I have a young nephew that I am dying to take hunting with me. I noticed that NEF carries a youth model in .243, 7mm-08, .223 scoped for around $199. Does anyone have any experience with these guns? Are they junk or worth getting for a first gun? The LOP is 11 3/4 so I think that would be pretty good for him.

How do you think the recoil is in these 6lb guns? I dont want to shy him away from hunting in general just from recoil. The gun would be used on hogs and whitetail

My son has been using one since he was 9. Pretty accurate and very easy to carry. They're a great deal and now I use it as my rainy day rifle.

I shoot an ultra in 308 with a 4-12x52 mm on the front with a bipod and sling......freaking thing is massive and about 10 pounds, but I can drill a 10 inch gong all day at 575 meters. It goes in a small case as a takedown on a few of my more rugged trips and had the hell beat out of it. Not the places I want my custom going. Simply and easy, but for a youth it does not teach the use of a safety since it really does not have one. It is a transfer safety bar.

Bought one in .243 stainless synthetic for my son. Very quick to shoulder and shoot, great accuracy. I was so impressed I bought another in .270 for my son-in-law. Same happiness.

199 scoped leaves me real leery of that scope.

199 scoped makes me jealous. They sell up here for 259 for the rifle alone.

They are simple and rugged guns and offer extreme value for money IMO.
Don't forget when he eventually grows out of the youth sized stock it can be easily replaced with a full sized set of timbers by simply ordering them direct from H&R.
They are very well priced.

Also keep in mind that you can purchase extra barrels in almost any calibre you can think of that will fit straight into your rifle.

Wymple- I expect the same, but that means when my 4 year old nephew drops it off the shooting bench, down a mountain, into a river, or whatever - I won't feel bad or be worried

You can discuss with the H&R junkies on Graybeard's H&R forum. Rifles made in the last decade or so seem to be pretty accurate.
Like Wymple I doubt that the scope is worth the gas to haul it to the range. But you can say that about a lot of scopes these days. Scopes on these rifles get in the way of cocking the hammer too. It might be a problem for a little guy.

I have shot one of the 38-55s a bit (peep sight) and it is pretty accurate with cast bullets.

We went with Bushnell Trophies on ours, not expensive, under a hundred, and pretty tough.