which caliber for first deer rifle?

[dcmtex]

All good choices and with today's ammo no caliber listed is anemic for whitetails.

Looking back in time I am glad my dad started me out with an open site rifle. Single shot and then a lever gun. That setup worked for me for many years and that lever gun has been handed down to my son and hope its handed to his son or daughter one day.
I think open sites are the ticket for the youngsters. Once they become profficient with open sites then let them use the scope. Thats just my thinking and maybe thats old school but its how I've raised my son and daughters and starting with the grandkids.
It also troubles me to watch the youngsters killing Boone and Crockett bucks that dad managed for them. Not the management program I have issues with , just how they are starting out...JM2C.

Back to caliber. I say get him a 30/30 or if hes small, get him a 357 lever gun. With today's ammo either would work fine.

Of the bolt guns if you're tired of the 243 then the 7_08 would be my choice.

 

[MoBoost]

Not to take anything from 30-06, but it was developed to engage humans at 2800 yards (at least that was the theory back then). The parent 7x57 is hard to beat, and 30-06 was the magnum of its time! At 200-300 yards modern bullet will do just a good of a job with half the recoil.

Yes, you can play macho "grow up"/"man up" games - but I believe shooting should not be unpleasant for that reason alone.

 

[AKguy1985]

I'd say .308

 

[smutans]

270 or 25-06

 

[_CY_]

gotta reel back my earlier statement about a .270... as I didn't read close enough that this is for a 10 year old.

stay with your .243 or shoot that AR with a heavy bullet designed for deer. both options has recoil more inline with what a 10 yr old can comfortably handle.

the last thing you want is for the boy to fear shooting the gun due to horrible punishment from recoil.