Good starter Rifle

It has a lot to do with personal preference. I would probably go with a .243 in a bolt action rifle such as the Remington Model Seven. The 7mm08 is also a good caliber. Here is a chart to give you some idea of the recoil for a few well know deer calibers.

Caliber Recoil [Foot Pounds]
.243 8.4
.25-06 12.4
.270 15.7
7x57 12.2
.280 16.2
7mm Rem. Mag. 24.3
.308 14.8
.30-06 20.0
.300 Win. Mag. 27.2
.30-30 11.4

Yeah, I have plenty of previous gun experience. I have several air rifles that I've had since I was 9., a .22, and a winchester model 12 sixteen guage. I think I'm gonna go with the 30-30. I like the lever actions short barrel, and I would be very unlikely that I would have to make a long shot where I live.

Get a good rifle and learn how to shoot. You are big enough that a 308, 270 or 06 is not gonna beat you up.Heck, when you shoot at a deer, you barely hear the gun go off....WF

I highly recommend staying away from any lever action with a hammer that cocks and has to be let down by pulling the trigger. I have investigated way to many accidental discharge accidents with them. They simply aren’t a safe choice and especially for an inexperienced hunter.
 
I have seen several cases where someone was shot after a young hunter had seen a deer, cocked the gun, the deer disappeared before they got a shot and they forgot to let the hammer down. I even saw an adult hunter walking around with one cocked this past season. I’ve also seen several accidental discharge accidents when the gun accidentally discharged during loading or unloading since each round has to be cycled through the chamber to unload it.
 
If you want a good rifle that would serve you well for a lifetime of deer hunting I would probably go with a bolt action .270.
 R.S. Bodenhorn

Good call on the lever RSB. Even experienced hunters can have trouble in real cold weather with the hammer slipping out of their thumbs just loading it...WF

Good points on the 30-30 guys.  I actually hunted my first few years with a Marlin 30-30, but my dad put the extension on the hammer to make it a touch safer.  While very popular, they are probably not the most kid friendly guns available.

At 15 my dad bought me a Winchester model 70XTR Sporter in .270.  The difference in recoil was barely noticeable from that of the 30-30. It is more than 10 years later and I still love my .270.  Personally, I wouldn't dream of hunting deer with any caliber other than the .270.  

You know those first shots you hear 45 minutes before daylight the first day of rifle every year; that's those 30-30's being loaded.

Could be more truth than most would think.

Leo,
Also keep in mind not all levers have hammers. The Savage 99 is an excellent and safe lever rifle(also my favorite).
Remington pumps are another option. My .243 Rem pump will shoot cloverleafs @ 100 yards and reach out pretty far to shake hands with a ground hog.  I'd recommend any short action caliber from .243-.30, have fun pickin'!   

So a 270. is a good caliber? I want something that is versatile.

The only detraction to a .270 in a bolt action rifle is that it requires a long action and hence a longer rifle.  If you are of the physical size that that doesn't make a difference and the areas that you hunt does not require a shorter rifle, it is a dandy choice.

  Glad to see you considering other calibers and guns  Leo. Dardys makes a great point about your rifle lasting.
Dont worry too much about a bolt being long- you will get used to it just like any new gun you purchase. It is after all most likely that first shot that will count the most.
Excellent points about the variety of ammo making the 270 quite a nice gun for other game as well. Other calibers like the 06 have similar variety and like the 270 are readily available. The 06 hits harder and is  great for larger game
Remember whatever your choice is-practice-practice- practice.
One of my sons got a great deal years ago on a .356 presentation grade Marlin from a guy who got it as a gift and had only put 10 rounds through it. The guy  never hunted and really didnt want any gun.
The gun shot great and was a great deer caliber -but you couldnt find ammo for it hardly anywhere and when you did it cost a LOT.The point being like you were advised earlier pick a style you like and then try and find it in a decent readily available caliber for the game you want to hunt.
Leo- even though there may be a bit of different advice coming your way here each and every guy responding is happy as heck to hear from a 13 year old taking up the sport and getting involved we all certainly wish you well with whatever you pick. As you can see we all have somewhat different likes and dislikes in the way we approach hunting guns but there are certain similarities in what we are all saying to you- dwell on those similarities any you will do very well.

ORIGINAL: btexpress

leo, where are you from? I live in SW PA in Fayette County. If you are near here, we can get together and do some shooting at my gun club. I have a 30-30, .270, .30-06, and a .243. I'll let you shoot them all, then you can make a decision.

Very nice offer btexpress ! If leo can't go I can make it. LOL

cant go wrong with a .25-06, 7mm-08, .243, .270 or 30/06 in PA

I have owned a nice 30.30 in the past but they do have a very dangerous feature    ( HAMMER SLIPS FROM YOUR THUMB IN THE BLINK OF AN EYE  ) I experienced this on a cold day with gloves on out in the woods. I,m glad I was by myself and the round hit the ground a few feet away in front of me . You are 13 and there are a lot of good bolt action rifles out there that you would never outgrow. Be sure to be the safest guy out there and enjoy many good hunts. Lots of good advice posted above also hope you are wise enough to listen to experience from those who know.  

If you really want a lever action, look at the Browning BLR's and I would HIGHLY recommend the 243 it's probably the most versatile round out there. The BLR's have a removable clip so you don't have the issue of cycling all the rounds through the action to unload. As for the 243, my first trip to Montana I remember all of us PA guys getting 7mm Mags and 338's to go out. We got there and EVERY local hunter out there was using a 243. I saw 5 bull elk killed on that trip and every one was killed with a 243.

I have used a Savage 99 almost exclusively since my grandfather gave it to me 30+ years ago. It's a 284 caliber and I love it, it's like my grampa and I are still hunting together every time I take it out. The 284 does have considerable recoil when target shooting though, but like someone said earlier you don't feel a thing when you're shooting at a deer...

Good luck in your choice and let us know what you decide...