Is 22lr still your "first gun" advice?

[PerpetualStudent]

The hidden blessing of the .22 shortage has been significant gains with the pcp air guns and pistol caliber carbines. It's gotten to the point where I wouldn't necessarily tell someone "get a 22" to learn riflemanship. Is the 22 still your go to teaching gun? Or has something else replaced it?

[Der Gebirgsjager]

I would still go with the .22. I think the shortage will end before too much longer. Air guns have less range.

[NoAngel]

It would really depend on the person being trained.

[Kevinakaq]

Stevens 22 crackshot....couldnt imagine a better rifle to learn on.

[sawinredneck]

Depends on what the person being trained is after. Most times even then, I try to start them on a 22 rifle to learn the basics of firearms safety, then move on to what they what to learn.

[farmerjim]

I had 2 airguns before my first 22.
1. Red Rider BB gun.
2. Benjamin pump 22 pellet gun.
Most people I know had these or more like them before the 22 RF.

[Gunslinger1911]

Good question, (must be, made me stop and really think haha).
I'd say yes to a 22 to train a total newbie.
Convince them to get a good one in the action of choice. If they stay with the sport, it will be enjoyed forever
I'm hoping 22 ammo availability will keep getting better - it seems to be.

Good thing about the mid to high end air guns is after the initial sticker shock, they are cheap to shoot, even with match grade pellets, quiet, hella accurate, and most people can shoot them in the back yard.

So, they need both !

See, aren't I helpful ?

[GhostHawk]

Airgun beyond a doubt.

Cost per shot as low as 1.2 cents.
The ones I like are all single shots, being mostly spring/vortex or multipump pneumatics. (Sheridan Blue streak, Crossman 1322)

Much much easier to be able to shoot indoors in my own basement. Lession's can start and stop as needed.

Last the modern guns in many cases can easily exceed a .22lr for power, fully match if not better for accuracy. And do it quieter, with fewer worry's of a bullet going too far and causing problems.

Even my Hatsan 135 Vortex can make 14.3 grain pellets scoot along at a nice 1000 fps with 25 to 29 foot pounds depending on pellet weight.

More than enough for a rabbit or squirrel. Indeed I suspect a coon inside 20 yards would be a goner in no time flat.

It likes to stack groups up with either one ragged hole, or holes touching. But the rifle can do better than I can give it. Because on a good day I can do one ragged hole easy.

Best of all, with a good spring/vortex gun NOTHING else is required except some muscle power.

I have also shot one ragged hole groups with home cast .22 buckshot, yes with the sprue. They are a tight fit in my Hatsan, they need to be tapped in a couple of times with a screwdriver handle or a piece of broomstick. Sprue is gone by the time that happens. And you have a perfect seal with the bore. So as long as I have some lead that air rifle will put meat in the pot.

Does it get better than that?

[NavyVet1959]

Whatever they start out with, I believe that it should be a single-shot. A semi-auto just encourages wasting ammo in kids.

[Hogtamer]

Surely a BB gun, then as was my story, got 2 "first" guns at once... a savage mod 24 .22/410! At about age 35 rewarded myself with a .30/.30/ 20 guage.

[Mk42gunner]

I still vote for a .22 as the first real gun. You might have to save up for enough ammo, but it is better than 99.9% of the alternatives. Just what the other .1% is I do not know.

Like many others, I started out with air guns. Specifically Dad bought my brother and I each a Daisy bb/pellet gun, the one that resembled a red ryder but loaded with a five shot cylinder. The problems was that bb's wouldn't stay in the plastic cylinder long enough to load them. Those went back to Western Auto and were exchanged for a couple of Crossman 760's.

I wore out mine over the next five years or so, it saw a lot of use even after I got my first .22; but even as a kid there was a big difference between a real gun and a pellet rifle.

Robert0

[dverna]

As a kid I developed what modicum of skills I have with a low priced German .177 spring gun. My dad smoked cigarettes that came in a flat cardboard box. Target practice was shooting the box in half.

I like starting shooters off a bench so they can focus on sight alignment, breath and trigger control. For that, a .22 bolt action is easier to use.

[toallmy]

I started out with a BB gun , then progressed into a pellet gun , then I purchased my first real rifle a 22 single shot bolt action used for 10.00 . I would probably go with a pellet rifle to start a real youngster in proper handling and safely of firearms . It saddens me but I suspect the shortage of affordable 22 ammo will hurt future generations of shooters .

[CraigOK]

Whatever they start out with, I believe that it should be a single-shot. A semi-auto just encourages wasting ammo in kids.

Amen!

[country gent]

I still like the 22 for some but also like air guns for others. The 22 is good as to light recoil and report. Fire arms can be in a size and weight appropriate to younger new shooters. I also like the single cock ( Side lever) air guns for others, Again sized and weight for a younger shooter. Another plus is a air gun range can easily be set up almost anywhere easily and quickly. Pellets are cheap and these air guns can be extremely accurate. I also think a new shooter should be started out on good iron sights instead of a scope, red dot or holo sight. Learning Irons first makes the others much easier.

[Finster101]

Whatever they start out with, I believe that it should be a single-shot. A semi-auto just encourages wasting ammo in kids.

Whenever I let someone try a pistol for the first time it is always a .22 and always a revolver. Too easy to have an unintended discharge with a semi.

[MostlyLeverGuns]

Finding an airgun that is easily cocked by someone without significant body strength is a problem. There are a few out there but careful selection is required. The 'right' airgun may be better than a .22 but selection is critical. The single shot .22 is still inexpensive and online shopping for quantity provides many opportunities for reasonably price ammunition. Can the new shooter operate the gun without your help?

[DanishM1Garand]

.22 single shot. PCC right now is just as cheap to shoot, not for long though. The drought will be over soon.

[LUCKYDAWG13]

heck ya a 22 is still the way to go and I would get a good Bolt gun BUT BUT if this is for a child say under 10 then a BB gun
till he / she gets the hang of things

[modified5]

My 10yo son started with a red Ryder BB gun, then last year he bought himself a .177 cal Ruger piston powered air rifle. It is a stone cold squirrel killer.
I did give him my grandfathers Springfield .22 single shot that I inherited when he passed.
Now my 6yo son is shooting the Red Ryder, and my 2yo daughter is waiting for it in the wings if it survives that long.
They pack them all over our ranch and go through a ton of ammo.
We can't shoot rim or center fire on the property. The county deemed it a congested area.
I would start out kids with either one depending on the kid and situation.
I guess my firm decision is, it depends.