Ruger American Rifle Gen II Ranch (.350 Legend)

The Ruger American Gen II Ranch in .350 Legend is the modern youth and first deer rifle for straight-wall cartridge states. Its headline feature for a growing shooter is the adjustable length of pull: the stock ships at 13.75 inches and shortens to 12 inches by removing a spacer, so one rifle fits a smaller youth now and the adult that youth becomes, without buying a second gun.

The .350 Legend chambering is the reason this is such a strong youth pick. Its recoil is mild and comparable to a .243 Winchester, but it kicks with a gentler, more drawn-out push instead of a sharp jab, and is quieter with less muzzle blast, all of which keep a new shooter from developing a flinch. Inside the 150-to-200-yard ranges most deer are taken, it hits hard and drops game cleanly. The 16.40-inch barrel comes threaded 1/2x28, so a suppressor mounts directly to protect young ears, the single best thing a parent can add to a first hunting rifle.

The Gen II action carries Ruger's Marksman Adjustable trigger, tunable from 3 to 5 pounds, a tang safety, and a flush-fit detachable magazine. It is compact, light, threaded, and adjustable; for a youth hunter in a straight-wall state, it is the rifle to grow into rather than out of.