Its whatever you want. I got my .30-06 when I was 14 or 15 and just got a .243 at age 23 to have a gun to shoot deer and coyotes with. I think each caliber has its perks and you should try and shoot one of each a few times if you can find someone who will let you and go from there.

Depends on the size of the teenager, sensitivity to noise and recoil. I'd second the 25-06 or 25 WSSM they are awesome and are substantially stronger than the 243. Also a 308 or it's little brother a 7-08 are good rounds.

I am 16 now, but when I was 10 or 11 I had no problem handling my dad's 30-30. So he should be fine with a 30/06.

The .270 is an excellent caliber that has enough punch to take down medium-sized big game without causing your teen to develop the dreaded flinch. That's not to say that the .30/06 isn't a wonderful caliber in its own right, but depending on the size of your kid and the weight of the rifle, it can kick a little hard for some. In my mind the .243 would be a good bit lighter than anything I would ever carry mule-deer hunting. The bullet is so light it tends to not leave much of a blood trail and can lead to wounded animals that are never recovered. I have seen this first-hand where the .243 doesn't leave enough of a blood-trail and the deer is either lost or found days later.

After reading Petzal for to long I finally acquired a 7mm/08 and discovered that it is an absolutely wonderful caliber. It pushes a 140 grain bullet at almost 3,000fps at the muzzel. It has very light recoil, and therefore can be made in a lighter gun which is a big bonus when having to walk a lot over the course of a day's hunt.

.243 is a little light for mule deer as they are tough and can be often a ways out considering their terrain. either the .270 or 30/06 will work well. i've used a .260 on mule deer many times with good results.

Get one of the larger calibers if you think he's big enough. Do you have a shotgun? If so let him shoot a box of slugs through it. If that doesn't bother him he's big enough. If it does, consider a .260 or 7-08.

I always take my 243 on if I plan on walking a long ways, the weight is wonderful and with the right bullet you should have no problem taking deer out to 300 yards with practice or you could go with a 308.

7mm-08 is the best round i've had for deer sized game. Hits as hard as a .270 within 300 yards. Kicks less than a .270 and .308. The .284 caliber bullet is great.

PS the 25-06 beats the 257WSSM by 100fps at half the price

#1 there is no 257wssm and #2 a 308 has as much energy as a 3006 with the same recoil as a 7-08 hands down I would take the 308 ammo is easier to find. when you start to question a rifle round look at ballistics.

I would go with the 270. It is plenty big enough to take down any deer sized animal without punishing him.

.270

30/6 is a powerful gun he should do fine.

Of the choices offered in the original question, I would go with the .30-06 with conditions. #1 there are "managed recoil"/low recoil 125 gr loads available for starter loads for young 'uns. Or #2, handload some 130 grain Hornady's or similar at starting loads until the 14 year old grows into full power loads.

Otherwise, my answer is none of the above: get a .25-06, .257 Roberts, or 7mm-08.

I say you can shoot any of them. Unless your a very big wimp you should have no trouble managing recoil. The first question everyone asks me is how bad does it recoil. Suck it up like a man, and shoot I can guarantee it won't be as bad as you thought.