Felt recoil

[Austin1]

The 357 can be shot with .38 Specials to get the kid shooting.  Then after the kid is comfortable you can move up to the .38+P.  Then it is a small step to the .357.

I start small girls (11 yr old) out with my .44Mag Carbine.  I load some light .44 Specials, with 180gr bullets.

The most important thing is that it is cut down to fit a small child.  If the stock does not fit it will knock the heck out of a kid.  Want to ruin a kid on shooting, have them shoot a recoiling gun that does not fit them.  That's the main reason most wives will not go out and shoot with the husband, Young man takes his bride out and has her shoot his hunting rifle.  This gun has a stock that fits a man's frame, not the smaller frame of a woman.  When she shoots it the gun knocks the heck out of her.  It hurts so bad she never wants to shoot a hunting rifle again.  So he loses the best hunting partner he could ever have from the start.  My wife is 4'11" and at the time weighed 95 lbs.  I got a Marlin .44 carbine, and had it cut down to fit her with a jacket on.  Then I started her out with .44 specials just like I now do kids.  She became my best hunting partner, she sees color, (I'm color blind) I see shapes and small movements she will miss.

When I get ready to take my class out to the Skeet range, I have had many fathers bring out a .410 for their little girls to shoot.  Full length stock, and a box of factory 3" shells.  Dad feels it will kick less than the cut down 20ga I am supplying, with light skeet loads.  I am almost to the point of banning Dads from going with us to the Skeet range.  Moms and Kids do fine, put a Dad in there and he thinks he knows more than anyone else.

Ha ha yes I am 6.2'' and skinny and fired a pre 64 mod 70 in .375 made for a friend of mine he is 5'8 and built like a Brick Sh house He also fire my 602 in .375 we had fun! I like a gun with a long length of pull as I have a long neck and my scope was up way too far for him to get a full feild of view and My eye was like a inch away on his gun and had a bad scope vision too. We each took a shot though He trying to creep the stock and me holding the gun off my shoulder. 

[av-doctor]

I live in PA we don't have muledeer just medium sized whitetails, 150lbs is a BIG deer here. longest shot i have ever taken at a deer was maybe 75yds so why would i allow a kid to take a shot i wasn't sure they could make? I'd never take a new hunter out and let them wander around alone i keep them at arms lenght if i can't reach they are too far away!!! But this is off the topic it doesn't matter if target is 10ft or ten miles it has nothing to do with felt recoil. and as many will atest a 357mag is plenty for whitetails at reasonable ranges! the question was not is a 357mag the best choice of course it isn't but is it a better option than a gun that scares the crap of kid. I've seen alot of irresponsible hunting behavior in my day but i feel the need to teach ethical behavior rather than just allow them to do something, it doesn't matter if its hunting ,fishing,paintball,or checkers the point is;if you take the responibility of teaching something to someone else do everything in your power to taech them right!
  I apologize for being a bit long-winded but this is a subject i'm very passionate about.

  Quick i checked out the link you posted thanks for the info it will be what i show my friend before he decides on what to get for his son.