My 10year old nephew loves to hunt. I took him to the deer lease for 8 days, and he did real good. [I will post the hunt report later].

[His father is not around]

He shot my Blaser D 99 Duo Drilling, and a single shot 20ga, and a 223 and 208 Blaser R 93.

He liked the single shot 20ga and the Drilling the best.

He is left handed.

I had a Contender pistol and 4 barrels several years ago.

I was thinkikng that a G2 Contender would be a good choice for him.

Being a single shot it would be safe and easy for him to use, and it would also teach him to make his first shot count.

I did a search here on the Contender rifles.

I was thinking a 22lr barrel, so we could shoot a bunch with no recoil.

Then a 30-30 barrel for deer hunting.

I reload so I can start him out with "plinking" loads, working up to full power 30-30.

Might even consider a 223 barrel voe varmints and plinking as well.

I think for him the G2 Contender is a better choice than the Encore as it is around a pound lighter.

The 30-30 is plenty for deer and wild hogs at my lease.

I will get the stock cut down to fit him now, as ir he still wants to use the rifle when he "grows up" he can get a new stock.

Also we can get pistol barrels when he gets old enough to shoot one of them.

Sounds like a pretty good plan. If I didn't already own a Contender and an Encore I could most all of the switch barrel work I need to do with a G2.

Thats how I started my son out hunting. I liked his set up so well I put together one for me too. With a 22rf, a .204 Ruger and a 7-30 Waters we have just about everything we need for hunting up to deer size game.

Excellent idea for your Nephew!

There's plenty of really creative reloads for the 30/30 using componets that aren't normally used in the lever-actions, too.

nothing wrong with a 30-30 but I use the 7-30 & 375 Winchester. No recoil on the 7-30 & the 375 is like a 410. Midway has the 375 on sale last time I looked..Be sure to do a trigger job my G2 came with 8.5#'s.

Each of my grandchildren get a Contender carbine in .22LR and an extra barrel in either the 7/30 Waters or .30/30 caliber. Seems they also like the .45Colt/.410 shotgun barrel. No complaints...just a few arguments on whos rifle is more accurate.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by N E 450 No2:
My 10year old nephew loves to hunt.
I was thinkikng that a G2 Contender would be a good choice for him.

Then a 30-30 barrel for deer hunting.

I reload so I can start him out with "plinking" loads, working up to full power 30-30.

The 30-30 is plenty for deer and wild hogs at my lease./QUOTE]

I'v got a NIB G2 blued frame, no barrel, with walnut stock and forearm, and redding dies 3 die set in 30-30 plus 500 pieces of new 30-30 brass I'll sell you at a good price.

PM me if interested.

KB

KB

Thanks for the offer, but I may be going in a different direction.

Since there is so much rifle game [deer, coyote, bobcat, and pigs] and shotgun game [turkey, duck, dove, quail, squirrel, and rabbit] I am looking at combo guns as well.

I have a G2 - my second Contender, and I really like it. I'd like to have another to configure as a rifle. However, it seems to me, that for a 2-gun setup, you can do about as well with a Remington Express 12 ga., and then buy a lever 30-30.

However, one nice thing about the TC, is that you can buy it with one barrel, let the kid get used to shooting it with a .22, then for a future birthday or next Christmas, buy a .223, the a 30-30, etc. The young shooter will have the benefit of using the same stock/receiver/controls as he or she moves from one caliber to the next. I'd advise against having a yougster shoot an Encore with a shotgun barrel as the recoil seems harsher than when shooting a pump.

quote:

Originally posted by Ferdinandd:
However, it seems to me, that for a 2-gun setup, you can do about as well with a Remington Express 12 ga., and then buy a lever 30-30.

Unless you also desire a rimfire or ever want to make your rifle into a pistol with a screwdriver and a credit card instead of a hacksaw. We can agree the G2 doesn't make much of shotgun though...

For daughter's upcoming 8th birthday, I'm getting her a .22 WMR and a 7-30 Waters barrell, both 16.5" (from Bullberry). I'll pick up the G2 frame next weekend (and do a trigger job if necessary). I intend to put a fixed 6 power scope on the 22 and a fixed 4 on the 7-30 waters (she has no need to fiddle with a scope until she has a lot more experience shooting). My plan is to really get her comfortable with the 22 before I let her shoot the 7. Maybe not shoot the 7 until its aimed at a deer.

I picked 22 WMR over 22 LR because most companies load better bullets in the WMR and over the 17 HMR because a 22 WMR barrell with be lighter.

(I already have barrells in both 17 HMR and 22 WMR)

Troy

I think the Contender/G2 platform is a great idea for a youngster. Mine children are grown but I have a friend with a 12 year old and he loves shooting my Contenders with the 22LR barrel. For a game barrel I would go with the 30/30 and handload with Blue Dot and either 110gr Sierras or 125gr Nosler Balistic tips. You can create very light recoil loads that will more than do the job on deer. Helps keep the intimidation factor and flinch down. Alliant list a load for 30/30 Silhouette for a 150 cast. I would start with that and work up as needed.
Just an idea, many other good suggestions on here that may be superior to my recommendations for your situation.

Well here is what I have done.

He shot 2 turkeys, and 2 deer with my Blaser D 99 Duo 308x308x20ga.

He also shot my 308 and my 223 Blaser R 93.

Several times durring the hunt and after he stated he really liked the idea of having a rifle bbl AND a shotgun bbl in the same gun.

He stated "With a gun like that I can shoot ANYTHING.

So I have ordered him a Blaser B 97 in 308/20ga 3".

I also got him a left hand bolt for a Blaser R 93.

And I have a Ruger 10/22 compact enroute as well.

I do not have any kids, and as he is the only male nephew in the family, I see him as my hunting buddy for many years to come.

I figure I might as well start him out, and fix him up right.

He is out for spring break in March, and we plan to go to the deer lease for a week and shoot our 22's, and hunt some pigs and coyotes.

I'm available for adoption......