What to get my 10 year old for his first deer rifle

[Lurker66]

I think your choices are good. Dont overlook a 30-30 lever. I think the trick is sight picture, trigger control, shot placement. The boom and recoil are gonna happen with any centerfire but can be overcome with trigger time.

Unless you reload, .223 and 30-30 are bout the cheapest to shoot.

 

[mbalexander]

I took my 17 yr old daughter out to the range Sunday. She'd never even heard a gun, honest, let alone shoot one. Except for my pellet gun.
Anyway, she shot some 9mm's, then my 12 ga., she wasn't too interested in the shotgun. THEN, I showed her some things about the Marlin 336 levers. She shot the 30-30 and the .35 Remington. She loved both of them. She had no idea what kind of recoil they had, so she didn't know what to expect. I think this had a lot to do with the way she was knocking off 1/2 gal. water jugs at 50-60 yds with every shot. She didn't know what to expect, so she wasn't "pre-flinching" if you will.
Anyway, she shot some .22s, said "that's boring", got to shoot an AR15 that a guy was passing around for anyone that wanted to shoot it. She went back over and picked up the 30-30 and put about 20 rounds through it. I ran out of ammo for the .35.
She's about 120 lbs and didn't have any problems with the 30-30.
She's ready for the eat-n-shoot. So look out.

 

[VIKING]

When my son was 9 years old we bought him a little Rem 688 in 6mm. Started out with light loads and gradually upped the pressure. He is now 46 and the little 788 is still taking deer. BTW, his son took his first deer with the same little rifle.

 

[Deercrz]

I've been looking at getting my 9 year old son the Rossi with 3 barrels 22lr/20ga/243 from academy.

 

[Pulp]

You might look at a 7mm Mauser too. If anyone still chambers them. Don't forget quality ear protection. Muzzle blast causes flinching as much as recoil, possibly more.

 

[dennishoddy]

Recent advances in bullet technology has resulted in the .223 to be a very good round for deer/young hunters. Low recoil, complete pass through, etc. We are in the golden years of bullet techology.
Here is one of several links I can post. I'll leave this one here, and post as many as you care to read. Your dads/grandpa's bullets that "didn't seem to have any effect" are things of the past.

http://www.americanhunter.org/blogs/223-for-deer-hunting/

 

[mike miller]

The picture where my grandsons killed the deer on the flatbed, Matt is shooting a H&r .223 single shot that he has shot since he was 12 years old. The other grandson barowed my .243 WSSM to kill his deer.

 

[fishfurlife]

.243. All that I have to add. A gun that he can grow in to and use his entire life.

A good friend just bought his son a youth model savage that came with a discount for half off of an adult stock when he buys a new one as Junior grows.

 

[dieseltech09]

7mm-08 Howa has a deal going on a youth model that comes with a fullsize stock for when the out grow the youth one