Something you are comfortable with; whether it be pump, automatic or bolt action. You must have confidence in the gun..and choose the correct caliber to do the job. For a youngster I would recommend a .243 rifle, but if you choose a higher caliber, use lighter grain bullets. Expensive rifles are nice to have but not necessary.There are many good guns on the market that shoot very well. My advice is to buy the best you can afford.

From the factory, most rifles do not shoot under a 2" group at 100 yards. A gunsmith can usually fine tune this to do better but the 2" group is close enough for deer hunting. About 70% of the deer shot are closer than 100 yards. I've had dozens of rifles..expensive and inexpensive. The 4 best I've had will hit a quarter at 200 yards..3 shot group.These gun are exceptions to the 2" group..2 are expensive and 2 are very inexpensive.

Savage, Marlin, and Mausser all have some inexpensive rifles with good accuracy right from the factory.  Any of these would make a good first hunting rifle. I've personally had experience with these rifles and I know they are good for youngsters. I'm sure that other manufacturers have rifles on the less expensive end of the scale that are very good. I would recommend that you do a bit of research; talk with friends, and talk with the salesperson at a reputable gun shop before making a decision for your youngster's first hunting rifle.

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