[chatter box]

We'll I took both my girls to the range yesterday with some seccess. I learned a lot of things yesterday so I thought I would post them on here so maybe it could help others looking to get there kids a gun. A little history I have two 10 year old girls. Both are tall for there age and bigger then the boys for now. Girls A isn't afraid of anything and never complains. Girl B is afraid of everything and complains all the time. Both love to shoot there 22's and both are dieing to go hunting girl B more so then any kid. I settled on .243 rounds and am supper glad I did. Yea I know there is a big question about the .243 being big enough but I'm in Texas and a big deer here is 140 lbs and if a kid is afraid of the gun then he will not hit anything anyway. I have two riffles a remington woodmaster and a mossberg maveric both with a 3 to 9 scope. Each girl shot 20 rounds and never complained about the kick, sound yes and that was with ear protection. Biggiest problem that I didn't think of enough was cheack placement and being able to see throught the scope. Both have a cheak rest but it's not enough and I have to figure that one out. I also didn't think about the scope enough. The woodmaster has a scope that brings the target twice as close as the other and it's a huge differance in allowing a kid to shoot better. Both guns came with scopes and the woodmaster was bought used. I started both girls out on 100 gr. bullets and had to go 80gr after the first shot with girl b. After that the problem was not having enough ammo for them. Neither girl wanted to stop. Girl a was shooting the mossberg and was getting upset that she wasn't doing as well as the other. Before we left I let her shoot the woodmaster to show here the advantage of the scope. So the short of it is the scope is what they fell in love with. For those that care the mossberg was easier for the kids to use. A lot lighter, easier to load, safty was easier to use and understand although it was new out of the box and had one missfire on the 10th round. It left a big dent in the round but it didn't fire. I rechambered it went off on the second try. The home run was that neither girl wanted to quit. I know this is longer then maybe needed but I hope someone can find it usefull.

 

[BKeith]

Don't know why you might think the 243 is not big enough. It's Remington counterpart, the 6mm is what I feel is the finest deer caliber made. I bought my 14 year old granddaugter a 243 Tikka T3 Lite a couple of months back. Mine actaully complains about the recoil and doesn't really like to shoot it. If yours are complaining about the noise, I would suggest going to a low profile ear muffs. They may not be getting the plugs in right and you dang sure don't want to take a chance on damaging their hearing. Maybe even were the muffs with the plugs.

I've been shooting a 6mm almost exsclusively since 1969 when hunting in areas I know my max shot is going to be 300yds or less, and it has put down hundreds of deer and never left one laying in the woods. While the 243 is still good beyound that, I just prefer to step up to the 7mm Mag.

 

[MontyF]

I've been shooting a 6mm almost exsclusively since 1969 when hunting in areas I know my max shot is going to be 300yds or less, and it has put down hundreds of deer and never left one laying in the woods. While the 243 is still good beyound that, I just prefer to step up to the 7mm Mag.

I agree the .243/6mm is enough gun. In the hands of a good marksman and hunter they will put game down by the truck load. Also seen young and inexperienced hunters take careless shots at extreme ranges or at running targets with less than favorable results. Even the biggest magnums wouldn't have made a difference in those cases.

 

[tjrahl]

.243 is in my opinion the best round to introduce a kid to large game hunting at that age, I started out on a 270 myself but I didn't get to hunt big game until I was 12 (and I was big for my age).

The biggest cause I see of kids disliking hunting is parents giving them a gun that has to much recoil for them. If they aren't comfortable shooting it they aren't going to hit with it, and then they just got up at 4 in the morning hiked into the woods waited for 2 hours and bruised their shoulder for nothing, and that's not a positive hunting experience.

I always carry more gun than I need, but kids are better off with just enough gun to get the job done and 243 will kill plenty of deer.

 

[Jakeway]

You didn;t say how big the objective is on your scope. My grandaughter shoots a 243 with a 2-7X33 Leupold mounted in Low rings. With the 1/4" KIck-Eez cheeck pad it fits her perfectly. She even shot her deer left-handed, so she was able to sight with the scope from either side.

A 40mm objective may be too big for low mounts, but give it a try.

 

[MikeG]

Muffs and plugs. Protect their hearing; it will help reduce flinching too.

Have fun at the range with the 80gr. loads but leave them behind for deer hunting. They will not notice the difference in the field. Cut the stocks if you have to, too. If those guns don't have a recoil pad, even a thin one will help. Anything to make it more comfortable.

Good luck and sounds like you are on the right track. Lots more practice with the .22 and good luck!!!!!

 

[VAhuntsitall]

Hi all. New to the forum but let me tell you, the sweetest, most gentle and nastiest (on the other end) rifle I own is my 6.5X55 Swed. I strongly recommend it for a first and only rifle for anything. Low recoil, I can keep my scope on target, accurate and plenty strong on deer and coyote and fox and .....

I know it's not the typical answer but I have owned a few calibers and my teach you how to shoot centerfire rifle is my Swed.

Jay

 

[Darin115]

Starting gun

I have a Remington 700 BDL chambered in 6mm Remington. I bought this gun years ago thinking it would be my future son's first hunting rifle. Well, I loved it from the beginning. Many many deer have fallen to this rifle. I put it up when I bought a 25-06. Used the 25-06 for years.

Well, when my wife got pregnant and it was a boy I went out and bought a Marlin 336 in 30-30. That was his first gun long before he was born. 7 years later he was ready to shoot his own deer. He had saw plenty fall with me. His gun of choice was the 25-06. He still loves that gun.

He is now 12 and this year he asked if he could use the 30-30. He hammered 2 with the 30-30 this year. He fell in love with it. He has no interest in using my 6mm. I am kinda glad he did.

I got it back out this year and shot a deer last week with it. I do love the 6mm Remington. It would be an excellent caliber for a first timer. 243 as well. I think a quality bullet is a must.

They do need spend some time shooting their gun so when the time comes there is no doubt where the bullet will go.

Darin

 

[Guidedfishing]

Both my Daughter and Son, along with my Nephew started out with my old .257Roberts. All cleanly took their first whitetail with it and then some. Not much that little rifle can't do. When we want to have some long range shooting fun its the first out of the rack. This time of year its dressed and ready for yotes

good luck
GF

 

[Jim H]

Muffs and plugs. Protect their hearing; it will help reduce flinching too.

Have fun at the range with the 80gr. loads but leave them behind for deer hunting. They will not notice the difference in the field. Cut the stocks if you have to, too. If those guns don't have a recoil pad, even a thin one will help. Anything to make it more comfortable.

Good luck and sounds like you are on the right track. Lots more practice with the .22 and good luck!!!!!

+1 on everything above. i always double up on the hearing protection not only for my kids but myself as well.