Semi Auto .22 for a youth?

[cgv69]

Hey guys,

I'm new here but so far I like what I see.

I'm looking for a small .22LR autoloader for my 10 year old son. Here is some specifics...I know a lot of you are going to recommend a revolver. I know all the reason why they are recommended but that is not what I am looking for so please don't suggest any. My son has his heart set on a Walther P22 and that is what I planed on buying him. I knew the reliability was iffy with them but was willing to take a chance until I heard they also seem to have issues with the slide cracking so it's out.

My son is very big for his age but not that big so something with a small grip like the P22 is preferable. I know the looks of the P22 really got him so something with a newer design would also be good. I know the Ruger Mark II are nice but not for him and the 22/45 don't so it for me either. I'm thinking about maybe the Beretta U22 NEOS or Sig Trailside or maybe even a Browning Buckmark but I have never handled any of these so I don't know how they feel, weight, grip angle or anything. I also do not know if they have any reliability or quality issues? Is there any others I should be considering? The price of the P22 (~$220) was also attractive and I would like to stay close to that price range if possible.

You input will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

 

[SJG26]

Is this his 1st????

If so, may I suggest a Youth 22 rifle instead? Better muzzle control, and the opportunity to learn the basics may be less complicated with a rifle. You didn't mention his experience level so perhaps a handgun will work out.

I bought a Marlin 22N-youth for my 1st son at 8 (almost 13 now), his younger brothers are now learning on it.

Sometime soo I will upgrade him to an adult-stock rifle, or pistol if he wants. I'm in the market for an auto shotty for him ( 20 vs. 12ga debate)

 

[Steelcore]

A Walther P22 would make a great carry pistol for school.Better off getting something like a Ruger 67/8 target model.Much harder to conceal.Besides there are quality/durability issues with the P22.They don't stand up well to heavy shooting.

 

[SLCDave]

Beretta U22 NEOS or Sig Trailside or maybe even a Browning Buckmark

The price of the P22 (~$220) was also attractive and I would like to stay close to that price range if possible.

With this as your criteria, I would choose the Browning.

I'm personally trying to decide between the Buckmark and a Ruger.

 

[SLCDave]

I'm looking for a small .22LR autoloader for my 10 year old son.

A Walther P22 would make a great carry pistol for school.

Umm, am I missing something here?

 

[phorvick]

I have the Beretta Neos and love it. Very accurate, easy to clean, somewhat modernistic doofiness to it also. Great fun to shoot gun. With the optic rail already built in, pop a $30 red dot on it and impress everyone with your marksmanship.

 

[cgv69]

Thanks for the input so far. Just to answer some of the questions so far...

If so, may I suggest a Youth 22 rifle instead?

Not a bad suggestion but here's the deal, This will be his first firearm but he has been using a spring powered air rifle for a while now. I would love to get him a CZ452 Youth but the problem is, we have no place close by to shoot it. The only range around is an indoor, pistol only range.

A Walther P22 would make a great carry pistol for school

I'm going to assume that's a pathetic attempt at a joke and leave it at that.

With this as your criteria, I would choose the Browning.

Price isn't my main concern but it is a factor. Can anybody tell me the average street price of the guns I mentioned?

Keep the replies coming...Thanks

 

[outofbattery]

I have a little over 2k through my P22 and it's running great . I also have a Buckmark and a Smith and Wesson 22A and like the little Walther best . I had to return it to S&W to have its reluctance to fire DA fixed but it was back in a week and haven't had a problem since .

 

[Mastrogiacomo]

Well, if you can find a S&W 617, that'd be sweet and reliable. I use a Ruger New Single Six and absolutely love the gun. It's not too expensive either.

 

[Majic]

First a little advise, when teaching somebody something new you do what's best for them to learn and not what they say. Handguns are not easy to learn to shoot (not if you want to shoot well). A young new shooter with an semi-auto is itching to just keep pulling the trigger. To teach the basics with a pistol you should load one round at a time in the mag. The fun factor has dissappeared, impatience sets in and it's all downhill after that.
Find him a good used revolver and tell him that is what he is going to learn on (you are the dad and teacher). If he rejects the idea of using the revolver then just hand him the air rifle back and tell him that he needs to grow up and listen to you. If he whines and cries then so be it as he has just shown he hasn't the mentality of using a firearm yet. Kids will always have the big eyes for what they want, but you are the controlling factor here not him. Let him know that once he learns the basics and can prove he can safely and accurately shoot the revolver then you will get him the semi-auto he wants.
Start him off right, but let him know there is a prize to earn later down the road and he may put more effort into learning. You can always get your money back out of the learning revolver if you decide you don't need it anymore.

 

[cgv69]

First a little advise, when teaching somebody something new you do what's best for them to learn and not what they say. Handguns are not easy to learn to shoot (not if you want to shoot well). A young new shooter with an semi-auto is itching to just keep pulling the trigger. To teach the basics with a pistol you should load one round at a time in the mag. The fun factor has dissappeared, impatience sets in and it's all downhill after that.
Find him a good used revolver and tell him that is what he is going to learn on (you are the dad and teacher). If he rejects the idea of using the revolver then just hand him the air rifle back and tell him that he needs to grow up and listen to you. If he whines and cries then so be it as he has just shown he hasn't the mentality of using a firearm yet. Kids will always have the big eyes for what they want, but you are the controlling factor here not him. Let him know that once he learns the basics and can prove he can safely and accurately shoot the revolver then you will get him the semi-auto he wants.
Start him off right, but let him know there is a prize to earn later down the road and he may put more effort into learning. You can always get your money back out of the learning revolver if you decide you don't need it anymore.

Well I appreciate the input but I do not agree with it. My boy is a great kid and would be more than willing to learn on a revolver if that's what I got for him. Matter of fact, he's one of the few kids these days that will happily and respectfully follow any instructions his mom, teachers or I give him. We are one of the few parents in our generation (judging by 99% of the people we know) that do not allow our children to whine, cry or talk back.

That said, I want him to be excited about going shooting. I know he will be a lot more interested in going with a P22 that with any revolver. Face it, kids are kids and it's all about the "coolness factor". Going shooting will be cool. Going shooting with a P22 will be that much cooler in his mind.

I'm not worried about him blasting through a magazine or being bored if he is not allowed to. Any kid with that lack of discipline and control is not ready for any firearm IMHO.

I do understand the theories behind using a revolver for a first handgun and even though I realize that is the common logic, I do not fully agree with it. I believe a young person can be taught handgun basics using semi-auto just as well as they can be taught using a revolver. I know because I learned using a semi-auto and to this day, still do not own any revolvers.

Just to be clear, I have not fully ruled out a revolver nor have I fully 100% ruled out the P22 but let's just say for the sake of this thread, I would prefer to focus on Semi-Autos (other than the P22). Thanks for you input.

 

[macavada]

A Walther P22 would make a great carry pistol for school.Better off getting something like a Ruger 67/8 target model.Much harder to conceal.Besides there are quality/durability issues with the P22.They don't stand up well to heavy shooting.

I don't think this was an attempt at a joke. It was a rational analysis of the options. It makes sense that he would suggest a larger, heavier, perhaps "less cool" gun. Ten year olds sometimes do get crazy ideas.

Pardon me for asking, cgv69, but how much experience with firearms do you have personally? I'm not intending to attack you. However, I'm not sure "coolness" is necessarily the most important thing in teaching handgun basics.

When I was young, my father had a semi-auto 22 rifle that he let me use a couple of times. He was a bit leary, but he thought I was mature enough to handle it. I was very safety conscious. However, a couple of accidental discharges at unexpected moments cured us of that experiment in a hurry.

I thing the step from a spring loaded pellet gun to a firearm, of any kind is a pretty big leap for a kid. I'm afraid I have to disagree with your rationale. There is a reason why it is called "conventional wisdom."

Please understand, I'm not trying to flame you or anything. I just wouldn't do it with my kids.

I know he will be a lot more interested in going with a P22 that with any revolver. Face it, kids are kids and it's all about the "coolness factor". Going shooting will be cool. Going shooting with a P22 will be that much cooler in his mind.

It seems to me like the coolness factor should be relegated to the bottom of the list. I just don't see it. Shooting pretty much sells itself, in my opinion. Find a place where he can learn with a rifle, even if it is a bit inconvenient.

 

[taliv]

i'm with cgv69 on this one...

guns are cool. nothing is more fun that emptying a mag, and the faster the better, no matter what age you are. just because you like to make noise and poke holes in things doesn't mean you're irresponsible.

get the P22. if he wears it out, it'll be like a badge of honor. he'll be like, the only 11 yr old at his school who can say he's shot out a pistol.

buying a kid a rifle when there's no range to shoot it on accomplishes nothing.

seriously, keep it fun.

an alternative is a Sig-Hammerli Trailside. Great target pistol, but mine is a little finicky on the ammo. (jams if you put anything in it you bought at walmart)
<$400 on gunsamerica

 

[neoncowboy]

If I were your kid, I'd want a Kimber 1911 with the .22LR conversion barrel/slide.

Then when he's 17 or so, you can put the .45 barrel/slide back on and he can really be cool.

 

[Nick1911]

For what it's worth I've been very happy with my browning buckmark.

Nick

 

[Black Majik]

Don't overlook this option.

Do you have an extra 1911 laying around?

If so... get an Marvel .22 Unit 2 conversion kit for it. All it consists of is a slide and magazine.

Its a great .22 plinker, and very accurate too! Plus its on the 1911 platform which is a BIG plus.

 

[sm]

I would recommend the Buckmark.

Then again there is something "very cool" about shooting a good used blued Revolver like a Model 18 , or similar Older S&W's .

The lessons learned from shooting a Revolver will make him a better shooter no matter what he chooses to transition to later in life.

Talk about "cool"...he won't have to depend on mags to make the gun run - OR have to bend over a pick up brass. Thirty, Forty, Fifty years from now - the same Revolver is still shooting, more sentimental , still not dependent on mags...and his aching back, aging eyes, arthritic back...will really appreciate how "cool" it is to NOT have to bend over to pick up the brass.

Yes he still needs a rimfire rifle - because you guys are going to get out and about where he can shoot one - right?

I mean you are going to teach him how to avoid "honey do lists" I hope.

 

[MM]

I may sound a bit pedestrian, but I would recommend a Ruger Mark II. Many virtues, few flaws and it will last his lifetime.
SatCong

 

[cgv69]

Thanks for the input guys. I was hoping this would stay focused on the the firearms but I appreciate all the input anyway. I may post another thread about .22 revolvers just to see what's out there. From a little looking around, it appears that not too many manufactures offer many .22 revolver anymore.

Thanks!

 

[Sylvilagus Aquaticus]

Sure they do...
Smith and Wesson still makes several fine revolver models, as does Taurus, Dan Wesson (IIRC) and Ruger.

I like the Taurus Tracker in .22lr, the Ruger Bearcat or Single Six, and the S&W 22/32 kit gun.

There was a time when I would buy every Harrington and Richardson 999 I could lay my hands on, too... all good revolvers for a novice to work toward becoming an expert with.

If you want to look at other options, find a Colt Diamondback to compare as a fine revolver that is sadly not as widely available.

That said, I really like my Buck Mark these days.

Regards,
Rabbit.