and forestock to save the nice walnut for later. With kids the short barrel works better with their lack of arm strength to hold it up.
It would be easy enough to buy and use 'cowboy' loads for her if the full loads are too snotty.
BTW, you'd like it too and there would never be a problem with resale.

[gstewart44]

I started my son hunting when he was 10.   He tried the 44 mag, 243, 3030, and 223.  He did not like the recoil of the 44 mag (no pad, hard butt plate, 5.75 lb),   and did not like the muzzle blast of either the 243, or 223 - he said the recoil wasn't bad but it was really loud to him even with ear protection.   His favorite was and is the 3030.   Mild recoil and no ear blowing report.  Each kid is a little different.   This is just my experience.

[gcrank1]

Aint it so.......they dont have the accumulated ear damage yet so those loud reports really get to them!

[jedman]

   If you reload I would get the rifle in 44 mag. and start the girl on 44 spl. handloads.
I have a M 48 H & R  that was a 20 ga. now chambered in 44 spl. it is the darling of our deer camp, between myself and 2 others it has taken a half dozen nice deer, all cleanly killed and the noise and recoil are really mild.

I n my opinion, from taking many deer and other med. game with 44 cal. bullets you will get good expansion without jackets sepparating when you keep them down to 1300 to 1400 FPS and out of a rifle there very mild on the shooter, really a joy to see how affective they are when the rifle just go's "POP" instead of BOOooooM.
Just my 2 cents.       Jedman

[Daman]

I would go 30-30 and load some 110's or 130's over a mild load and let her rip. If you are worried about the recoil, don't my little sisters 10 & 12 (100-115 lbs) shoot my Winchester 94 with 170 grainers all the time.

Daman

[vabowhntr]

I would go with the 30-30 and if you don't reload, start her on the remington managed recoil loads.  I think it is a 125 gr bullet at about 2100 fps.  Can't be much more recoil, if any, than a .357 mag and you can alway use full power loads for deer hunting.

[spikehorn]

30-30 even the rem green box 150gr & 170gr don't have that much recoil I would bet its equal to or less than the 410. Correct stock fit is another thing that will mitigate the felt recoil, get her a youth stock and as she grows you can put the adult stock back on.

[AtlLaw]

I started thinking about a rifle for my eldest grandson this year.  I've got several rifles that are suitable, but...  well... might just as well pick up another!   

I decided on the 45 Colt.  Nothing wrong with the other cartridges mentioned here, especially if you handload, but I like the old Colt.  My first time hunting with one was last year and it absolutely bowled over a nice 6 point with a Hornady FTX driven at a very modest velocity because of the rifle I was using.

This load has virtually no recoil and is entirely adequate for deer at the ranges I'm likely to shoot at.

Now, if I can find me a 45 Colt Handi barrel... 

[Rayzor]

I already have a stock that I took 3 inches off and added a small recoil pad to. It fits her like a glove now. A full length barrel might be to much weight out front to swing around though. Maybe this evening I will bolt on the 270 barrel to her 410 to see if she can handle that. (not to shoot) just for lifting purposes.

[gcrank1]

Maybe easier to swap the stock over to see how she handles it?
Remember, that CR-45 carbine is even a stubbier barrel than most Handi's and has a bigger hole in it so that much less weight than other calibers.