which caliber for first deer rifle?

[trickydick]

Amen on the '06, it is a very versitile round. There is a wide opinion that the '06 is obsolete, but most other non magnum rounds are based off of it.

Actually the over the counter bullets in 30-06 go from 55gr to 220 so a good quality rifle with good scope can take anything from ground hogs to elk. A rifle in 30-06 would be a life-long gift that could never be outgrown. 30-06 is about the most widely available ammo I've ever seen(available at atwoods and even some convienence stores)

 

[Wormydog1724]

30-06. Might as well buy right the first time so you can use it for deer, hog, antelope, elk, bear, pig, dog, coyote, ect ect.

 

[liliysdad]

And the same could be said for a plethora of other, short action, lesser recoiling calibers. There is nothing the 30'06 will kill that a 308, 260, or 7x57 wont, and they will get it done with a lot less mess.

 

[Wormydog1724]

And the same could be said for a plethora of other, short action, lesser recoiling calibers. There is nothing the 30'06 will kill that a 308, 260, or 7x57 wont, and they will get it done with a lot less mess.

Where's the fun in that??

 

[liliysdad]

I really meant less mess on my end, as in cheaper ammo, less noise and recoil, etc.

 

[dennishoddy]

Killed deer with everything from .22-250 at 55 grain to .300 win mag.
Its all about placment, and correct bullet construction.
Primarily bullet construction.

The round/bullet that has taken MANY of my deer, is the 06, pushing a 165 grain Sierra Gameking HPBT. That combo devastates the innards of a deer better than any other.

I'm not talking about a "few" either.

 

[JimmyC]

I had the same dillema. I want my son to be able to shoot his first deer with a rifle he's comfortable with.

Now remind yourself your son is only 10... with that being said, the 30-06 is an awesome big game cartiridge and if you buy one you'll probably never need another one but I don't know of too many 10 year olds or young adults that can/want to shoot one for more than a couple rounds. It would really suck to have his first experience shooting a deer get botched because he was flinching so bad from fear of recoil or even worse wound an animal and not be able to find it. Get him something he is comfortable shooting and can shoot reliably and accurately.

If he's comfortable shooting your AR, I would recommend letting him use that. The .223 is not the best caliber to hunt deer but it will get the job done. Like everyone else has said, "it's all about shot placement". He's likely to make a better shot if he's not afraid of all the recoil.

All the deer in my avatar were killed with a .223. I used some black hills ammo in a 77 grain and they were all shots to the vitals with devastating effects. Only 1 deer made it farther than 40 yard. All the others dropped with in site.

I'm a big fan of the AR but wanted something with a little more punch to hunt deer and hogs. So this year I built an AR15 in 6.8. It's a fantastic round and is the same bullet used in the .270 with out all the kick. It is good out to 300 yards on deer and hogs. Much more power than the .223 with out the kick of the bigger bore rifles. It may kick a tad more than my .223 but not a whole lot more.

My son is 9 years old and is going to use my 6.8 AR15 this year to take his first deer. I initially got him a .243 in a Remington 700 and it kicked less than my 30-06 but much more than my 6.8 AR15. He shot both guns and prefers the 6.8. He actually likes shooting the 6.8. He'll shoot the .243 but only a round or two before he says "No Thanks". He'll shoot the 6.8 till I'm out of ammo. Not only does the 6.8 AR15 not kick as much, it has an adjustable stock that fits my son perfectly. Much better than a full sized adult stock on my .243.

Hope this helps. Good luck with whatever decision you make I just think it's awesome when parents teach and take their kids hunting!

 

[Deer Slayer]

I would suggest a .243 for the child with an 80 or 85 gr bullet. This Fall my son has buildt a .243 and custom loaded some 80 or 90 grain BT. The powder is the most accurate load and the most accurate OAL. He added a Leupold 3.5 X 10 X 40 VX-III. This gun will be used as the guest gun for this years OKla Youth Hunting & Shooting Program recipient 11 yr old hunter on his first deer hunt.

I shoot many calibers but I feel that the .243 is the best caliber for a young hunter or a recoil sensitive person.

 

[dan45]

JimmyC, I like the way you think.

 

[Uncle Bobby]

The 243 is still an excellent choice for a starter. Will kill anything in this state. As mentioned above, the low recoil 30.06 ammo is a great alternative that will allow the hunter to grow into a good all round caliber. Academy carries the ammo so it is readily available.