Hunting rifle for mini me

[WildBilly2]

Looking for hunting rifle for mini me. Just coming to age of time to get him through hunters Ed and start shooting more then .22lr

I was thinking .243, which should last him few years, but looking for other/all options as I know there is a wealth of ballistic knowledge here. Would just like a low recoil as he is not big for age.

 

[ilovesprig]

I'm not a rifle guy, but the .243 is a good choice...Bought the Savage Axis for my daughter (slight of built) and she's never missed a buck with it...Low recoil, readily available ammo, and price is right with scope.

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[sportyg]

Agree for a first rifle a .243 would be great and he can use it to hunt most any big game in Ca.

 

[180ls1]

The 243 is awesome and would serve him well but the 6.5 Creedmoor is a pretty incredible cartridge and crushes it from a ballistics standpoint. That would be my go to and it has very similar recoil. The whole industry is moving to the more efficient rounds that shoot high BC bullets because of how well they do retaining energy, cutting the wind and staying accurate.

Rifle Recoil Table: Recoil Energy, Velocity and Level | Sportsman's Warehouse

A rifle recoil table and guide to rifle recoil energy, recoil velocity and recoil score

www.sportsmans.com

Below picture with factory hornady lead free ammo. 6.5 will have better ammo selection as well.

 

[sportyg]

I would think the ammo for the 6.5 creed would be harder to find a more expensive, but not having one I could be wrong.

 

[fish impaler]

Would go .223, less recoil and cheaper to shoot then .243. Savage axis has been great , especially for 250$

 

[WildBilly2]

Thanks for the input gents, .223 is tempting cause I have ton of ammo.

 

[ilovesprig]

I like the 6.5 Creed too...Bought it for Stefanie after not liking what the .243 was doing with copper.......

ps...I would think the .223 with non lead would be too light.......

 

[bubblehide]

Tikka makes one of their regular rifles with a kids stock, when he grows you can switch out the stock to the typical adult stock, or an aftermarket stock.

As for caliber, 223 with TMK, ELDM/AMAX bullets create incredible wound channels with great penetration, very capable of quickly dispatching any game animal in north america. It is all about bullet choice. However, being in Ca, we unfortunately don't get to legally choose such awesome bullets.

 

[fish impaler]

.223 experience has been all . monos even outside CA and it’s been plenty effective. It’s small, but the accuracy and ease of shooting is hard to beat. This WY whitetail went about 5 yards after a 62gr Barnes

 

[HATCHET1]

Copper ..223..= ..uggh..add wind and distance..double uggh..but I guess if you throat patch them..anything is possible..raising 4 children that have harvested an an ungodly amount of mammals in there time..I'd go 243 or larger...but that's just me , and my 1.5 cents..post um when he starts dropping them....these are the days!!

 

[180ls1]

The Hornady website has valuable info for comparing energy with different ammo/calibers. Just scroll down a touch.

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/6.5-creedmoor-120-gr.-cx-superformance#!/

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/243-win-80-gr.-cx-outfitter#!/

https://www.hornady.com/ammunition/rifle/5.56-nato-55-gr.-cx-superformance#!/

 

[sportyg]

It is more about shot placement then caliber one is shooting. That said you want a firearm he can handle and not be over gunned.