Best caliber for kids.

Looking at buying my daughter a rifle. She shoots 22's with no problem but I'm looking to buy her a rifle for next year. I grew up shooting 30-30 and 243 but looking into 7mm-08 or a smaller caliber. Looking for opinions. Thanks
Jay

What do you want to do with it?

There's a Ruger 6.5 Creedmoor for sale in the classifieds. That'd be my choice.

243 if you don't reload. If you do, 7mm-08 with a light bullet and a light load.

I have tons of private land to hunt here in east Texas shots will be less the 75 yards for hogs and deer.

223

Love the 300 blackout. We shoot a suppressed contender. We put a M4 style stock on it and the barrel is only 16.25 inches, about 23 inches long with a AAC SD-6..my kids love it...my 9 year old can ring steel 150 years with it...this is her first year to blood it...130 grain TSX bullet will do the job!

A fast twist 223 will do the trick too...but I like a little more bullet weight...

Forthat range a Ruger American Ranch 300 Blackout would be perfect.

Howa mini action 6.5 Grendel.

I used to think 300 blk. After building my wife a 6/223 or 6x45 I'm sold on this caliber. My loads out of a 16" bbl match the 243 hornady custom lite and rem managed recoil loads. More than enough inside 200 yds. Plus an AR has adjustable lop that a kid can grow into. Recoil is identical to 223. Lots of thump in a tiny non recoiling package. Only downside is it's a handloaders caliber

I bought an upper and lower set for my 9 month old hoping to turn it into a 6.5 Grendel when she gets of age. The thought being that the adjustable stock would make it easier for her to grow with it. But I have no experience with the caliber. I just assuming if I hand load that it can do the job decently.

243, 6.5,6.8

Not 7-08

Thanks guys... I feel stupid never even thought about my ar's!

I built a 6.8 for my kid to use. It light , adjustable , little recoil, with vxr redot

Reduced recoil ammo is available in .243

There are more good choices now than ever before in hunting rifles for kids. The options of reduced loads available without reloading adds even more, making usually only adult rifles except for the kids that can take the recoil suitable as well.

Since I see the OP has ARs consider one of them for her a hunting rifle. Calibers I would consider are 6.5 Grendel, 6.8 SPC, 300 BO, and 7.62X39 add the 223 if using bullets designed for larger game. Of those the Grendel is my favorite as it will do anything the others will do and more as in extend range and higher sectional will deliver very good penetration with hunting bullets. I also like the Grendel in a bolt action and Howa is making a sweet one now that recoil and muzzle blast are noticeably less than from a 243.

Another I have used myself and had kids use is a 357 Mag carbine. Don't let its sixe fool you, inside 125 yards I am just as happy to have one in my hands as any other caliber I have ever hunted with. Ruger makes a neat little bolt action in it as well.

I am actually trying to buy back a 357 lever action it was my first gun to kill with. One gun I wish my dad would've not traded!

That's what I would be looking for.

30-30

223 with a premium bullet, 243 Win, 6.5 Creedmoor, 300 blk out, 7-08 with some reduced recoil loads. My son loves to shoot my AR's but he shoots the bolt gun better. Plus, the AR's can be loud to use in a stand.

^^^Ill recommend a 223 also but only if you feed it good ammo. 60 grain partitions make a 223 a legit deer gun.

You ARE consistent.

The Ruger 77/357 has been mentioned already, I bought one for myself put a 2x7 on it and thought I now have a perfect truck gun to pair with my revolver. However, my daughter at 10 wanted to start shooting more than a 22lr and we shot my Ruger Ranch in 300blk and the Ruger 357. She took a liking to the 357 and has put it to good use on deer I have been told it is no longer my rifle. I am sure she will once again shoot straight next week and put another deer in the freezer. Either choice is a good for kids IMO and with your E TX shot distance I would lean 357 with a 180 gr SP.

I have a Rossi 92 in .357 and it's a nice gun, though it needed some loving to get to where I wanted it. I wouldn't hesitate to let a younger shooter use it, it's very comfortable.

7x57 (or 7/08) will always get my vote aside from that, .22-250 if I needed something a bit smaller.

Pot meet kettle

.250 savage if you reload.

243

I watched my 7 yr old son and 11 yr old daughter both hit the steel plate yesterday at 890 yds with a 6.5 creed more with a can on it. Nothing like teaching a kid to shoot with a can, no recoil/noise best thing invented for making good shooters early!

Can anybody point me in the right direction to even find one of these? All I can find online is at Legacy Sports.

Here you go....

https://shop.whittakerguns.com/product/ss-5262

Heroic. This is why you're the real MVP.

Do they make the howa in the 6.5 in a youth stock?

http://www.brownells.com/rifle-parts/sto...-prod95995.aspx

There are more

Boyds has also added some stocks for the Howa Mini action.

Pulled the trigger on the one at Whittaker. Now just waiting on it to get to my FFL.

I start most kids out with my .243. Effective with little recoil.

How old is she? Size could help your decision.

I started on a 22-250 and still use it and still will use it. More "oomph" than a 223. Longest kill of mine was around 200yd, shortest about 40yd. 55gr VMAX on both

Nothing wrong with a 223 or 243. Honestly if her shots are going to be less than 100yd then 223 is plenty.

Alright... so it didn't cross my mind until I got the Mini-Action in, but a regular short action single-piece rail isn't going to fit this gun is it?

I can go with a two piece, not an issue, but my son really wants his to look "cool" and he's been searching a lot of custom bolt guns. I'm afraid I've created a monster, but that's ok.

Any thoughts?

http://warnescopemounts.com/?s=howa

From the howa mini action thread

The 300 black out is a great round for kids
Kills deer and pigs up to 150'yards easy little kick and can be supressed
Wide range of bullet selection and you can shot subsonic and super sonic
Ruger all American has a compact for youth,balanced and good price
At 15 frames work well as adjustable stock makes gun work for dad and daughter

243

There have been some issues with hole spacing on the early Warne one piece rails, hopefully they have them fixed by now. You can also use Remington 700 two piece mounts on the Howa Mini action rifles