[Calhoun321]

I don't know much about scopes, so I need some advice. Let me share the parameters:

Purpose: plinking cans with kids age 5 and 9
Gun: cheap marlin 22 auto / maybe a 10/22 in the future

Special consideration: my son is 5 and I have noticed he is right handed but left eye dominate. It's making training hard. I need something that can be purchased at Bass Pro or Academy for around $100.00.

Range: starting about 20 feet and to range to say 50 yards in the future (or when I use it).

Goal: I want to make it easy for my wife and kids to make accurate shots so they will enjoy the shooting experience. None seem to be able to grasp the concept of iron sights.

I have seen Nikon shotgun scopes recommended for similar needs. I am thinking I need something that starts at 2x, if not a red dot sight to make it easier on my son (eye dominance issues). What might ya'll suggest?

[rcmodel]

You can't fix eye an dominance issue with a scope or red dot. Whichever eye is dominate is the side you have to learn to shoot with.

If he is left eye dominate, he needs to start training right now to shoot left handed.
There is no other answer.

As for a scope recommendation, a real rim-fire or air-gun scope will have the parallax set for 50 yards or so.
Hi-Power scopes are set for 100 - 150 yards.

I have been real impressed with an $80 dollar Bushnell air-rifle scope I bought a couple of years ago.

rc

[9mmepiphany]

i'd also look at a good air rifle scope...i'm also partial to Bushnell and Nikon Prostaff

as rcmodel mentioned, you're doing your son a grave disservice if you're not training him to shoot left handed

[Calhoun321]

Honestly, I've focused more on teaching him with a handgun because of difficulty dealing with the eye dominance thing. With a handgun, we can tilt the gun a little to get a correct sight picture. I thought a long eye relief scope might aid in allowing him to shoot right handed with his left eye. Perhaps I should teach him to shoot a rifle left handed - I do want what is best for him.

Now, back to the scope issue. I thought air gun scopes where built to handle reverse recoil and shouldn't be used with regular rifles.

[9mmepiphany]

I thought air gun scopes where built to handle reverse recoil and shouldn't be used with regular rifles.

it's the other way around, regular rifle scopes...until you get to the more rugged ones...shouldn't be used with airguns. airguns have a double recoil pulse that is bi-directional...this will tear up a lot of scopes

[rcmodel]

No.

They are built to handle recoil in both directions every shot.
Once in the normal direction when the spring piston is released, and again in the other direction when it stops against the front of the receiver at the end of it's stroke.

Any scope that will stand air-gun recoil for 1,000 shots will handle a .22 forever.

rc

[cz85cmbt]

Sounds like their shooting technique is off but if you want something that is easier to line up than open sights go with a tech sights aperture. Still great for fundamentals and all you have to do is look through the hole and everything naturally lines up.
As to eye dominance, don't worry about it. It is only helpful in combat shooting or clay pigeons. I am left eye dominant and right handed and I just squint my left eye slightly and my body switches dominance to my right eye. I can still see peripherally through my left while my right eye looks down the bore. With young shooters the biggest thing is getting equipment that fits them, so for a 5 year old the length of pull on a 10/22 might be long and the gun heavy; instead of getting a 100 plus dollar scope get a savage cub that is built for him or her and already has an aperture sight.