Suggestions for future young Hunter

[jamey29657]

I am looking for input and information from some of you that have already went thru this with your young kids. My daughter turns 4 next year and I know I’m overthinking this early, but with the state of our country I want to be ahead of the curve. This year has been her first year of sitting in the stand and she loves it. She talked my dad (papa) into shooting her first deer(doe).
I want to start looking at a gun or build for her. She is very small. I’m thinking I’m about 2 years early, but like I said who knows what’s in store.
I’ve always shot bolt actions since I started at 6. But with her size I’m curious if maybe an AR platform May be better with adjustable stock?
I honestly have not been really impressed with what I’ve seen from a few friends and 300 blkout.
How does reduced recoil reloads in .308 compare?
Any other suggestions any of you have?
I have reload capability for .308, 7mm, 243. Hope that all this mess passes and things go back to normal, but that’s a big hope.
Will add that I don’t yet but suppressed is in back of my mind. What y’all got?


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[trkykilr]

My 8yo daughter killed her first a couple weeks back. 6.8spc with a Federal Fusion 90 gr boowet. Muzzle brake and zero recoil. It is loud, but we wear muffs. Make sure the barrel is outside of your enclosure. Also, the BOG death grip is great.

Also, make them practice. It builds a lot of confidence

[Whackumstackum]

As far as 243 goes, a 95gr Nosler Ballistic tip will kill any deer you want without issue. Very little recoil out of a bolt gun and my 700 shoots that round in one hole. That’s what my boy will be shooting when the time comes.

[jamey29657]

My 8yo daughter killed her first a couple weeks back. 6.8spc with a Federal Fusion 90 gr boowet. Muzzle brake and zero recoil. It is loud, but we wear muffs. Make sure the barrel is outside of your enclosure. Also, the BOG death grip is great.

Also, make them practice. It builds a lot of confidence

She has a savage Rascal .22 that I have started her with already. Put a red dot site in it. Really prepping her for her little .410 and a Turkey.
Just really trying to plan for her first deer gun. Factory ammo and reload components are at the worse we have ever seen. Main reason thinking I need to start planning this far in advance.


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[britton40]

Second the AR build in 6.8. Started mine with a 22 with red dot and then a Leupold scope with illuminated red dot. Worked great.

I really like this linear compensator for reducing the noise Level.

https://bisonarmory.com/brt-linear-compensator/

[WhitewaterDuck]

Has she shot a .22 yet? Trust me on this one…any gauge of shotgun or caliber of center fire rifle will pack a tremendous wallop to a youngster. When my about-to-be 10yo boy was 8, he shot his first turkey with a 28 gauge I bought him. Since I’d shoot a shoulder mangling 20 single shot till my arm was black and blue when I was his age, I thought the 28 would be no issue for him. I underestimated the 28 TSS load’s recoil. We snuck up on one, he stood up from behind a log, shot the turkey, and ended up on his back four yards behind me as his gun hit the dirt where he once stood.

If I had it all to do over again, I’d wait till he bugged me to shoot any non-bb gun. Then I’d start them shooting a .22 with shorts and ear protection. Then .22 LRs. Then when they ASKED ME to shoot a shotgun, I’d have started him off on a dove field or in the yard shooting birds with the lightest load possible out of a .410 or 28ga GAS AUTOLOADER. Only after he was shooting the shotgun without reservation or hesitation would I have even considered letting him shoot a .243 or something with equally mild recoil.

That said, I’ve made some mistakes that I can’t get back. I took him duck hunting with his BB gun when he was 5 and he loved it right up until I let loose with him standing beside me. It rattled his ears, and that stuck with him as far as shotguns go. Then, I did not proceed with the above mentioned “I wish I would have” plans, and when he showed the first desire to turkey hunt, I had not prepared him for what a 28ga hot TSS load would do.

He loves that he killed a nice Tom; he has not shown the least bit of interest in shooting his shotgun since that day. He’s just now coming back around and I think after some fun .22 plinking this summer, he will probably ge ready to give the doves a go.

My youngest, now 8, has heard the horror story of the super-kicking shotgun from his older bro, so I screwed it up doubly. He’s probably going to be 12 before he asks to shoot a shotgun, and hopefully he will want to one day.

There is NO HURRY! Progress from something pleasant to shoot on up until she’s bugging you to let her shoot a deer…then go light recoil whatever you do. If you have good stand setups, having her where she can shoot one with the gun in a lead-sled will let you skip ahead…just be cautious not to set the process back with pain!

[adamb61085]

Mine shoot a youth Model 7 in .243 they also shoot my AR in .223, mine are 8 & 10.
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[WhitewaterDuck]

Well…never mind! You are smarter than I was!

[britton40]

Concerning a shotgun, I would go with a 28 gauge vs 410. Both my boys are bigger kids though. Killing a turkey with a 410 is not that big a deal anymore but wing shooting with a 410 is incredibly hard.

[Carolina Counsel]

I think every kid is different. My oldest has never given a shit about recoil. I have started my kids on 6.8 in AR platform and never had a whisper of a complaint. The oldest will keep shooting as long as I keep feeding him ammo. I also have an AR in 6.5CR, which is another reasonable offer. Other than going subsonic, there is zero reason to get a 300BO, which I also have.

[jamey29657]

Has she shot a .22 yet? Trust me on this one…any gauge of shotgun or caliber of center fire rifle will pack a tremendous wallop to a youngster. When my about-to-be 10yo boy was 8, he shot his first turkey with a 28 gauge I bought him. Since I’d shoot a shoulder mangling 20 single shot till my arm was black and blue when I was his age, I thought the 28 would be no issue for him. I underestimated the 28 TSS load’s recoil. We snuck up on one, he stood up from behind a log, shot the turkey, and ended up on his back four yards behind me as his gun hit the dirt where he once stood.

If I had it all to do over again, I’d wait till he bugged me to shoot any non-bb gun. Then I’d start them shooting a .22 with shorts and ear protection. Then .22 LRs. Then when they ASKED ME to shoot a shotgun, I’d have started him off on a dove field or in the yard shooting birds with the lightest load possible out of a .410 or 28ga GAS AUTOLOADER. Only after he was shooting the shotgun without reservation or hesitation would I have even considered letting him shoot a .243 or something with equally mild recoil.

That said, I’ve made some mistakes that I can’t get back. I took him duck hunting with his BB gun when he was 5 and he loved it right up until I let loose with him standing beside me. It rattled his ears, and that stuck with him as far as shotguns go. Then, I did not proceed with the above mentioned “I wish I would have� plans, and when he showed the first desire to turkey hunt, I had not prepared him for what a 28ga hot TSS load would do.

He loves that he killed a nice Tom; he has not shown the least bit of interest in shooting his shotgun since that day. He’s just now coming back around and I think after some fun .22 plinking this summer, he will probably ge ready to give the doves a go.

My youngest, now 8, has heard the horror story of the super-kicking shotgun from his older bro, so I screwed it up doubly. He’s probably going to be 12 before he asks to shoot a shotgun, and hopefully he will want to one day.

There is NO HURRY! Progress from something pleasant to shoot on up until she’s bugging you to let her shoot a deer…then go light recoil whatever you do. If you have good stand setups, having her where she can shoot one with the gun in a lead-sled will let you skip ahead…just be cautious not to set the process back with pain!

I totally get it and it’s why I’m on here asking. I took a pounding from a bolt action 30-06 when I was 7. Shoot once go cry and come back.
I’ve got her shooting her .22 with help already. Shooting subsonics so no hearing protection needed. That way she can hear me talk to her. She’s young and small so the aim squeeze is a learning process.
I got her a mini bantam .410 but no intention on letting her shoot it in near future.
She’s just so small and arms so short trying to plan ahead to be ready for when she’s ready in next couple years.


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[britton40]

I totally get it and it’s why I’m on here asking. I took a pounding from a bolt action 30-06 when I was 7. Shoot once go cry and come back.
I’ve got her shooting her .22 with help already. Shooting subsonics so no hearing protection needed. That way she can hear me talk to her. She’s young and small so the aim squeeze is a learning process.
I got her a mini bantam .410 but no intention on letting her shoot it in near future.
She’s just so small and arms so short trying to plan ahead to be ready for when she’s ready in next couple years.


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They make muffs with electronic hearing protection fairly cheap.

[jamey29657]

Concerning a shotgun, I would go with a 28 gauge vs 410. Both my boys are bigger kids though. Killing a turkey with a 410 is not that big a deal anymore but wing shooting with a 410 is incredibly hard.

I agree with you 100% on the wing shooting. Trying to concentrate on the deer/Turkey to start with.
May be wrong agenda, but that’s what I’m putting priorities on first.
Went with .410 because Of size and recoil.
Not to mention I carry my .410 4-1 to my .20 ga during Turkey season.
I don’t own a .28 yet. If I started over I’d probably go that route


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[Tigerbdog]

There’s a ton of great outdoorsmen in your area and on this site. I bet you will have all kinds of opportunities for her to try various guns if you ask. Let her help you make the decision.

[jamey29657]

Her smile says it all. Want to keep her interested.
Her words “daddy you and papa keep shooting, I’m gonna start shooting em myself really soon”.
“Daddy don’t go to work I wanna go to the farm and go hunting “


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[WhitewaterDuck]

Concerning a shotgun, I would go with a 28 gauge vs 410. Both my boys are bigger kids though. Killing a turkey with a 410 is not that big a deal anymore but wing shooting with a 410 is incredibly hard.

Agree also…that’s why I went with a 28ga. Wish I had gone with a gas auto 28. I went with the Ithaca because I think it’s a good idea to learn to operate a pump first…and I really love that gun. I had one in 12 when I was 10, and I’m sure folks thought my parents were abusing me when I had an elbow to shoulder bruise from hell every week of little league basketball in the fall. I should have known better, but I was hoping the 28 version would not be so bad…it is! It’s a feather of a gun, and it Kicks like Chuck Norris.

[WhitewaterDuck]

Her smile says it all. Want to keep her interested.
Her words “daddy you and papa keep shooting, I’m gonna start shooting em myself really soon”.
“Daddy don’t go to work I wanna go to the farm and go hunting “


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After seeing this…I don’t think you need to stress over “which gun” and “when” much. Sounds like you are going to run into trouble when she’s cutting second grade, sneaking to the farm, and killing deer with whatever gun she decides to pull off the rack!

Seriously though…awesome stuff right there!

[billyjack]

6.5 Grendel. Aero Precision had bolts and barrels when I checked last week.

[Swift Strike]

A lot of people will cringe at this, but my kids killed 40+ deer from ages 6-10 with a Savage Mod 10 in .223 shooting 55 gr Nosler BT's ... Low recoil, low muzzle blast ... They practiced a lot, were competent shooters and were taught patience ... I taught them to shoot only broadside and only for the lungs ... We never lost a deer and never trailed one over 100 yds ... Many went DRT.

It doesn't take a massive cartridge to kill a deer 150 yds and less ... Let your kids be the ones that choose to move up in cartridge size.

[wskinner]

They practiced a lot, were competent shooters and were taught patience

Let your kids be the ones that choose to move up in cartridge size.

.