caliber choice for 6 year old son?

[midwesthunter]

Nwill see how fast he can range but ot sure if this is right section as my son won't be starting out long range but will see how fast he can move there. Ok So here is my question, my grandfather just gave him/me two actions. One is a Rem 600 mohawk, the other is a rem 600. Now I own a couple 600's one being a rare 600 223, other being a 350 rem mag. Both great shooters. My question is what caliber rifle should I build for him? Since both are 308 bolt face I thought what better choice then to start him with a .243? Now my next question for the 243 would be what length barrel and contour should I go with? I will probably carry it for him for a while so should I just go with a 24" barrel or something a little shorter? I want it to be some what heavy to absorb some of the recoil. Second question is what do I build for second rifle? Something bigger for when he grows out ofn the short stock? Don't want to make him recoil sensitive. Was thinking 7mm-08?

 

[chucknbach]

Change the stock on that .223 and call it good.

 

[AJ Peacock]

A lightly loaded 243 with a medium contour 20" barrel and cut down stock would be a sweet learner. The second one could be a .284 , 6.5x284 etc. I'd set the second action aside and in a few years, let him decide (it will mean that much more to a 12yr old, getting to decide on his own rifle!).

AJ

 

[lazylabs]

How about a 6 BR? Then you can step up through the bullets and have no length issues and they are certainly proven accurate and low recoil.

Second could be a 260 or even just neck up the 6 BR cases to 6.5 BR and get a little more range and 40 more grains of bullet.

 

[bridgebuilder]

6-6.5x47 laupa !

 

[trebark]

Agree with AJ. Use one of them to build a 6mm of some variety. Then set the other in the safe and let your boy decide on that one when he is older.

 

[Rymart]

6 years old? BB gun, try a daisy.

 

[bigngreen]

My daughter is 6 and I'm thinking a 6 BR may be the ticket, she's been shooting a little pink Savage 22 for almost two years and she's already looking for more range

 

[TimeOnTarget]

6 years old? BB gun, try a daisy.

Those are for kids!!

By 6yrs, id think they should bee shooting something with gunpowder doing the pushing. If one is already a .223 why not stick with that for abit?

 

[midwesthunter]

He has been shooting a 22 for 3 years now. Plan to start him hunting this next year. He will be 6 this June. As for the 223 there were less then 250 made and don't want to cut stock down to fit him. I do like the idea of saving other action and letting him pick the caliber.

 

[EXPRESS]

For a six year old to shoot any more than one or two shots with I'd think that even the .243 win could be a bit too much, you really don't want to make it anything but fun for such a youngster.

My recommendation would be a 6PPC with a 22" - 24" bull profile barrel. I have owned and regularly shot with such a rifle for the last 14 years, killing deer and pigs out to 500 yards with the tiny 70gn ballistic tips.
You get almost no recoil, good barrel life, it's easy to reload for, produces incredible accuracy, has great case life, just enough power for deer sized game and it's murder on coyotes and varmints.

 

[TheRoaminRaider]

He has been shooting a 22 for 3 years now. Plan to start him hunting this next year. He will be 6 this June. As for the 223 there were less then 250 made and don't want to cut stock down to fit him. I do like the idea of saving other action and letting him pick the caliber.

<blink> You put a loaded firearm in the hands of a two year old child?? <blink>

Please tell me you're either bad at math or you are over-exaggerating.

 

[midwesthunter]

<blink> You put a loaded firearm in the hands of a two year old child?? <blink>

Please tell me you're either bad at math or you are over-exaggerating.

Yes he has been shooting since he was 2 but not handling a fire arm. Gun was placed in a gun vice. Now only time he handles his 22 is on the bench. He loads and unloads his single shot 22. But only with me right by his side.

 

[Time Killer]

3 of my 4 kids are proffeicent shooters, but at 2 they were still shitting their pants.
Weird.