What centerfire for 8 year old

[corvette8n]

My 8yo grandson is going whiteail hunting with his Dad this fall, and since I bought my grandson his first rimfire, I thought I should also supply his first ceterfire.( I think it is an unwritten rule somewhere)
He is a big boy for 8, about the size of the average 10yo.
I also am trying to put together a TX pig hunt next year fot the two of us.
What suggestions do you have for caliber/gun.
He is shooting pretty good groups open sighted in rimfire.

[Scrounger]

Of course as a reloader you can take any caliber and download it to make it suitable for his present needs. If you're not a reloader, I'd recommend a .357 Magnum, in a Handi-Rifle, Contender Carbine, or even an 1894C Marlin if you can afford it. The Marlin will be a gun he can hunt with, shoot competition, or just have fun with, not just now but for his whole life. That is also true of the other suggested guns, the Handi-Rifle and Contender. You can also build on those guns, adding barrels and calibers as the "need" arises, all the way from .22 Hornet to .500 Smith and Wesson. You can't go wrong with either of the three. Or all three.

[Sundogg1911]

my Nephew started with an H&R Handi-Rifle single shot in .243
That was about perfect for Him at that age.

[AZ-Stew]

Lots of kids shot their first whitetail with a 30-30. Plenty of power for reasonable hunting ranges and not too much recoil.

Whatever you get, MAKE SURE THE STOCK FITS HIM. Just saying he's the size of the average 10 year old doesn't mean he can properly mount an adult-size rifle. If the stock doesn't fit, perceived recoil will increase and it will be very difficult for him to properly use the sights. Don't be afraid to buy an inexpensive rifle and cut the stock down to where he doesn't have to strain or stretch to get the butt in his shoulder pocket and his cheek on the stock comb.

Good hunting!

Regards,

Stew

[jballs918]

i would say a 243 or 270. the 243 seens to be a nice all round round for this purpose

[BD]

6.5 x 55 I never met a kid that didn't enjoy shooting it, and it will do anything commonly required in the lower 48.
BD

[redneckdan]

.30-30 in a lever or .243 in a bolt gun.

[Uncle Grinch]

I got one of my great-nephews a Howa 6.5x55 and load his hunting loads up a little lighter for him. Cast boolits are great for hunting and practice, but mt great-nephew likes j-bullets better.
His older brother (age 15) shoots my old 6.5x55 Turk that E.R. Shaw did for me.

Stew is right on with his comment on fit. Make sure the stock is short enough and you can even have the barrel shortened a little too.

[RugerFan]

The SKS comes with a very short stock and 7.62x39 has a rather mild recoil.

[carpetman]

Corvette8n---You mentioned Texas for the pig hunt,but you didnt say which state for the whitetail hunt. So I dont know what restrictions might apply. When my grandson was that age,his absolute favorite was my 600 Rem in .222. The small carbine fit him. He got a deer with it too. For even a big 8 year old,I'd say .243 would be pushing the max. If .22 centerfires legal your state,that's where I'd go. A lot of folks will tell you that's not enough gun. I'm lucky,the deer in my area are not hooked up to the internet to know that,so when a hole is poked in the right place with one,the fun is over and the work begins. I was also told 150 grain bullets in my 30-06 were not heavy enough for moose. Funny thing was,some telling me this were using 130 grainers in .270's and that was plenty.

[rmb721]

My seven year old grandson uses a Remington Model 7 with a youth stock in a .260 w/120 grain Nosler Ballistic Tips. He is a good sized kid.(85 lbs.)

[VTDW]

My granddaughter is 11 years old. Last year I picked up a nice little NEF Handi-Rifle Youth Model with composite stock. She is small and last year had trouble reaching the trigger while shouldering and looking thru the scope. She shoots it quite well this year and doesn't have a clue that I have loaded it down while she is still learning and getting used to the noise. She should be going hawg hunting with me this summer.

Dave

[357maximum]

35 remington marlin 336 newer model is what I bought my nephew when he was 9....can handload it from 38 special on up, and it will serve him his whole life for whitetails and pigs...stocks are available already bobbed on ebay from time to time or bob one yourself....used marlins until quite recently were waaay cheap around here... the venerable 30/30 would do just as well with proper loading..

[Johnch]

I let my 9 year old nefue shoot a Rem Model 7 in 308
I installed a shortened youth stock

I load loads about 30/30 levels

He shoots sub 2" at 100 off the bipod
It is a sub 1" rifle , but all the reduced loads group a little bigger
He has only shot ground hogs and paper so far

I hope to get him out deer hunting this fall

John

[DLCTEX]

My grandson started with a Handi youth rifle in 243. My sons started with my 22-250, legal in Texas, and had more one shot kills than my 243 ever did. Dale

[fatnhappy]

My vote FWIW is the 7-08. Download it with the 120 and 130 full patch gas checks that are designed for hand rifles. I have a model 7 I intend to stick a youth stock on for my son.

[JudgeBAC]

I vote for .308 or 7mm-08 in an appropriately fitting youth stock and with reduced handloads or if you do not handload the reduced recoil loads made by most major manufacturers.

[1Shirt]

T'aint all the factor of the ctg as it is the matter of fit of the rifle so that the youngin isn't going to develop a case of the flinches from recoil. Any of the ctgs listed will do particularly with the right load. (See Hornady reduced recoil loads for kids-it is excellent). My grand daughter took her first whitetail with a 308 with a short stock and an attached bipod. Clean kill at 50 yds. Her father worked with her and that combination all summer getting her ready for deer season, and that is another key element: make sure that the kid has enough practice. Now 13 and 14 for this coming years deer season, I just gave her a 700Rem in 300 Sav. which is one not mentioned but is a great starter ctg for a kid with lots of reload potential for recoil minimization.
1Shirt!