Minimum Cal for Coues (youth)

[Redman]

Greetings,

 

I have a son that will turn 10 this year and need to acquire a rifle for him. I am strongly looking at a 243. He is not a big kid, he may weigh 70 pounds next season.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Redman

[Benbrown]

If you have a .22 centerfire that is not too big (dimension-wise) for him to shoot, spend a lot of time letting him get used to the muzzle blast and feel of a center-fire rifle. I started both of my daughters on .243s when they were a little larger than your son. Both became pretty good at hitting what they were aiming at. We took a couple of western Nebraska mule deer, a few desert mule deer here in New Mexico and one Coues deer. As they got more "choosey" about the kinds of bucks that they would take, both decided on their own that they needed to step up to something a little bigger. We went to 7mm-08s loaded with mild charges behind 120 grain Nosler solid base bullets (since replaced by the Ballistic Tips), and eventually to flat-shooting, full house loads.

 

When I started their kids, we shot a lot with .22 rimfires and a .223 light rifle to get them used to hitting what they were aiming at. For deer hunting, we used the 7mm-08, with mild 120 grain loads (about like a mid-range 7x57). For Coues whitetails, the .243 is deadly with correct shot placement. I would try your son on both, if you can borrow rifles that will fit him, and let him make the decision as to which one he is most comfortable with.

 

I started a friend's son last year, letting him shoot both the .243 (a Ruger International with a Mannlicher stock and 18 1/2 inch barrel) and a 7mm-08 in a Remington Model 7 Youth Model. He opted for the .243 and did very well with it because he was confident in his ability to use it. I think that this is the most important factor in getting a young person started right--confidence in his ability to hit what he is aiming at.

 

Starting you kids right is a kick--this is about the most fun you can have hunting!

[standman]

The past few years I have been involved with a lot of 10-11 year old hunters. We have been using a 22-250 reloaded with a 70 grain bullet. The kids really like to shoot it and it knocks the heck out of them coues deer. My dad even uses it now.

 

Brian

[firstcoueswas80]

redman, i am in the same boat as you. my little brother is turning 10 in feburary and will be hopefully hunting with my dad and i next year. he is the same size as your son and we are having a hard time finding him a gun. i am thinking of a model 7 in 7mm08 but i sure would like to shoot one before i let him shoot one. i also have a 22-250 and 243 in the back of my head but am not 100% sure yet

[coueselk]

My daughter has been using a .22-250 for her last three coues bucks. It is a youth varmit model, so it is quite heavy with the 26" bull barrel. But it has done an excellant job. I do reload for it and make some hot loads. It has taken a buck out at 340 yards. The last two were taken at 240 and 260. Does the job with a well placed shot.

[105Coues]

On my nephews first hunt he used a 223 of mine. There are premium bullets on the market if you handload that do suprisingly well. He shot a spike at 230 yards right behind the shoulder and the bullet passed completely through. The deer jumped and fell. Normally I would not condone such a small caliber rifle but it is very important to teach kids to shoot accurately and they will not if they are flinching due to recoil. A good hit with a small caliber is better than a bad hit with a magnum.

I will have a daughter hunting soon and she will be using the 223.

Good luck and happy hunting

[coueshunter84]

I started with a .223, and took 8 deer with it. I still use it every once in awhile. Actually used it couple years ago on an October hunt. Took a little guy at about 250 yards.

I have also shot the 22-250, 243, and a 25-06. I would bet any one of these will work just fine. Especially if you hand load and can load them down to start with. .

As for rifles the Win model 7 youth, was my first. And still my favorite. I also have the new WIn modle 70 in 243wssm. ANd think it will make an excellent youth gun.

Just make sure the stock will fit them, and your off and running. Win also makes the new 270.wsm Wally world usually has a good selection.

 

 

Shane

[billrquimby]

Recoil is a big factor for kids (and me, too). For a young boy or girl shooting a 75- to 100-pound deer at 150 yards or less, I'd choose the .22/250 with a 55 to 70 grain bullet that held together well. All the Hill Country whitetails I shot in Texas with a .22/250 years ago dropped in their tracks if I hit them in the heart/lungs. There were no exit wounds. All of the energy of the bullet was absorbed inside the animals. I shot about a dozen springbok in South Africa on a cull with a .223 and it performed well, too. Springbok weigh only about 50 pounds, though.

 

The .243 is a better choice for mule deer, in my opinion. The problem with it is its recoil. Its double that of the .22/250. (See below) Instead of the .243, however, I'd opt for the Roberts' better ballistics. It performed perfectly on 500-pound red deer and 300-pound tahr in New Zealand. With heavy bullets at short range I wouldn't be afraid of hunting elk with it.

 

Bill Q

 

FELT RECOIL

.223 Rem. 03.2 ft/lb

.22/250 04.7 ft;b

.243 08.8 ft/lb

.257 Roberts 09.3 f/lb

25-06 12.5 ft/lb

6.5 Rem Mag 13.1 ft/lb

.270 16.5 ft/lb

7 Rem Mag 19.2 ft/lb

.30-30 11.8 ft/lb

.308 17.5 ft/lb

.30/06 20.3 ft/lb

[JVS]

I tend to agree with coues elk...It's all about shot placement. If you are very confident your son can place the shot behind the shoulder, I think the 22-250 will work with a heavy jacketed bullet. I wouldn't shoot over 300 yards. That little bullet at that distance doesn't carry much of a punch over that distance. A lot of people have killed at over 300, but be careful. A wounded deer is very frustrating and can be difficult for youth to deal with.

[More D]

Very good point JVS!

 

A lost animal would/is very difficult to deal with. I drilled it in to my wife about proper shot placement, as always, on her first Elk hunt this year. A lost wounded anything will sour an otherwise long hunting career.

 

 

 

 

[billrquimby]

I agree with all of you .22-250 fans --- until it comes to the distances you're talking about. I'd change "up to 300 yards" to "no more than 150 yards."

 

Few young boys and girls have enough experience to pull off longer shots. The length of three football fields is much too far for them unless you want to risk gut and hip shots.

 

Heck, I took a husky 15-year-old out during the cow elk youth hunt around my cabin in October. His elk was only about 40 yards off and it dropped in its tracks when he broke its neck with his first shot from his dad's .270.

 

Problem is, he said he had aimed at a spot behind its shoulder. That means he missed his target by nearly three feet! If it had been a Coues deer it would still be running around today.

 

 

Bill

[kelbro]

When Remington brought the Managed Recoil cartridges out, I decided to go ahead and get my son a rifle that he could use anywhere on almost any game for the rest of his life. We got a .270 Model 700 and then swapped the stock out for a youth stock. With the MR, the felt recoil is down around the .243. We used these cartidges at the range because I didn't want to start the flinch habit. He got pretty good punching paper and got his mechanics down and his confidence up.When we got out to the field, I put standard loads in and he never felt the difference. He's grown quite a bit and we recently swapped back to the full-sized stock.

 

The .243 is a great all-around small game cartridge but I have always preferred the .270 due to the extended versatility. With the Managed Recoil cartridges, you can start kids out with a little more gun that they can carry from now on.

[Redman]

Thanks for all the responses and specs (Bill Q). I'm been to the Sportsman's Warehouse a couple of times and they do not currently have any youth rifles (the have 22's and shotguns).

 

I would like to put one on layaway and pay for it (after X-mas). My son's birthday is in June and his present will be a rifle and scope for hunting. I now believe in buy good stuff the first time so he will be getting a quality setup.

 

With all the new short magnums (223, 243, 270) who knows what he will get.

 

Redman

[Lance]

We experimented this year with a 243 WSSM (win. supper short mag.) This is an awsome round with plenty of punch and speed out to 300+ yards. We were shooting a 95 grain bullet. I let my 9 year old try it and it wasn't too big for him. He is 67 lbs. Although, it was too much for my neice age 10 about the same size. But I say get them a gun that is as big as they can handle and it will last them many more years. Unless you just want to buy lots of guns, which is cool to! We also tryed a 260 with a 130 or 120 grain bullet. It had low recoil and killed elk just fine at longer ranges. These guns might be at the tops for recoil for your boy but they preform great and next year they won't bother him at all.

[.270]

get em a .243. great cartridge. shoots hard, soft recoil. when you're shooting a .22 cal centerfire with heavier bullets, like the 65 and 70 grain, remember that a lot of them don't have a fast enough twist to stabilize the long bullet. a .243 with 85 or 100 grain bullets will do in any deer in Az. load up 60's or 75's and have a great coyote gun too. Lark.