Howa's mini action in 6.5 Grendel is pretty soft shooting.

243 is pretty hard to beat for a starter rifle, or the 6mm Creed for a modern version of a 243.

Whatever caliber you decide, get one in a Tikka T3X. They are affordable and shoot great. I don't think I have ever seen a Tikka that wasn't accurate.

Depends. Is this his rifle for the foreseeable future or will get an upgrade in a few years?

7MM.08 can last a lifetime. He will probably want to move up to a larger caliber after 243

6.5 Grendel has been great for my daughters

IMO I will never buy my kids a rifle that is not set up for a suppressor.

harge57 said:

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IMO I will never buy my kids a rifle that is not set up for a suppressor.

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+1
I set my daughter's up with a Ruger American ranch in 6.5 Grendel. Comes threaded so I could put a QD on it.

Called up Ruger after buying it to order a youth stock and after talking with them about buying it for my daughter's they ended up sending me the stock free of charge.

Shoots great suppressed and 6.5G has been excellent Texas whitetail.

.223 or .243....

7mm-08 is an excellent choice too and I feel like that's actually the perfect round from here on out, personally.

He is young, personally I don't see a need to jump up in caliber or buy a new gun in a hurry. That single shot 223 will be deadly within 100 yards. If it was me I would wait until he needs a bigger gun due to him growing.

In my opinion people overthink what caliber and cartridge to get for kids. Especially young kids 5-10. They most importantly need to learn to become proficient and accurate shooters first and foremost…..Learning the fundamentals of accurate shooting like breath control, trigger squeeze, etc. etc. This can only be done by lots of bench and target shooting time.
Consistently hitting your target and accurate shot placement is paramount over what cartridge you chose to shoot.
I can't tell you how many youths came to hunt at our ranch that oftentimes missed deer, or worse, wounded deer. We would then put them on the bench to check the gun and oftentimes, more than not, their issue was flinching, jerking the trigger, even closing their eyes when pulling the trigger!
These bad habits were often a product of them shooting a rifle that had a lot of recoil/noise for a kid. Once developing those bad habits, it is extremely hard to overcome them.
To become proficient they need to simply do a lot of practice and shooting. For this they need a rifle in a cartridge they can sit on a bench and shoot a lot in a day without being beat up…..not something they are only going to be able to shoot 5-6 times before their shoulder hurts or they become apprehensive of shooting.
By being able to comfortably practice with their "deer rifle"…..shooting multiple rounds per day….without being apprehensive of recoil or noise,….will allow them to develop proper shooting techniques. This will allow them to develop confidence in themselves and their rifle to have accurate shot placement to shoot the animal where they are aiming.
A well placed shot into the vitals of an animal by a small bullet well trumps a poorly placed shot into the guts by a big bullet every time.

So let's talk about actual rifle options. I'm looking for short threaded barrels to put a suppressor on.

Here we're AI recommendations.
Top 5 Rifle Recommendations
1. Ruger American Rifle Ranch (or Compact)
Ruger's American line is arguably the best value for a suppressed youth setup.
Why it's great: The "Ranch" models typically come with 16-inch threaded barrels, making the overall length very manageable once you add the 68 inches of a suppressor.
Top Caliber Choice: .350 Legend or 6.5 Creedmoor.
Feature: Includes a marksman adjustable trigger to help with accuracy.
2. Savage 110 Apex Hunter XP Youth
Savage is famous for their "AccuFit" system, which allows you to adjust the length of pull as your daughter grows.
Why it's great: It is a dedicated youth model. While not all XP packages are threaded, the "110 Magpul Hunter" or specific "Threaded" versions of the 110 are available.
Top Caliber Choice: 6.5 Creedmoor or 7mm-08 (if using a suppressor).
Feature: The AccuTrigger is very safe and crisp for small hands.
3. CVA Cascade SB (Short Barrel)
The "SB" stands for Short Barrel, specifically designed for use with suppressors.
Why it's great: It features an 18-inch barrel and a synthetic stock with a removable spacer to adjust the length of pull for smaller shooters. It is exceptionally well-balanced.
Top Caliber Choice: 6.5 Creedmoor or .300 Blackout (excellent for deer at close range when suppressed).
Feature: It uses a Cerakote finish, making it very durable for hunting in rain or snow.
4. Weatherby Vanguard Badlands (or Compact)
Weatherby is known for high-end accuracy. Their youth/compact models are built with the same precision as their adult rifles.
Why it's great: The Vanguard Compact features a 20-inch threaded barrel and a length-of-pull spacer system. It's slightly heavier than the Ruger, which actually helps further reduce recoil.
Top Caliber Choice: .243 Winchester or 6.5 Creedmoor.
Feature: Guaranteed sub-MOA accuracy (shoots groups under 1 inch at 100 yards).
5. Howa 1500 Mini Action / Youth
The "Mini Action" is specifically designed around shorter cartridges, resulting in a lighter, shorter bolt throw that is easier for a child to cycle.
Why it's great: You can find these with 16.25-inch heavy threaded barrels. They are incredibly compact and easy for a 10-year-old to carry through the woods.
Top Caliber Choice: 6.5 Grendel or 7.62x39. Both are low-recoil and excellent for deer.
Feature: The two-stage HACT trigger is very predictable for new shooters.
Important Tip for Suppressing
When you add a suppressor to a rifle, you are adding weight to the very end of the barrel. For a 10-year-old, this can make the gun feel "nose-heavy." Choosing a rifle with a shorter barrel (16"18") is vital to keep the balance point centered so she can hold the rifle steady without help.