.243 or .308

[Tightline]

Looking at youth rifles for 10 yr old grandson. Is the .308 gonna kick too much? Is the .243 really enough gun?

[LJ3]

I've killed a few deer with a .243 and it makes a pretty impressive hole. Hit 'em in the boiler room and it can take the heart and lungs with one shot.

[Niner]

Just those two? You don't reload, If I remember correctly. What kind of rifle (weight wise)? I know that Artie on here has an M70 in 243 and likes it.......and his lad killed one with it this past season.

[Niner]

The reason I asked if JUST those two cals are the choice is that I bought my wife a Remington SPS Youth model in 7mm-08 a few years aago, and she loves it.

[Chicken Dinner]

Every kid is different, but I'd hate to start a young shooter/hunter off with too much gun. I've always heard it can create issues like flinching. I started my boys off with a Savage model 11 youth model chambered in .243. I've been impressed with both the rifle and the results. (So impressed that I think my next rifle may be a .243.) It shot < 1" groups right out of the box and kills dear dead. IMO, the .243 is plenty of gun for Eastern Whitetails.

This deer had an exit wound you could put your fist through.

[Fido]

I witnessed about 3 mule deer and the same number of speed goats taken with my good Buds 243! All hits were in the boiler room and the tissue damage was devastating! The bullet fragmented and in the antelope came out in a couple pieces! The muleys lungs were turned to jello! These kills were out too 200yds.

[Niner]

Sorry CD.....for some reason I was thinking your lad's rifle was a .308. MY BAD!!!

[Tightline]

A friend started his 11 yr old with 20 gauge youth single shot loaded with a 3" high brass slug. It didn't go well.

[BaseballCoach (Rev A)]

When I was 12 my dad borrowed a 12 GA single shotgun from our neighbor for me to hunt with. I prayed every day to not see any deer, that damn thing hurt to shoot. The neighbor died last year and his daughters have the gun now. I think I'll try to buy it just for the memories.

[Buckrub]

.243

[HideHunter]

I'm a great fan of the .243 and, strangely, I've never owned one.. I always had a .22-250 and couldn't justify the "over-lap". Anyway, several friends do and I've seen a number of them in use. They are more than enough gun for deer. One of the best shots of my hunting career was made with a borrowed gun on an antelope and a looooong ways. Folded him up like a cheap TV tray.

[Bwana]

Good on you to think about recoil as it can makes for some truly bad habits or worse make a kid not want to shoot anymore.

Both are good choices but like Niner I'm in love with the 7-08 which can be used on bigger critters if that is in the shooters future or simply loaded with a 120 gr bullet for an even lighter recoil.

That being said the .243 is probably easier to buy ammo for & will definitely do the trick.

Though bigger, & like the 7-08 million able to be used on larger game if so desired, I think Remington makes a reduced velocity round that is supposed to be for smaller shooters.

Advice worth every penny you paid for it.