Daughters first rifle

B

Boogershooter

New member
I'm fixin to purchase my daughters first deer rifle! Hav'nt chosen the rifle yet but it will b either a sako 85 or weatherby mark V! She can't decide between the wood or synthetic! Any praises or bashing for either? Also I'm undecided about caliber. My first choices are between 308, 260, or possibly 25-06! My father had been planning to buy is grand daughter her first rifle but passed away unexpectedly this past Sunday! So needless to say this rifle will stay with her for years! My real dilemma is I want a caliber she isn't going to outgrow and want something better every few years as I have done! Any advice on which rifle and caliber will b appreciated!
 
How old is she and how long has she been shooting? Is recoil a concern? Is it only going to be used for a deer rifle? What kind of deer, in what area, terrain, and climate? Is weight of the gun a concern?
 
She is only 4 but is very big for her age! Only 10lbs lighter than my 8 year old son! 2 inches shorter! She has been shooting a handi rifle in 300blkout! She won't b shooting this rifle for a couple years! She knows more gun safety than most teenagers and will not pick any of her guns up til she has her glasses and earmuffs on! She won't let anyone else either lol! I want to purchase this rifle now because its something that was important to my dad! I know that sounds crazy but that's the truth! We live in louisiana and yes it's only a deer rifle! I wish I could post videos of all my kids shooting with their papaw!
 
Between me and my father I own almost every popular cartridge known except 260 and 338 federal. The 338 federal IMO is not a choice for her first rifle although I will own one in the near future! I have no experience with the 308 reduced recoil loads on game but they are comparable to the 300 savage which I have taken a few white tails with! That may b my best option for her rifle but I still like hearing others opinions!
 
If I had to buy another rifle I would get a 308 and it would have a wood stock.

My Grandfather is just like your dad. When I was 14 he gave me a Winchester 94 in 30-30. As of two years ago he started experiencing health problems and started splitting up his collection. As a gunsmith most of his rifles had hand carved stocks and built off barreled actions. Between the 17 children, grandchildren and their spouses he gave 17 rifles.

Mine ended up being a hand carved stock by him and checkering done by my uncle. It's a remington Lee in 30-40 Krag and I love shooting it. But it almost becomes an exotic because remington and winchester only make limited runs of ammunition for it and at $40 a box it gets expensive to shoot.

Pair that with a 6.5 Jap Type 38 Arisaka I bought off him and you have two rifles that it's impossible to buy ammo off the shelf for.

So my next choice will be a common caliber I can get anywhere in the U.S. and wood because it holds more memories and beauty. Plastic just feels like plastic. Laminate would be fine.

On the up side my grandfather is still alive living in a veterans home and everytime I shoot something with one of his guns I send him a picture. Last year it was a spike taken with the 30-40 krag and this year it was pheasants shot with his Savage Fox 12 gauge.
 
Precious memories! I'm still a young man with a young family but I have lost all elders in my immediate family except one grandmother! I have great memories of all but it saddens me my youngest child will have no memories of her grandparents or great grandparents! This rifle will b one way I can insure papaw is with us on her first deer and many memories later! My kids have grown up shooting and absolutely enjoy it!
 
My first rifle was a sako forester in 243 then a winchester model 70 featherweight in 308! The first rifle I bought my father was a weatherby accumark in 300 weatherby and later a winchester super grade in 338 winmag! Both those rifle were in anticipation of a elk hunt that we were never able to make happen! The rifle I use most is a browning Abolt in 300WSM! I have many many more but some are very sentimental and this one for my daughter will b the same
 
I would advise against a 25-06. Lots of muzzle blast and fairly stiff kick for shooting such a light bullet.

.308 would be usable but only if you started out with the reduced recoil ammo.

.260 is a great caliber but can be trouble getting ammo (I've got two). If you are a handloader then this is certainly a contender.

My personal preference would be 7mm-08. Great shooting cartridge capable of taking pretty much game most people would want to shoot. Low recoil even with normal loads, plus there are now two brands of reduced recoil ammo (Remington and Hornady) that you can start her out with.
 
I'd go with the .260 Remington, roughly half the recoil of a .308 Winchester and very good on whitetail. Nothing wrong with a 25-06 but it needs a long action and the .260 is just better IMHO. In fact, I'm taking my .260 out deer hunting this weekend with a .308 as a spare!
 
Thanks for the info gentleman! I have to admitt that I'm a bit of a 30 cal fan! With 4 kids it's time I get it thru my thick head the smaller calibers are great too! My reason for the 3 cals listed is because both rifles are chambered in them
 
243 or 260 rem would be great for a lifetime, especially if it's a deer rifle. No need for anything bigger, but a 7mm-08 is also a great choice, as stated above. I love .308, but even that might be a little stout until her near-adult years.

I'd buy a common caliber so ammo and reloading components are easy to find.

What a great Dad! I bought my daughter an Axis in Muddy Girl camo last year, and she loves it. What you're buying her will be an heirloom and likely a lifetime of memories!
 
The Sako and MKV are both at the top of the craft.

I own and reload for MKV Deluxe, 340WBY. I can't recomment that chamber for your daughter. The MKV is generally considered to be the strongest action on the market. The MKV is pretty heavy also, so she;s going to have to do some growing before she can tote one of them around.

In a 260 it will be a shorter action with six locking lugs instead of nine, but the bolt lift is still 54 degrees, and exceptionally strong.

The Sako I don't own, but have never heard any criticism of them, again, because of weight. They have a reputation for quality and accuracy, and like the MKV are beautiful pieces of craftsmanship.

These rifles are the solid rifles that almost every other rifle wishes it was. Solid quality, craftsmanship and beauty. You will not go wrong and your daughter is much luckier than she can realize.
 
IMO: Any 30 cal as well as 28 cal is going to kick on a little lady when having the needed energy to take Big Game.

Since she will probably hunt the State you reside in. 243 would be you best bet. Easy on the shoulder. Great little 150 yard cartridge for anything in your State. And a cartridge that comes in a few youth rifles to help you and your little gal out when decision time is near. Otherwise Winchesters 243 Super Short Mag would be one to think about also but probably would require a gunsmith getting involved in original equipment stock shortening or its change out too a aftermarket stock product.
 
Maybe it's just me but I wasn't thinking of the price of those rifles. Sure there is a lot of quality involved but for the price you could buy two great rifles. 243 would be a great starter deer rifle if it became an option But I have a feeling you will be locking away whatever you choose for at least 10 years.


What was your dads favorite deer rifle? Might have more importance to shoot something similar to that. Especially if you could find a picture of him with it to give to her.
 
She is already shooting a Lil youth handi rifle in 300 blackout! My kids hunt only out of box blinds and with adults! I don't live in the mountains so weight isn't a issue! The two rifle selections are because my dad believed they were two of the best! This gun won't b given to her until she is ready for it but she takes care of her guns, toys, and other things much better than my 3 boys! I don't step my kids up in recoil until they shoot thier current guns as well as they do their 22's! The oldest shoots a 257 Roberts! The youngest 2 shoot 300 blackout for hunting but are burning the barrels up n my 220 and my 22-250! The reason for buying it now is because neither one of those rifles have went down in price over the last 36 years that I'm aware of
 
First off let me say I'm very sorry for your loss.

While I know you want to do for your daughter what her grandfather was unable to do for his granddaughter. I really don't think now is the time to buy her a deer rifle, four is just too young for a full sized rifle. I went through this process the last few years with my daughter, we started out with a hot pink laminated cricket that she picked out. Then we went to a Stevens 200 in .223 at age eight that she against picked out after shooting g a few different rifles of mine. I then had the stock cut down to 12” to fit her better. This year at 11 she finally graduated into a full sized a M700 classic in .300 Savage. My daughter is 5' 9" tall at 11 so there was no need to shorten the stock this time.

I guess my point is you have time to let your daughter decide, which I hope was what your father wanted for her as well. If your father owned a couple of special rifles in a non-magnum chambers you might consider setting one of those aside for your daughter. It might mean more to both of you to let her have and use one of her grandfathers rifles, and that way your father still gets to give your daughter her first deer rifle.
 
If someone knows how to post videos please explain! I will show videos of my kids that will blow most people's minds! My kids love taninite and shock wave targets! I do the mixing and setting up process! My kids ask to shoot and ask more than I can afford! I almost forgot my dads favorite gun was the accumark in 300 weatherby! Reason being he loved to run hounds with his brother and eat peanuts all day! He believed he needed that Lil extra power when the deer were full of adreniline!
 
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