semi-auto for my young son

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tercel89

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My son is 11yrs old . he has a Marlin .22LR bolt action and a Ruger MKIII .22LR pistol . I am wanting to get him his first centerfire pistol .
I am torn between a Ruger P-89 in 9mm (I had this as my first pistol when I turned 21) , a Glock 17 , or a Beretta 92/M9 .
Which would you pick ?
All would be used of course .
I am in no hurry , just wanting to start looking now . He is a god boy and is great in school and I think deserves a good reward for it . He got bullied a few times this year in school and I confronted the parents and the bully . And come to find out he is a full 1 foot taller and 30 LBS heavier than the bully .
I thought him to be a good boy and to turn away from trouble . He does and he is such a good boy . He comes to the range with me all the time .
So what would you choose ?
 
How large is he? Is the size/weight of the MkIII hard for him to hold at arms length for extended periods of time?
 
I am torn between a Ruger P-89 in 9mm (I had this as my first pistol when I turned 21) , a Glock 17 , or a Beretta 92/M9 .
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The primary concern I would have would be hand size and grip. Otherwise I think they are all fine. I have not handled nor have I shot the Glock however.
 
Ever consider a walther P-99? (I picked up a used one for a little over $400). They have 3 interchangeable backstraps for different size hands, so the gun can grow with him.

My wife has one and loves the wizz out of it.
 
I would say the glock 17 or Beretta 92. I like the glock better though. I dont care much for ruger semi auto centerfire pistols. Dont rule out an XD either, they make a good pistol, I dont care for the trigger, but its a fine firearm.
 
Seems to me that the Beretta might have grips that are too large for an 11-year old. I might suggest a Sig P239, which fits my rather small hands just fine.
 
What about a compact M&P?

Automatically smaller pistol plus the interchangeable backstraps to fit his hand as he grows.
 
I would look for a Sig Sauer 225/P6. Good price, single stack magazine, and it's not huge. If I had an 11 YO thats what I would look for. Plus they clean up real nice if you refinish them. I would stay away from polymer guns, as they are lighter and can be limpwristed easier, and younger kids tend to do so. P6 gets my vote, but if he can hold the P89 comfortably then go with what you have.
 
Uhhh huh, it's for the boy. Yeah, that's it. I'd find a range that rents pistols and have him try out a couple.
 
The Ruger SR9 actually has pretty slim grips that might work quite well, but the best advice has already been given.

Rent a couple of models at the range and see what he likes best. If you want it to be a suprise, just say that your curious about different nines.
 
You are an awesome dad to be doing this for your son. Heck, you have already given him two great guns! If it were me, I would see what he wants and then figure out how to get it. That is what I did with my daughter. Just ask him. I think it is more special if it is something they want. For my girl, it was a Springfield Longslide 45. She loves it. She also likes her M64 S&W but I picked that one. The 45 is special to her because she got to decide on it. Either way you go, you cannot lose and neither can you boy!
 
Are revolvers completely out of the question? Something like a .357 Blackhawk or GP-100 would be perfect, at least in my opinion. They'd be inexpensive as well. You could buy a new Blackhawk for the price of most of your examples used. Just something to think about :)

It sounds like he's not small, so the weight shouldn't be too much of a problem.
 
He is 5-3 ft tall and about 160 . His hands are almost the same size as mine.
Revolvers are not out of the question either . I am thinking about finding an inexpensive S&W model 10 (I think thats the model) . I see abunch of them ever so often .
The suggestion of the Sig P-6 is a very good point , I forgot about them.
 
I would personally avoid the p89. I had a p85 and a kp89 and both of them had constant stovepipes. May have been the way I was holding the weapon but I have not had this trouble with any other gun I have shot
 
One other thing about the Sig 239; if you buy it in 357 Sig and buy the 9mm bbl, he can shoot both calibers with the same mags and quick bbl conversion.

It is not a target gun, but shoots pretty straight .
 
Both our boys got a High Power at around that age. Its grip is well sized, comfortable and they shot well with them.
 
If I come across a High Power at a good price , that baby is going to be mine not his :neener:
 
My P-89 and my brothers KP-89 worked great . no malfunction at all . I did hear alot about the earlier P-85 having some issues . Suerly Ruger has ironed them all out by now . Its been 20 years or so .
 
If I come across a High Power at a good price , that baby is going to be mine not his :neener:
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Aww, get him one too, you'll both be happy. :)

My kids did very well with theirs, and it made the transition into their 1911's very easy.
 
I would also vote for revolver. He is a big boy and a good boy but maybe keep it simple to start, and simpler means safer. Maybe go 38 SPL and work up to 357? Or, if you want common ammo, there are several good revolvers out now in 9mm.

Something in a used Smith? I believe there are still some police turn ins floating about with good prices. Usually a bit of holster rash on them but no big deal, especially for a young shooter.

Tom
 
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