This Christmas Santa is gonna get my 7 yo daughter either a rifle or a bow. She has learned gun safety w/her BB gun & I'm wanting to step her up a bit. Bow or rifle? I know which bow if I, errr, Santa, goes that route but what caliber rifle? VERY little recoil & pretty light. 223, 243, 22-250, etc? She will be hunting hogs & deer. I want something she can shoot for many years to come so it must be good quality. Thanks.

I would say a 243 youth model, can use reduced recoil rounds until she is readyhing for full power ones. Something often forgotten is eye relief for scopes for the younger/smaller shooters, the ones with longer eye relief are good for taht applicvation, something like the Burris ShortMag scopes with about 5 inches of eye relief helps them ger a better field of view. Figured that out with a cousins son when he used one of my rifles with a Burris on it, said he could see a lot more throut it than his scope

Good point on the scope. Thanks!

Personally, I think .223 is too light for deer, but you will no doubt have varying opinions on that so. The recoil is very tame however and suits a kid great. I like the .243 and it has a wide range of bullet choices. 95 grain and up are great on deer and you can find light weight bullets for smaller game. Obviously kicks a little harder. Keep in mind whichever way you go that a lighter gun will tend to have more felt recoil.

Whatever you do, make it fun and enjoy every minute!!

Didn't even think about the reduced recoil loads...another "plus" to consider

AS far as rifle or Bow, I would think what would she like more. Bow she would get to shoot more often but rifle would get to hunt hogs and deer sooner. Unless ahe is stroner than most 7 year olds she could not draw a bow that developes enough kenetic energy for hunting them

22-250

She WANTS both. She is strong but petite so no way she will be able to hunt w/a bow for awhile. Hmmmmmmm. Decisions, decisions.

ok neither, get a crossbow, you draw it she shoot it and can hunt bow season,

oops just added another option.

X2

Remington model 7 .243 youth model. stainless synthetic of course. Hornady Custom 85 grain BTHP. She will be set for life hunting in Texas.

I'm looking to get a .260 for my daughter, likely on an AR platform.

I like the 260L, for it's light weight. It's spendy, but I can play with it too, and it'd make a dandy hog gun as well.

http://www.dpmsinc.com/store/?cat=1760

A little info on the .260 round:

http://www.snipercentral.com/260.htm

I would do both.

A quality 243 for years if not a lifetime of use and an inexpensive bow for daily target shooting and fun.

When my son was 8 I bought him a little bow like a Banshee from Academy and bought him a target. I would pin balloons to the target for him to pop. He loved it. The better he got, the smaller the balloons got. I even enjoyed shooting the balloons.

Now my son is 13 and has a 270 WSM and a Diamond Razor Edge bow. He will be hunting with both again this year.

If Santa can afford it she will be getting both. A Mathews Genesis bow(in pink of course!) & a ???????? rifle.

Becoming a good shot with a bow will transfer over to rifle shooting better than rifle shooting will transfer over to bow shooting. Plus she can practice in the backyard.

My 9yr old daughter is shooting a .223, she's does good to weigh 50 lbs. soaking wet and has a small frame. I had a hard time finding a youth model rifle that actually fit her reach comfortably. In a last ditch effort and on a whim and chance we saw a tactical Mini 14 with a collapesable stock and tried it out; finally found a gun that fit her. She shoots it regularly and even though she's not a sniper, she can make good head shots on deer out to 75yrds comfortably and heart/lung shots beyond that. For your daughter you should find a way to let her shoot a couple of different calibers rifles and find what fits her and doesn't kick to the point she becomes afaid to shoot it, find one that she thinks is fun to shoot. The caliber doesn't matter it's where she puts the bullet that counts.

im goin say go with a 243 it was the first calibur i got and used when i was that age.

I got my 7 year old a 22-250 for his birthday 2weeks ago. We sighted it in this past weekend and he shot it 4 or 5 times and did real well shooting it. He's exacted about killing his first deer and hog this year and so am I!

What a good delimna to have! I don't want my boys to grow up too fast, but at the same time, I can't wait for them to get to the age where I can let them hunt as well, and not just tag along with daddy! My first rifle was a 243. Ruger M77. I was much older 12 years old, and that thing popped you pretty good, I don't think there were reduced recoil rounds back then, but sounds like that might be a good way to go. 243. is a good caliber, and versatile too.

savage has a youth model 243 that you can turn on/off the muzzle brake. shoot at the range with the brake open, then when hunting close it. this is the route i am considering for my boys.

22-250 fun gun to shoot

"She wants both" Ain't that just like a woman......

Boy they sure learn early !!! Just kiddin' - If she's that interested in hunting and you can afford it then you made a good choice. Get the kids out there and give em support!

How does it go...

Man wants but little, isnt hard to please. Woman, bless her little heart, wants everything she sees! (Applies to everything except Hunting and Fishing stuff)