Good choice with the 30-06. IT is a great calibler. That is what I killed my first deer with a Remington 7600 Game Master pump 30-06.

 

it's often best to use what you have... as long as the Remington CR ammo is light enough to keep him from flinching with it... a light little Ruger M77 ( or similar ) in 243 or 7mm-08 would be good choices IMO...

 

I was going to suggest a 38-55 but then I read you would prefer not to have a lever gun. If you can find a bolt gun chambered for the 38-55 it is a really good cartridge for kids to learn on. It uses a heavy bullet at slower speeds so the recoil is more of a push than a sharper kick. My daughter has been using mine since she was 14 and really likes it. She tried my 30-30 but she didn't like the sharp kick.

Just for information, most of the new lever guns have a cross bolt safety. When letting the hammer down, engage the safety first. It will block the hammer from reaching the firing pin.

 

When I was 12 my Dad started me out on a .243, and it was perfect. Now I'm 14 and my Dad just got a brand new .300, so he's handing down his .270 to me. With the muzzle break on it, the .270 seems to kick just as much as the .243

OneWolf

 

DevoMR,

My son is about the same size. I would probably go with a .243 on a small rifle. I have an H&R ultra single shot rifle in .223rem and my son handles it just fine. The .243 is probably a better choice for a deer rifle and shouldn't kick that much harder. A .410 or 20ga shotgun barrel loaded with a rifled slug might also make a good second choice, although it would probably recoil a bit more. I have a Remington 870 in 20ga for my son when his time comes, but he can't hunt deer with a firearm in Michigan for another couple of years.

The most important thing is getting out there.

Good luck and hunt safely.

Best Regards,
SP

 

I like training young kids in hunting and safety,so when my friend asked me to take his son hunting(he is also 12) I told them to buy him a NEw England arms single shot rifle in 243 cal. I took him to the local range and schooled him in shooting the 243......Our first trip,he spotted a doe close on our stand,and he shot and missed....about 50 yds away....he cried ..... I told him not to look back and think about his next shot,take his time......Next morning we took a stand in some woods with a long road to our back...he soon spotted a cow horn at about 150 yds, I calmed him down as much as I could,and let him take time as the young buck fed closer and closer,I whispered to him to shoot the buck in the base of the neck....."Boom"........ the buck crashed like a sack of potatoes falling out the bed of a pick up!!!! All this with out a scope,clean shot kill.....cheap first gun,and safety first.....teach your young kids to shoot without a scope,it will make them a better shot in the long term!!....... BTW the buck was 125 steps......

 

pwillie I applaud you for taking someone elses child to go hunting! I took my 11 yr old out hunting and just this past saturday(this is his 3rd year for hunting) he harvested a spike buck with his own Rem 700 Youth chambered .243. Excellent caliber for him. He loves the outdoors and shooting sports. He doesnt know it yet, but his mother and I bought him another .22 for Christmas this year! I encourage all parents to pursue outdoor activities with their kids to keep them off the streets and out of the house(tv and video games).

 

well to be technical. yes the .50 cal does kick the same as a .243 does, when equipped with a muzzle break. so you could use that if ur rich. on the more practical side. i started out with a .243 also. it was one hell of an accurate gun. id recommend it also. however. if ur not the most skilled of a shooter. a shot that would kill the deer with a larger rifle, wont kill it with a .243. but u can always make him better through practice. now i got a .300 win mag. for ur son tho. id recommend the .243. .243 wssm. 25 wssm or even the .257 roberts. they all would be good deer guns.

 

I like the 243 for a youngster. but I woould go witha 7mm.08 if you can find a small one. My 10 year old son can handle this and he is a little guy. He does not complain of the kick and even for me I dont even notice it. Good luck and remember practice alot and take your time with him.

 

I have a 243 and don't think it is the best choice for most people. Not enough mass to punch through a deer & leave an exit wound. I have known a few who shoot deer in the head and the neck & it's lights out. I have shot several deer with it classic lung shot & they dropped close to the spot they were shot. In the last few years I am seein more deer shot with 243s that don't exit always seems to happen right before nightfall & I end up helping someone track a wounded deer at night with little blood trail. If I had a young son I would look at the 260 remington the 257 roberts and if I hand loaded which I do the 7-08. The 30 cal russian round would work well also 7.62x39 make sure you are useing soft points not FMJ bullets. The new 6.8 spc round looks promising as well. The only problem with any of these is ammo availability. almost everyone sells 243 the rest might require a good sporting goods store.