Gun for my 7 year old

[Excavator]

So for the back history. She has been shooting a cz precision trainer with a nsx 5.5x22 in a manners stock for about 6 months. It took a few days to get her dialed in on the moar retical. However she has been smoking a metal Prairie dog flipper target every shot at 100 yards. So the question is I want to set her up in a gun that has the same feel. I will prob go with a easier to understand scope. Thinking a Swarovski z8i. So all she has to do is concentrate on the little red dot. I was thinking a barreled action in a 20" tube. Then putting it in a McMillan Game warden stock. This setup could also double as a tree stand gun for me in South Georgia. What are your guys thoughts. And what would be a good gun to start with and do a stock swap?

 

[Canhunter35]

Whoa, lol and I thought I was good to my kids

 

[Hatrick]

I am up for adoption!

 

[Excavator]

Just to be clear, the precision trainer was put together. As a trainer for my wife and I. We can only shoot out to 200 yards at our home. So this was a good way to replicate real work situations with a system that almost mirrors my stw in a nsx. Also I am of the mind set buy once cry once. So this new system will be a great quality weapon for the kids to come up on. An I could also use it at our farm in SW Georgia. Where the farthest shot you can take is 500 yards, with most inside of 300. My thought process is that if all of your chosen weapons have the same trigger and stock. You will build better memory into you body and mind, of that weapon. Kind of like in the heat of the moment. You don't ever realize what gun you are shooting. Meaning if she is shooting 15 rounds everyday out of the 22Lr. Then when we go to the deer stand. Everything should have that same feel.

 

[Pdvdh]

I thought we were talking Daisy Easy Rider sort of gun. I shot out a window in my parent's house with my Daisy when I was that age. Lesson learned. No wonder my Dad delayed my exposure to more powerful guns until I was older.

 

[Hatrick]

Just to be clear, the precision trainer was put together. As a trainer for my wife and I. We can only shoot out to 200 yards at our home. So this was a good way to replicate real work situations with a system that almost mirrors my stw in a nsx. Also I am of the mind set buy once cry once. So this new system will be a great quality weapon for the kids to come up on. An I could also use it at our farm in SW Georgia. Where the farthest shot you can take is 500 yards, with most inside of 300. My thought process is that if all of your chosen weapons have the same trigger and stock. You will build better memory into you body and mind, of that weapon. Kind of like in the heat of the moment. You don't ever realize what gun you are shooting. Meaning if she is shooting 15 rounds everyday out of the 22Lr. Then when we go to the deer stand. Everything should have that same feel.

When we started the kids out we used animal targets and kept them interested and in competition with each other. With bigger rifles better ear protection seemed to work well.

 

[Canhunter35]

Yeah I thought we were gonna have pellet gun discussion when I clicked on the thread lol

 

[yobuck]

Id be just moving up to a 223 for kids that young.
The scope is a different issue and can always be moved to a different gun later. Let them have fun hammering away at the spinner target or clay birds for a few more years.

 

[Heavyiron]

She might be a little young for a centerfire. She should hunt with you in the stand and observe what you do. Getting them to shoot a centerfire early in life may cause a flich that is hard to get rid of. It is a long step from a 22lr to even a 223 which personally i think is too small in caliber for deer. You might try a 243 and get some reduced loads that will not kick worse than a 223.

 

[Vortex!]

I think that 6.5 Grendel is a great round to start with however the 243 would have a better trajectory. The 6.5 Grendel has been used on elk at 400 yards so as long as you know the correct holdover you should be fine.

 

[Vortex!]

223 kills deer but I wouldn't take it anything past maybe 200 yards. Just my .02

 

[J E Custom]

If you intend to hunt deer with it, It needs to be at least a 260 or 7/08.

Both rifles can be very mild with light bullets and a good muzzle brake. (3 to 5 ft/lbs recoil) this is less recoil than a 223 but much more killing power.

I would also recommend a youth size stock or one of the AT 1 stocks that Boyd's has that Is fully adjustable and can grow with her. (Or an adult can use it with minor adjustments).

https://www.boydsgunstocks.com/at-one

J E CUSTOM

 

[bpcrshooter]

223 is bout as small as I would go for deer. on the other hand a 218bee would make a nice rifle for her, and it would be something she could shoot for fun the rest of her life. recoil will most likely be your biggest problem, the faster/heaver you go the harder it shoves back...... a heavy barrel 25-06 might not be a bad idea???? good luck in your search and thank you for showing another kid how to shoot!!!!

 

[jpfrog]

If you intend to hunt deer with it, It needs to be at least a 260 or 7/08.

Both rifles can be very mild with light bullets and a good muzzle brake. (3 to 5 ft/lbs recoil) this is less recoil than a 223 but much more killing power.

I would also recommend a youth size stock or one of the AT 1 stocks that Boyd's has that Is fully adjustable and can grow with her. (Or an adult can use it with minor adjustments).

https://www.boydsgunstocks.com/at-one

J E CUSTOM

^^This. I live in north central Texas, where the deer don't get too big. My go-to is an old .270 Winchester Rem700 that I've had some minor work done to (okay, a lot more than minor, but my smith kept it classy and it looks bone stock). But I know that .270 will do well on even the largest bucks we will come across. My oldest son is 5 and a half, and I've just started acquiring parts to build him a small and light .243 Winchester with a good brake for his first center fire rifle that I plan on him shooting in maybe 3 years from now. I'm also working on a .22lr option for him to learn plinking with and understand the fundamentals, but that'll be what he shoots for the next few years until 1.) he's bigger and 2.) he's had enough time to practice that he knows if he'll be interested in the bigger rifle or not.

Even then, I wouldn't let him use the .243 Winchester on anything bigger than a young doe or spike. Even with the small deer we have here, I'd prefer a bigger hole, regardless of how good the placement is. Of course, it'll see plenty of range use and get pulled out for hogs/coyotes, so it'll be a worthwhile build I think.

When he outgrows the .243, he'll likely inherit one of my 6.5s, and eventually my .270 Win.