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A lot of good suggestions here.

At what range is your son likely to take a shot? That should have a major part in what caliber selection should be.

I don't know how much time he has behind a trigger, but introducing recoil sensitivities is is a major factor in his long term success and enjoyment.
 
.308 with a "quality" butt pad.
Heck my .300 wsm has a quality butt pad and any 12 year old could shoot it. Most don't understand how hard and crappy a cheap guns butt pad is
 
I started my boy with a Tikka stainless T3 in 7mm-08 with managed recoil bullets. As he progressed so did the velocity (and recoil) of the cartridges. There ain't nothin' he's likely to hunt that the 7mm-08 won't kill and do it right now.



P
 
270 WINCHESTER SO THEY WONT OUT GROW THE SMALLER ROUNDS WHEN THEY WANT TO STEP UP FOR BEAR AND ELK. MY SONS BOTH STARTED ON BOLT ACTION 270'S AND I HAND LOADED 130 GRN LIGHTER LOAD THAT HAD LITTLE RECOIL THAT SMASHED THEIR FIRST MULE DEAR AT 90 YDS AND 150 YDS. THEY DIDNT HAVE THE FACTORY "LIGHTER" RECOIL LOADS THEN SO THIS IS WHY I HAND LOADED, BUT TODAY THERE ARE A FEW COMPANIES MAKING THE LOW RECOIL ROUNDS THAT ARE FINE FOR DEAR ETC.

WHEN THEY WERE READY FOR ELK, I JUST STEPPED THEM UP INTO A REG 150 GRN FACTORY LOAD WITH A GOOD BULLET AND THEY BOTH DID FANTASTIC THERE AS WELL.
THEY ALSO TOOK THEIR FIRST BEAR AND EVERY THING ELSE YOU CAN THINK OF WITH BOTH LOADS AND THEY NEVER WILL OUTGROW THE 270 UNLESS THEY WANTED A HOTTER MAGNUM LOAD FOR ELK ETC.
 
Cartridge is one thing, really depends on the rifle.
My son was an 85 lb bean pole when I started him out on bolt actions. Gave him a Savage 308, but his favorite of my rifles is my Win M70 in 338WM. The way it's built, the recoil is only a little more than his 308, almost like a 30-06.
 
223 is legal for deer and fun to shot and grow into, plus you can use it for cheap plinking/target rifle or varmint.
I do think 243 is a perfect deer rifle and can take elk.
But if you plan on elk later or grow into something larger ...just step up to the 6.5 CM and be covered.
The ammo is so available, cheap and accurate that it's a no brainer.

If you want something different The 7.62x39 is also accurate and great deer round.
Plus it's so much cheaper than the blackout.
Unless you Wanna be tacti cool DB
 
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So the Ruger American compact is the youth model of the Ruger American line.
They are not exspesive and come in all different calibers.
I have one in 308 .
I got mine used for around 300 bucks .
I believe the 243 brand new is around 400.
 
Not much .25-06 love, huh? 11 measly foot pounds of recoil (compared to 16.5 in 270), 3200 fps laser beams, and a muzzle blast guaranteed to put a grin on anyone's face - especially with a 22" bbl. It's like a mini magnum without the kick. I've seen at least 1 available factory hunting ammo option at every hunting/sporting goods store I've been in, and factory rifles are still produced by a number of major manufacturers. Not as mainstream as .243, but higher in the cool factor.
 
Big kid little kid tall kid short kid etc. I started hunting at 11 I maybe weighed 100lbs at 5'6" dad handed me the Winchester model 94 carbine in 30-30 we got along very well. 3 years later he moved me up to the Winchester model 71 .348 deluxe rifle. It was a beast but I was still able to handle it and hit my mark. Largest Blacktail I have ever seen harvested was shot by a 12 year old skinny girl with a single shot TC carbine in 7mm-08

if you want a bolt action 7mm-08 or .243 or 250 savage or any other mid range cartridge that will throw a 100grain slug will do.
If you want a Lever then just get a Marlin 336 or Winchester mode 94 in 30-30
 
My first deer was either killed with a lever action .357 rifle, or a lever action 30-30. I remember particularly enjoying shooting the .357, and wish I knew who my mother sold my grandfather's gun collection to.
 
Not much .25-06 love, huh? 11 measly foot pounds of recoil (compared to 16.5 in 270), 3200 fps laser beams, and a muzzle blast guaranteed to put a grin on anyone's face - especially with a 22" bbl. It's like a mini magnum without the kick. I've seen at least 1 available factory hunting ammo option at every hunting/sporting goods store I've been in, and factory rifles are still produced by a number of major manufacturers. Not as mainstream as .243, but higher in the cool factor.

IDK... I never shot one. Hard to recommend or say anything about something I never shot. But I have shot and harvested deer and varmints with .243 and 6mmRem, and heartily recommend either cartridge for a starter outer!


.30 Carbine in a good USGI M1 Carbine with a four, (4) round blocked off magazine. Might be too light of cartridge. Dinky SW Oregon deer. Short range through thick brush.

I hunted coastal blacktail with a sporterized M1 Carbine... it did the trick in the typically short range and smallish deer.

Photos&Scans 444.jpg
 
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6.5 creedmoor or .243 for deer. If only hunting coastal blacktail, you could do something like .223 (smaller margin of error) or even, get ready, a 300 blackout or 7.62x39 (like in a ruger American ranch). Range would be more limited to 200 yards or so. I guess it really depends on where you'll hunt.
 
My son wants to get into hunting and what would be the best deer round with little recoil?

Here is a lot of great information to answer your question:


The .243 is great.

It probably won't matter what you get him in regards to low recoil/smaller caliber. Cause he will eventually (probably) want to go bigger whether you get him something he can "grow into" or not.

- P
 
Where did the OP go?

Now that I think about it more, he really didn't give us much info to really suggest something to a specific situation. Such as: weight, height, type of area to be hunting in.

So, if you're gonna have a long action quarter bore, why not have a 25-06? More common ammo, more performance, etc.
Not much .25-06 love, huh? 11 measly foot pounds of recoil (compared to 16.5 in 270), 3200 fps laser beams, and a muzzle blast guaranteed to put a grin on anyone's face - especially with a 22" bbl. It's like a mini magnum without the kick. I've seen at least 1 available factory hunting ammo option at every hunting/sporting goods store I've been in, and factory rifles are still produced by a number of major manufacturers. Not as mainstream as .243, but higher in the cool factor.

I wanted a .25-06, but ammo is not readily available over where I am. And I don't reload.
I REALLY wanted it though......:(

-P
 

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