The kids first centerfire

[FinsnFur]

Kyle's going to be looking for me to hand him his own coyote rifle this year...and rightly so I guess 
With the new job, for once in my life I think I can actually swing it without starving myself.

I'm thinking about an NEF 204...but wanted to hear from some you. I'm sure some of you been through this same "first gun" routine. It wont be his first gun, I handed down a 22 LR that my dad handed down to me...but you know what I mean. 

[KySongDog]

Sounds like a good choice, Jim.  A single shot is less complicated (read safer) for young hands and the .204 round has a lot of supporters.  I haven't shot a .204 but I've been told the recoil is quite tame.

Semp

[frshwtr]

not familar with the rifle your reffering to; but here are some things to remember when buying that first gun considering safety.
if its a gun with a hammer and no safety its a little shakey, keep in mind that young fingers sometimes dont have the strenght to let a hammer down if a shot isnt taken, also when wearing gloves hammers have been known to slip. if your in favor of a rifle that holds only 1 shot keep in mind you only have to put one shell in it. i'd suggest a bolt action with a safety that is easy to put off and on.

[HaMeR]

Can't help you with the NEF part Jim but I really like my 204!!

[coyotehunter_1]

I agree with Semp... sounds like a good choice.


Simple, reliable and accurate... Handy Rifles.

I don't own a 204 but I do own NEF rifles chambered in 223, 243 & 30-30. So far, all three have been very dependable and really good shooters. The down side of the NEF's are their heavy factory triggers. When new, mine were between 5-7 pounds pull. Not real beneficial towards accuracy or for teaching a younger shooter good trigger control. The triggers can be worked down to a lighter pull weight while still being safe but it takes someone that knows what they are doing to accomplish this. Also, if you have any parts work done (outside of NEF factory service center) you can also void your warranty.  As far as the hammer and safety issue: All NEF Handy Rifles now come with a safety transfer bar system (which blocks the hammer from striking the firing pin, that is until the trigger is pulled all the way back). If safety is still in question, the NEF break action rifle (like any single shot or double barrel shotgun of that style) can be safely carried broken open, but still loaded. The rifle should also come with sling studs, a Weaver style scope base already mounted and offset hammer spur for scope mounting.

Jim,
If you feel confident in Kyle's ability to handle a bolt action repeater then you may want to consider the Savage line (200 series for example). Yes, a little more expensive than the NEF's but I feel they do offer more bang for the buck.  Some of the Savage Tupperware stocks are not the greatest, but they do seen to shoot very well, out of the box. Yep, I've got a few Savage's too. 

[FinsnFur]

What are you calling a bolt action repeater?
To me a bolt action is a single shot. Cycle the bolt and chamber another round.

Or are you referring to a semi auto?

[iahntr]

Ok, lets try this again.    I suck at typin, had this nice long couple paragraphs wrote up, went to look somethin up, and came back, and all that I had typed was gone.  Man that "P's" me off. 
The NEF .204 is what I shoot. I like it. I had the NEF muzzleloader first, and liked it. I saw the .204 at a gun show for $175.00 so I picked it up. frshwtr made some good points, but I don't think with Kyle's age and size, it'd be an issue (This is where I stick in the disclaimer  ). With the hammer extension on it, it makes it even easier to "grip" and maneuver the hammer. The hammer/trigger mechanism uses a transfer bar system that moves between the hammer and firing pin, I thought that was a perty nice, and safer, design. You can see it, and it'll make more sense if ya go to the NEF site, and go to the gun that comes in the .204 caliber, you can click on owners manual. I think this gun would be a good option.      Scott

See, two more posts up while I was typin.

[coyotehunter_1]

Jim,
What I was referring to as a bolt action repeater is a rifle like your Ruger...  capable of holding more than one cartridge.  There are bolt action single shots on the market also.. with no magazine or clip...one shot... reload.  Savage makes one but I'm not sure of the model #.

[FinsnFur]

  Gotch'ya
Yeah I think he'd be fine with a magazine.

Thanks for the input so far guys. I appreciate it.
Your all making me lean more & more towards the NEF so far.

[weedwalker]

Jim, I had the NEF .223 and it was a good shooter. I had to try a few different types of ammo before I found the one that gun liked. After that, no problem at all. My son has it now.

[HaMeR]

Are you gonna reload for it?? If not then the 32gr V-Max will probably shoot the best for you. The 32&39gr Sierras should do very good also. HTH

[FinsnFur]

I wont personally. Not really enough room for another time consuming interest. But I do have a local that reloads for my Ruger, and we'll probably do the same thing for Kyles gun as we did mine.

Make up several different loads with different type bullets and powders and spend a day at the range chartin em.

[HaMeR]

That'll work!!

[Mallardsr]

I bought a NEF for my son in .243. It shoots pretty good, but I have had a little trouble with the spent shells ejecting. RP

[iahntr]

I think that's part of the reason they quite makin the ejection models, now they just make the extraction models.
Scott

[rwehuntn]

Jim,

The single shot is probably a good choice as far as for a new hunter/shooter. It should help him learn the value of one well place round. If I were in your position I would seriously consider a litter more horsepower than the .204 for a new shooter. My personal minimum for yote is a 22-250 but I tend to make some long shots and the wind always seems to blow in the desert. A good choice for him may be a .243, you can get light loads for predators and if you plan on him shooting deer it will pull double duty well. Just my opinion.

rwehuntn

[studabaka]

I agree with the guys suggesting .243 .... It will wack a varmit hard and double as a deer gun. I like bolt actions, but also have a mossberg single shot break action with a safety on top which I really like. I have both .223 and 22-250 barrels for it and may look into a .243 as well [someday].

[FOsteology]

Not enough info. to go on.

How old is your son? What experience/exposure has he had to shooting and hunting? Is this rifle strictly for coyotes, or do you plan on him using it for deer and other game as well?

What type of hunting do the two of you do (stand, still, etc.)? What type of hunting terrain? Long open shots, thick brush, timber...???

[studabaka]

He's a Wisconsin boy.... here's a pick from about 18 months ago.

http://www.finsandfur.net/forums/index.php?topic=3600.0

Kyle is the one holding the dog in the pic Jim posted.

Seems to me he was a whole lot bigger at LBL this past feb, so he is growing like a weed. If he's hunting with his dad then he ain't doin to much walking  and from some of Jim's pics I'd guess they would be hunting a lot of timber and thick stuff. Couldn't say what all else they might hunt, but Jim can untangle the mess I laid out here when he gets home from punching the clock job. Hope this starts to give ya a sense though.....

[FinsnFur]

Gawd!...your are such a STU! 


I'm not 100% sure if he'll want to deer hunt or not. We have talked about it some and he changes his mind like a woman. I wanna go, ah forget that, I wanna go, ah forget that.
I gave up deer hunting years back because no one would eat the damn thing and there's so many yahoo's with guns in the woods during deer season around here it gets scary.

I think when he says he wants to go, it's for the mere purpose of hunting SOMETHING. But then changes his mind when he remembers it's not Dads cup of tea. 

He'll be 16 in July and we coyote hunt the Mississippi River Bottoms, some hellacious bluffs along the river, and a few private ranches with tillable and wooded lots, mixed with deep thick draws.

I carry a Stainless Ruger M77 22-250 bedded into a Boyds thumbhole and rigged with a Timney. He's deathly afraid of that gun