You can pretty much tweak any cartridge to suit a small framed human. I would look at cartridges that they could grow into. And load them appropriately. I've loaded 308s way down to match 300BO supers. What a nice rifle to get behind.
Rifle build for daughter
- Thread starter sierracharlie338
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I vote 222 rem. Put a 10 twist or faster barrel on it, get yourself some lapua brass and load it with 52 grain hammer hunters and your good to go. I've used these little bullets a lot from coyotes to 250# boars with excellent results
I may be bucking the trend here, but I'm a great proponent of the
Triple Duce. Easy to shoot and easy to load for, and for years, it held about all the records that were worth holding. It's still the fun that sits by my back door and has seen the demise of coyotes and bobcats. For awhile I shot the 221 Fireball in both the XP 100 and then in a rifle when it got too difficult for my aging eyes to use the scoped handgun. I've never owned the 6X so I can't speak to that, but the older stuff isn't necessarily obsolete.
Triple Duce. Easy to shoot and easy to load for, and for years, it held about all the records that were worth holding. It's still the fun that sits by my back door and has seen the demise of coyotes and bobcats. For awhile I shot the 221 Fireball in both the XP 100 and then in a rifle when it got too difficult for my aging eyes to use the scoped handgun. I've never owned the 6X so I can't speak to that, but the older stuff isn't necessarily obsolete.
jjmp
Well-Known Member
My 1st choice is Tripple Duce ,her Second rifle should be What she wants ,all though I will give Very high marks to the 708 & 308 .Great papa you are Cheers and take many pics at range with her !!!.
It looks to me that you are trying to waste a lot of money. Building anything for an 8 year old that has no idea about safe gun handling. I would recommend enrolling her in a Hunter Safety course in your local area, let the professional instructors teach her the proper way to handle a firearm safely and introduce her to all different firearm actions and how to hunt safely. Now come the hard part, Drop her off at the class and drive away. My biggest pet peeve when teaching Hunter Safety is having a parent watching every step taken which only serves to intimidate the child, even worse when the parent tries to butt in. All firearms training needs to start with a .22 rifle. A small single shot .22 like the Savage Rascal Target XP. It's only $329 which will be half the price you will spend on a barrel for your home made rifle. Teach her all about safety and the basics of shooting. Start at 50 feet and work her out to 100 yards shooting until she shoots 1 MOA. Once she masters that it's time for her to move up. Again I would recommend an out of the box firearm in a hunting cartridge. A good hunting gun for her would be again a Savage Axis XP compact in Muddy Girl Camo and in .243. Light recoil, a round that is deadly on deer with relatively inexpensive ammo. It's a good round for hunting out to 200 + Yards, and I know some people that used the .243 for 1000 yard competition where it did surprisingly well, winning matches at that range. As she grows instead of getting her a new rifle, simply buy a new stock if needed. Many women do better with compact rifles due to their more diminutive sizes. I have been teaching Hunter Safety as well as NRA Basic courses since the mid 70's. Start the new shooter out right, let them learn the rights way to shoot in all positions and introduce them into hunting when they are ready, not when you are ready. If done correctly your little girl will enjoy shooting and hunting for the rest of her life.
Great cartridge, but thinking I should try 6-204R next time. I have the 6X45 and 6X47 (aka 6mm-222RM), I love both for different reasons. I just wish my X47 had a faster than 1:12 twist it doesn't like bullets over 70 grains of the boat tail type.
wyomingboy
Member
get her a 22LR. Everything else you've talked about is for you not her. Think about her and what she can handle now.
Get a Ruger 10-22 and a couple thousand rounds of cheap 22LR. She can have fun learning to shoot and it won't cost you a fortune. If she really enjoys shooting and hunting, then build/get her a 243 for deer and varmints.
jd palmer
Well-Known Member
7/08 mild loads light bullets set for 10 or 12 years.
I see 223 is something you say you already have but if I had to start over and had that 722 action with that bolt face, I would seriously consider a 7" twist with a 223. They don't hit game hard but they will shoot heavy bullets into small groups at 100 and they'll shoot reliably out to 1000 if you so desire/ all with small powder charges and low recoil. It's impressive what they will do with an 80 - 88 grain bullet..
sierracharlie338
Well-Known Member
Thank you ma'am for taking the time to respond. While I agree with some of the things that you mentioned, you are assuming a lot about someone you nothing about. As far as wasting money, the only money being spent is a barrel install to replace a shot out barrel. I also previously mentioned she is currently shooting a 22 in an ar platform. She also has a 10/22 with a red dot for later on. While she is not ready for a bolt action rifle yet this is being built now for future use. I already own the chassis that it will be in for the time being as well. As for my background, I teach firearms handling and instruction as a full time job so I'd like to think I have a pretty good feel for starting new shooters out. That being said, I am not too prideful if it got the point that I felt a third party would benefit her then I would absolutely do it.
Some things I agree with that you mentioned, starting them out small and working up from there. There is a very slim chance of recovering someone once they develop a recoil flinch as a habit. Can it be done, yes but man is it a lot of work. She is ready to shoot anything she can out of the deer stand but she is not ready to reach that level yet and I am not letting her. There has to be a safe and adequate base line demonstrated prior to ever pulling the trigger to take a life. The emotions and feelings involved in taking a life are intense and unpredictable when you have never been there before, unless you are a psychopath of course. A person never knows how they will react until they are in that situation despite how they think they will handle it.
I appreciate your response again.
SC
Revolting Peasant
Well-Known Member
I am getting ready to build a rifle for my wife TRex (4'13" with short arms) and my grandkids. I used to run the tracking dogs for the local Texas Youth Hunts program. Have seen lots of wounded deer.
The biggest issue I see with kids is muzzle blast, recoil, and stock fit. The ideal I have seen for kids without extensive shooting experience is setting up their first kill at around 60 yards, not over 100, with a .300BLK and a suppressor. Shoot quality supersonics, with the suppressor it will sound about like a 22 magnum. It s an easy transition from a 22 trainer. You can do the same with 222, 6x47, etc. It's just the 300BLK is a proven recipe for first timers. And we almost always had hogs as an option so 300 worked a little better IMHO. Get rid of the muzzle blast.
The bad part is if they enjoy the shooting part they will outgrow the caliber very quickly. Once they get over the fear of the muzzle blast it's move on up. But they always remember that first gun.
The best part is you gain a hunt partner for life. Double blessed if you get to do it again with grandkids.
Remember it's not about you, it's what's best for the kid.
This sucks cause I really like piñatas, cookies and ice cream cake.
All that being said, the deadliest killer kid I saw at the youth hunts was a tiny Hispanic girl hunting with her grandfather. She had shot a 22lr quite a bit but almost no centerfire practice. Had a 222 bolt gun cut down to fit her. Wore double hearing protection. Listened attentively to our coaching. Kid never missed. Absolute earhole death ray on pigs. Limit on deer. Was giving away pigs to kids who missed.
Have fun!
The biggest issue I see with kids is muzzle blast, recoil, and stock fit. The ideal I have seen for kids without extensive shooting experience is setting up their first kill at around 60 yards, not over 100, with a .300BLK and a suppressor. Shoot quality supersonics, with the suppressor it will sound about like a 22 magnum. It s an easy transition from a 22 trainer. You can do the same with 222, 6x47, etc. It's just the 300BLK is a proven recipe for first timers. And we almost always had hogs as an option so 300 worked a little better IMHO. Get rid of the muzzle blast.
The bad part is if they enjoy the shooting part they will outgrow the caliber very quickly. Once they get over the fear of the muzzle blast it's move on up. But they always remember that first gun.
The best part is you gain a hunt partner for life. Double blessed if you get to do it again with grandkids.
Remember it's not about you, it's what's best for the kid.
This sucks cause I really like piñatas, cookies and ice cream cake.
All that being said, the deadliest killer kid I saw at the youth hunts was a tiny Hispanic girl hunting with her grandfather. She had shot a 22lr quite a bit but almost no centerfire practice. Had a 222 bolt gun cut down to fit her. Wore double hearing protection. Listened attentively to our coaching. Kid never missed. Absolute earhole death ray on pigs. Limit on deer. Was giving away pigs to kids who missed.
Have fun!
BHP9
Well-Known Member
Why not just leave it as a .222? Great cartridge and accurate.
This is the one caliber rifle that I regret selling.
This is the one caliber rifle that I regret selling.
