Ruger American Compact in 6.5

Well after a bunch of research, I have decided to get my grandson the Ruger American Compact in 6.5 Creedmoor. He will be 7 next season and figure he will be close to being able to handle the recoil. It was this or the 243... which I also like.

I looked at the following:

Mossberg Patriot Super Bantam
Savage Axis II Compact
CVA Scout
Browning AB3 Micro Stalker

Tell me something that would change my mind? I keep going round and round on the decision.

I got my grandson the Ruger compact in 6.5.. It shoots every ammo we have tried into sub one inch groups.

I'd stick with the ruger American if it were me. Only other I might consider out of the ones you listed would probably be the CVA scout. If it were me though I'd pick the 243 over the 6.5 but that's just me.

Yea... I am 50/50 on the 6.5 vs 243. 243 does have less recoil... faster and I have seen some real damage from a 243 when skinning some deer. I have not killed one with a 243 in ages. I may switch back to the 243 before I make the order.

I recently bought the Tikka T3X Lite 6.5 CM. Less than 7 pounds with scope ... just sayin

For a 7yo? Nah, bruh. 17, maybe.You could load it down and it'd still be too much. He might could handle it, might even like it, but it will hurt his shooting in the long run. My boy likes a kicking gun. I let him talk me into him shooting a ultralight shotgun when he was 5. He liked it but we had to work on that flinch a lot. Never should have done it.

The best tool for this job is an AR-15 in 223. The adjustable stock is what makes it work better than others. You can both fit the same gun to yourselves. 223 with a good bullet like 62gr Fusion is every bit as good as a 243. An 8# AR kicks like a 22lr. I mean actually, not the nonsense people like to say. Teach shooting always from a rested aim so the weight of the gun does not matter.

Get also a 22lr AR upper if you don't already have one. The way that you can practice a ton and it really won't be any different than the 223. It's heavy bolt carrier running back and forth that ups the recoil on a 22lr AR.

A big plus on ARs is you can have a large objective scope without having a higher mount, btw.

Highly advise against the Mossberg. Ruger American is the best of those in my opinion. I love a 243 but the 6.5 creedmoor will add more versatility in bullet weights as he gets older and wont seem like a “kid gun” to him once he’s 16 or so and will care about stuff like that.

And not that you are asking, but a high powered rifle is a lot of gun for a 7 yr old. I concur with others…start slow in learning how to shoot. BB gun, pellet air gun, 22, then a deer rifle.

Certainly recommend the Ruger American. My son has the compact version chambered in 7mm-08. You could always do reduced recoil loads in the meantime. My boy could handle the recoil at 7, but he’s always been >98th percentile for height and weight.

I have been down this road 4 times (4 kids) Trying to find the perfect setup. I own a ruger go wild with a 16.5 barrel in 6.5 creedmoor. It’s not a bad gun. The scope height and eye relief is gonna be the problem. Too close and they get busted by the scope. I messed around with 300 blackout on a AR platform and it was effective just limited range. The 243 seems to be the best option for
Us. Everything shot has died quickly.

You better listen to this dude right here. Every thing he said is spot on. 223 with the right bullet is more than adequate for deer in Alabama, especially for the distance a 7 yo needs to be shooting. My kids have killed several deer with a 55gr TSX and they leave quarter size exit holes.

Bulk 55gr fmj is cheap practice. Another advantage rarely discussed is the pistol grip on an AR gives little hands a great place to grab and the adjustable stock is invaluable . All my kids could shoot an AR better than a bolt rifle. 4ftlbs of recoil is way different than 11 or 12 ftlbs of recoil.

Got my 8 yo a ruger compact .243 last year. Seems to be a pretty good little gun. I shot a 194lb deer with it my earlier this season DRT with 100 gr. Norma.

Ruger has their American Predator and American Ranch in 6.5 Grendel. Recoil should be very manageable. The Predator is a 20” barrel and Ranch is a 16.5”. Ammo can be tough to find at times but it’s out there. Hornady Black 123 ELD is often at Academy.

But you better believe its fixin to kick the crap out of your 7yo and i would make sure hes backed off that scope quite a bit or hes gona have him a nice round set of stitches around his eye. But thats a great round and it will blow a superb hole in a deer. It will bleed good and wont go far. My son shot a 243 when he was 6yo and the 6.5cm kicks just a hair worse.

I just got a ruger go wild with a 16.5 barrel in .243. Going to sight in this morning. Using 100gr. Hornady Whitetail.

The 6.5 Grendel is the load I was referring to. Should have much less recoil

Put a limbsaver pad on it

I'd get him the Ruger American in 6.5 Creedmoor. Even though it's a compact, it's probably going to be a bit too long for him. Get a long eye relief scope so he can still get a full sight picture even though his head will be further back. This is the one I bought for my son: https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1009529795

After the rifle was set up, I'd have him practice with nothing but a 22 or similar so he gets comfortable shooting. Make it fun for him, have him shoot balloons, eggs, something other than paper all the time. Before hunting season, I'd get some low recoil ammo. Have him wear good muffs and plenty of clothes to help with the recoil. Let him shoot some water bottles or such so he's comfortable and confident with it. Don't want him afraid of it.

This is very similar to what I did with my son when he was 6. I bought him a Savage youth 7mm08 and down loaded a 120gr BT using H4895 pushing about 2400fps. To me, felt recoil was less than a 243. As he got older, I added powder and put on a regular scope. He killed more than 20 animals with that setup before I sold it to a buddy for his son. His 7 year old son killed his 1st deer yesterday using that rifle.

If any of the guns you are considering have 16”ish barrels, I would consider the muzzle blast factor. I really don’t even like how much the blast increases going from 20” down to 18” in most calibers, much less 16”. For kids (and most adults if they are honest), the concussion coming off a short barrel makes it extremely difficult to concentrate knowing what’s looming over you. For me, it’s worse than the recoil itself. 16” AR barrels are unpleasant to me versus a rifle length. I think these new 16” barrel bolt guns are mostly meant to be shot with a can.

I’ve always made my son wear double hearing protection at the range to guard against flinch. Whatever you get for him I suggest you do that too.

EDIT: BTW, at that age their ear canals are too small for most ear plugs, even rolled up tight. I bought a pack of those pink “lady” ones for my son, which he didn’t like. But they fit him, and with electronic muffs over them at the range he’s never complained

The Grendel is low recoil, but not as light as 223. 6.5G kills better than 223 but not enough to get worked up over inside 100 yards or so. I've been comparing the results of 223 vs 6.5G as I clean my kids' deer for years now.

Ruger really ought to offer the 6.5G or at least a fast twist 223 with a compact stock. What they have now is just too long. AR adjustable stocks are a huge advantage to a growing child.

And this is why I have not made a purchase yet. Too many options!! lol. For one, I really don't want to rush it. His daddy killed his first deer at 9 and he is ok today. It seemed years ago if you could get a deer around 8-10 then that was good. Now its 6, especially with the use of full vises AR platforms, all these new calibers. I also feel social media puts pressure on us parents and grandparents to make sure our sons and daughters are not getting passed by. Sad but true.

I am now leaning to:
AR-Platform in 22
Ruger American in 243


I am just thinking the reduced recoil will be a better option right now... than the 6.5. About 4lb of recoil difference.

A lightweight 243 is not any kind of low recoil. It uses twice the powder of low recoil rounds. If you have to have a traditional deer cartridge, find a reloader friend and a box of Speer 130gr for a 30/30. That's about it unless you get obscure with something like a .250 Savage, which by the way is pretty much a 6.5 Grendel.

6.5G kills better than 243. All the reduced recoil loads of common deer cartridges come back to 6.5G level performance. There is no free lunch. 6.5G does have cheaper target ammo available, but again while it is better than 223 it's not by a whole lot.

As for AR 22, that'd be good just don't think he'll be able to run it himself right off. About the only repeater a 7yo will run easily is a lever action.

If you are worried about recoil and ruining him on sbooting at an early age, as mentioned I would get him comfortable on shooting a .22 for shot placement and familiarity with a gun. The one you buy him, you get it sighted in and let his first and future shots with it be on a deer. He will never feel or remember the recoil because he will be so hyped up. I did this with my son after I bought him his first rifle. A ruger compact in 7-08. He killed several deer with it at ages 7 and 8. I always asked him if he felt the gun kick and it was always "No sir!".

I think you are right... he needs to learn more gun "management" before he hunts with a deer rifle. Little bolt action 22 is probably what he really needs.

If we're on to a learning to shoot a gun there's no better than: https://www.pyramydair.com/product/daisy-match-grade-avanti-champion-499?m=617#1239

Find a 5m BB team y'all can do together. If BB sounds easy, let me tell you it is not. The 10 ring is smaller than the projectile.

Don't know if this might interest you but there's a Ruger American Predator 6.5CM in the classified right now

Ruger American Predator 6.5 creedmoor

First off the river American compact is an excellent gun. My son has one that shoots great and everyone I have talked to with one says the same thing. Second, I do believe a smaller round would be a better for for a couple of years. I thought my son would start with my AR but he ended up preferring my .223 varmint rifle and shot his first several deer with it.

The Browning X bolt compact that my oldest daughter is currently shooting is a joy to shoot with the HSM low recoil rounds. They are 140 grain bullets and the gun really likes them.

That being said, I’m not sure I wouldn’t get a 357 single shot that shoots 38 special. Can practice cheap, sight it in for 357 rounds, let them shoot 38’s practicing and 357 hunting. Keep shots within 100 yards….which most people ought to be doing anyway.

The AR idea is a good one as well.

My son has used a 223 in the AR version since he was 6. He is 10 now. He is comfortable with the gun and the three he has killed hasn’t ran more than 25 yards. He is wanting to try the 350 legend so
I will change uppers for that. The versatility of the AR and the stock adjustments make it a really good choice for little ones.

My daughter, 12yo now, has killed nine I think with 223. Most of them with an AR. I had to track two. She tracked one. The rest died where they stood. She has not lost a deer. All have been one shot and go collect the deer.

It's hard to convince people these smaller rounds work so well when they've shot and lost deer with bigger rounds. The issue is they hate to admit they missed their mark. Many miss because they try to learn on a gun that kicks so much they can't tell what is going on when they miss their mark.

What grain and type bullets are y’all using with the.223’s?

62gr Fusion mostly. It'll punch shoulder blades and still exit.

The hollow points? I found some 62 gr fed fusion hollow points

Don't know about hollow points. Federal has the same softpoint sold as Fusion, Fusion MSR and Speer Gold Dot. I expect the MSR and Gold Dot versions have harder primers for use in ARs.

I had found a couple boxes of the Federal premium 55 grain Barnes tsx that I bought but I have no experience with a gun this small on deer or this particular bullet. Might take it and try it out on a doe.

Don’t know how tsx Will do but I used a .55 gr federal hollow point for hogs when out came a 200lb big 8…I shot him at 51 yards behind the shoulder and never found a drop of blood. Just a heads up.

Howl, the soft points are what I was told to use as they are the best bullets for those deer. Where have you found some to buy?

That’s kinda what I am worried about. I guess there’s only one way to find out.

I have a few boxes left from what I bought a couple years ago. Here's the stuff for an AR https://www.sportsmans.com/shooting...fusion-sp-rifle-ammo-20-rounds/p/1369172 Kinda high because free shipping ain't really free.

Ammo for ARs tends to have a harder primer because the firing pin hits the primer every time you chamber a round. You can see the mark if you look.

Hollow point sounds like varmint bullet. Probably went in and blew up. That's what they're supposed to do. A 55gr TSX I don't think you'll ever see again after you fire it. The exit probably won't be as big as a 60+gr bonded soft point.

Which bullet you want depends on what rate of twist.

Most ARs made these days are faster twist from 1 turn in 9 inches to 1:7 and will work with a bullet up to maybe 80gr. I can vouch for 62gr Fusion working on 150# deer. Haven't caught one yet.

Most older 223 rifles are 1:12 or 1:14 twist and won't stabilize a 55gr TSX. It's too long. A 55gr lead core, it will because they're short. A standard 55gr lead core soft point, like in Federal blue box, should punch a single shoulder blade and make it to the spine to drop the deer but it probably won't exit. A bonded 55gr soft point like Gold Dot might exit, but more likely it will make it to the offside hide and stop. There are some heavier bullets made to be short enough, but it's iffy on whether they work in a particular rifle. Winchester 64gr Power Point is one. Federal loads the 60gr Partition.

It's the 55 gr TTSX that requires the 1:9 or faster twist. The 50 gr TSX is OK with 1:12, I have some I plan on loading in a 22-250

55gr TSX did not work in 1:12 I have. First thing I tried. Barnes says 1:9 or faster for both 55gr with 223. 22-250 may be different due to increased velocity?

Been looking for some of those. Dangit man just bought a couple boxes 😂 yep exactly what happened in that it never exited. I actually used the federal blue box 55gr for that Buck. Thanks for the help!

Good info, thanks for posting it.

My only AR is a Grendel SBR. Fun times but twist rate is crucial for bullet selection.

62 grain federal fusions. Went straight in and out on all three.

Bought my son the mossberg 6.5 and it’s a tack driver.
I’m still not sold on a 6.5 but he has shot 2 does that ram 5yds and dropped. One at 100 and 1 at 10 yds.
Damage on the the close up was catastrophic with a big exit. Still no blood at shot sight but a big piece of lung.
We will see how it keeps going, eldx ammo.

My sons first shot at 8 (I believe) was with an SKS. Killed his first deer at 10 with a 7-08 savage axis youth. Killed his biggest at 13 with the same gun

I don’t own a 6.5 but have heard recoil is very light. I imagine very similar to 7-08

Why not get a .350 Legend and be done with it? I’m sure there are some youth models out there. Lots of great ammo choices with minimal recoil and readily available. Plus you can also get it in the AR platform if that’s the direction you decide to go.