Which youth kit do you recommend?

I am currently deployed, so I have a lot of time to think of what I would like to do when I get home from deployment.

I am looking to get my kids (son 8, daughter 5) into shooting and hunting. They said that they want to try it, but I would need to get a rifle/shotgun for them. I am stationed at Fort Sill and I primarily hunt in shotgun/muzzleloader areas only, but there is a chance that I may hunt in an area that allows rifles. I had been looking at a Rossi kit (.410 GA, 20 GA, .22LR, and .243), but I heard that Thompson Center also offers a youth model kit. Does anyone have any experience with any of these kits with interchangable barrels? Also, what caliber rifle can you recommend for a first rifle for primarily deer? If I go with the Rossi, is .243 a good caliber or can you recommend something better?

 

the rossi kit is very nice! i have the triple threat i think. it has .22, 20G and 243.

243 is a great caliber for deer. i have shot and killed on with mine, dad had a scope put on it. Also their maybe other calibers that are better/ bigger, But i think it’s a great caliber for young kids! I have had mine fore like 5 or 6 years now i think. I use the 20G for squirrel and other small game.

FYI on the slings get one that has a quick disconnect on the front. Because where it mounts unscrews and the front grip(i’m having a brain fart i can’t think of hats it really called) it comes off. I did not have a quick connect one at first and it was a bi*ch to get the sling nice and neat when changing the barrels.

 

the rossi kit is very nice! i have the triple threat i think. it has .22, 20G and 243.

243 is a great caliber for deer. i have shot and killed on with mine, dad had a scope put on it. Also their maybe other calibers that are better/ bigger, But i think it’s a great caliber for young kids! I have had mine fore like 5 or 6 years now i think. I use the 20G for squirrel and other small game.

FYI on the slings get one that has a quick disconnect on the front. Because where it mounts unscrews and the front grip(i’m having a brain fart i can’t think of hats it really called) it comes off. I did not have a quick connect one at first and it was a bi*ch to get the sling nice and neat when changing the barrels.

 

If you are referring to the single-shot breakover .243 Rossi I bought one a while back and it is not even paper accurate at 100 yds... 6-10 inch group at 100. Only reason I still have it is because Academy is "all sales are final" and Rossi's customer service is kinda iffy... They claim they will look at it and see if they can fix it on my dime even though its defective from the factory.

My gunsmith buddy seems to think its the lands being set ahead of the chamber (bad headspacing) giving the projectile a small space to "jump" from the cartridge to the lands causing inconsistency. Also he agrees that the fact the lands stop 1/2" short of the crown also makes for some problems.

The .243 round itself is IMO the best youth round in existence but make sure you invest in a quality rifle. Nothing can haunt a first time hunting experience like an unethical shot due to a firearm not the shooter.

 

Thanks for the input. Seems that I am confident on the .243 portion. Now, I have to see if I can get more feedback on the Rossi kit versus other manufacturers. Unfortunately, I am unable to effectively navigate the Thompson Center website from my work laptop, so I have to wait until I can get to my computer to check out what Thompson Center offers with their "Hot Shot" model. I have a gun shop that I frequently use back in the states, so I will give them a call to see what they recommend.