Gun for my son

[mightyjohn]

I have been thinking about getting my 8 year old his first gun. I think a cricket or one of those Browning 22/410 combos would be good but the wife thinks he is too young for a gun. What do you guys think? I think the sooner the better.

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[Mac's Precision]

Well....I disagree with your wife. I think 8 is a great age to start plinking. Teach him good safety skills now.

I shot my Dad's S&W model 15 Combat Masterpiece at the tender age of 8.

Stick to .22 that fits him. If he is small then a cricket would be appropriate.. If he is a strapping young lad...then you could get him a Henry H-1Y...youth lever gun, a 10/22 or any number of other great options. Depends on what he can hold up.

My 9 year old daughter shoots.. She is strapping young girl and can handle a 10/22 or the Ruger Mk1 just fine.

Get him going Dad... We need all the inspired shooters we can get.

Cheers
Mac.

 

[westtx28]

I got my son a Henry Mini Bolt (pretty much the same as a Crickett) when he was 7 or 8. I found that he outgrew it pretty quickly. Not so much size wise but more in terms of proficiency. I soon ended up getting him a regular bolt action CZ Scout which is a fantastic gun for the price.

 

[writerinmo]

Started all three of my kids at around 8, had a Daisy Legacy bolt action youth rifle that they started with, then worked on up to my Glenfield Model 60 then handguns. They still enjoy a day of plinking with the .22's at 18, 24 and 26.

 

[surjimmy]

Sooner the better.

 

[bannockburn]

I started my son out with an air rifle when he was 7 or 8 years old. Next year I got him a .22 rifle; let him pick it out (Remington 597), and once I saw how accurate he was with it, I got him a scope to go with it. A few years later, I bought him a Walther P22 for his first handgun. Again he impressed me with his proficiency and his safe handling practices with both of his guns. I think a single-shot .22 rifle for my son would have become very boring after a very short period of time. He's really enjoyed shooting semi-autos and that's to me what it's all about.

 

[JTHunter]

mightyjohn - good advice here. Any .22 would be a good way to go. The .410 might be a little much kick for now. It also takes more skill to hit the target (or squirrel) because of its small payload.
Good luck with both your son AND your wife!

 

[dshambli]

I started out with an airgun and didn't get a .22 until I was a little older. My little cousin started with a Red Ryder, and when she would shoot with me, she always made sure she handled everything safely, which is the most important thing to learn when shooting.

 

[mongo4567]

My son started at 6 or so with a Crickett. He took his first deer at 9 with a .223. He's 10 now and a been a junior member of our shooting club for a few years. He loves shooting with me; his favorites are the Walther p22, 10/22, SKS, and Beretta 92. He's going dove hunting with me next week.

 

[vaupet]

I think Air-rifles are the way to go.

- learn proper aiming and trigger technique, (trigger set at 0.6 lbs), stance,..
- shoots slow so they take their time and make every shot count
- no damage watsoever
- low ammo cost
- we have our own 10 meter indoor range inthe basement for bad waither or winter
- plenty of reactive targets available, who last forever
- no risk for ricochet

greetings

Peter

 

[WardenWolf]

No risk of ricochet, vaupet? Apparently you haven't seen a Daisy Red Ryder ricochet a BB back from a target that was 50 feet from point of firing. Believe me, an air rifle is plenty capable of ricochet.

I'd say get him a .22LR single shot while he learns discipline. A Savage Mark I youth rifle would be ideal.

 

[mightyjohn]

I was actually looking at the Rossi. 22/.410. The. 22 for now and he could move up to the. 410 when he gets a little older/bigger. The wife is so dead set against it that i don't know what to do.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

My oldest grand daughter has been begging me to let her shoot and she is only 4. So,NO I don't think 8 is too young!

 

[wow6599]

I took my step-son shopping with me to get his first gun when he was 9, although my 3 year old will start shooting when he is 5 or 6. I pointed to all the .22s on the rack and told him he could pick it out, as long as it wasn't a semi-auto........every rifle he chose was a 10/22. Finally, after about an hour, he picked a Savage MKII bolt-action. I stuck a cheap Tasco on top and let him shoot away.....great first gun.

 

[dogdollar]

I vote for a Browning BL-22....the little lever action .22. It's a great little rifle he will love for the rest of his life; and it's scaled down so small it should easily fit him right now. These things are a blast to shoot !!
Of course, you are the one who will have to judge if he is responsible enough to have a repeater, but personally I agree with another post here about Crickets just being BORING.
DD

 

[Sky]

Only because my Dad thought a 22 shot to far and there was a possibility of hitting a neighbors cow out of line of sight I started out with a BB gun at 5. Shot his single shot 16 gauge at (7?) which knocked me almost off my feet and took the fun out of It. By age 9 I carried the 16 and by 10 I was given a rolling block 22 single shot.

If the kids are just going to a range supervised whatever you feel comfortable with will work. I have a 6 year old who loves to shoot and has a pellet gun. BB guns and pellet guns shooting at some targets can come back and hit the shooter. Glasses for my part are recommended.

If the kid is going to be hunting by himself (IE) you live on or in the great outdoors I am in the 410 shot gun club. Different loads for different game with plenty of bang for the buck. Will also teach stealth and tracking to get in range.

 

[BlindJustice]

THere was a guy on the S&W Forum who asked this question for his 8 yr old son. The wife made him buy a heavy guage steel safe ( not super expensive but it's locked up. A lot of suggestions for a 10/22 but I disagree in that a semi-auto for a first gun doesn't promote marksmanship.

I had a Stevens 18A that was just sitting in my closet for a decade or more, - I charged him $50 to cover the shipping to his FFL in Michigan Heck, I had my FFL/dealer give it a good cleaning of the bore - it was leaded
up. The guy got it and son had a bit of a struggle with pulling back the
cocking bolt but the pic of him holding it like "present arms' was worth it.

A more modern bolt action with a 5 or 10 shot mag.repeater
would also be fine, imho.

Randall

 

[rightside]

Mine Son started shooting at Five, Daughter at Seven, Ruger 10/22, at when they displayed handling safety, handguns Ruger Single Six and Ruger New Bear Cat for my daughter.

They grow fast, and I was glad I never got a Youth model. Some say no semi-autos, but that is easy to fix. Only one or two in the magazine.

I think more than age their maturity determines when they are ready too shoot.

 

[Mdeng]

I run a Jr. Rifle program in Southern Maryland. The kids start out at 6 years old using .22lr rifles. We use Henry Mini Bolts and CZ 452 youth models for the smaller kids and move them up to Savage MKII FVT's and Remington 513T when they are big enough to handle the heavier rifles.

It is my opinion that if your son is curious about guns it is better to teach him before he tries to learn on his own. You may store your firearms under lock and key to keep them out of his reach, but can you say that for the parents of every friend that he spends time with in their home. Teach them right, teach them often, and he will always remember the time you spent with him on the range. Mdeng

 

[ReloaderEd]

A boys first fun

I taught hunter safety in Oregon, Illinois and someday Washington State.
All three of my kids had to set through it at about 8 years old and all three passed the written and gun handleing test several times.
ALL OF US MUST LEARN, LIKE TYING ONES SHOES WHEN YOU PICK UP ANY GUN POINT THE MUZZLE IN A SAFE DIRECTION.
I can guaentee you if you ask you younster (who has experience with firearms) what do you do when you pick up a gun? Nine times out of ten they will respond: Chek to see if its loaded!!!
A good single shot 22 Rifloe such as a Remington used 514 would be perfect. I stated with a Daisey Red Rider at 8 at christmas and was sent out in the back yard to teach myself. Be Safe

 

[BlkHawk73]

It's not a question of age but one of maturity. After all, there's grown adults that cannot and should have possess and use firearms. I'd do what I did with my son if I was to do it again. Start him with a bb gun and teach him the basics, the fundamentals. It's a inexpensive investment and inexpensive to shoot even in the backyard. Then progress at HIS pace to the 22lr. keep it interesting for him with different target types. Eggs, lolipops and fruit make good responsive targets for kids. Another important aspect is to not pressure him and push him into it. Push too much and he'll really not want to do it. It's gotta be about what HE wants not what YOU want. After all is it for him or you?

 

[NavyLCDR]

The wife is so dead set against it that i don't know what to do.

What about buying yourself a Ruger Charger? Pistol made on the 10/22 receiver with a bipod on front? I think that would be a lot of fun to shoot, it's upgradeable later, no worries about having to buy a specific youth gun that obviously would not be your gun... it would be a gun that would fit your son and yet not be a youth model so you could claim it as yours - it would just be that your son would shoot it most and would end up with it as a gift later on.

 

[Dnaltrop]

My first 2 .22s were...

a Marlin 101 (nearing the century mark and still a great shooter)

The Ar-7 explorer.

The Marlin built my patience being a single shot bolt action, but I have a very large soft spot for the AR, my first semi.

My 8 year old is getting the new Henry built one for her next birthday, maybe Christmas (she's on the 101 herself now). They've added a rail for a red dot or scope.

The simple build/takedown (screw barrel on, screw stock on, insert mag, go!) starts them on maintaining their gun at more points, the featherweight ensures they won't be begging you to carry their gun at the end of a longer hike, the ability to float is a good idea with kids in general.

The accuracy is just a perk ^^, I used to pick pine cones off the tops of trees. (before my old man caught me and taught me that falling bullets can kill people)

Remember high velocity ammo only, it needs the kick to cycle properly.

 

[Sgt.Saputo]

I must agree with BlkHawk, age is not a factor. Maturity however is. I got my first firearm for Christmas at age 7. Before I was allowed to shoot it my father spent lots of time teaching me safety and proper handling of the firearm. Of course there are some in the world who will tell you 8 is way to young, or even that you should never own a firearm. My advise for a firearm for you some would be a bolt action savage .22LR it's cheap, lightweight, easy to clean, accurate, and a blast to shoot (Heck it worked for me)!

 

[Shadow 7D]

I would shy away from 'bb' guns, because, as a child, I didn't handle one responsibly, I will admit it, I was a terror. I would suggest that you hold off buying him 'his gun' and just take him shooting, once he get used to it, and let him shoot a reactive target or go hunting, and he understands what a gun will do, then see about a single shot, or bolt .22 rifle to work on 100m accuracy.