opinions on what gun to get.

[Spitpatch]

I'd consider the very real possibility that he could take to shooting like a duck to water. If this happens, he will be quickly disappointed and feel hampered by a cheapie break-action gun. The .243 proponents are on the money for a starter rifle (and I'd get a good bolt gun for him). DeanMK was on the right track (7-08) if bigger game than deer might be in the future. Even at 120lbs (big for 10!), the 7-08 might be a bit much for recoil (unless mild loads are employed).

The biggest mistake Dads make with starting a kid on highpower guns is the recoil factor. Given a choice and a chance, I will always start a kid on a Hornet or .223 for the practice (gets them used to the blast, but no kick). Then work up to a .243 to get a taste of kick. If the marksmanship drops off, go back to the milder gun until skill is achieved.

Invest in a decent gun for the kid. An excellent used Rem700, Savage110, or Win70 could very well last him a lifetime and be handed down to his kids as "my very first deer rifle". A shortened stock (or factory "youth" stock) can be lengthened or replaced at adulthood, and he will still have a rifle that is useful and full of memories for him. If the shooting bug doesn't stick with him, you'll almost certainly get most of your money back when you sell it. Neither would be true of the cheapie.

 

[DeanMk]

As usual, Spitpatch makes some very good points.
I too am not too sure about this Rossi thing.
I've got a 20 ga. H&R Topper shotgun, which is very similar to the Rossi, and while its very handy and neat little gun, if you're not careful it'll beat your shoulder to a pulp in no time...and this is with regular ol' field loads!
A good bolt action rifle, with an adjustable power scope, in a "suitable" caliber, would be a far better objective to investigate.
One thing that I disagree with Spitpatch on, though, is the recoil factor of the 7-08.
I was kind of a big 10 year old, once, myself (although not as large as it appears pitpride's son is) and I used to shoot my brother's 7mm Mauser all the time. He cut down the orignal stock and it was a nice, light (6.5 lbs), handy little gun.
Shot my first deer with it when I was 14.
The recoil on that gun was not offensive. I can't see the model 7, in 7-08, being much different, especially once a scope is mounted.


Dean

 

[pitpride]

Thanks again and again. Well I guess it should also be disclosed that I also have a 6 year old and a 6month old both sons too so I figure they will get the hand me downs when/if they're ready. I've asked the 6 year old if he's interested in hunting and he's pretty adament that he is not interested so I think the bug will possibly skip him but we will see as the years pass. Without wanting to spend much the 7/08 and 243's have been both pricey and not very common in the used rifles section. I need to find someone closeby that has these models so I can have him run some rounds to see if he's still intersted. Right now he really does not like the kick that the 410 puts off so Im curious to see how he reacts to the other rounds. Soo many details to cover. Thanks fellas.

 

[pyromancer]

Definitely have him shoot one first to see if he likes it but.

The savage 110/111 packages at bimart are pretty affordable and I think they have them in 243. <broken link removed> yup they do. They have sales a couple times per year, last one I saw I wana say they had them for around $330.

 

[DeanMk]

pitpride,

If he finds the kick of a .410 round objective, then he'll most likely say the same of any centerfire round above a .22 Hornet.
A thick rubber pad for the buttstock might help (I have a Winchester Limbsaver on my H&R. Works great!), but at this point, I'm doubtful that he'll have anything good to say about shooting any "deer" round.
You might want to let a few more years go by. A little time may change his opinion of the kick of any gun....and by that time, he'll probably be able to fit in a Mosin-Nagant, which typically sell for less than $100 at Big 5.
I scouted deer for my dad from age 8 until I was 11 or 12. In those days, you couldn't get your "Green Card" before then.



Dean

 

[best defense]

Just about any rifle that can shoot a bullet that is not too heavy will keep the recoil down. I saw 243 and 7MM mentioned above. Both would be good choices if you use bullets that are 120 grains or less. I have a particular fondness for my 243 with 80 grain bullets. I also shoot a 7X30 Waters single shot that is very accurate and fun to shoot, but not with heavy bullets. It is good for anything from coyotes up thru deer size game. There are even people who hunt elk with 243, but I wouldn't suggest that. There are many used guns for sale on sites like Gunbroker and others. The problem there being you cannot be too sure of exactly what condition a used gun will be in when you get it. Make sure you can return the gun if you don't like it. That only works if it is written in the sales agreement, and you don't shoot it. Once you shoot it, it's yours'. When I was 14, my dad bought me a 410 shotgun. I had more fun rebluing it and refinishing the stock than I ever did shooting the gun.

 

[nwwoodsman]

There are even people who hunt elk with 243, but I wouldn't suggest that.

Whoa! Did you really just say that? Careful man. I've seen fights break out over guys saying they've seen elk shot with a .270 and you're suggesting a .243? The next post in this forum is gonna be some guy saying his uncle dropped an elk with a .243 at 300 yards with open sights, followed by a post by another guy saying he shot an elk at 20 yards with a .243 and the bullet ricocheted off it's hide. Let's just get back to the original topic

 

[westcoastal]

a kid under 12 can hunt on an adults tag, mentor program i think its called.

 

[best defense]

No, what I said is that some people think they can hunt elk with a 243. I just don't think 6MM is enough gun for that. I actually saw a guy hunting elk with a 30 carbine several years ago. His argument was that it is 30 caliber. Now back to the original topic. What is a good gun for a young hunter?
Well, I think a 243 is an excelent gun for a young hunter; I just don't think it is a very good gun for elk.

Whoa! Did you really just say that? Careful man. I've seen fights break out over guys saying they've seen elk shot with a .270 and you're suggesting a .243? The next post in this forum is gonna be some guy saying his uncle dropped an elk with a .243 at 300 yards with open sights, followed by a post by another guy saying he shot an elk at 20 yards with a .243 and the bullet ricocheted off it's hide. Let's just get back to the original topic

 

[moose]

The next post in this forum is gonna be some guy saying his uncle dropped an elk with a .243 at 300 yards with open sights, followed by a post by another guy saying he shot an elk at 20 yards with a .243 and the bullet ricocheted off it's hide.

Actually thats already happened. Only it was a 7 mag at 9 yards.

 

[orygun]

Like many, my first hunting rifle was a Winchester 30-30. I never had a problem with the hammer, but my nephew did. My wife's first hunting rifle is a Savage 99 .243. That would be an excellent choice and I still see them pop up and for not too much money. If the kid is long armed then the Remington Model 7 makes perfect sense. There are a couple of different size stocks for it, too. Weatherby also has a 20" barreled gun that comes with a short stock and the long one can be purchased later.
My wife is small and her Ruger Compact (in 7mm-08) fits her perfectly.
The 7mm-08 has a bit more recoil than the 243 but not as much as a 270. It should be tolerable for a beginning shooter and capable for not only deer, but elk. We've proved that!

 

[orygun]

If you don't think the range will be very long, fill that .410 with slugs. That'll take down a deer!

 

[coop44]

A "starter" anything is pure BS, buy him something he can keep and use the rest of his life, Weatherby has a youth model that comes with add on spacers for around 400 at wholesale sports. Something he can be proud of the rest of his life, kids know when you buy them cheepo stuff.

 

[orygun]

As usual, Spitpatch makes some very good points.
I too am not too sure about this Rossi thing.
I've got a 20 ga. H&R Topper shotgun, which is very similar to the Rossi, and while its very handy and neat little gun, if you're not careful it'll beat your shoulder to a pulp in no time...and this is with regular ol' field loads!
A good bolt action rifle, with an adjustable power scope, in a "suitable" caliber, would be a far better objective to investigate.
One thing that I disagree with Spitpatch on, though, is the recoil factor of the 7-08.
I was kind of a big 10 year old, once, myself (although not as large as it appears pitpride's son is) and I used to shoot my brother's 7mm Mauser all the time. He cut down the orignal stock and it was a nice, light (6.5 lbs), handy little gun.
Shot my first deer with it when I was 14.
The recoil on that gun was not offensive. I can't see the model 7, in 7-08, being much different, especially once a scope is mounted.


Dean

Dean,
Not to pick on you, but to use your post as a point that everyone is different in what kind of recoil they handle well. I had one of the Topper 20 gauge guns and my impression is exactly opposite of yours. I had it for a long time, but only used it once to bust clays.... a whole box of clays! I shot it so fast and so much that I felt that it was prudent to leave it open and set it down for a few minutes to let it cool off a couple of times during the shoot. I could have shot that little bugger all flippin day!
While I don't think the little Ruger in 7mm-08 kicks that hard, I can tell the difference from the .243. I also remember how I thought that 1894 Winchester 30-30 kicked pretty hard as a kid. These days it's nothing to me. I can really appreciate the thought of working up the scale in recoil with a youngster.

Do you still have that old Mauser?

 

[osprey]

Add me to the 7mm08 camp for a kids first rifle. buy a wood stocked model that a cheap synthetic stock is available for. Put it in the synthetic stock and cut it to fit him. Later when he grows, put it back in original wood stock. The 7mm08 is a very versatile round he will not outgrow. For now you can get managed recoil loads for it or load them yourself if you are a home brewer. Later it can be stoked with hotter 140 gr. loads for deer or 150-160 gr bullets for Elk if that is something that he wants to pursue. A 243 would limit its use to deer in my opinion and the managed recoil loads in the 7mm08 should be quite tolerable for him. Let him shoot reactive targets like swinging steel plates with a 22 rimfire rifle first. After he gets profficient with the 22 break out the 7mm08 that you have sighted in yourself and have him shoot steel again. It will get him enthused about ringing the steel and not thinking about the recoil. Make it fun and stop if he complains, putting down the 7mm-08 and finishing out with a 22 rimfire. Do it right and you will have a lifetime hunting partner. Gook luck

 

[unklekippy]

The "first" gun a kid should have is always a single shot .22. Marksmanship is learned when each shot counts. As far as a first deer rifle, what's wrong with the .243? It is the ideal deer cartridge. With todays projectiles a well placed shot will work as well as a .30-'06. I made my first deer kill on my first attempt at the age of 9 on Hayden Island with a .25-20. That would have been 1987. The reason I believe I was able to shoot confidently with a centerfire was a lot of practice. My grandfather owned West Coast Training, the heavy equipment school and my dad was the lead instructor. We had the west end of the island as our private shooting range and recreational area from '83 until '89. Having that much land to shoot and play right in town during my formative years gave me the confidence and practice. The first year or two were strictly with an Ithaca 49 Saddle Gun .22lr single shot. For the record, the land was properly leased from PGE and the city at the time. This was long before Bald Eagles and Wildlife Preserves. In 5 or 6 years, we must have shot 4-500 carp in the pond out there. It was paradise, 10 minutes from home. Kip.

 

[.40cal EMT]

.270, we call my friends the money maker, iron sights I swear he can hit anything at distance… but the long flat trajectory helps, and when I was 13, .30-30 was what I wanted. But I cut my teeth on a .30-06 of my grandfathers, that someday id love to own, just as a reminder of grandpa

 

[jbett98]

eBay has a Rossi .243 barrel on auction right now for $46.00. Like new, but it's missing the rear site.

 

[coop44]

Oops I already responded to this

 

[DEADTIME]

I agree with quite a few folks here, the 243 is such a great round for his size and he wont out grow it. The round offers great ballistics and the kick is very manageable not to mention fairly affordable to shoot. I reload my own rounds and love to shoot the 243.