Kids shooting rifles

[tazdog]

How big are y'all letting your kids shoot non youth rifles. I have a 9 yr old that wants to start doing a little deer hunting this year. He is probably 4-6 or so and stout he already wears a size 10 shoe. I tried to find a used youth gun but they are hard to find. I don't want to go spend 500$ or so for a gun and scope just to use one season. So what are y'all doing with the bigger kids. I have a .270 abolt and .444 handi rifle does the reduced recoil make a big difference.

Thanks

[edub20]

a lot of people will get a Handi Rifle and cut or have someone cut the stock down to fit the kid. Since they're so inexpensive and you can find stock sets readily available used it's a cheap way to get a kid into a gun without spending a lot of money.

[Matt S]

He should be fine with the 270 but not the 444. Handi's are great for kids but not that caliber. My 12 year old has a 7mm08 xbolt he has used for 2 years. Fits him fine. I was looking for a micro but he said this one fit him fine.

[GrizwalD]

Do NOT let him shoot the .444 at that age.... you will risk scarring him for life on that one. If it were me i would look at the remington 700s rifles with just a sportsman barrel, they are rather short and a more managable gun and you can get them in numerous calibers. Or you can always try and find someone to let you borrow like a 7mm 08 or a 260 or 243 or 3030 until he is ready for a bigger gun.

[SCOOTER]

Have twin 11 year olds, got them a handi rifle-243 easy on them and they have killed deer and never even talked about the kick or the noise..

[mfalkner]

My daughter shot her first big rifle at age 20 and killed her first deer with it last year - just no interest earlier. She used my Abolt .308 and some reduced recoil loads i got from DutchDog. Dropped her deer in its tracks w/ one shot and she says she hardly feels the recoil even on targets.

So, managed recoil loads are definitely worth it, just very hard to find. .243 is a great option.

[cwink]

How big are y'all letting your kids shoot non youth rifles. I have a 9 yr old that wants to start doing a little deer hunting this year. He is probably 4-6 or so and stout he already wears a size 10 shoe. I tried to find a used youth gun but they are hard to find. I don't want to go spend 500$ or so for a gun and scope just to use one season. So what are y'all doing with the bigger kids. I have a .270 abolt and .444 handi rifle does the reduced recoil make a big difference.

Thanks

My dad bought me a 243 when I was 13 and it is still killing deer today... In fact I still use "youth rifles" for most of my hunts.. They are easier to carry and easier to get in and out of the blind.. There is absolutely no need for anything larger for MS deer or Southern deer for that matter. If you want something then can use for a lifetime.. A compact 7mm08 will take any hoofed animal in NA..