My son used a single shot Handi rifle in .223 with 45 grain Barnes TSX for these 2 one shot kills, these were from last August when he was 8 years old.
More important than caliber is rifle fit. If the kid cant lift it hold it aim it then the calibers matters not. Shots that kids will be allowed to take are within their abilities and if they can't hit the vitals dad doesn't let them shoot period and any centerfire bullet thru the vitals is a kill no matter what some say.
Here's my happy kid with his first 2 animals.
Both shots were pass throughs so no recovered bullets and both animals were down in seconds.
I think he looks happy with the results!
He has also been shooting a cut down and downloaded 6.5x55 for a couple years but it is still too cumbersome/heavy for him to handle in the field yet. When he is about 11 or 12 the Swede will work for him but he needs to get some size on him.

Here's a couple pictures of my first sons first couple animals.
He was 12 just about 13 when he got the Buck and just turned 13 when he got the Bull. He was big enough by then to handle the rifle okay but the recoil still bothered him during practice so both were shot with a mild loaded 130 grain bullet in his .284 Win. Deer was dropped on the spot and the Bull needed a follow up but another happy kid. The year before (11 years old) he could barely handle a downloaded .243.
If you start them slow they will grow into it and you'll be having a great time right along with them, if you make it painful on them then you'll be hunting by yourself!

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:
More important than caliber is rifle fit. If the kid cant lift it hold it aim it then the calibers matters not.

Shots that kids will be allowed to take are within their abilities and if they can't hit the vitals dad doesn't let them shoot period and any centerfire bullet thru the vitals is a kill no matter what some say.

100% spot on with everything you've written here!

Snellstrom--CCMDoc saying you are 100% spot on is well it is 100% spot on. Pictures to prove it--great pictures too--I can tell you been there done that and I agree with all your comments. I was lucky to go through the things you mentioned with my grandson. Start em slow and not too much recoil. He used .22 centerfires until age 11 then .243. The .22's were working for him, he moved to .243 because that's what his dad and I were carrying. At 16 I gave him a .308. I also gave him a .222 and he uses it some now. Great pictures and great post.

I have been through 3 Grandsons and their rifles. You will have to make some compromises. No muzzle brakes as the noise hurts more than the recoil. It needs to be no heavier than they can easily handle, and the right LOP. My first one was a Mod 7 in 6BR with a 10 twist barrel to handle the 95grh Partition bullets, and a Brown Precision stock. The next was about the same but in 30BR with a 15 twist barrel for the 125grn. Ballistic tips. The last one,so far, is about the same but in 6X47Lapua. I forgot! I also built a 270X39AI[270PPC] on a mini mauser. Very accurate rifle. None of these weighed very much but because of the rounds chosen, recoil was virtually non existent.

Nice thread!

Don't let the girls fool you, if they've been shooting .22s, let them shoot your .223 off of the bench a little, I'd they like it, let them shoot it a bunch. If they can handle that, let them try a .243. I took my girlfriend and her brother's girlfriend shooting for the first time this winter for the first time and they thought my .223 (a CZ) was a lot of fun to shoot. When I pulled out my .243 neither of them had a hard time with it. I believe everyone is correct in that you need a rifle that is light enough for them to hold while they are shooting, but try to stay away from guns with short barrels. My dad started my brother and I with a Remington Model 7 in 7mm-08, and after shooting it now, I think wow, that little gun has some muzzleblast to it (when I started deer hunting, though, I think I would've kept shooting until I bled, though! I would've done whatever Dad told me I needed to do go with him!). Remington has started making their Model 700 ADL again, and I think they even make it in a youth version. That's what my girlfriend bought me for Christmas, in .243, and it's a little tack driver. Mine's the full size version, which may be a little heavy for a small girl, but check and see if they do have a youth version (Cabelas and Gander Mountain are carrying the ADLs), it may be just the ticket for your little girls. Good luck, I hope they really get into it and you have some lifetime hunting buddies there!

Low recoil is good because it allows you to go to a lighter gun without raising felt recoil to unacceptable levels. But, I like a little more gun than a .223. I'd go .243, 7mm08, .260, or 6.5x55. An inexperienced hunter will probably botch a shot eventually and a little more gun will give more margin for error and reduce the chance of a long track of a painfully wounded animal. Such an experience can be hard on a young hunter's morale. Don't forget good ear protection. The new gun will make a lot noise than a .22 and the noise can contribute as much to flinch as the recoil. I also like the idea of a good used gun with a stock that fits comfortably. You'll save some money up front and if the girls don't like it, or when they out-grow it or want more gun it will be less painful to choose something else.

I'm getting my boys an AR-15 in 6.8 SPC with a collapsible stock. Nothing fits their short arms as well and the 6.8 has plenty of gumption for deer without much recoil.

quote:

Originally posted by BECoole:
I'm getting my boys an AR-15 in 6.8 SPC with a collapsible stock. Nothing fits their short arms as well and the 6.8 has plenty of gumption for deer without much recoil.

This sounds like a good idea as long as they are strong enough to hold it up while shooting it otherwise get a bipod on it.

quote:

Originally posted by Snellstrom:

quote:

Originally posted by BECoole:
I'm getting my boys an AR-15 in 6.8 SPC with a collapsible stock. Nothing fits their short arms as well and the 6.8 has plenty of gumption for deer without much recoil.

This sounds like a good idea as long as they are strong enough to hold it up while shooting it otherwise get a bipod on it.

I've got some grandkids coming up into school age. When will they likely be strong enough for a Ruger Compact (35.5 inches, 6 lbs., 6.8lb with scope, 12.5" length of pull)? 7, 8, 10?

quote:

Originally posted by 416Tanzan:
I've got some grandkids coming up into school age. When will they likely be strong enough for a Ruger Compact (35.5 inches, 6 lbs., 6.8lb with scope, 12.5" length of pull)? 7, 8, 10?

My 9 year old is not quite there with his cut down 6.5 swede. I expect in a year it will be better. He has been shooting this rifle from bench and bipod for at least a year and a half but not strong enough yet to free hand it and expect any accurate shooting.
The single shot in the top picture he is shooting very well.