Deer Rifle for 12 year old

[Kirk Freeman]

It's June so that means it is time to consider Christmas guns for the nephews.

The oldest is 12 and will be needing a deer rifle. He has .22s, an M1 Carbine and a couple of pistols but he is chomping at the bit to shoot a deer.

Recommendations?

I am leaning CZ 527:

However, perhaps a .243/6mm instead? What say you?

 

[Mgderf]

Are we talking deer rifles for Indiana?

If so, the .243 and 6mm are both a no-no!

I'd suggest a .410. Rossi has a really nice little "matched pair" or even a "Trifecta".

The matched pair comes w/ 2 barrels in your choice of calibers, examples are,

.22lr/.410
.22mag/20ga.
.223/12ga.

or most any combination thereof.

The .410 is more than capable of taking a deer, and if you'd like to spend more money, look at the Mossberg 500 in .410. It's a 5+1 round pump shotgun that just SCREAMS youth!

Whatever you decide, good luck!

 

[shawkpilot]

We tried finding a .410 for our boys. The problem is, IN law requires both a front and rear sight. Every .410 shotgun we saw had just the front bead. The only one we found was an over/under .410/,22. That of course is illegal to hunt with also because it is a combo gun. We ended up getting a Mossberg 500 20 gauge. Started him out with the reduced recoil rounds, and as deer season approached, bought him the full load sabots. (Rifled barrel)

He shot his first doe 15 minutes into the second day of youth season. Needless to say, he's hooked now!

 

[451_Detonics]

A 410 has horrible ballistics, if you go that route I would make sure he is using the best slug available (Brenneke) and limit it to no more than 40 yards. Even then I think it is marginal. At 40 yards with the hottest slug available you are already down to under 400 foot pounds of energy. Very precise placement will be required.

There is a Marlin 1894 in 44M for sale in the firearms section...would make a great youth deer rifle. Start with 44 Spl cowboy loads for low recoil and let him get use to the rifle and work up to hunting loads. A Ruger 44 Carbine would be another good choice as the semi auto does eat up some of the felt recoil.

 

[Eddie]

Are you considering black powder at all? He'll add a couple of weeks to his hunting season that way.

 

[snapping turtle]

H&R Model CR-45LC

Order two stocks and have one cut. (keep the other for later when he is older.)

Start out with factory ammo. Then later go up to hand loads. Big slug little kick and I like the stlying of the forearm over the handi rifle.

Then there is a Talo limited rifle in 357 mag.

GalleryofGuns.com - Gun Genie

Once again a cut or adjustable stock is needed order a second one and keep the original. How it fits is going to be a key to how well it shoots and recoil felt.

I would not suggest a 410 go with a 20 gauge if deer hunting. Both of the above rifle kick like a 410 and give at least 100 yard shots with a scope.

 

[Expat]

I think Kirk is smart enough to know what cartridges are legal for Indiana so I assume he is wanting a centerfire rifle to use in other states for deer hunting. For a feller of that age a .243 would probably be a pretty good choice. The 25-06 is also a good choice but ammo is harder to come by. The CZ is good, you can never go wrong with a Rem 700 or the Savage.

 

[paperboy]

How about a Handi Rifle in 357? He could practice with 38 sp. as well. I have shot one, they are nice rifles and very accurate. For the price they are an excellent value.

 

[sertboy354]

Yes Black powder would be my choise you can hunt a longer season

 

[jghelton]

yes blackpowder offers a longer season...but my advice would be to go with the h&r handi rifle ...either 357 or the 44 mag ...my buddy at work has one and he let his nephew 13 use it and he fell in love ....trust me at the time of the shot when it counts , he wont feel the recoil anyway

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Are we talking deer rifles for Indiana?

No, he lives in Pennsylvania.

I'd suggest a .410.

While he wants a shotgun, my brother and I have a firm "no shotgun" rule until he is much older.

We do not want to develop trigger slapping.

The 25-06 is also a good choice but ammo is harder to come by

Cartridges are not a problem. My brother reloads.

Interesting choice. What rifle would you suggest?

Remember, he is 12 (and not in the top percentile for height and weight--he is medium tall and wiry but tough) so length of pull is a major consideration. Most American shoulder weapons are oversized to the point of silliness.

I could get him Ruger or something and chop it down. As Tim Wickertt says, buy an American rifle or shotgun and starting chopping from both ends.

Yes Black powder would be my choise you can hunt a longer season

A flintlock has many advantages including enhancing focus and follow through, but he has shot those. I want to get him a centerfire rifle. An excellent suggestion though.

 

[Expat]

How much do you want to spend? Are they the black syn stock with stainless metal type folk or are they the nice walnut stock with blued finish? Single shot, bolt action, pump....

Here is a nice looking Ruger but stock may need to be altered. Ruger 7106 Hawkeye 25-06 for Sale at Buds Gun Shop $603.00

 

[fireball168]

The CZ-527 would be an outstanding choice.

Followed by (in no particular order) the Ruger 77 Ultralight/Frontier, Remington Model 7 and Interarms Mini Mark X/Remington 799.

 

[Squatch]

Getting out of Indiana changes everything. A 243/6mm is a really good choice for young hunters and you can hunt a variety of game with one. H&R might be a good choice as well since getting a youth stock used should be easy and it can be switched without problems. I don't know what kind of shape their barrel program is in right now, but the options for a shotgun/blackpowder/indiana legal caliber would be there as well.

The Rossi Wizard outfit could be even better without the need to send it in for barrels if the program takes off.

Of course once you get out of this region, anyways in Missouri, the old 30-30 is plentiful and hard to go wrong with.

Shane

 

[snapping turtle]

A first rifle for a 12 year old in Pen woods hunting is a different animal than Indiana pistol cartridge choice. Fit of stock is the only real consideration other than no big recoil on cartridges and enough power for deer. I think auto in Pen are a no no game law wise. Otherwise a AR in 260 rem would be near perfect. Adjustable length of stock and caliber switch with any upper you want.

Quarter bores are the lightest that are real deer cartridges, and since you reload anything is game.

One of my hunting buddies grew you hunting in pen. His first gun was a rem 760 in 35 rem, He said the original stock was cut and he bought a new old stock for it at 37 years old. I have one in a quarter bore (257 Roberts ) and I think they make a 243 also. Good for me since i grew up with a 870 wingmaster and a 760 rifle so they always felt they same.

Someone has a 300 dollar savage 340 for sale in the classifieds here. It's a 30-30 bolt with scope. No recoil problems, cheap practice ammo and could be cut without ruining the resale much. I still think it has to fit him well as young as he is. I have never seen a savage 340 in 30-30 that did not group well. 30-30 would be a classic old school cartridge to deer hunt with in PEN.

Some have cut and kept the piece cut off the stock and replaced later. I have also seen adjustable target like setup used to make it adjustable as he grows or with heavy clothes. I think many stock are long if I am bundled up like a snow sledder.

 

[kramnor54]

a 410 or 20g will do nicely u can up the 20 an get better ballastics than the 410

 

[Kirk Freeman]

kram, as I said before, no shotguns.

I do not want him to be afflicted with the triggerslapping habit that shotgunners can develop.

Expat, thanks much! I'll take a keen look at that Ruger Hawkeye. I'll have to chop it, but every American long gun needs chopping.

 

[SSGSAD]

My suggestion, is a .243, you can make the brass, out of .308 brass,
also some loading manuals have light loads, listed, he can practice with those, then move him, up, a half grain at a time, and before you know it he is using full loads, then work up an accuracy load, or switch to factory... Get him involved in the reloading aspect, from the beginning, and you have "killed" two birds, with one stone...

 

[kludge]

The CZ-527 in 7.62x39 is a great choice. Ruger also made a M77 I think in 7.62x39. On the cheap, the SKS makes a great deer rifle. I can hold the black on the 100yd NRA target with iron sights, astigmatism, and surplus Chinese ammo. And the Norinco Chinese stock is rather short - I put a 2" spacer on mine. Fiber optic sights would be a good addition.

The .243 Win and 6mm Rem you mentioned in the OP are also good, and on the upper end maybe the .257 Roberts or .260 Rem.

Others: Ruger 77/44, Ruger Deerslayer (I prefer the old ones with the tubular magazine), H&R .45 Colt, or one of the other calibers, since you are not restricted on caliber - they have youth models and can always get other barrels/stocks as he grows. Same goes for T/C Encore.

I also agree with what SSGSAD said - youth loads - and .308, 7mm-08, and 30-06 are good candidates for these loads with appropriate 120-135gr bullets. Use H4895 and you can find data at hodgdon.com. Then restock it when he grows up. I'm afraid these loads might recoil more than the 7.62x39 though.

 

[fireball168]

Expat, thanks much! I'll take a keen look at that Ruger Hawkeye. I'll have to chop it, but every American long gun needs chopping.

Again - Look at the Ruger Ultralight/Compact/Frontier, no chopping required.