Rifle build for daughter

[choprzrul]

This Ruger has a 12.5" LOP. Short. Light. Easy to handle.

85gr Hammer Hunter loaded to 3000fps is plenty for deer out to 250 yards. 7.5lb rifle after adding scope, mounts, sling, bipod, and ammo.

7.5lb rifle with that HH load shows 8.5lbs of recoil per JBM's recoil calculator. Add in the muzzle brake and you have a very manageable platform for a very young shooter.

I am picking up this exact rifle Saturday afternoon from my dealer. I'm doing exactly what I outlined above for my 7 year old granddaughter. I'll probably swap that recoil pad for a flat buttplate to hopefully get the LOP down to 12".

As she grows up, her Papa can gradually increase velocities and/or bullet weights as needed. I don't see her shooting at game animals beyond 200 yards for a while, so that light load should be just fine I'm thinking....

 

[biff's reloading]

Maybe she already has one, but if not, get her a 22 or 22mag that she can shoot as much as she wants. Set her up on woodchucks and small game til she decides is ready to move up. Build her a rifle too, but get her something with no recoil or muzzle blast to have fun with. Of the 3 choices, I'd build a .222. If I was picking, I'd build her a 243. Or maybe both!

 

[066wally]

.222

 

[jjmp]

First find a great Gunsmith then get that action tricked out then rebarrel it with a Awesome barrel , her and your lengths of pull on the stock will be different,so make the stocks length adjustable, if your going to share it . If not set it up for her Only ,new stocks Customs are pricy ,look at Stocky stocks ,Or not pillar & Glassbed old wood stock ,don't laugh done rite by the right gunsmith = almost Perfection. Barrel conture and length , a light varmit between 24& 26 inch , twist keep it slower 1/14 , that way she can shoot 40's 45's,50's55's and top out at 60 grainers . Hornady s V-max = Nosler B Tips easily. With training and her willingness she should shoot beer caps at 300 easy , she'll pay you back in smiles , Cheers to all great Parents,& the Children are worth it

 

[sierracharlie338]

You don't need a new action. For many you can just open the bolt face or at worst get a new bolt with a larger face.

I want a second action LOL so I'm keeping the 722 original and may add a second action.

 

[sierracharlie338]

This Ruger has a 12.5" LOP. Short. Light. Easy to handle.

85gr Hammer Hunter loaded to 3000fps is plenty for deer out to 250 yards. 7.5lb rifle after adding scope, mounts, sling, bipod, and ammo.

7.5lb rifle with that HH load shows 8.5lbs of recoil per JBM's recoil calculator. Add in the muzzle brake and you have a very manageable platform for a very young shooter.

I am picking up this exact rifle Saturday afternoon from my dealer. I'm doing exactly what I outlined above for my 7 year old granddaughter. I'll probably swap that recoil pad for a flat buttplate to hopefully get the LOP down to 12".

As she grows up, her Papa can gradually increase velocities and/or bullet weights as needed. I don't see her shooting at game animals beyond 200 yards for a while, so that light load should be just fine I'm thinking....

There had to be one LOL. Thanks for the info but I want to build this rifle not buy a factory one. That would be a solid option for a lot of people though.

 

[treeman59]

Stuck with a 223 bolt face gents.

How are you stuck with a 223 bolt face? New bolts are available and used boltsas

 

[sierracharlie338]

Maybe she already has one, but if not, get her a 22 or 22mag that she can shoot as much as she wants. Set her up on woodchucks and small game til she decides is ready to move up. Build her a rifle too, but get her something with no recoil or muzzle blast to have fun with. Of the 3 choices, I'd build a .222. If I was picking, I'd build her a 243. Or maybe both!

She's shooting an S&W 22 on an ar platform right now to learn the basics. This rifle build will be for when she is ready to move up from that. Thanks for your great advice though

 

[sierracharlie338]

How are you stuck with a 223 bolt face? New bolts are available and used boltsas

I want to keep the action original because it was a hand me down. The barrel was shot out which is why a new one is being put on

 

[Bill28]

Ok I'm looking for some thoughts on a rifle build for my daughter. She is 8 but is needing a lot of instruction with handling and shooting a rifle. I have a 722 action that will be going in a chassis for the time being. Problem I have is caliber selection. It was originally a 222 which I love but the opportunity to go a different route keeps nagging at me, almost to the point of my wife asking me to do chores..... almost. I digress, cartridges I'm looking at are:

222
6x45 - very intrigued
221 fireball - yes I have weird taste

223 is out since I already have one she will get when I die. Will be shooting mostly handloads from the start depending on caliber. Will be a short barrel to run suppressed. Any additional cartridges I should be looking at or considering?

The first person that suggest 300 blackout will be taken off the invite list for the birthday party and that will suck because there will be a piñata, cookies and ice cream cake!! Don't be that guy!!

Thanks
SC

Go with the 224 Valkyrie

 

[RuninL8]

Goodness, whatever you do don't limit yourself because ot the bolt face. It is a simple process to open it up, and install a sako or m16 style extractor. A 6mm CM or 7mm-08 would be my picks. Very versatile cartridges.

 

[Oldtime Shooter13]

If you want to keep the original bolt face, then the Triple Duce is a great inherently accurate cartridge. You can barrel with a faster twist rate and load the larger 22 pills for hunting?

My next choice would be 6X45! Should be a much better overall cartridge when moving up to deer hunting? Much better than 300 Backout!! I know I'm half banned from the conversation! I have never been a fan of 300BO….

 

[Cluck]

6.5 Grendel

 

[JMW67]

If I were going with another action I would think hard about a Zermatt, Myself I would get a 223 bolt head and a 308 bolt head when I ordered it so I could build her a sweet little 222 or similar to learn and play with and with a quick barrel and bolt head swap have her into a larger better hunting caliber with a rifle she already knows and is comfortable shooting keep in mind with the Zermatt actions you will a DBM set up for the 223 to feed which is no big deal just get a 223 mag and 1 for the second barrel. Put it in a good chassis system and she could shoot it through all her growth stages