However, with the brake installed they are pussycats
Not on the ears, they're not.
I have a lot to say, but time only to hit the high points.
Man, some of you guys are major a-holes for no reason. As long as he's being safe, then who cares the reason for buying the gun. Jeebus, am I the only one who at 18 yrs thought the same way he does? I think some of us may be forgetting what it's like to be young. Who's to say the kid is not going to follow safety rules and advice? Buying it because it's big, powerful, and cool is a 100% perfectly legitimate reason in my book. Go forth, shoot well, and prosper, my little grasshopper.
You're doing oustanding by taking the advice of those here and getting a .22 - the fact that you're listening and taking advice means that you have a lifetime of safe enjoyment of the hobby ahead of you. You will have a hootenanny with the .22 - but all safety rules must be followed to the letter - they are extremely deadly as any firearm - like the man said, about 20x as powerful as an airgun (which can kill you). Do NOT shoot in the basement unless you really know what you're doing. Aside from ricochets which can hurt/kill you, you've got lead and powder dust exposure - lots of problems shooting indoors. But, if you wear eyes and ears, fabricate a good safe non-ricocheting backstop, use ventilation control, then I wouldn't rule it out entirely.
Shoot that .22 a lot, but it will still be like stepping up from a Tonka toy to an H1 Hummer going to the .300 maggie, recoil-wise. I suggest you take up reloading, and load some downloaded ammo, or start with some Remington reduced recoil loads if you can find them. Don't get me wrong - the recoil won't hurt you at all with one shot - it's cumulative shots in a row that start to hurt. People are spot on when they advise you to avoid the development of a flinch like the plague. It is much much easier to learn to NOT FLINCH when you are young, than it is to UN-LEARN a developed flinch when you are older. Now is your opportunity to develop good form & follow-through, without a flinch, for life.
Good luck and ask lots and lots of questions here and elsewhere.
Like they said, quit being influenced by the salesman. Find out the real deal here, and then going in knowing exactly what you want. They will sell you the kitchen sink and explain to you why you must have it to hit anything.
The non-high-roaders who ridiculed him - get a life, dudes!
P.S. You are still a "kid" - anyone under 30 is a kid to most of these old-timers, and me, too.
mr. trooper - interesting visual - thank you. The .22 lr round is nothing to trifle with. I believe it's killed more non-military personnel than any other round, when counting both homocides and accidents. IIRC.