Posted: 3/19/2007 6:30:18 PM EDT
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Hiya guys... A couple days ago I posted a thread regarding rifle selection for my daughter, aged 9. She wants to hunt deer, and I figure this is great from a survival preparedness standpoint. Kids need to realize meat doesn't grow on foam trays, and learning how to hunt and handle a firearm is always good... She has several firearms thus far (even thought she hasn't started using all of em): A Savage Cub G (she loves), a colt govt 380 (great mini 1911), and a superlight ar. However I wanted something a bit larger for whitetails.... We trolled the local gun shops and fondled just about everything. The H&R Superlight youth rifles looked like a great option, at well under 6 lbs and roughly $230. No joy. As I expected she cannot handle the hammer. Even though it is fairly light for a hammer gun, her hand is substantially smaller than an adult hand. She can cock it (with considerable effort), but cannot reliably ease the hammer down. Out of three attempts she dropped the hammer twice  I've checked everything else out, and the best option still looks like a Remington Seven Youth in .260. However, the price tag is a bit steep for a kids gun: gun, bases, rings, scope, dies, brass, etc and I'm into $700 in a hurry. Option 2: I scrounged up a used wood stock for a model seven on Ebay. $30. I was going to cut it down for her. Low and behold, its a youth stock. My 308 action and barrel are going in it. I've got a whole bunch of reduced velocity 110 grain (2300+/- FPS) relaods she can familiarize with. And I'll duplicate the remington managed recoil loads for actual hunting: 125 @ 2500-2600. The best part: She's handled the rifle, and while its still too big for her to offhand (we'll be using a haybale blind she can rest the forearm on) but after using the hammer on others she's in love with the simple, intuitive push button safety... It looks like I've lost my deer rifle  On the other hand, that means I have to use the big gun for whitetails this Fall: .350 Rem Mag.... They don't go far........Better yet: She's all excited about afternoons at the range with Dad. Wgy does any of this matter? If you are trying to locate a first rifle for a younger, smaller shooter, better let em try it. Beware those hammers. My daughter is the fourth kid in the 9-11 range I've tried hammer guns on, and 3 of the 4 cannot handle em safely. food for thought |
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FN FAL &gojoe.... I take it you didn't read the full post? 
As mentioned earlier, she tried the H&R. Pretty much the same rifle. Out of three attempts to ease the hammer down she dropped it (hard!) TWICE. I was watching her, and in both cases I strongly suspect a discharge would have occured (Fingers inside the trigger guard trying to obtain leverage)... Hammers simply don;t work for kids with hands this small. I already own a TC G2 Carbine, and would have readily bought a 6.5 JDJ barrel or a 7-30 Waters if I thought they'd work... I do appreciate the attempt to help though... If you think of anything that is small, light and has a button safety lemme know...... |
| You might take a look at the Ruger 77 Compact or Frontier rifle. It has a 16 1/2" bbl and can be had in .260 Rem. The Ruger has the superior integral scope mount and comes with rings. The price is probably similar to the Rem 7. I think the .260 Rem is a great caliber. Big enough to get the job done, yet it has light recoil. Much superior to the 30/30 Win I started out with when I was a kid. |
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Just a thought have to tried her out on a lever action rifle yet? I played with one once and the action was easy to do on it. You also will be able to let her shoot pistol rounds. As I've said I have only played with one but I would think that a 357 mag or a 44 mag's recoil would not be as bad in a rifle. Don't know someone out there that has shoot it in thous two calibers maybe can tell you a little more. |
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I was thinking +1 on Tayous1's suggestion on the 44 Mag in a rifle. You can get a more compact 16" barrel for it... I'd get a Marlin 1894, and either 1) Replace Buttstock with a Shorter/Compact one or 2) Cut down the buttstock & add a recoil pad... This should work just fine, 44 Mag, small enough for a younger shooter, 6# stock - ~5# when stock is cut down (and will balance better for a child), powerful enough for a deer without being TOO powerful, and it's something your child can grow into as they get older. YMMV. Another thing to look into is the Ruger semi-auto 44 Mag (similar to a 10/22), as they can take a deer, have a pretty small stock, and are still pretty lightweight. |
Sorry, Did you consider the hammer extention? also Mosseberg makes a nice single shot brake open without a hammer. |
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Might want to consider a used Savage Model 340. This is bolt action in 30-30. They were fairly cheap guns back in the day. Still can be found cheaply today. Very plain jane but ideal for cutting down, handloading etc. I just picked up a beat up 340 for $100 a couple months ago and am considering working up some plinking and hunting loads for it. I believe this was also known as the Savage or Springfield Model 840 and also the Stevens 325. They were also available in other calibers as well. Best way to find them in at pawn shops/gunshows etc. Online auctions want too much for them |
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Hmmm, I'll play devil's advocate. I hate to say it but maybe she is too young to hunt deer yet, perhaps going with you while you hunt would be better for now. I know legally she can't hunt anything in NY yet. At 12 you can hunt small game with a firearm, at 14 you can hunt deer with a bow, and at 16 you can hunt big game. Of course the law could change between now and then. Maybe squirrels or rabbits would be better starting place. My humble $.02 |