Centerfire rifle for 11 year old?

[Guest Revelator]

There's a gal in my office who has an 11 year old son, and she wants to get him a new rifle. The boy currently has a 22 and uses it to target shoot and hunt small game. She'd now like to get him something in a centerfire cartridge for bigger game (like deer and such) and also just to step up from the 22. Any recommendations? She says he's fired a 30-30 and it was a bit too much for him. Her budget's like $800, which should be more than enough I think.

[Guest bkelm18]

Maybe a .357Mag lever action? I wouldn't know how effective that would be against dear.

[mikegideon]

.223

[Guest Revelator]

I was thinking 223 bolt gun myself.

[Murgatroy]

Maybe a .357Mag lever action? I wouldn't know how effective that would be against dear.

I was just a wee bit older than that when I was handed down my Marlin 1894 in .357Mag. I could handle it fine.

I was a bit undersized back then, I couldn't handle our 12ga Coach Gun yet, but I was vicious with my .410 single shot.

I am trying to remember back then, but around that age I had a Remington Nylon 66, the Marlin I mentioned and my .410, I am pretty sure I was shooting my uncle's SKS around then too.

If she can find him a .357Mag lever action, I think that would be great. My cousin had a .30-30, but he was larger than I was at that age. Hell, he still in, and I am not a runt anymore.

The Rossi Circuit Judge might be something to look into as well, as it can shoot .45 Long Colt and .410, giving him a lot of versatility hunting.

At close ranges, .357Mag or .45 Long Colt would be fine for deer, especially with some of Hornady's Leverevolution.

[mikegideon]

I was thinking 223 bolt gun myself.

If a 30/30 is too much, that kinda limits you. .223 is light recoil, even in a light gun. Might as well get something with cheap ammo availability too.

[Guest pfries]

Anything in the 7.62x39 might be an option.

The set up /ergonomics are going to have a lot to do with it as well

[Will H]

I would think a .410/.22 over and under like an old Savage. They were great for us as kids, and should be still today. I .410 slug is a bit better for deer than a .223. I don't know about yall but my shot placement was not the best in the world at that age, and I would hate for him to be out torturing deer with that 22 on steroids.

I remember sitting in that stand, seeing nothing, and finally switching to the top barrel and snagging the squirrel I had been watching playing. Priceless memories.

[Jimbo100]

I got my grandson a Remington Model 7 youth model in .243. He's only 8 and it's a bit much for him now but I wanted to get him something he can deer hunt with in a few years.

[R1100R]

I would go with a .243. Due the wide variety of bullets available in different grains.

[IggyBcool]

.243 It was my first high powered rifle. I have killed countless deer with it. I think I killed my first deer with it when I was 7.

[gregintenn]

My small 8 year old loves shooting a Marlin 1894 in 44 magnum, as well as an M1 carbine. Heck, everybody loves shooting an m1 carbine. Buying ammo for it is an expensive proposition however.

[Alleycat72]

My 8 year old hunts with a 300 Whisper and a down loaded 308. 6.8 would be good too.

[Randy L]

Maybe a .357Mag lever action? I wouldn't know how effective that would be against dear.

Very effective my youngest son took his first deer with one he was 10. I took it during gun season the same year and took a nice buck with it wound channel was impressive deer only ran a few yards and it was down for the count.

[whiskey]

my daughter was 9 when I got her a .243 and she had no trouble. For an 11 year old boy I would go with a .243 bolt action.

[killerford]

I would go with a .223 or a .243 bolt gun.

[Rebels010]

I would have to second the .243. I was 11 when I killed my first deer with one and went on to kill about 25 more with it. While the .223 is fine for deer, I wouldn't use anything less than the .243. It's a proven deer round. She can get a nice bolt action, scope, case and sling with $800.

[mikegideon]

No doubt that a .243 is a better caliber for deer. I brought up a .223 because a 30/30 was "too much gun" for the kid. My .243 has recoil, and my .223's don't. An accurate shot from a .223 is better than a flinchy kid with a .243. He should at least shoot that caliber before he owns it.

[Rebels010]

An accurate shot from a .223 is better than a flinchy kid with a .243.

That's a great point, but at the rate he grows, I still think the .243 will be fine. Maybe need to look into a heavier gun (not synthetic) and a good recoil pad.

I was 5'3" and 85LBS as a 13yr old (info taken for the 8th grade football program so that's how I remember). I was EVEN smaller as an 11 yr old and never had any issues with a .243. It has more kick, but I still think he should be fine.

[Guest shadow fox]

I think i have to agree with murgatory the judge 410/.45 would be a good start that is if i would even consider getting an 11 year old a larger rifle than a 22 sorry but 11 is kinda young and i don't want to be in the woods with a him toten anything bigger.

[Alleycat72]

I think i have to agree with murgatory the judge 410/.45 would be a good start that is if i would even consider getting an 11 year old a larger rifle than a 22 sorry but 11 is kinda young and i don't want to be in the woods with a him toten anything bigger.

A .22 LR will get you just as dead and a 300 WM. It won't be as spectacular, but you’ll be just as dead. The caliber has nothing to dowith how someone handles a gun. My eight year old daughter has shot three deer.Two when she was seven. She used my 308 this year. I loaded some progressively lighter loads until she felt comfortable with the recoil. The length of the stock is the only problem she has. That is where the AR platform excels. For her ninth birthday I’m going to build a lavender AR chambered in 6.5 Grendel. Slap a collapsible stock on it and she will have a gun that grows with her.

Edited November 15, 2011 by alleycat72

[Guest gunnutt]

franklin gun shop has 357 lever actions for 400 to 500 and they are nice!!!

[Guest 73challenger]

PSA AR15? They are $600

[Murgatroy]

PSA AR15? They are $600

And that is how you get to be the coolest 11 year old in your class.

[jtmaze]

.357 lever action great for dear at relatively close range. A friend of mine had one when we were in high school. He still uses it as a brush gun today. Brush gun(sitting around in the woods of SW Tenn. where shots are short.

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