He'll be 7 by opening day...

I bought a single shot break action 300 blackout handy rifle for my son's first deer rifle. It's the same size as the red Ryder he's been shooting for years. Problem is he has only ever shot iron sights. Not only does this not have iron sights but I think I want some magnification before he shoots at live animals.

So my problem is choosing which one. Needs to have good eye relief and simple.

I'm thinking about a Nikon prostaff 2-7x32. Longest shot in Georgia is probably 75 yards. This is light weight and compact. But the 32mm objective is pretty small, especially for dusk and dawn. Also I've had no experience in the pro staff line.

Any recommendations?

My suggestion would be a low-mid range fixed 4x scope.

I like things simple for kids(I actually prefer EOTech style sights for kids).  Fixed power scopes will have better eye relief, and better glass for the same price as a variable power scope.

Nothing worse than an excited kid trying to see through a scope and not being able to when it matters the most.

Aimpoint Micro T2



A magnified optic brings too many issues with eye relief, parallax, FOV, etc.



A 7 year-old will appreciate being able to put a red dot on a deer at up to 100 yards, pulling the trigger, and harvesting meat.



Shooting at ranges longer than that requires training and discipline that few kids his age have.

this exactly, if the range you are gonna shoot at is less than 100 there is no point in magnified optics yet, save those for a 22 rifle to teach him the basics

I think that the red dot would be a decent choice, but magnified optics still have merit at ranges under 100 yards--and I say that as someone who doesn't need glasses. Magnification can help you get a clean shot in thick timber or at the beginning and end of legal shooting hours, especially if you are underneath a thick tree canopy where it gets light later and dark earlier. I don't think eye relief should be an issue if the scope is mounted properly. A fixed 4x and below would work nicely.

Just my opinion.

Ideally a 2-7 (I like Leupold for this one), or a fixed 3 or 4x.  Make sure he keeps it on 4x or below when he's ready to shoot.

Either way get decent glass.  I put a VXI 2-7 on a CZ 527 carbine for my son when he was 8.  He's almost 12 now and no where near outgrowing this rig.  In fact, I've been known to borrow it a time or two myself.

I would think magnification somewhere between 2X and 4X would be best for this situation.  I wouldn't complicate it by teaching him to change up his magnification.  Either a fixed power or a variable that you set and then don't change would do.  I'd look for scopes that have forgiving eye boxes.  Nikon Prostaff or Nikon Mondarchs are pretty good for this.  

I think if you look at mid tier offerings from Vortex, Nikon, Leupold, Weaver or Bushnell you could find something that would work just find and was on sale.

I picked up a Nikon Pro staff 2-7. Very light weight and extremely clear glass for a $150 scope.

We'll try it this Sunday.

For what its worth now I have had the opportunity to take a lot of kids hunting for the first time and a 3-9 is usually what I have used,  I have also used many different calibers, but the 6.8 is what I prefer.  Both my kids killed their first deer using iron sights when they were 4 and 6 years old, but at 30-40 yards.  Illuminated optics like Leupold's VXR line have really helped teaching kids where to put the crosshairs with just a simple red dot but it has magnification.  I have also used Aimpoint's, EoTech's, with and without magnifiers, but a scope is better at gathering light for early morning and late evening.  Also don't buy him a pair of $10 Simmons binoculars, of all the inexpensive binoculars I recommend Minox (a little heavier but will not break and a good warranty) over all others. Around $250 for 10x42's and they are very clear and are better at light gathering than my Nikons that were $100 more.

Not the greatest pic, but this is how it came out

Cut the stock down (or add a collapsible), add a pad, and you're good to go.  Have him dry fire it a lot, those H&R triggers are terrible.

I would go without the can, that's a lot of weight out front for a little guy.

The length is the sane as his bb gun he has been asking for years.which is one of the reasons I went with this.

Surprised on your comment about the trigger. This one isn't terrible. It's not the best, but it's pretty crisp. I measured it consistently at just above four pounds

go with the red dot, I use the bushnell trophy red/green version on my beretta.
i also  put it on my 9 year olds savage 220 and he loves it. point and shoot
plus great customer service, I stripped a screw and the sent me two sets of rings and screws.

Agreed on the red-dot.  7 year olds don't have Parallax mastered quite yet.

Weaver 1-3x20 is what I have on my .300BO.  Works great for the distances in the woods I shoot deer.

Weaver 1-3x20

I put a Weaver 4x on my 8 year old son's .338 Spectre.  I like it just as much as he does.  He can use it well, 3 deer over the past two seasons.