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Deer rifle for slight 15 year old girl

Posted on 7/20/18 at 8:39 am
Posted by olgoi khorkhoi
priapism survivor
Member since May 2011
14831 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 8:39 am
My daughter is dying for a deer rifle and has a birthday coming up. She really wants a .243, but I think it’s underpowered and would rather get her a 6.5 creedmoor or similar caliber that she wouldn’t need to upgrade.

She’s 5’5 ish and about 100 lbs, but country and fairly tough. What do your daughters shoot?
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
66763 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 8:41 am to
quote:

I think its underpowered


It is.

I always suggest a remington 700 with a stock that fits the kid very well in 7mm-08. She'll never have to get another rifle unless she wants to.
Posted by tenfoe
Member since Jun 2011
6839 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 8:43 am to
My girls are smaller than yours and they shoot a 7mm-08 and stack deer up like cord wood
Posted by Slickback
Deer Stand
Member since Mar 2008
27678 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 8:43 am to
Just bought a Ruger American Compact 7mm-08 for my 6 year old son. Will shoot reduced recoil ammo for a while, but it’s a gun he’ll be able to use forever If he chooses.
Posted by jbgleason
Bailed out of BTR to God's Country
Member since Mar 2012
18893 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 8:50 am to
This is the correct answer. 7mm-08 with Reduced Recoil ammo for training and full loads for hunting.
Posted by tigerfoot
Alexandria
Member since Sep 2006
56191 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 8:56 am to
nothing wrong with the .243.

I am a big guy and really enjoy shooting my sons Compact Ruger American. I hunt with it in the box stand and it is so easy to use in there.
Posted by Boat Motor Bandit
Member since Jun 2016
1891 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:04 am to
Both Daughters have hunted since they were 9 and 10. Both have shot a .270 since day one. Don't over think it. They both shoot a scoped .22 or a .22 magnum for practice and I let them each shoot the .270 once for confidence before season. They have never mentioned anymore than the gun is just loud.
Posted by 007mag
Death Valley, Sec. 408
Member since Dec 2011
3873 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:05 am to
quote:

.243, but I think it’s underpowered .....
She’s 5’5 ish and about 100 lbs, but country and fairly tough.


Mini-mag, my 6'-2'' 160 lb son, has stacked deer up with his .243 and is taking it to Wyoming for antelope this fall in case he can't get a goat in bow range. He doesn't feel underpowered.
Posted by tigerfoot
Alexandria
Member since Sep 2006
56191 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:06 am to
Yeah, I got my sons in 7mm08 and took him to the range when he was 7. He never stopped smiling. I put him on the .22 for about 100 rounds.

A 7 yo is a hell of a lot steadier than a 46 year old!

He killed one deer with it at 7 and 2 hogs and 1 deer last year. All good shots, hope he continues his good shooting.
This post was edited on 7/20/18 at 9:08 am
Posted by Bigpoppat
Drinking a Manhattan
Member since Oct 2008
9212 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:09 am to
.243 is fine. But a .270 won't have much more kick
Posted by tiger rag 93
KCMO
Member since Oct 2007
2566 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:24 am to
.243 is perfectly fine for deer hunting. I still use a .243 because I haven't wanted something bigger enough to drop the cash and my .243 700 does the job just fine.
Posted by Cowboyfan89
Member since Sep 2015
12701 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:32 am to
quote:

but I think it’s underpowered

Well, you're wrong so...

ETA: If you shoot a deer in the right spot, the .243 is perfectly fine. People think you have to have a bigger gun for knockdown power, but the fact is, a deer can run off from a bad shot with any gun.
This post was edited on 7/20/18 at 9:34 am
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
66763 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:39 am to
This is my favorite OB subject.

I've tracked more .243 shot deer than I can count. Pretty often they are excellent shots that dont exit. frick a .243
Posted by tenfoe
Member since Jun 2011
6839 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:39 am to
quote:

but the fact is, a deer can run off from a bad shot with any gun.


And kids make more bad shots than adults, therefore a bigger piece of lead making a bigger hole is better if they can handle the gun.

Posted by Tigerhead
Member since Aug 2004
1176 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 9:54 am to
You can't go wrong with the 7mm-08, but anyone who says a .243 is underpowered for whitetail deer is just wrong. I have a BIL whose family has owned a ranch in south Texas brush country since the 1800's. He's in his 70's now, and has killed more deer than most people will even see in a lifetime of hunting. All of the deer he has killed in the last 50 years (that's how long he's been married to my sister) have been killed with a .243. I asked him once if he had lost many. He told me, "I can recall two, but when you've shot as many deer as I have, you're going to lose a deer one day." He also told me his brother has always shot a .270 and he's lost some also.

I don't know where you hunt, but 6.5 Creedmoor ammo can be hard to find if you forget yours at home and have to hit a small town Walmart or worse.
Posted by AP83
Cottonport
Member since Sep 2009
2709 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 10:09 am to
my daughter is 10 and very skinny and has been shooting a ruger american compact .308 with regular 150 grain winchester power point bullets for 2 years now with no issues. Just let her practice plinking with a .22 and get her used to finding things in the scope with the .22. Put the deer rifle in her hands come deer season and she wont even notice the kick when she shoots at a deer. My daughter has killed 4 deer and about a dozen hogs with the .308 and never ever mentioned it kicked or hurt to shoot. I started her with a .243 and never again. People believe a .243 is good bc it has low recoil which is true but imo it is a better gun for an adult who is more skilled in shot placement than a kid bc it doesnt leave a kid much room for error. Something like a .308 gives a kid a little more room for error and leaves better blood trails and I know kids need to practice and if they do a .243 is fine blah blah blah but in reality when a buck walks out in front of a child they get nervous and often make imperfect shots and i much rather a cartridge that is more forgiving than a .243.
This post was edited on 7/20/18 at 10:15 am
Posted by PillageUrVillage
Mordor
Member since Mar 2011
14725 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 10:09 am to
My first rifle was a .243.
Papa gave daddy and daddy gave to me.
And they taught me how to shoot with a steady hand.
Posted by Tigerhead
Member since Aug 2004
1176 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 10:12 am to
quote:

I've tracked more .243 shot deer than I can count. Pretty often they are excellent shots that dont exit. frick a .243


Not doubting you, although "more than I can count" seems like a bit of an exaggeration. I will say that the bullet can make a huge difference. For instance, IMO an 80 grain ballistic tip at 3300 fps has a very low chance of exiting a big buck that was shot square in the shoulder. But I've seen the same ammo blow a hole the size of your fist when exiting a smaller deer. The BIL I mentioned in my post shoots 100 grain Remington Core Lokt and gets good exits on some really nice south Texas bucks.
Posted by Tridentds
Sugar Land
Member since Aug 2011
20331 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 10:19 am to
.243 is just fine and is not underpowered for deer. She will learn better shooting habits with it. Will really enjoy shooting it at the range.
Posted by DownshiftAndFloorIt
Here
Member since Jan 2011
66763 posts
Posted on 7/20/18 at 10:21 am to
Really cant recall how many it's been. The dog is 9 years old now.

Itll get the job done for sure and an experienced shooter will do fine with it. I dont like seeing a kid use it. A 7mm-08 or one of the 6.5's gives a much wider margin for error with negligible increase in recoil.
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