What was your first deer rifle?

     My first deer rifle was from Santa.  It was a new Marlin 336CS chambered in 30/30.  I was able to come up with enough cash to put a Simmons 3x9x40 on it with over and under bases.   That old rifle killed my first racked buck and gave me a love for whitetail hunting     A 30/30 historically was one of the first rifles given to young hunters and many never laid it down.   Some of my buddies started their deer hunting careers with the .243 winchester.   I had a couple of buddies start out with a 270 Winchester, and a few with their Dad's 30/06.  The article is on how to pick a gun for your youngster.
     Pump, lever action, semiauto, single shot or bolt?  I have personal preference for a bolt action because of its simplicity, ease of accurizing, and the range of calibers you can acquire one in.   Any of the the options will work.   I wouldn't recommend a semiauto for a beginner because of its complexity, however you have the benefit of the action helping relieve recoil. he pump is an option but it seems you see less and less of these warriors now days.   A good, old  30/30 is still a great option for the beginner and the new lever revolution bullets sure give them a punch.  The final action is the single shot of which you will see many low cost options floating around.  According to your budget, this may be an option for you.
     I would recommend a caliber that is a minimum of a 243 Winchester.  I am not a big fan of it but its killed allot of deer by youth hunters and experienced hunter alike.   I am more a fan of 260 Remington, 7mm-08, or one of the other cartridges in the 308 family.   If you reload or are willing to buy recoil manage ammo, then you may just consider a 270 or 30/06.  These guns shoot well and will always be there down the line.
    Please consider the stock design when starting out a youngster.  Even if you buy an adult gun, please just purchase a youth stock so the shooter can fire comfortably.  A gunsmith like myself can also cut the stock to fit as well as put on a nice recoil pad.   A stock that is too long will be uncomfortable to shoot.   Think about how light a gun is as well, because  a light weight stock will affect your recoil.  We  don't want the young shooter to be afraid of the gun.  We want that youngster to enjoy shooting their gun to be more proficient and of course have success in the field.   A miss early on can heart-breaking.
     Whatever gun and caliber combo you pick, please carry your young hunter to the range so they can build confidence.   Its best for them to have already known a 22 and hopefully taken small game over the years.  If that is not case, please don't lose any opportunity to transfer your love of the sport to our next generation.  My brother-in-law, Bruce Monk, took the time to teach me about hunting and I am so grateful for it.  
     I will end this article by saying that I sold that 30/30.  I was a buyer and seller back then as I am now.  That is however one gun that I still wish I had.  Come visit me at Crooked Pine Gun Works and I can help you and your new hunter get into the field.

The picture is of my Daddy and me.