re: 6.5 year old first rifle

I bought my kids a Ruger American Compact All-weather in 7mm-08 a couple of years ago. My daughter was 8 at the time and was barely 50 lbs. She shot it just fine and didn't complain about the kick.

I went with the Ruger because the trigger pull length was the shortest on the market at the time I looked. It was a full inch shorter than the Savage combo deal.

My daughter killed her first deer with it last year and after she got it broken in I found myself hunting with this gun a few times. I have been bow only for the last 10 years but I ended up killing 2 deer with this little gun last year. I'm hoping my 7 year old son can get his first deer with it this year.

The kids are shooting Hornady Lite 120gr SST Low Recoil and I am shooting Remington Core-Lokt 140gr PSP. Both bullets group well and I haven't noticed a difference out to 100 yds

243 and 7mm08 has essentially the same felt recoil

243=90-100 grain boolit

7mm08=140 grain boolit

It makes a big difference I MO

If your kid hits too far high or back the 7mm08 gives you a better chance to recover the deer.

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I bought my kids a Ruger American Compact All-weather in 7mm-08 a couple of years ago. My daughter was 8 at the time and was barely 50 lbs. She shot it just fine and didn't complain about the kick. I went with the Ruger because the trigger pull length was the shortest on the market at the time I looked. It was a full inch shorter than the Savage combo deal.

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I got the same one, it fit my 7 year old pretty well, plenty of eye relief and can get cheek firmly down on stock. My 7 year old is a pretty good size fella.

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Lakefront Tiger, you have no idea what you're talking about.

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Talking about beginner shooter/kids, obviously not seasoned hunters. They certainly can kill deer with .243
Just saying there's fewer deer running off from a 7mm-08 than a .243 that is not a drop shot.

And experience, so I do know.

They are both off of the .308 case one shoots 6mm bullets the other 7mm. 7mm-08 give the option of heavier bullets but will have a bit more recoil and less velocity so it won't be as flat shooting but is arguably the more versatile gun. Never had much to complain about with my .243 and it was my first deer rifle given to me for my 11th birthday. Killed probably 7 or 8 deer with it. The muzzle blast bothers most kids more that the actual recoil.

I bought a TC encore when my daughter was about that age. I got it with a .17 barrel and a 7mm-08 Bergara barrel with muzzle break from Mike Belmn. I also got a wooden "bantam" stock that I cut about an inch off of. She got used to shooting the gun with the .17 barrel. When she was ready to deer hunt I put the 7mm-08 Barrel on. She is 5 for 5 on deer so far. When she gets a little bigger I plan to put original stock back on gun. The muzzle break probably wasn't necessary but it has zero recoil. Loud as a mofo but no kick at all.