Kid rig

[britz]

In Central MN, it seems many people start their kids on a lever 30-30. I don't like that Idea because of the same reasons you mentioned against the break open actions -- calking the hammer for a safe is not a safe way for a novice shooter to learn in my opinion.

I just don't like Rugers, mostly because of the trigger, so I would highly reccomend a Rem Model 7 in a 243. If she can handle it, maybe go to a 7-08 or a 260 without a muzzle brake. You want your daughter to be comfortable with the rifle and a muzzle brake is very loud for a new shooter. Noise causes more flinching than recoil in many people.

You just cann't beat a good bolt action rifle for a young shooter.

Great to see young women getting into the sport!!

 

[dogdinger]

my boys first.....

big game rifles were the interarms mini mauser in 7.62X39.....this was a great little rifle in a hard hitting caliber for deer size game. fun to shoot and plenty of cheap ammo.....one thing a kid needs is lots of practice....well i guess we all do.....something that is fun to shoot, so they are not afraid of recoil, and easy to learn trigger control is appropriate....these little rifles had a habit of not hitting the primer hard enough on the first try when using the cheap chinese ammo.....(no problems with handloads) so it was a good training device.......really made them both very conscience of trigger squeeze......i loaned one of these rifles to a friend for his small-framed wife to use on an elk hunt. she shot a 4X4 bull at 150yds with it....bang flop....one shot....i had loaded some 150gr noslers fairly light for her....think about this caliber when choosing.....AJ

 

[blackco]

I agree with britz about the muzzel brake...noise (even with muffs and plugs) causeds a lot of flinching. I never believed it until I was stnding over the shoulder of my wife shooting a pistol with a brake...WOW! When I was concentrating on shooting it I never noticed it, after I knew about it I couldn't get past it.

If you are going with a brake, a 260, 270, 308 shouldn't be a problem. I have four kids, 2 boys and 2 girls who all started on a 6mm Rem 788 with about 2 inches of stock cut off. None of them had a problem shooting the 6mm without a brake. IMO the 6mm/243 is the hammer of Thor in deer sized game. I would find a good Remington in that caliber have the stock cut to fit, find a good reload (I've had great luck shooting with the Remington cor-lock bulk bullets) and let her kill anything that moves and shoot anything that doesn't.

Whatever you do, you are already going in the right direction. Good on ya dad. I love seeing people get their kids (especially girls) out shooting/hunting. I've missed a lot of prime fishing time due to soccer games and lots of missed opportunities on deer and elk trying to get my kids on the animals. I guess saying I missed the opportunities isn't correct; I didn't miss it a bit. I got a bigger kick out of my daughter shooting a doe this year than any animal I have ever shot.