[dakotasin]

i've been trying to keep a 1:1 ratio of semi's to autos ever since i started buying guns... my recent xd40 purchase upset the balance. so, now i have to remedy it. i am not a fan of 22's at all, but w/ 2 kids who will be coming of age, i recognize the need for one.

so, i spent today handling a few 22's, and have it narrowed down to 3 candidates. ruger bearcat, ruger single six, and the ruger single six 50th anniversary commemorative... funny, because i am not a fan of rugers at all, but the smiths i handled were way too large, didn't care for the taurus stuff, etc etc etc... so, i'm down to these... basically, ruger single six vs ruger bearcat. the prices are close together...

so, which way is the way to go?

on a related note, i will probably buy a browning the same day, which leaves me at an upset ratio... however, i'll remedy that in time...

[medmo]

My kids really enjoyed the bearcats when they were small. The grip and the weight is perfect for small kids. Have you considered an H&R 999 Sportsman? When they got a little bigger they really loved shooting it. I have one of the more recent productions before they stopped making them. It's DA and mine has a 4" bbl. They really got a kick out of breaking the action and dumping 9 empties. Good luck maintaining the balance....

[Ala Dan]

I'm a fan of adjustable sights, and I feel as though when a child is
learning firearms marksmanship skills they need all the help they can
possibly get. In other words, it gives them a chance to learn what a
sight picture really is, along with proper breath control, and proper
trigger techniques. With that said, the Ruger single-six makes a
excellent starter handgun.

[foghornl]

If ther are younger kids, with small hands, probably the Bearcat...about 7/8th the size of the Single-Six. A bit older kids, the Single-Six.

That being said, I taught my kids with an OLD S&W .22 "Kit Gun", which oldest son has now, and used to teach HIS kids.

I do have a Single-Six, and a MkII semi-auto. If I was teaching my kids again, I'd probably opt for the Single-Six.

[dakotasin]

cross- my carry gun is a sig 229. it is a constant and familiar. however, that does not mean that i can't have other guns or other types for fun guns. i like the ratio, and it doesn't bother anything... i 'train' w/ the sig, i hunt, plink, and just have fun w/ everything else.

so...i am looking for another fun gun, and probably will be one that i only shoot once every few years - remember, i'm not a fan of 22's, and i am a 'rifle guy', meaning that given the opportunity to shoot, i will take a rifle out every time over handguns...

just looking for opinions on bearcat vs. single six. probably use the gun to start kids in on shooting... it isn't unusual for me to have a few guns that have never been shot. in fact, since i finally got the 300 win fired yesterday, i'm down to a 7-08, 22-250, and an xd40 that haven't been fired...