My call for a 13 yr. old would be a single shot in .243. The Ruger 1 with the stalking rifle fore-end is classic (in fact, that's what I use, in .270), but a New England Firearms break-open single is kind of classic too. The NEF would get my call for safety because of the hammer and the gizmo it has that prevents a misfire if the hammer slips. That could be important in small and excited hands...Geo