First thought was 22 but what could she kill? Thinking 223, 22 250. I didn't start hunting until later in life so not sure what is a good starter rifle. I love the fact she's interested but not sure what to get her. Any suggestions??

My dad bought my niece and nephew a Steven's single shot "combo" it has a .223 barrel and a 20ga. barrel. They have killed a lot of deer with it and you have the versatility of having a shotgun as well. Just a thought

She needs to learn how to shoot a .22 before anything else in my my opinion... learn some of the fundementals of marksmanship, and then graduate to a .223, .22-250, .243 or something along those lines.

Oh and she could kill lots of small game (rabbits, squirels, varmints, ect.) with a .22 LR

X2... I started my son off with a Marlin youth model (think the model number is 51Y) single shot .22. As he got proficient and comfortable with it, we added other guns, a Marlin 336 in .30-30 being next, mainly because that's what dad shoots, and he wanted a gun like dad's.

30-30 or .243 imo. a .243 single shot will be my kiddos first.

x3

I like the idea of both children and adults starting out with a 22. If for no other reason, the price of ammo.

Get her a rifle she can grow into. She will only be 8 for a blink of an eye. Just remember to keep it fun and only accurate guns are fun. It has to be accurate and reliable.

Remington youth .243 with zeiss conquest 3x9x40 huge eye relief or a straight 6x leupy. Last thing you want is cheap scope with poor eye relief and kid getting scoped my daughter has been hunting with this combo since she was 8

Probably a 243 youth

Maybe it's just me but I didn't see a mention anywhere here of your child first starting with some sort of bb or pellet rifle. To me, that's the best, safest and cheapest way to indoctrinate a child into the shooting sports. My kids (daughter 10 and son 7) started shooting Crossman bb/pellet guns when they were about 5. My son is really into it now and both have become very proficient at shooting 2" targets with open sights out to 20 yards at a high ratio (probably 80% hits). Other shots are close but a 2" plinker target makes them concentrate and learn how to stay steady. I have both of them shooting a Ruger 10/22 now with my supervision (and 1 hand real close to the gun). They have both developed very good gun safety skills as well, always watching where the muzzle is pointed (down but not at their own feet) and always putting the gun on safety immediately. It's about time to start looking for a youth model rifle for them to share, probably something in the .243 range. I do have a 30-30 too but I'm not too sure the recoil wouldn't be a bit much right now since my daughter is small for her age. Also have a Rem pump 20 ga but I think it's still too long and heavy for them to shoot comfortably. Might need to hold off another year.

.17 HMR then 22 mag, 223 or 243

x3

targets/rabbits/squirrels are all fun and the 22 is perfect

The best starter rifle in my opinion for an 8 yr old is a .22 chipmunk. The are small enough that she can wield it on her own, and is very simple to operate. They are single shot bolt actions, which will do two things. First, it will teach her patients in aiming, with only one bullet, you learn to take your time and become a better shot. Two, it will help you out with ammo cost. I learned to shoot, with one 26 yrs ago when I was 5, and thank my dad every time we are hunting for doing so. Sure I think 10/22's are super reliable fun to shoot guns, but it does not teach patients and trigger control. It is hard to teach patients when they know they have 25 rounds to spray away with. The chipmunks can also be had for around a 125 bucks.

My second rifle to learn to shoot was a single shot .223 encore, with a fixed leupold scope. I took a doe with that and then jumped up to a Model 70 .270 a few years later. Just my 2 cents, Good luck with which ever route you choose!

I agree with the pellet or bb gun. Get some basics down with that.

After that, my daughter will move up to the 22lr, if for no other reason than just to get her used to the "bang" factor.

Then on to a real rifle (centerfire). At this point, I am thinking a T/C contender. Swapping barrels is easy and cheaper than buying additional rifles, stock sets can be had in almost any configuration, and an almost endless list of calibers to choose from, as well as barrel lengths and contours. The gun can literally be customized to fit just about anyone out there with little effort. All that said, I am thinking of a 222 ( i already have one and plenty of reloading stuff) or 223 for her first centerfire barrel. Then moving up to a 260 or 25-08 for her deer caliber.

Yes, I've thrown a few somewhat odd caliber choices in there. But I reload, and like to be a tad different at times. So I suppose she'll come by that naturally if she ends up the same way.

Prolly a good plan but not a necessity, my daughter never fired any bb gun, pellet gun, 22lr, she started with scoped center fire rifle and think she has turned out pretty good

Oh I'm not definitely NOT saying my way is the only way. Whatever works for anyone else is what they need to do. he plan above is just that, my plan.

I agree that starting out with bb or pellet is the only way but a great way to teach basics. I'm a firm beliver in learning how to use open sights before going to a scope. Sure a scope may be easier but I'm all about teaching basics first. To each his/her own though. So long as safety is the first thing taught, then anything after that is fine by me. And just to add, I agree that a single shot of whatever caliber is a great way to start too. My first shotgun was the 'ole .410 gauge single shot. I took many dove, rabbit, squirrel and duck with that gun. It was a great learning tool to become efficient with shots and I'm still the same way today. I'm not a fan of just shooting like crazy, seen it too many times with a kid getting a semi-auto shotgun for his first gun. All they know is to fire 3 rounds at every bird that comes by, hoping to hit. It's great till they have to start buying their own shells! lol

My son is 9 and he started with a ruger 22 which he still shots, He has a youth model 243 that he hunts with and has killed 2 deer and several hogs, I like the 243

My son.. now 11 started with a BB gun 2 years ago. I worked with him over the last 2 years learning gun safety and the right way to shoot open sights. This year, I felt he was ready to step to the next level. But, I explained that for him to hunt he "HAD" to pass the hunter safety course.. Since safety is really the most important part of any hunting. I am proud to say he passed with a 96% .. Missed 2 questions on black powder. go figure... Dad don't do that.. Anyway.. I bought him a 20ga youth shotgun to hunt his dove / quail with and worked hard on gun safety during this time as well. You will know when they are understanding it when you don't have to tell them little things to be safe. They just do it and then repeat back why they did that safety tip.. IE.. pointing a gun in the safe direction.. Of course. I always ask weird questions to see if he can figure out what the safe way to handle the situation is.. And he is getting good at it.. ..

For his deer this year.. I bought a .243. It is about the right gun for him and it don't have much kick.

I am proud to say. He shot about 15 dove / 1 quail / and his first buck ( spike ).. And not once did I feel he was ever unsafe. But, I have explained to him that if at anytime he does any little thing that is unsafe.. the hunt is over and we go home.. That safety is that big of an issue.

Whatever you do.. Stress the importance of safety and take your time with them. You will have a hunting partner for life.

We were quail hunters when I first started hunting (at 6). I had a cut down .410 single shot my granddad bought me at Evers Hardware in Denton. I carried it empty, open breached for a long time that first season. Finally got to shoot about mid season at a covey that was in the brush. 44 years later I still remember the anticipation of getting that first shot and I can see those 4 dogs locked up like it was yesterday. I really don't think it matters what gun you buy, experience and patience is the key. Shooting a BB gun, 22 or .410 at a target is great practice but I think the most inportant factor is being in the field and letting the kid have the responsibility to carry the gun, feel it, know the situation and "be prepared" ( always under dad or mom's watchful eye). Being able to hit something with a weapon is great. But I think actual field experience will trump bench shooting in the long run. My very humble .02 cents

my dad wasn't a big deer hunter, i started out with a .410 and a .22. probably put close to 10k rounds outta my model 60 before i traded it off.


Alot of kids nowadays, i think, miss out of the joy and excitement of hunting small game. time constraints and such limit hunting to deer and pigs.

when i was 8 years old, i spent numerous times in the brush shooting cottontails and blue quail that i found sitting in teh road. all the way up until i was around 15 or 16 i enjoyed hunting squirrels, rabbits and the like. my cousins all started out like this as well. some of the best times i've ever spent was having turtle shoots at the edge of a stock tank while fishing for cats.



I know that with alot of places, it isn't feasible/rules don't allow access during the off season, or there isn't enough small game, if any, to be hunted. but I think a good jackrabbit hunt, coon hunt or squirrel hunt will do wonders to build that fire that burns inside all outdoorsmen.

I started my daughter at age 6 shooting a scoped single shot 22 hornet in the Thompson. At age 8 or 9 I switched barrels to the 223 cal. It is a good quality rifle with a good trigger, and you can swap barrels as they age. At age 11 or 12 I got her
Remington 243 that she still uses at age 21 ( when shes not bowhunting)

.22 hornet here too