Funny thing about the different calibers available is that they are basically all the same when compared in their group. .243 has a long history of excellent results that you will find in just about any sporting good store across the country. The 6.5 Grendel is the newest rage, or fashion. I guess it's because of the name. People like the word Grendel. My wife wants to name a dog Grendel. It's a great name. But when comparing it to the other rounds, it's so similar that a hunter wont kill anything any deader then any of the other popular calibers out there. Look at the ammo section at your favorite store and decide what round you want based on bullet weight and price for quality/premium ammo. I personally use Federal Premium ammo in my deer rifle after spending years working on loads reloading, only to find that I can get less then one inch groups using this ammo. Why reload? I also tried dozens of different rounds to find what worked best for me and my rifle. We are still working on this for my wife's rifle. Winchester seems to be the best for her rifle, but she hasn't shot under an inch yet, so we're debating on improving her shooting skill, or finding a better round. When she graduates, she wants to go to a long range shooting school, so that's where we will probably get it all zeroed in for her.
When buying my wife her rifle, we realized that a youth rifle was what fit her the best. Our local gun stores and sporting good stores all had a few youth model rifles, but none that where very smooth or comfortable for her. They where all very affordable, but not very nice. We decided to drive 2 hours to the closest Cabela's store because of their HUGE selection of rifles for sale. They are all out in the open, so you don't need a salesman to hand it to you, or wait for somebody else to finish with the salesman for your turn. The two that she liked the best where the Remington 700 youth model, and the Weatherby. Pricing ammo, Weatherby was out. The Remington 700 youth came in several caliber choices, and I let her decide on that. She chose the 7mm-08. I don't think it's any different then the .243, but the .308 probably would have been the best choice in my opinion. But I also know that when actually hunting, they will all do the same thing and the hogs and deer on our land wont know the difference.
It currently has a Redfield golden 5 star scope on it. I've had that scope for 30 years and it's been a good scope. I have Nikon, Zeiss and Swarvoski scopes on my rifles, and will probably upgrade hers to a Nikon before we go to shooting school. For the money, they make really nice scopes.
What we sort of figured out, sort of assumed, and sort of guess, is that the rifle companies make a very cheap rifle for kids that they know will not be used for very long, or very often. That they will never take that rifle out on a severe, hard core hunt like Alaska or the mountains for elk. That as a kid, they will not spend the time working on loads to find the best round that will give them one inch groups, or even shoot very often. That when they finish growing, that they will get their forever rifle and the youth model will sit in a gun safe for years without ever being used again.
Price of the Remington was more then the other brands. The quality, fit and function was also superior. This is her forever rifle, so another hundred bucks was a no brainier. When it's all said and done, what really matter is that the rifle performs when it's supposed to. This is my wife with her buck from our land this past deer season.
and a few more pics
