Guns, Bows, Shooting Sports, and Hunting Youth 22

[kenny61]

I am looking to get my 11 year old son his first rifle. I want a non semi auto with a short (youth) stock any recomendations?

 

[telliott]

They make those little Cricket . 22's but thats probably smaller than you really want... more for a child. Check out Gunbroker.com. Its like Ebay for guns but a lot safer. you can probably find about anything you want on there. Not sure if you like lever actions, but here is a link to just one of many youth . 22s i found on Gunbroker.com. Henry Lever Action . 22 LR Youth Rifle H001Y 22 : Lever Action at GunBroker.com



Also, make sure you read the shipping policies on that website before you buy anything, as they are very careful who they ship to.

 

[JKreiss]

Well if you're looking for a bolt, Marlins new line looks pretty good. Their 915 youth models are a single shot, great looking gun. The single shot keeps the shooting under control and expresses good "1 shot, 1 kill" shooting fundamentals. You know, making the shot count. Remington also has there model 5. It's a detachable magazine, don't know much about it but i've never had a problem with any of my Remingtons. Now i'm only my early 20's but i've got a respectable "collection" of firearms. Everything from heavy magnums all the way to plinking pistols, but one of my favorite guns might be right up your alley. The Henry Lever in . 22LR is absolutely a blast! It's got the feel of the American old west along with very good accuracy. I've shot every thing from paper to squirrels with it and it's been great. I think it's perfect for a young man like you son. I don't have the youth model but they make them. Hope that gives you a place to start.



Joe

 

[DWordinger]

Get a full sized (adult) carbine. Single shot, lever action, bolt, your choice. I say carbine, not rifle, because you want something light with a short barrel; less than 20 inches. The stock will be too long. Modify it, or have a gunsmith do it for you. Wrap the stock with tape to prevent splintering and cut off an inch and a half or what ever is appropriate for your son. Use a fine tooth saw. Not a wood saw, but a hacksaw with a good sharp steel blade. Put on a new smaller buttplate to fit the new end of the stock. As your son grows, replace the buttplate with a spacer or recoil pad. When he grows some more, add another spacer, or replace the original part you cut off. Remember where you put it ten years ago. There will a fine line at the original cut, but by this time the stock will probably be dinged and scratched anyway. The line will not affect the gun's accuracy a bit. It adds character and will give him something to talk to your grandson about.

 

[kenny61]

Thanks for all the advice. I am going to take him to the range and see how he like shooting, he has some major vision problems so I don't know if he will be able to shoot good enought for him to keep his intrest in it. If he does I am going to go with the single shot savage youth 22. Any tips for low vision shooting?

 

[sarj]

stand behind him.

 

[kenny61]

:-laf:-laf:-laf

 

[GHarman]

Kenny, Does he wear corrective lenses? There are many ways to approach this situation. A Scope may be the ticket! Not a cheap 3/4" tube scope but a 1" minimum tube with large objective lens. More light! The Nikons have a great lens system. Focal distance is the next criteria for a scope. Using a Highpower Rifle Scope on a Rimfire greatly increases target aquisition and definition ability, but may not focus down to a minimum distance of, say, 50'.

Remember our iron sight rules? The front sight is sharp, the rear sight and target are out of focus. With a healthy youthful eye, the depth perception allows more flexibility in sighting. Older eyes and flawed eyesight cause issues that require optical help.

I like the idea offered by DWordinger. This allows you to make adjustments over the years.

Shooting reactive targets like gongs , flappers, or vaporizing targets increases interest in youth that get bored easily. I did this with my Son and He is hooked.

Heres an article I found that may be helpful, or not? GregH



Dr. Norman Wong Articles as posted to the Bullseye List

 

[DBohl]

When my son was young ,I bought him a marlin youth bolt action 22. It's a nice little well made gun that fit him well. He's 20 now, and is looking forward to the day that he can hand it down to his son. I think they still make that same youth model today. As for the vision problem, a red dot sight may be the answer. they are accurate and fairly cheap. You may also want to consider a laser sight. Hope this helps.

 

[kenny61]

Laser sight is a good idea and DW's was excellent keep em comimg guys. Thanks for the article Greg I will study it when I finish my night shifts

 

[GHarman]

Kenny, I sent you a PM! GregH

 

[kenny61]

Bought my son a henry lever action 22 today, man was he happy. Just need to find the time to bring him to the range hopefully within the next week or so. he seems to be able to focus on the front sight so I am gonna see how he does with the iron sights, maybe some white out on the front post for contrast, before we try a red dot other other type of optical sights. It's been a decade at least since I bought a rifle and I was like a kid in a candy store! Sig Sauer has added some real nice pistols to the line and I was drooling all over the p250 45 compact. I really need to stay out of their!!!! Thanks again to everybody for their help.

 

[AMink]

You can't go wrong with the Henry. The action is like butter! And by only putting one round in the tube, you have your single shot.

My peepers aren't what they used to be and I find a scope pretty necessary for most target work. With optics, the pricier ones are definitely better, but there are some excellent lower $$ scopes that are good. I have a Leupold Rifleman and it might be a good fit for the Henry.

Also, since he hasn't shot yet, make sure you know which eye is dominant. If he is left eye dominant and right handed, just get him started shooting left handed. He'll never know the difference. It's hard to learn later in life to either compensate for weak eye dominant or to learn to shoot from the other side.

 

[kenny61]

Man when you say the action is like butter you ain't kidding. probably the reason I bought it over the bolt action they had. the thing is smoother than my old winchester 94. Now for the bad news... The owner had me drooling all over everything specifically the Sig Pistols man the compact 250 in 45 is sweet... at any rate he gave me a Sig catalog to take home and drool over and I started thinking about the Sig 556 rifle, NY still has an (bogus) assault weapons ban so I decided to go read the penal law regarding same and I discovered that my son is one year to young to shoot a rifle in NY... . Son of a b...



Hes gonna be ticked when he gets home from school tomorrow and finds out

 

[AMink]

Man when you say the action is like butter you ain't kidding. probably the reason I bought it over the bolt action they had. the thing is smoother than my old winchester 94. Now for the bad news... The owner had me drooling all over everything specifically the Sig Pistols man the compact 250 in 45 is sweet... at any rate he gave me a Sig catalog to take home and drool over and I started thinking about the Sig 556 rifle, NY still has an (bogus) assault weapons ban so I decided to go read the penal law regarding same and I discovered that my son is one year to young to shoot a rifle in NY... . Son of a b...



Hes gonna be ticked when he gets home from school tomorrow and finds out

I never even considered there would be an age to shoot a gun. I know there are laws about being a certain age to own one, but to shoot it? You need to get out of there!

 

[kenny61]

I never even considered there would be an age to shoot a gun. I know there are laws about being a certain age to own one, but to shoot it? You need to get out of there!

I never considered it either, 17 years staring at the penal law and I never even knew! Just happened to see it today. If i didn't have to worry about my job I would just take him shooting and let em lock me up if they really want too. It's only a misdemeanor and your average person would never see jail time for it but they would hang me from the yard arm if I did it#@$%!. Looks like I got to leave NY to buy any new good guns anyway

 

[GHarman]

Kenny61, "Go West, Young Man", (or South) but not to far. The "Left Coast" has its own problems. GregH

 

[kenny61]

I plan on the mid west. Too bad I'm not sure what the wife has planned for me...

 

[SRath]

Kenny, I bought my boy a nice little Chipmunk setup when he was 5 or 6. It is a very inexpensive single shot that comes with both a . 22 barrel and a 20 gauge barrel. From there he jumped up to my old Mossberg 20 gauge pump that I converted into a youth gun. At 12, he took over my Remington 1100 12 ga AND my 870 3 1/2 inch Magnum cannon.



The little guns, like the little motorcycles (dirt bikes) were quickly outgrown...



He used the 1100 for High School Trap Shooting League this year when a few intrepid kids and parents formed a shooting team at the local Iowa City West high school (read: ultra-ultra-liberal-anti-gun Iowa City), coached by Phil Bourjaily (editor of the Gun Nut column for Field and Stream magazine) and David Geise, with the State DNR. Those two did wonders with that inaugural team!!



Start 'em young and teach 'em right! Shooting sports are extremely fun and quickly making a comeback in Iowa High Schools, thanks to our DNR, which sponsors the program, and to all the many Izaak Walton leagues and other local gun clubs who provide facilities and tremendous support. You would be amazed at the willingness of small business owners to sponsor these teams, too!

 

[kenny61]

Wow! Guess I aint been araound much... I thought I had updated this... . Kids turned 12 this year and can leaglly shoot... . Took my son to the range with his new Henry My daughter wanted to go too so she got to borrow a 22 and.....



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It seems my son can use the sites up close at least. After I get em shooting right I will start working on distance... Thanks again all!!!