Rifle for new hunter

[spawndn72]

My kids are getting old enough to go hunting with me so I am looking for an inexpensive .243 to buy.
Looking at the current crop of inexpensive rifles such as the Savage Axis II, Ruger American, etc.

The rifle would be used in Middle TN. So long shots are very rare. Just need something that is easy to shoot and will take down a whitetail deer.

Anyone have any opinions?

 

[jmr40]

243 is the caliber I'd pick. I like the Ruger American best and recommend them. If you can find one of the Predator versions then that is even better. They have a medium weight target barrel and are proving to be tack drivers. But still not too heavy like a full blown bull barrel. The Predator is 6.6 lbs vs 6.2 lbs for the standard rifle. Both are still light.

Depending on the age you might need to go with the compact. It has a shorter 18" barrel and shorter stock. You can buy a full size stock for when they grow for about $85. I bought one of the compacts in 223 and added the longer stock. My grandkids shoot it in the shorter stock, I use the full size stock. I also have a Predator in 308.

http://ruger.com/products/americanRifle/overview.html

 

[Olympus]

I would definitely pick the Ruger American in 243. They also have a compact model that might fit a smaller frame shooter better.

 

[LoonWulf]

I have the ruger in 300aac, and i like it. The compact with the short stock might be just the ticket. Ive been slowly colleting guns that can be "family" guns when my kids are old enough to shoot, and thats probably one of the first they will use.
My wife has a savage 11 in .243 that weighs about 7lbs scoped, its got a full size stock but it shoots really well. If given a choice between the 10/11 and the RA id probably take the savage. If its Axis vs RA I much prefer the feel of the RA.

 

[bannockburn]

Another vote in favor of the Ruger American Compact in .243.

 

[J-Bar]

No argument with the .243 from me.

But I had to see a kid saddled with a cheap gun that may malfunction or have a bad trigger, etc. Why not give the child a gift that could be used for a lifetime? Maybe a Thompson Center Encore which would allow caliber changes later on, and the single shot for safety and shot placement discipline. I would rather give a child a fine used rifle than an inexpensive new one. Just hoping to expand your thinking.

By the way, I'm jealous. I could never get my kids interested in hunting. So congratulations and be proud that you are training them right!

 

[Sunray]

A .243 or any of the other .24, .25 or .26 calibres. Issue is that you probably need a Youth model and not just an Axis/American. Lot depends on the size of the kid. LOP has to be right or fixable in both directions.
No such thing as a specific Youth model from Ruger. Although the 6 pound Compact has a 12.5" LOP with an 18" barrel. That doesn't make it a Youth(or new hunter) rifle though. The combination of light weight and short barrel, even with a .243, can put a new shooter off.
Savage doesn't publish the LOP for the Axis rifles, but there are Youth models. Weight's a bit more too. Not much though.

 

[CaliCoastie]

I'd go used, I've got one I'm working on for mt my kids hopefully. Ruger m77 in 250 savage. With scope(leupold), for under 400.

 

[jeepnik]

The .243 win is a great first center fire. Our family has one that has been being handed around for decades. A few of us had to learn how to use a right handed rifle left handed, but most haven't had that problem. The current custodian in my cousins youngest. He's past the age of those who generally use it, but we have a couple coming of age pretty soon. Along the way the scope has changed a few times, and the sling too. But for the most part it's just been well taken care of and has quite a few generations ahead of it.

 

[Dr T]

Just a thought a bit outside the box.

The Ruger American is a nice rifle, but I really dislike the standard stocks. They seem a bit flimsy to me (I have replaced the one on my 22-250 with a Boyd).

Another, but more expensive alternative that would last a lifetime: A Howa 1500 Compact in 6.5 Creedmoor. We are finding that the 6.5 CM seems to kick a bit less than a 257 Roberts. It also has the advantage of bullets that tend to be a bit better than the 6 mm bullets used in a 243.

The Ruger American is a good choice, but the Howa is very, very nice.

 

[LoonWulf]

Only down side to the Howa, atleast the 6.5 creedmoor Lightning I have, is that its kinda heavy. Most of the weights in the stock tho, so the compact maybe much lighter. I just shot mine today, and it shot really well considering my poorly set up bench.

Just looked up the weight 7.0 with the short stock and barrel. My Lightning is 7.8, actually weighed it. With that added weight tho, my guns a real pleasure to shoot.

 

[slowr1der]

I think your caliber choice is great. My main deer rifle is a 243 and I love it. I've tried several other calibers, but always go back to the 243 even as an adult.

As for the gun, honestly, if it was me I'd spend the extra on a Savage Model 10. Or possibly a 700adl although I prefer the Savage which you can get for $389 at Walmart with the accutrigger. I've seen synthetic stocked ADL's for around $400 as well. The quality difference between either of those and the guns in the $300 range like the Axis, American, 783, etc. is huge. If I absolutely had to go with something cheaper it would be the American, but I just don't think it's that great of a deal since the Model 10's have come back down in price.

 

[Hanzo581]

I'd go with a Savage Axis II XP. .243 is an excellent choice of caliber in this case.

 

[spawndn72]

After reading all your suggestions, I think I have decided to go with the Howa 2n1 in .243.
But I also think I am going to wait a little while before buying one. I have an AK-47 that they can use in the mean time to make sure this is something either of them really want to do.

 

[ford8nr]

All the suggestions are great choices, I'd go with the Howa or Ruger personally.
IMAO an AK is a terrible choice in both Rifle and caliber for a new hunter.

 

[spawndn72]

Could you elaborate on why you think the AK is a terrible choice?
Both kids shoot it well and the ballistics on the 7.62x39 round look to be plenty for white tail deer within 100 yards. Shots greater than that are very rare around here.
Winchester super X ammo at 100 yards is traveling at 2033 fps and has 1129ft/lbs of energy. That is right around the 150 yard ballistics of the 30-30 and no one has a problem with 30-30 at 150 yards.

 

[mgmorden]

They are a discontinued model, but CDNN still has the Marlin XS-7 rifles in .243 Win for $280. Though I think just about any of the "budget" rifles out today will do just fine for deer hunting, the XS-7 does seem to be a bit more "featureful" compared to the others (the stock is better, the finish is an actual blued finish instead of a spray on, fluted bolt, etc). Also this is completely subjective but I like blind mag guns better than detachable mags. To me in a bolt gun a detachable mag is just another thing to potentially get lost. They had them for $250 about a year ago but now at $280 they're still a good deal.

You'll probably be just as satisfied with a Savage Axis or Ruger American if you go that route though (I've been itching for a 6.5 Creedmoor and both of those are on my short list for that). I'd consider both of those a slight notch above the Mossberg rifles and that one still a notch above Remington (for budget rifles - nothing wrong with the actual 700 series).

 

[Bbear]

I didn't see this one as a choice - AR in 243. Collapsible stock and you could single load. My 6 yo grandson has taken half a dozen deer so far with his. If you're in a ground or box blind, set it up with a Caldwell field pod to hold the weight. For any of the rifles mention, the field pod would make a good addition until the youngster is big enough to handle the weight on their own.

 

[viking499]

Between the two that you listed, I would pick the Ruger. .243 is a great caliber to start youth out on.

 

[ford8nr]

I should have qualified my response.
Caliber wise the AK isn't a 'bad' choice with the proper ammo.
The rifle design while battle proven just hasn't been accurate in the samples I've shot. Minute of deer, but I don't feel that's the right choice for a new hunter. All my kids started with my .308 shooting reduced loads till season, then both wanted full loads for hunting. My rifle is a M77 Ruger. I could have put them in a budget, beater or mil surplus rifle but if I wouldn't hunt with it I wouldn't ask them to.
As action type, I personally don't thing a short, semi-auto rifle is the best gun in the hands of a new hunter.
But that's just me

 

[T.R.]

Ruger American or Mossberg Patriot.

TR

 

[Arkansas Paul]

I was in the same boat and wanted a rifle for my wife and daughter to use for deer.

I bought used myself. I found a tang safety Ruger M77 in .243 for a very reasonable price. I believe it was something like $325 or $350 with a crappy scope on it.
Off went the Bushnell Sportview and on went a Leupold VX1 that I also picked up used for $100.

For about $450 we have a very nice setup. I've killed a deer or two myself with it.

So don't discount used options. I would much rather have a used Ruger M77 than a new Ruger American. Just my opinion. Yours may vary.

 

[spawndn72]

Trying to find any used rifles much less exactly the one you want here in middle TN seems to be about impossible.

 

[LoonWulf]

Gun broker is a good source when your looking for a specific used (or new) firearm. Dont know what transfers look like in TN, but here i pay 20+ shipping....shippings the killer for me.