Gun for my son

[jimmyraythomason]

I would shy away from 'bb' guns

Not likely. That was one of the high points of my childhood. It was what I was taught how to use iron sights with. What I learned to hunt sparrows and starlings with. How NOT to hurt myself,others or things. Life without a BB gun (for a young boy) would be awfully boring. When I was growing up,a boy HAD TO HAVE a bicycle,a pocket knife, a dog and a BB gun. I wont rob my grand kids.

 

[Rail Driver]

I'd have to agree with the OP. If your kid is mature enough to learn to handle weapons properly, then it's time to teach him.

I count on starting my son learning the 4 rules around 4-5 once he's got language down pretty well. He won't get his rifle until he can recite the 4 rules to me, and show me that he understands and can follow them at all times.

A .22 is great to start with, but if he expresses interest in shooting something bigger, let him try (coaching him so he doesn't blow out his shoulder shooting Pops' mosin or something of course!), you never know he might like it. My younger cousin was shooting 30-06 and .308 pretty well the summer he turned 7, and he was far from a big kid.

 

[Shadow 7D]

I'm not saying don't let him get one, eventually, but I know what I did, and I have seen more than a few friends kids waving around their play things and shooting people and things that shouldn't be shot with a BB gun, for safety, I would start the kid on something that will teach him how to respect a dangerous weapon.

 

[jimmyraythomason]

I would start the kid on something that will teach him how to respect a dangerous weapon.

IMO that is the job of a BB gun.

 

[The Lone Haranguer]

I suggest getting real quality - of the kind he can pass to his son or daughter - and finding a CZ 452 Scout. It is built to the same quality standards as their full size .22s, just smaller.

 

[engineerbrian]

well, i guess i'll chime in too.

my son started shooting at the age of 6 with both a BB gun and a Crickett. the Crickett is a great rifle, but since its only a single shot he soon became bored with it once he became a better shooter (on the other hand, a box of ammo will last forever). At 7 years old he upgraded to a winchester 9422, and loves it! i guess its due to the extra mag capacity and he thinks the lever action is cool.

 

[jlasserton]

I'm afraid that I'd have to agree with your wife...I don't think children should have guns, but I realize that I'm different than most "gun-toters". If he's taught to use it responsibly, and you believe that he is ready and responsible enough then, you as his parent should make the ultimate decision...

 

[searcher451]

Only you can determine what the right age is going to be. I got my first gun at the age of 11 or 12. It was a Ruger Bearcat, and I still have it; still take it to the range from time to time, in fact. It's the perfect pistol to get started with, IMO.

 

[JTHunter]

WardenWolf - were you using a steel bullet trap? What did the BB hit that caused it to ricochet? And was it a soft lead pellet or a hard steel BB?
Remember those old "superballs" from 30+ years ago? Remember how hard they were? That's why a steel BB can bounce around a bit.

 

[Mp7]

Air-rifle or .22 bolt. That will teach him a lot, at low cost.

( Can even make him mow the lawn for a bulk-pack )

 

[danprkr]

Depends on the kid as to age. I have a 20 y/o that I still will not give a gun to, and my buddies 12y/o already has his own rifle so it just depends. Personally I would think 8 would be young to 'own' a gun, but to have something his size in your collection might be a good deal. I realize you aren't going to let him throw it in his toy box, but you know what I mean.

As to the wife's opinion, you have to sleep next to her every night, and I would listen very carefully to what she says.

 

[esquare]

I don't know if getting him a gun is a good thing or not - that's up to you, but I would suggest taking him and your wife to an appleseed for some fun family firearms training. It seems like that would be a blast for everyone and would be a great way to prove to yourself and your wife that he can handle a firearm properly.

 

[lucky-gunner]

Good age for a gun

I think 8 is fine to start shooting a 22 LR.

As far as how the wife feels about it...I come from a different type of family/generation so I can't help you there. Family saying has been if you can't shoot you, how are you going to eat?

Maybe go to a club and have someone else train with your wife and son at first. My brothers wife wouldn't go shooting around him, but once we got her in a course she came to love shooting. She's probably heard a ton of crazy stuff from you over the years (like all of us) and would feel a lot better if a unbiased party explained how shooting young = better lifetime marksmanship and safety.


Good Luck!

 

[doc2rn]

You can always do like I did with my daughter. I taught her the fundamentals using a Nerf pistol system and a reactive target. She is becoming quite the shot! She just stated last week she wants to go shooting with daddy so I am gonna make that happen real soon for her. I am so proud of her

 

[Radium]

get a small caliber gun that fits him. show him the safety and why safety is important ( blow up a watermelon with a centerfiredrifle orsumthinginthelineofthat) so he will see why safety is important and how guns can be very dangerous even leathal.

i myself started with a sako finnhunter p94s when i was about 15.(but then again mydad is not a gun guy so it was i that bhought it)

now lets just hope will will outshoot u and the rest of us in the near future and become the next top shot

good luck and have fun!

 

[woerm]

+1 on the Cricket

I've used a Cricket and an old Savage Deluxe Model 40 (.22) for firearms intro.

they both work fine.

woerm

 

[Russ Jackson]

Personally I would give him one of your guns thus showing how important it is. He might treat it with more respect knowing it was yours. Prefferably it was handed down from your Father. Hopefully it is in the form of a 22 bolt or something he can fire now. If not I would go out and buy him a 22 bolt action and one for myself that we could shoot together. Along with the hand me down gun. Guns and shooting in my opinion are an intimate thing between Father and Son that can carry through the late teenage years and life when things in common may be few and far between. If all else fails you can go shooting or hunting....Russ

 

[Sheepdog1968]

The current Guns and Ammo issue had a big article dedicated to this topic. It's worth buying that issue. It had some insights I wouldn't have thought of as well as a long list of 22's.

 

[ColdDeadHand]

I cut my teeth on a Remington 870 Express in 20 ga. Great for small game practise.

My Dad and I had a very good understanding that I was only to use guns under supervision or unless otherwise given permission to do so. I never broke that trust, mainly because I liked to shoot too much and I knew that if I ever did so I wouldn't even get close to a firearm for years to come.

I recall around 8 yrs old one time a friend of mine saw a pistol in the house and reached for it (I think we were in Dad's closet). Before he even touched it I stopped him and said, "No! Don't! If you want to shoot that's fine but don't touch it now. My Dad can call your parents and get permission and he'll take us shooting when he gets home from work."

I had virtually unlimited access...under supervision, and I knew it.

 

[ColdDeadHand]

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?

AMEN!

 

[mustang_steve]

I say get him a youth rifle, but only let him handle it when in your presence...keep it locked up otherwise.

That's whay my dad did when he gave me a remington mohawk 66

 

[gym]

I think it depends on the kid more than the age. Although the last time this came up, "do a search", I think 10 was the recommended age. I don't remember where that number came from, but we have discussed this topic previouslly, so I am sure there is plenty of info if you search the forum, Good Luck

 

[Saintmain]

I had the same dilemma when my son turned 8. I did a lot of research and decided that the CZ452 (Scout) was the best choice. It is a quality rifle; capable of shooting a tight group. It comes with a clip that allows it to be fired as a single shot and then you can move up to a larger clip as the shooter becomes more proficient. As mentioned in another post, it is a quality rifle that I hope can be passed down to the next generation some day.

 

[cliffjr]

I say go with a regular .22, those over/unders get heavy after a few shots.

 

[ms6852]

I started out with a Daisy BB gun the kind that would hold about a thousand BB's. A bag of toy soldiers, or cowboys and Indians and set them up all over the back yard. Than the fun would began shooting them all down. The BB gun made me the accurate shooter I grew up to be. If you and your wife cannot reach an agreement I truly believe a BB gun or air rifle is a good compromise. Compromise is the key word after all you have to sleep with your wife not your boy.