Small 22 Handgun for Child (teaching)

[Sam1911]

We do (obviously). The accuracy seems ok, though honestly I've never shot it for groups. The real concern, as I mentioned, is the sights. If you are very careful, you can shoot it accurately. But a set of Novaks it ain't. :-]

The Single-Sixes have great sights, but they're a (slightly) larger gun. Might be perfectly workable, though.

What about taking her along to a local gun shop and comparing the two? See if she can reach the trigger on the SS.

 

[Trent]

Heh she probably couldn't even see over the counter. THAT would be a sight!

She only stands 4'1" tall! (at 9 years old)

 

[michaelbsc]

Oops, I'm an idiot. Please delete post 18. I was hearing Bobcat, the Beretta model. Beretta Bobcat is the one my daughter hates. I'm glad Sam put those pictures up!
My apologies.

I have a Baretta Bobcat, and I have small hands. And I love the little gun. But it's probably not a great starter piece for a child. The sight radius is way to short for serious range use.

It is, however, a superb little deep conceal mouse gun.

 

[mesinge2]

I'd suggest a pistol personally; Browning 1911-22. Its a reduced size 1911 made for the .22lr

Here is it compared to a SIG 1911-22:

 

[C0untZer0]

I went through the same thing with my middel daughter, she is smaller and more petite than her younger sister.

All of our shooting is from bench rest right now anyway, so I got her the S&W Model 63. It is too heavy for her to do off hand shooting, but the Bearcat is only 2 ounces lighter.

 

[rcmodel]

I would never recommend an auto-loader for a 9 year old child to learn with.

I was a Kansas Hunter Safety Instructor for years.

And I'm here to tell you an kid that age can fire a shot, get excited, and jump up and come down with the gun pointed a whole nother direction before you can blink!

You do not want an autoloader just an excited finger twitch away from shooting something else besides the target while teaching any kid to shoot.

rc

 

[mesinge2]

You just don't load it to capacity. I was taught on a 1911 pistol (9mm Commander) by my father and he would load one or two and when I was more proficient I moved on with more rounds. I recommended the pistol due to the safety, a child learning will make the mistake of grabbing the trigger when lifting the gun. A 1911 has a manual safety. If the hammer of the bearcat is cocked by the parent as it might be due to hand strength issues of a child (I have personally witnessed this) then all you have is a light single action trigger ready to go.

I would never recommend an auto-loader for a 9 year old child to learn with.

I was a Kansas Hunter Safety Instructor for years.

And I'm here to tell you an kid that age can fire a shot, get excited, and jump up and come down with the gun pointed a whole nother direction before you can blink!

You do not want an autoloader just an excited finger twitch away from shooting something else besides the target while teaching any kid to shoot.

rc

 

[C0untZer0]

My 10 year old daugter can barely cock the Model 63 and she doesn't have enough strength in her finger to pull the DA trigger.

I thought about getting her something like the Cricket, it's a bolt action handgun.

There are a lot of good choiches here.

When I actually talked to my daughter, the very most important thing to her was that it have pink grips.

 

[mesinge2]

My 10 year old daugter can barely cock the Model 63 and she doesn't have enough strength in her finger to pull the DA trigger.

This is why I think a SA revolver is not the greatest choice. Cocking a hammer on a single action and then handing it to a child, who may grab the gun and trigger in one move. All it takes is one:

 

[Sam1911]

This is why I think a SA revolver is not the greatest choice. Cocking a hammer on a single action and then handing it to a child, who may grab the gun and trigger in one move.

OMG. That is not at all the right way to teach a child to shoot a handgun.

You need to be hovering close. Hands almost on the gun. Hand the child the gun, hammer down. Help them to obtain a good grip and positive, weight-forward stance. Help them align the sights -- talk them through what they need to be seeing. Reiterate the "finger off the trigger" requirement several times. THEN, with your hands on theirs, cock the weapon and retract your hands to just our of their way, but so you can be instantly on the gun if they start to get nervous or excited and momentarily forget safety.

Handing a child a cocked weapon of any sort would be a recipe for disaster.

Heck, I've taught ADULTS this same way. "Let's do each step here right, the FIRST time, and you won't have to un-learn bad habits later..."

Further -- if you are ever more than one second away from having hands on that gun, you are putting that child in a position of responsibility they should not be forced to carry. It isn't fair to them or safe for others.

 

[mesinge2]

I am not saying that I would hand a child a gun in this manner. Just that I have seen it done at the range. I was simply pointing out that an autoloader with a manual safety may add an additional measure of protection against a ND.

 

[Sam1911]

Well, that is true. But an un-cocked SA revolver is certainly another step safer than that, and has the benefit of being able to be loaded and ready for five subsequent shots without creating an unsafe situation.

 

[strange246]

Heritage Rough Rider, 3.5" barrel with birdshead grips, I got my son who's 7 one for Christmas, he doesnt have large hands by any means and can handle it fine, absolutely loves it too, I dont care for the safety for appearance sake, but for teaching him its a nice feature, I paid $150 for it and it came with the .22mag cylinder also. More fun and more accurate than $150 has any right to be LOL

 

[C0untZer0]

I don't hand off a loaded firearm period. The NSSF has a good video on this:

http://www.nssf.org/ranges/rangeresources/video.cfm

She sits down to an unloaded revolver, pointing down range, with the cylinder out. She is able to load it, and my primary focus when she is doing that is making sure her finger stays out of the trigger gaurd and the firearm stays pointed down range.

She is able to cock the hammer.

She has already experienced an unintentional discharge, she put her finger on the trigger before getting the sights lined up. The bullet missed the target and it was a lesson on rules 2 and 3.

I am always close enough to immediately grab the firearm.

 

[481]

Got a little one comin' up to the point of shooting and his first shots through a handgun will be through a .22LR S&W 317.

It's small enough for his hands, light enough at 11 oz., that he won't tire holding it for a while and can be loaded singly with lower powered stuff like .22 Shorts 'til he's ready to progress to the next step.

 

[BCRider]

Is it too late to suggest a Bearcat?

Another option that is similar to the 317 mentioned above would be the classic old S&W 34 J frame "kit gun" with the longer 4 inch barrel and with the smallish magna grips. If this is still a little large then a scabby looking set of "junk" magna grips could easily be sanded down a little to make the gun fit your girl just fine. Of course this same option of sanding down some grips applies to the J frame of the 317.

The reach to the double action trigger would likely be a stretch until she grows a little more but in single action the trigger moves back very close to the rear of the guard. Just right for a small reach.

And there are heaps of J frame grips out there to fit any size of hands as she grows so it's not just a Jr size gun.

 

[jon_in_wv]

My daughter has fired my Sig Trailside and she really liked it. The recoil, trigger reach, trigger pull, and all were very manageable for her.

 

[Backpacker33]

Second; Third; Fourth; Whatever, thumbs up for the Bearcat. I started each of our three boys on Bearcats and the Ruger Single Six, at age 5. At age 10 I got each a Ruger 10/22. They've all moved on to bigger boomers, but all still consider those early ones as "theirs."

 

[Backpacker33]

Second; Third; Fourth; Whatever, thumbs up for the Bearcat. I started each of our three boys on Bearcats and the Ruger Single Six, at age 5. At age 10 I got each a Ruger 10/22. They've all moved on to bigger boomers, but all still consider those early ones as "theirs."

 

[Backpacker33]

Ruger 22's

I don't seem able to shoot the Single 10 as accurately as the Single 6's. I think it is because of the fiber optic front sight.
The two Single-Six's and the Bearcats are just delights.
I have the .22 Magnum cylinders for the Single 6's, but hardly ever use them.

 

[Backpacker33]

Colt SSA 22's

I just love all three of these. I can't shoot them as accurately as the Rugers, probably because of the hog trough rear sight on the Peacemaker Buntline and Colt Single Action Frontier Scout .22 Magnum, but that classic Colt four clicks and the feel in the hand makes them jewels.
The New Frontier is also classic Colt. I don't shoot it as accurately as the Ruger Single 6's, either. Don't know why. But, just LOOK at that coloring!

 

[Backpacker33]

Don't forget J-Frame S&W!

A small hand can easily operate this S&W 650 single-action. I'm not a fan of the .22 Mag cartridge in it, just the 22LR.

 

[C0untZer0]

Pic of my daughter's Model 63

 

[Trent]

Well, as it happens my buddy called me this morning, and there just happened to be a gun show over in Bloomington (IL), at which exactly one dealer, just happened to have one Super Bearcat, and it just happened to be at a decent price of $449.



So, when the Government decides next Wednesday that I'm a trustworthy dude that can own such a powerful and dangerous gun as the diminutive 22 single action revolver, I can go drive an hour and a half back to the dealer I bought it off of, to pick it up.

 

[Trent]

As a side note, EVERY firearm at EVERY table had a zip tied trigger, due to the double-shooting incident a couple years back.

On the flip side, there were no shortage of AR-15's at that particular gun show, but I wasn't in the market. (It is open tomorrow again if any are left, they were selling quickly at prices between $1200 and 1700, with complete uppers selling for $620 to about 800.)