Best deer rifle for young hunters

[parson]

The Handi rifles are hard to beat for the price. My granddaughter took her first deer with one in .357 mag, that I have since reamed to maximum.

Lever guns are great but a little more pricey.

 

[Robgoody6]

My 10 yr has been shooting a Mossberg 410 ga pump. I had it drilled and tapped for a scope. She can hit out to 80 yds.

 

[hammer24]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend the .410 for deer. It is quite possibly the absolute minimum for effectiveness when it comes to chamberings for deer. There are many better options out there now. Here is an energy chart comparing the .410 slug out of a 24" barrel to .357 and .41 OUT OF HANDGUNS. Out of a rifle the .357 would almost triple the energy with less recoil than the .410 at 100 yds. Even a .44 special out of a rifle barrel will get you around 750 ft, lbs. at the muzzle and 500 ft. lbs. at 100 yds. doubling the .410! The .44 mag will be around 1,700 ft./lbs. at the muzzle and 1,000 ft./lbs. at 100.
The two Heavy lines (.44 spl. 200 gr.and .357 -158 gr.) are out of a rifle barrel.

 

[Matt52]

Personally, I wouldn't recommend the .410 for deer. It is quite possibly the absolute minimum for effectiveness when it comes to chamberings for deer. There are many better options out there now. Here is an energy chart comparing the .410 slug out of a 24" barrel to .357 and .41 OUT OF HANDGUNS. Out of a rifle the .357 would almost triple the energy with less recoil than the .410 at 100 yds. Even a .44 special out of a rifle barrel will get you around 750 ft, lbs. at the muzzle and 500 ft. lbs. at 100 yds. doubling the .410! The .44 mag will be around 1,700 ft./lbs. at the muzzle and 1,000 ft./lbs. at 100.
The two Heavy lines (.44 spl. 200 gr.and .357 -158 gr.) are out of a rifle barrel.

Couldnt agree more not the mention the pistol bullets like the 357 on up have way better constructions and actually mushroom

 

[XDLover]

H&R 20 Gauge and be done with it til he gets older. I started with one and still have it. Good gun, single shot. Took plenty of rabbits, and various pheasant.

 

[hammer24]

Guys, remember, this is for a 9 yr. old girl who is a little gun shy to begin with! A single shot 20 gauge shooting a slug is NOT an ideal choice!! A 20 ga. slug has around 16 ft. lbs. of recoil energy! If you consider weight of the shooter vs. recoil energy that's like an adult man shooting a full house 400 gr. 450 Nitro Express load at 50 ft/lbs or recoil!! (READ NOT EXTREMELY PLEASANT!!) Would you guys suggesting the 20 gauge for these youngsters tell an adult new to shooting to start with a 450 Nitro Express?? Of course not! That's not to mention those who suggest the 12 gauge!! REALLY???

We as adults have a responsibility to introduce shooting/ hunting to our kids in the most fun, entertaining, and user friendly way possible. Giving kids a slug guns that kicks the tar out of them isn't doing anybody (especially the child) any favors. They'll develope bad habits at best or you'll ruin them on shooting at worst! Just because we grew up in the stone age when only shotguns were legal doesn't mean we have to punish the next generation to the same fate.

There are too many GOOD options out there now! A full house .357 load out of a rifle has less than a third of the recoil of a 20 ga. slug! A .44 spl is 1/4 the recoil of a 20 ga. and even a full house .44 mag or .45 Colt is still less recoil than a 20 ga. All of which are well proven deer calibers.

I'm passionate about this issue because my son loves to shoot (and is good at it), and I love spending that time with him. Obviously I've researched this, experimented, and have crunched the numbers. I've tailored handloads to him and his rifle that are effective and comfortable for him. I see too many kids ruined on shooting sports because of shotguns! They are great when you're big enough to shoot them correctly and comfortably, but horrible for kids.

I've been there when Uncle Jethro handed the single shot 12 gauge loaded with a slug to little 80 lb. Tommy. Uncle Jethro and Cletus get a big kick out of watching little Tommy get knocked on his butt, Tommy however is damaged goods when it comes to shooting, and there is NO SENSE in that!!

Sorry, RANT OVER.

 

[XDLover]

Guys, remember, this is for a 9 yr. old girl who is a little gun shy to begin with! A single shot 20 gauge shooting a slug is NOT an ideal choice!!

I got mine at age 8 but wasn't a girl

 

[Redskinsfan]

This is THE best way to RUIN a young shooter!!!

Agreed. I have been shooting for 49 years and I still very much dislike the recoil of a 12 gauge with slugs, I recommend not having a young person get the 12 gauge. As others have mentioned the pistol caliber rifles such as the 357 and 44 magnums are far less expensive and far more pleasant to shoot. A young person can become a good shot with practice with these and they cleanly and humanely will kill deer.

 

[Hookeye]

I don't mind a 12 gauge with slugs, rather like my 870..............but it aint the same as some H&R field model single shot ripping fosters!

FWIW my TC carbine in .35 Rem with hot short brass 200gr loads..........is like a 20 gauge slug gun. The thing doesn't weigh enough. Definitely a rig that needs downloaded for kid usage.

Remington does make reduced recoil slugs in 12 gauge, maybe 20 dunno (just checked, they do in the Buckhammer line). I've shot the 12 gauge reduced recoil fosters and they aren't bad.

 

[forkliftdave]

44 mag. H&r are accutate. I like my marlin lever-action. My 9 year old has shot it

 

[V8JamesGT]

If your son can handle the power, I would suggest a Remington 700. Great rifles that you can upgrade later on!

 

[paperboy]

For a young shooter that maybe reciol sensitive I think the 357 is the way to go in either single shot or lever action. For off season shooting you can shoot 38's that have no recoil and work in 357 so the shooter gets used to it. That being said, if he/she can handle the 44 mag (again light recoil) in my opinion is a better choice and you can always shoot 44 spcl.

 

[WWalker]

My 10 yr has been shooting a Mossberg 410 ga pump. I had it drilled and tapped for a scope. She can hit out to 80 yds.

I've always kind of wondered about this, .410 is legal for deer in Indiana, but not turkey.

 

[Hookeye]

Because turkey regs spec shot not slugs.

 

[WWalker]

Yeah, I know that, I just thought if a slug from a .410 is considered to be o.k. for a deer, why is it a .410 with shot isn't enough for turkey. I know that there is probably a logical answer (not enough power with shot?? )I just didn't know what it was.

 

[hammer24]

Yeah, I know that, I just thought if a slug from a .410 is considered to be o.k. for a deer, why is it a .410 with shot isn't enough for turkey. I know that there is probably a logical answer (not enough power with shot?? )I just didn't know what it was.

Start a thread in the outdoors section about the .410 on deer and you'll find it to be a very controversial choice. It is anemic at best, and not legal in many states for deer.

With shot for turkeys, the .410 is really a non-starter. You'll be hard pressed to find ANYBODY who claims it would be a GOOD choice for turkeys. Thus, it is illegal in MOST states for turkey and why you won't see the major ammo manufacturers making .410 "turkey loads."

You're really trying to compare apples and oranges AND pinapples AND coconuts. 410 Slugs vs. shot vs. deer vs. turkey.

 

[lapoozyfan]

the single shot .357 would provide low recoil for them and I know a female friend that has taken several deer with hers

 

[Encore460Mag]

My 11 year old daughter uses a .357 handi with a red dot took a button buck this year with it dropped it right where it stood at 20 yards,158g xtp over lilgun,very lethal on deer and mild on recoil great for kids.

 

[inlineman]

I purchased a rossi circuit judge for my better half for deer hunting,it is chambered in 45 colt very low recoil and plenty for deer also a 5 shot revolver for a follow up shot,and the safety of the revolver.

 

[sportsman223]

I have two girls 9 and 7 both shoot G2 contenders, all summer long the 22 barrels is all they shoot. When deer season rolls around the 357 Max is used for gun, then they also have .45cal ML barrels that can go on same frames same short stocks made by Bullberry they will custom make stocks, LOP and palm swell to fit each kid. One gun same fit, same trigger pull just different barrel