Need Help Buying Gun

4-17-02 | PaulJ

[PaulJ]

My fellow Freepers have always been able to help me and I need your help again.
I have an 11 year old who is in the Boy Scouts and had his first experience with target shooting (air rifle)about 3 years ago. Two years ago we bought him his own air rifle and he saved up and bought a CO2 pistol.He loves it and seems to be a natural and is a great shot. I am now considering buying him a 22 but know nothing about them. I looked around the internet but couldn't find any helpful information.
I have never owned a gun but think it would be a great father & son thing to get into. He has only done target shooting but has shown some interest in hunting small game.
Here's where I need your help. What should I look for in a rifle? How much should I plan on spending? Are there any good web sites that are informative? What else do I need to know?
Any information you can give me will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

[FlyVet]

My 10/22 wasn't all that accurate, maybe 1 1/2" groups at 50 yards at best. It's definitely a good value, though. You can't wear out a Ruger. Guess you can slap on a precision after-market barrel too, and make it shoot better. The T/C Classic looks intriguing to me. Anybody out there have experience with it? If as accurate as some of the reviews say, it'd be a good "no excuses" rifle, if you can pop a squirrel in the head at 50-75 yards with it.

[The Other Harry]

.50 Desert Eagle would be a good first gun.

Think that would be better than the Armalite AR-50?

[Travis McGee]

Ruger 10/22 all the way!!

[SSN558]

.22 bolt action. When you give young boys semi auto .22's they never learn marksmanship IME. Just pop, pop, pop and back to the store for another brick of ammo.

[Willie Green]

I seriously think that an 11 year old boy, with proper supervision of course, can handle one and it makes a great companion to a .22 rifle.

With proper supervision.

IMHO, the longer barrel of a rifle is not only more accurate for target shooting, it helps reinforce the concept of always being sure the weapon is pointed in a safe direction. That is a little more difficult to monitor with a handgun, especially when held by a young child who could become easily distracted.

Parents need to objectively evaluate the maturity of their own children, of course. But I'll stick with my advice to start-off with a rifle and master safe handling one weapon at a time. There's plenty of time to graduate to pistols as the child grows older and displays maturity, competence and responsibility.

[FlyVet]

When you give young boys semi auto .22's they never learn marksmanship IME.

Respectfully, I'd say that depends on the training they receive. Why bother with racking the bolt if you can have a semi-auto with pinpoint accuracy? Although I agree with you at the top of the sport, you won't see a semi-auto winning the accuracy championships when it gets down to it. 6mm PPC, 1 hole at 200 yards.

[Gun142]

I'd stay away from any semi-auto. It's better to teach kids to be patient and make good accurate shots.

This link should take you to Savage Arms' -Stevens Favorite
http://www.savagearms.com/rimfire/single_shot_series/30gm.htm
Very nice gun for target shooting, plinking, and hunting. Not heavy and well balanced.

We've had one of these in my family before I was hatched, and it'll be here long after I'm gone.

[OK]

Dittos on the bolt action Ruger.

[Eagle Eye]

With proper supervision.

There was a time when that meant that I simply alerted the neighbors that I was going to be shooting in our basement. I shot modified .38 rounds indoors as a teen home alone. But those days are gone, aren't they?

There is soundness to your advice, but it isn't the only approach to teaching kids to shoot.

[Centurion2000]

For a .22LR rifle, Ruger 10/22 is the way to go. If you want the pistol, go with a Ruger Mark II with the bull barrel option; it's a tack driver.

[Centurion2000]

.50 Desert Eagle would be a good first gun.

For King Kong or Conan the Barbarian maybe ;)

[RJL]

I too would recommend the Ruger 10/22.

While bolt action and lever action rifles can be fine choices, my eight year old had trouble manipulating a lever action rifle while seated at the shooting station at our range, the lever would hit the table and it was a pain. I think the bolt action might be harder for a youngster to use too.

One day I let him shoot a semi-auto pistol and he loved it. He is now ten, and shoots the pistol and Ruger 10/22 and loves it.

Safe training is key, forgive me if you have already taught him the four unbreakable rules of safe gun handling.

1. The gun is always loaded.
2. Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy.
3. Keep your finger off the trigger (and out of the trigger guard) until you have your sights on the target.
4. Be sure of your target and what's behind it.

[FlyVet]

1. The gun is always loaded. 2. Never point the gun at anything you are not willing to destroy. 3. Keep your finger off the trigger (and out of the trigger guard) until you have your sights on the target. 4. Be sure of your target and what's behind it

You nailed it.

[PaulJ]

Boy, I knew you'd all come through for us. So much information to research and digest. My son and I thank you all.Freepers are the greatest!

[in the Arena]

Ruger 10/22 makes a great first rifle. I bought my daughter one but she's still content with her BB shooter-as she calls it.

I really like the Kimber .22's and have looked at the Classic but it's getting pretty pricey...

Kimber 22 Rifles The finest rimfire rifles ever made.

The Kimber 22 Classic features the new Kimber 22 action with Mauser claw extractor for positive controlled round feeding and extraction, 2-position Model 70-type safety, an A-grade claro walnut sporter stock with 20 LPI panel checkering pattern, steel grip cap, pillar bedding, 22-inch match grade light sporter barrel, match grade chamber and trigger, bead blasted blue finish and 5 round magazine.

[The Other Harry]

I'd stay away from any semi-auto. It's better to teach kids to be patient and make good accurate shots..

This link should take you to Savage Arms' -Stevens Favorite
http://www.savagearms.com/rimfire/single_shot_series/30gm.htm

Very nice gun for target shooting, plinking, and hunting. Not heavy and well balanced.

No argument from me on any of that. That looks like an excellent choice. There's nothing whatsoever wrong with Savage/Stevens, and I'd much rather deal with them than with Ruger.

While we're doing photos, here's one of the Taurus model 62's that I referred to in an earlier message:

Made in Brazil on Rossi machinery. American design. Not so bad, methinks. If it were me, I'd get the one on the left.

Harry

[Blood of Tyrants]

For $75 you just can't beat a Mossberg Model 44 from the Civilian Markmanship Program. A bolt action, VERY accurate rifle, and it probably hasn't been fired in over 50 years. Most were arsenal rebuilt in the mid 80's. Magazines are available in the aftermarket.

The only drawback is that it is a bit heavy at 8 lbs.

[Gun142]

Nice rifle. I've had one with the long barrel for about 15 years. Mine is stamped by Rossi firearms, model 62 SA.
Put thousands of rounds through it, still in excellent condition.

Sights are easy to see and adjust, very accurate at 100 yards. Easy take down for cleaning.
It likes CCI Blazer 22 ammo. They're 2-3 times cleaner than Wildcats and just as cheap.

This may be debatable - I also like this gun because it has no safety [button type]. It does have half-cock that works well, but I was taught that a gun is only safe when there are no cartridges in it and the action is open. Other than half-cock when hunting, I never use a mechanical safety.