I am looking to see what people think is a good caliber / gun for kids (roughly 12 yrs old). has really only shot a .22 so looking for something they can hunt with.
Thanks.

Are you talking about just plinking? Or actual hunting? If hunting...what are you hunting?

.243

6.5 Grendel in a AR

I like the .270 win due to the availability of light weights and loads. This is a caliber they can hunt almost anything in Texas for many years. But that is just my $0.02

I bought my first rifle when I was 14. Hay hauling money. Bought a 243. Still have it 47 years later. Love it. will never sell it. You can buy 80 grain loads.... he will do fine! God Bless!

25-06, 257 Roberts and .243.

243. 600 Mohawk is all my kids and grandkids shot since they were 6,7&8 yrs old and still shoot

Was given my first rifle in .243 45 years ago still have it plus another one. Great caliber to start with and continue with. He’ll be able to hunt with it from now on. I’ve got other calibers but still use the .243 often.

Can’t go wrong with a 243, just bought one for the grandson. Also, the 257 roberts is great for kids. However, 257 ammo is harder to find.

7mm-08 A lot of horsepower and it WON'T beat up the shooter.

Would be hunting for axis or white tail deer

A 7TCU. but you have to reload for it.....223 brass necked out to 7mm. Great youth cartridge. More powerful than the anemic 300 Blk.

I suggest a CVA Hunter (or other single-shot break-open) in .308 Win. Handload the ammo with 150gr flat-nose bullets at .30-30 velocity level. Add a fixed 4x scope & you are GTG.

7mm-08 is what I went with. This is for a 12 year old and 14 year old. Have a Model 7 and a T3x they are shooting.

Using Hornady Custom lite load.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/7mm-08-rem-120-gr-sst-custom-lite#!/

I’m with 4Weight. My brother and I both were shooting our dads 25-06 by 9 and 10. We all have a few 25-06’s that we still go to today. We run Winchester 120 grain positive expanding points.

Location and pics?

I'll take it pending PM.

I've always wanted one of these and finally get one in the classifieds!

.243 or 6.5 creedmoor

At 12 i'd say there are a lot of options. I started at 10 with a 270 win and no problems. I would consider any of the 308 based cartriges (243, 260, 7mm08) and of course 308 win good options. I also think any of the 30-06 based cartridges (25-06, 270, 280) and 30-06 would make fine choices as well depending on the kid. I would want to see them shoot them first. I was driven to hunt the recoil and muzzle blast never bothered me a bit, but it may some.

Others would include 6.5 creedmore, a fast twist 223/22-250 and there are many others that would work as well.

6.5 Grendel 123gr SST or 120gr NBT. Get it in a 20" AR so you can adjust the stock to the shooter. Get also 22lr version of same gun for all practice. Grendel recoil is so light that even little kids won't notice any difference from the 22 when shooting at game.

With a 12 year old you should probably get them to shoot the Grendel to verify zero for themselves. Lock it down in a bulls bag.

The 7.35 Carcano . A .300 cal bullet , for a good size hole . 123 grains , enough weight for hitting power but not recoil . 2450 fps , enough velocity for up to a 200 yd shot . A low pressure round , so very limited muzzle blast and noise . The only problem is that other than myself , I know of nobody building deer rifles in this caliber .

.243

30-30
7-08
.308
.270

I’ll add my 2 cents and explain why. I had this very same decision to make with my 8 year old before the season started. He is small for his age (i.e. 50” & 54 lbs) and I didn’t want to buy a youth gun only for him to grow out of it a couple of years later. I settled on a 6.5 Grendel for multiple reasons. First, collapsible stock in the AR platform so he can grow with it. Second, very little recoil with a brake. He can shoot it all day. Finally, it packs a punch. On his first shot during his second hunt ever, he dropped a respectable 8 pt in its tracks at 100 yards.
The only drawback is finding the ammo but it’s online at multiple sources. Best of luck!

I'd get the right rifle that fits them properly first. But most any cartridge can be dialed down as a reduced recoil load for a youth. I bought my son a 308 and reduced the load some for the first year. He did well with it. Now at 13, he shoots the full power loads.

But a 6mm (.243) or 25 caliber would work well for reduced full power loads. But a 270 Win or similar would work well when he's older. There are many endless options.