I'd like around 2200-2400fps for hunting and probably a rifle sighted to be spot-on at 150yards. From what I remember of dodging your deer whilst driving in NH, they weren't too big, I'd limit projectile weight to maybe 120-150gr maximum in 6.5 through to the .30s. Most beginners are set up to practice at 100yards with a centerfire, so I feel 150yards is a good maximum. Recognising 150yards may be the hard part. My thoughts...
Cheers...
Con

I played some with reduced loads and found that when the standard or slightly less bullet weight for the caliber was brought down to about 2200 fps the recoil became very much more pleasent. For example, I shot some reduced loads in my 340 Jaden last week. Standard loads are about slightly less than a 338-06 with 200gr. bullets. I wanted 33Win power so shot the 200gr. fp at 2200fps and couldn't believe how nice the recoil was. I'd give it to my wife to shoot and can't see it bothering her. And this from a guy who can't tell the difference in recoil between a 30-06 and a 270.

I teach hunter safety in both Idaho and Washington and I routinely advise parents to only allow their young shooters to shoot at the distance they can hit a paper plate at from any of the field positions-- noting of course that in many cases prone is not possible due to terrain obstructions etc. This seems to work well because if I give them a set distance, say 100 yards-- many often retort that their kid can hit a pop can at 100 yards (probably not but who wants to argue with a parent--not me) some kids have practiced alot by the time they go hunting and can hit a paper plate at 150-175 yards. This method at least offers them a realistic "test" for their son or daughter...

IV

My son used a 243 Winchester starting a 100 NPT @ 2750 (starting data for IMR4350) for his first whitetail season in 2005. He practiced at 50 and 100 yards all summer and was capable out to 200. He dropped a buck at 63 and a doe at 50 yards with a shot apiece. As for your plan I'd want a 120 gr .264 traveling fast enough to open up quickly so I'd look for 2400-2500 fps. For reduced loads in the .308 bore seems to me 30 WCF performance - 170 @ 2100 or a 150 @ 2300 - is pretty hard to argue with for work inside 150 yards.

I voted for 100 yds.
Regardless of caliber between .257 and .308 these are the bullet weights and associated velocities I would load for youth hunting, keeping in mind that proper bullet construction plays a BIG part.

110 grains****2400 to 2500 fps.

120 grains****2300 to 2400 fps.

130 grains****2200 to 2300 fps.

140 grains****2100 to 2200 fps.

150 grains****2050 to 2150 fps.

I can not see where any heavier bullet adds anything in achieveing an adequate, low recoiling, 100 yard, youth load. Even the 150 grain bullet might start to be questionable as it comes close to 30-30 recoil level.

Powders with burning rates between 4759 and 3031 would seem to be practicle to me.

Partly this is based on two mule deer I killed with 140gr. 6.5 Speer bullets at 2150 fps. One was at 30 feet and the other at 100 yards. Both were one shoot kills with open sights ( no hyper accurate bullet placement). The longer shot passed through and the short shot left the bullet between the skin and the meat on the far side.

One of the biggest factors overlooked OFTEN for a youth rifle is really obtaining a good rifle to kid fit. Often you hear " that's good enough he'll grow into it." Adding a spacer or two every year isn't that hard. roger

Old age is a high price to pay for maturity!!! Some never pay and some pay and never reap the reward. Wisdom comes with age! Sometimes age comes alone..

This was my daughters first year hunting. She's 12 and has done some shooting but not a lot. I worked up a load suggested on the Hodgdon web site for youth loads using 130 hornady bullets and H-4895 powder. It was pleasant to shoot, but I was not satisfied with the accuracy and not too confident in the bullet, so we worked up a load with Hornady 150s. She ended up killing a nice doe at 30 yards. The rifle is a 308 winchester and the load was 41.7 grains H-4895 with a Hornady 150 spire point. Velocity was probably around 2500 fps, and she said that she never noticed the rifle kick.

By the way, we practiced on my foam archery deer target, so she could get an idea of where she should hit the deer, and she could hit it consistently off hand out to 40 yards.

My daughter from my first marriage, when she was 5 years old was shooting my Ruger 77 in .243 Winchester. Load was an 85 grain bullet on top of 40.4 grains of IMR-4350, which gave it a velocity of 3010 FPS. She had no problems.

On the other hand, my step-son from my second marriage, even at 10 years old, 5'5" tall and 165 pounds couldn't handle a 22 rimfire!

There is no "set" load for kids...

Well I'm the lone vote for 200 yards based on the following: I have a son who is 12 years old this last November, he is now eligible for a cow tag here in Colorado so we've been practicing a lot this year, as well as all the practice he's been getting since he started shooting .22's at 4 years old, and .243 since he was 10. I worked up a reduced load for his .284 that is pushing a 130 grain speer at 2300 fps, he is shooting this extremely well and would make short work of a cow in the right circumstances, if everything is not perfect he won't be taking any shots at any range. The question is too wide open because each shooter will handle there first year differently, some good shots and cool heads some not. Some will handle recoil better than others too so for them the loads can be pushed up a bunch. Question is too broad for one definitive answer.

Snellstrom;

It is wide open for a reason...

It will allow me to research some accurate loads for different scenarios... how many prefer what distances will essentially let me prioritize my work load... it is also effective in recommendation of proper bullets to be using...

EG: If using a 30/06 or 308, and a 100 yd limitation, the 170 grain Round Nose or 150 grain round nose for a 30/30 would be a good choice... for 200 yds, it wouldn't be....

IN that case, a 150 or 165 grain Ballistic tip would...I dropped a 650 lb cow elk in Montana once with a 165 grain BTip leaving the muzzle at 2250 fps.. and the cow was at a dead run in front of me at 175 yds...the bullet was put behind the shoulder and it dropped in 40 to 50 yds...

The ballistic tip had penetrated both lungs, and cut the esophagus in half, and destroyed part of the liver as well as turning both lungs into a bowl of spaghetti... the bullet being bulged on the far side of the elk....I don't think aload at 2900 fps would have given me any better performance... in fact I think it would have exited the far side, but would have caused less internal damage.. zipping thru quicker...

I appreciate everyone's thoughts and contributions!

cheers
seafire

Seafire please don't think I was meaning any disrespect about the topic, I was just bracing myself for my defense when people started slamming me for advocating 12 year olds taking pot shots at elk from 200 yards!
I was quite thrilled to work on the reduced loads for my sons rifle and am really impressed with the accuracy they exhibit. He is a little recoil sensitive and the 130 grain bullets at 2300 fps out of the .284 seem to work good for him. This year we have come to a toss up use the .284 with reduced loads or a ultra light .243 with near max loads and 85 gr Barnes x going 3100. In my opinion either will work fine to 200 yards if shots are carefully taken and results should be similar however my boy decided he really wants to use the .284 ( it is a Ruger flatbolt that my dad bought new and all of us boys in the family have taken game with it).
I used a reduced load from the Hodgdons website then worked up to the present load.
Good luck with your Youth hunts!
Snellstrom
(formerly from Crow Oregon)