Spyderco Forums

My youngest son is interested in picking up shooting. He's 10 years old and got qualified on BB rifles at Boy Scout camp last summer (the BB range is sponsored by the NRA!).

It's been a long time since I've had a .22 LR. I grew up with them, but don't have them any longer. I'm looking to pick up a new gun so my son can get some range time with something that has less kick than a .45 or 9mm. You are less likely to pick up bad habits if the weapon has less kick...

So - what do you all think?

- Pistol or rifle?

- Semi-auto or bolt action/single shot?

- Iron sights or scope?

- What brands/models do you recommend?

Thanks!
TedP

My son was a bit older--I gave him a ruger 10/22 for his 12th bday. Affordable, and endlessly customizable--trigger groups, extractors, mag releases, stocks etc, etc, etc Great for learning about maintenance and care of guns. His is dressed up currently as an M-1 carbine.

Just bought 6300 rds for about $220 :)

At about the same time, I started him shooting with my Ruger MKIII. Mine's the stainless version in 6" bull barrel, and pretty heavy. It's a challenge to break down too. I have to watch a youtube if I haven't done it in a while. The Ruger 22/45s are polymer framed, lighter, considerably cheaper, and match ergos more or less of a 1911.

My son is 12 and I gave him my old single shot Stevens 22 long rifle, iron sights only
to start with a few years ago. It was my first gun many many years ago. You have to
load each 22 and bolt eject each time. He loves it. He has also shoots the wife's 1890
Winchester 22 octagonal barrel classic with iron sights and a Walther P22 semi-auto
22 and old HR model 999 22 revolver both with iron sights..
He likes the rifles better then the handguns because he has more control and can
shoot them better. I think that it is better to shoot iron sites on a 22 to learn the basics
before moving up to a scope and higher calibers. There are kids younger than him
that have shot a deer, but I also know that a couple only go to please Dad. It should
be something that they want to do and can develop an appreciation for and learn the
safety rules.
I am always there when he shoots and we repeat the general shooting rules and
the do's and don'ts. I also try not to lecture, but to compliment when he does things
right.
I am wanting to get him a Smith and Wesson M&P 15-22 for X-mas or very soon
though. I plan on leaving the scope off for a while. I have looked at a Mossberg 410
to add to the mix at some point in time. Everyone is different, but this is how we have
done it so far. Good luck and happy shooting.

Ditto on the ruger 10/22.

Bert

BAL wrote:I am always there when he shoots and we repeat the general shooting rules and the do's and don'ts. I also try not to lecture, but to compliment when he does things right.

You're a good Dad, Bal!
TedP

phillipsted wrote:You're a good Dad, Bal!
TedP

Wow, you made my day, Thanks Ted.

IMHO, the best choice for a 10 year old would be a bolt action rifle. Makes it easy to inspect the chamber to see whether or not it's loaded and easy to make fully safe by removing the bolt.

I agree with Paul. For that age, a bolt action with iron sights is ideal though obviously there are lots of opinions on that question. My boys started at that age or maybe a little earlier with an economical Savage .22LR bolt that worked very well. There is lots of time to graduate to other things.

The Deacon wrote:IMHO, the best choice for a 10 year old would be a bolt action rifle. Makes it easy to inspect the chamber to see whether or not it's loaded and easy to make fully safe by removing the bolt.

Having just been through this--I went with the 10/22 instead of a bolt action because I remembered getting bored with the bolt-action when I was young. There are pluses and minuses to each.
Pluses for bolt: learn to make every shot count. With the 10/22 my son will, from time to time, just blast away when he starts to lose focus--he's not really acquiring skill when he does this.
Pluses for semi: it really is more fun. :D

I trained my two children on a Ruger 10/22 and they loved it. It is a fun rifle to shoot just as it is and right out of the box. Kids and adults can learn how to use it's iron sights and plink away all day.

As the kids grow and their taste start to change, you have a very large aftermarket of parts and accessories that can be added to the rifle. From Red dot sights, to a million different type of stocks in different materials and colors, and even larger capacity magazines for the 10/22.

Very cool rifle to shoot.

the 10/22 is cool (I have a kitted out one), but I think it would be better to start out with a CZ 452 (bolt action) with a decent scope.

CZ: http://www.czub.cz/en/catalog/80-rimfire-rifles-cz/

10/22 in case you want semi auto:


If suppressors aren't a no no in the US I'd warmly recommend one (every .22LR should have one)

I can't believe I still have the very same 10/22 from when I was a wee little one! My vote would be for the 10/22. I loved and still love shooting that rifle. In retrospect i would have to say one of the great things about it is its "mod-ability". As your son gets older you guys can make a project out of it and change stocks, barrels, sights.... Tons of great parts to mod with.

For some reason I also just loved the Ruger Single Six.... Something about the single action I guess.

Shooting with my dad as a kid are some of the most vivid memories I have..... Now I take HIM shooting

I agree with some of the others about a bolt action rifle for a first gun being the best choice. I got a Remington bolt action mdl 581 as my first gun when I turned 11 yrs old. Remington no longer makes a bolt action 22 that I could find. I see that Marlin still makes a 22 bolt action called the mdl 915, they also make a cut down youth version called the 915y.

bnolt and iron sights to start (save the 10/22 plinkier for later )
i like my savages tho i dont have one in 22 (17HMR and a 10FP in 308)

2 ways to look at the pistol thing
get a 22 conversion for one of yours or get a buckmark (or the like) for him

learn the fundamentals (tho with BB under his belt he should be OK) then size up

I agree with the 10/22 folks. I just got one and it is a blast. If you were looking for a pistol, the Kel-Tec PMR 30 looks pretty cool and its cheap.. Holds 30 rounds, however, its 22 magnum.

Ruger 10/22!

Savage Mark 2 for a bolt gun (Accu-triggers are awesome)
Ruger 10/22 for a semi auto
Browning Buckmark for a pistol.

That's my list. :)

Bolt gun, much safer than an autoloader, even for adult neophyte shooters. You can clearly see the chamber to verify it is empty and you have to do something before you can shot again.

Enroll him in a hunter safety course or a gun safety course. I did teach my sons gun safety, but it is something I believe sinks in better if a stranger does the teaching.

I love guns and shooting, but I love our children and grandchildren even more so safety is always paramount. Not only do they need to know how to handle firearms, but they need to be made aware of those that do NOT know how to handle firearms.

For a rifle I'd say 10/22. It's endlessly customizable but I'd just start him with iron sights.
For a pistol my vote goes to a ruger 22/45 or Walter p22.

If you want a self-loading .22LR, what you need is a Nylon 66. :D