whats the right gun size for a four teen year old .243,.270,30/06 for mule deer

[dakohta14]

whats the right gun size for a four teen year old .243,.270,30/06 for mule deer

[lovetohunt]

I am 16 now, but when I was 10 or 11 I had no problem handling my dad's 30-30. So he should be fine with a 30/06.

[Del in KS]

How big is he? The 243 has light recoil and is an outstanding caliber for deer sized game. If you mean Elk or Black Bear the 270 of 06 is the better choice but they both have long actions, will be heavier and have more recoil.

[alabamahunter]

The .270 is an excellent caliber that has enough punch to take down medium-sized big game without causing your teen to develop the dreaded flinch. That's not to say that the .30/06 isn't a wonderful caliber in its own right, but depending on the size of your kid and the weight of the rifle, it can kick a little hard for some. In my mind the .243 would be a good bit lighter than anything I would ever carry mule-deer hunting. The bullet is so light it tends to not leave much of a blood trail and can lead to wounded animals that are never recovered. I have seen this first-hand where the .243 doesn't leave enough of a blood-trail and the deer is either lost or found days later.

After reading Petzal for to long I finally acquired a 7mm/08 and discovered that it is an absolutely wonderful caliber. It pushes a 140 grain bullet at almost 3,000fps at the muzzel. It has very light recoil, and therefore can be made in a lighter gun which is a big bonus when having to walk a lot over the course of a day's hunt.

[bomberpride]

.270 or 30-06

[kjflorian]

I would also suggest a .243, it's a good caliber for young kids starting out. It doesn't have a big recoil, so hopefully it would eliminate some flinching on your part.

[jamesti]

.243 is a little light for mule deer as they are tough and can be often a ways out considering their terrain. either the .270 or 30/06 will work well. i've used a .260 on mule deer many times with good results.

[herbie57_57]

Its whatever you want. I got my .30-06 when I was 14 or 15 and just got a .243 at age 23 to have a gun to shoot deer and coyotes with. I think each caliber has its perks and you should try and shoot one of each a few times if you can find someone who will let you and go from there.

[em17]

I am 12 and i have a 243.I also shoot whitetails but the 243 will kill a whitetail but i dont know about a mule deer.He should probably have a 270 considering his age and that he is hunting mule deer.

[Jim in Mo]

Get one of the larger calibers if you think he's big enough. Do you have a shotgun? If so let him shoot a box of slugs through it. If that doesn't bother him he's big enough. If it does, consider a .260 or 7-08.

[kolbster]

30-06

[idduckhntr]

I always take my 243 on if I plan on walking a long ways, the weight is wonderful and with the right bullet you should have no problem taking deer out to 300 yards with practice or you could go with a 308.

[Beekeeper]

It depends on the size of the teen. If small framed I would stick to a short action caliber with a youth stock. If they are larger framed then a more adult sized rifle may be in order.

As far as caliber, Del makes an excellent recommendation in the 7mm-08. It will handle most any job assigned. If the teen is on the larger frame they should be able to handle the '06 or 270 just fine. Don't ever have a child or inexperienced shooter fire something that kicks like a mule to see if they are bothered by recoil.

[bonnier-admin_2]

25-06 hands down!

[Shellcracker]

7mm-08 is the best round i've had for deer sized game. Hits as hard as a .270 within 300 yards. Kicks less than a .270 and .308. The .284 caliber bullet is great.