I let Logan shoot a 7mm08 with the managed recoil loads and he does well with it. You can upgrade to normal rounds as they grow into it. 3030 is good too. Either way you won't go wrong.

Me too. I aquired 2 Marlin 30-30's this summer that will be my kids first deer rifles.

i agree more deer have been killed with a30-30than any other calber i gave my son a ruger m77 in 25-06 it drives tack and kills snything he shoots at120 gr hp out too 400yards.i shoot a very accurate 243 and a 30-06. my wife shoots a 243 in 95gr sst's.

I like the idea of handing down firearms from generation to generation, but I agree that 30-30 might be a but much for such a young kid and would lean toward a .243 for him. That being said, I would take him to several gun stores and pawn stores to let him try out several different manufactorers for size and fit. Good Luck. BTW My first rifle was a pre 64 30-30 first rifle my dad handed down to me was a Winchester 70 in 30-06. I still use it with the original 2.5x5 scope on it...lol

30-30 was my first rifle and I still use it often.

.243 or 7-08 w managed recoil would give more longer distance options later down the road. 30-30 was my first as well. My oldest now shoots my 270 with shortened stock and managed recoil and the 10 yr old has a Savage 7 08 and loves it.

I just got my soon to be 8 year old a Howa 1500 youth model in 7mm-08. It comes with a scope (cheap one) and an adult stock for when he grows. He is going to shoot the managed recoil ammo.

I was handed down a 30-30 from my grandfather and killed many a deer with it growing up. Looking back,I'm glad I got to use a gun that was "handed down."

A .308 is a great first and last deer rifle youll need. That is unless you come across a kevlar vest wearing deer 1000 yds away. You can get managed recoil ammo if recoil is a big issue. When my daughter was 9 years old she was shootin a .308. But every kid is different as far as recoil goes.

Got my son a youth 7mm-08 for his first rifle. Great little caliber and accurate. He was 12 at the time. He turned 18 yesterday and has long since graduated to the Rem. CDL .270. I had a 30-30 for my first rifle given to me by the father of the girl I was dating. I killed my first deer with it.

On the safety issue, several years ago, a friend's son was hunting with a 30-30. Kid was leaned up against a tree had the barrel resting on his foot and fiddling with the hammer. Cold morning, numb fingers, hammer slipped. Shot off top half of his foot.

Dr. B

When you get ready to invest, check into the rem .260. When I was a little guy my dad gave me a .243 and I was slinging bullets at alot of deer back then and I had a bad habit of not hitting them in the kill zone every time. So when my dad got tired of tracking deer miles and miles he got me a .260 that you can shoot a larger grain bullet. Great little gun that comes in youth models.