Granddaughter has finally come around...

[sundog]

No pressure for 13 years. She has always declined participating in family shoot fests behind the barn (most always hand guns). Now, SHE has decided that she has to learn how to shoot a .22.

Handgun, that is.

I do not have one, and I cannot even begin to image why. I suppose I should. Good opportunity (excuse) to get one.

Any suggestions? No cheap pieces of junk....

[Doc Highwall]

Pistol or Revolver.

[felix]

You like your ten 1911's that are in your safe? Naw, don't yell, you might hurt my ears way down here in fort smith. Only one for your family: Smith Model 41. Even used if you can find one. There are or were lots of folks who know how to bring them back to perfect, even better than factory. ... felix

[mooman76]

If you are talking pistol, a rugar mkII or MKIII. Great little shooters that won't break the bank and are well made. Not sure on a rifle but I'm a firm believer in starting kids out with a single shot. Makes therm consintrate more in the beggining. Or maybe one of those pump gallery guns.

[sundog]

The young lady is a good learner. I'd like to teach her hand gun. BUT, and I agree with you moonman, she's gonna learn the single shot .22 first. Safety, nomenclature, care and maintenance, etc. She'll learn fast. Did we absorb stuff that fast when we were 13? I guess we did.

Looking for something we can have a little fun with that will be accurate enough for a pop can at 50 yards. 25 yards? 10 yards?

Need to get started on this before she's onto something else. I can get the gun, maybe take her with me when I buy it so she's part of the whole experience with the understanding that we use the wee gun after we learn the great gun.

[sundog]

Doc Highwall, I left that open so as not to taint the discussion.

[AnthonyB]

Corky, I went through the exact same thing a few years ago when Sam asked "Dad, where is the .22 pistol?" I didn't have one because I didn't need it; I'd figured anything the .22 could do the .44 would do twice as well. The emergency acquisition of a four inch S&W 617 cured me, and it is the revolver shot most on any range trip. The family, minus Jacob, easily went through 350 rounds of 45 ACP at the range yesterday. The 550 round box of .22 was gone way before the 45 ACP.
So, my vote is for a quality revolver, and we chose the DA to speed up reloading time and not have kids lose interest because it takes too much time to load the SA. It has become a favorite of more than the kids

PS: You only have ten 1911s? Is that due to some weird medical condition?
Tony

[sundog]

Tony, anything the .22 can do is maybe twice what the forty-four can do if you're half size -- if that is what picques your interest! Thanks, Tony. Kids are great aren't they? Gotta listen though.

[Dennis Eugene]

nope, ya need 3 one pistol one revolver and one rifle. Need! Dennis

[4570guy]

Get one of the Ruger .22 semi-autos. A Marlin .22 bolt rifle too. I have a Colt Woodsman that I've been using to teach my boys with and they find it to be great fun; unfortunately, these little pistols are no longer made and quite pricey (mine was inhereted). For today's use, I think the Rugers are perfect.

[Calamity Jake]

Corky you can't go wrong with a Rossi pump and Ruger sa. I started my grand daughter shooting when she was 9yo, at 10.5 she started CAS with me, at 12 she was asked if she wanted to shoot on a cas possy on end of the range while I was on the other, did I let her? you betcha, and proud of if!!!
Pound saftey in there heads first then teach em to shoot, make the shooting part fun with breakable or reactive targets, they learn fast.

See you in OCT. for the state mil. bolt match.

[sundog]

Dennis, yer breakin' the bank! but I cannot disagree.

4570, son and daughters and other grand kids learned on bolts and the 10/22. The safety thing was constently, and firmly, reinforced. They are now trusted shooters.

Jake, one of the things mentioned by the 'novice' was wanting to break some clay targets - she thought it would be neat. I even suggested animal crackers, but said said no, so I'll dig out the box of clays. We'll do some empty pop cans filled with water just for demonstration.

Y'all keep the suggestions coming. I'm thinking a trip to the gun shop with the young lady.

[NuJudge]

I would suggest a K22. Delightful revolvers. They are what my father started me with. CDD

[lathesmith]

It kinda depends on the build of your 13-year-old. My 10-year-old is rather petite, and she does quite well with my little Ruger Bearcat. Of course, I do kinda have a soft spot for these, as I learned to shoot with one when I was a kid, so this is admittedly kind of a nostagia thing too. For a beefier kid, an S&W DA would be hard to beat, as well as any of the Ruger semi-autos. I'm a big fan of stainless, but that's just kind of my personal obscession. Lots of choices...take your time deciding, and definitely get her input.
lathesmith

[Bret4207]

Smith Kit gun or a Ruger 22/45 MkIII.

[leadeye]

Tough to beat the Ruger autos for the value, I learned on a Ruger Standard 40 years ago. The K-22 is a nice gun for a revolver. I love the SW 41 that I have had for 25 years but was surprised at how expensive they have become.

[rhead]

Ruger single six.

[missionary5155]

Greetings I have a Walther p 22 down here that is possible the most accurate .22 I have owned. Paid $255 for it a couple years ago. Does not like the Wildcat (cheepo) ammo. Fires Remington all day long into the same cluster at 25 yards ( supported forearms). Comes with Grip adaptors for hand size. Descent trigger. I have Rugers also but would get rid of them all before the Walther.

[Dale53]

I believe a revolver is safer for a new shooter than an auto. If the person is quite young, then the S&W Kit gun is the answer (preferably in stainless). It will always be a good trail gun when they learn to shoot. They'll never outgrow it.

Dale53

[Bass Ackward]

Well flat and simple the intent is stoke the fire created by one spark. I have two revolvers that, to the new shooter, stimulate very little beyond shooting. They're just guns. What you need is something that is cool ............... and modern!

Kids today see automatics more on the TV and they all are impressed by laser dots appearing on people. Walther has a cheap 22 that even comes with a laser. I can lay the two Smiths and the P22 on the picnic table and 99 out of 100 people will pick the P22 up first. Including the older folk. And when they set it down, the oooohhhhs and aaaahhhhs last long after.

The revolvers in my opinion are the second step after the novelty fades. The P22 is the gasoline on the fire.

[yondering]

I own a Ruger MK1 and a Browning Buckmark; either one would be a great choice. I think the Ruger MK I/II/III are a little better built than the Browning, but also more expensive, and both are excellent shooters. I picked up my Browning at Sportsman's Warehouse last fall for $279, it's the stainless camper model with wrap-around rubber grips that are very nice.

Sounds like a couple people here like the Walther P22, but there are a LOT of people who have nothing but trouble with them, including myself. While appearance may attract a new shooter, a gun that doesn't function properly or isn't accurate will do the opposite. Better to get something good and reliable; and the Buckmark looks cool enough to be attractive to kids. Here's mine with a couple additions (the original barrel is stainless with a green fiber optic front sight, not shown in picture.)

http://i24.photobucket.com/albums/c26/zthang43/rimfire/IMG_5731a.jpg

[mtnman31]

+1 on the P22. The Pistol is well priced and very accurate. Not only that, there are quite a few accessories available such as lasers, scopes, compensators, etc - if that is what floats your boat.

The Walther P22 is, in my humble opinion, one of the best values for just about any firearm - quality, accuracy, and a reasonable price. They can be found for under 300.

[OBXPilgrim]

Don't forget the Kimber/Marvel .22 conversions for the 1911. Neither are junk, Kimber for the price of the Ruger (or less), Marvel can match the Model 41 (so I hear, got a M41, would like a Marvel conv).

You already have plenty of 1911's, one of them won't mind having the slide/barrel replaced for a while.

Then, after she has that one all figured out.. nothing is different (controls/buttons/procedure) to go to a big bore.

[Bob Krack]

Ruger single six.

What rhead said! Safety much more easily secured, what the gun does much more understandable.

.22, quiet, cheap ammo, relatively safe range, etc, etc, oops seems like I am repeating myself.

Vic

[2Tite]

Most have offered good suggestions..........Whatever it is it should be something that is accurate enough to be encouraging........a pistol is hard enough to learn to shoot. Secondly, quality enough to last so that when she's old enough you can tell her she's the new owner............................................. ..........

[sundog]

2Tite, good post, but do I really have to give it to her? Dangitallanyway (that's ONE word here in Oklahoma and PRO-nounced suchly). I guess if I bought two from the gitgo we could shoot together, huh?

[Calamity Jake]

"but do I really have to give it to her?" NOPE ,but if she desides she likes shooting she"ll take it away from ya and claim it has hers, beleave me I KNOW!!!

[oldhickory]

I haven't seen a bad suggestion here. I would probably go with the Ruger MkII myself though, with an autoloader she can concentrate on shooting once she learns the safty rules and operation of the firearm.

[xpshooter]

Iv'e got a Mk II slabside with a tasco propoint and it's lots of fun and accurate.

The couple of women I let shoot it for their first time shooting had fun.

Whatever you get you might want to take some time and try a bunch of different kinds of ammo and see what the gun likes. When you find something that shoots real good go buy a bunch more of it.

[mike in co]

sundog,
take her with you, see what fits her hand, what is comfortable.

start with a gun that she does not have to fight to get a sight pic.

if things don't go well with std sights, try a dot to get her back in the game.

she can practice trigger control with one, but not sight pic.

yes..and i still don't own a 22 pistol either....

mike in co

[Thumbcocker]

My .02 worth. Girls are MUCH easier to teach to shoot than boys. They have no preconcived notions. A lot of teenaged boys will try to tell you how to shoot. You might want to consider the weight of the gun and the size and strength of your grandaughters arms.

A kit gun is light and easy to hold but hard to shoot well past 25 yards. The K-22 shoots like it has eyes but is as heavy as some .357's. A Walther PP22 is very ergonomic but very pricy. They think that they are target pistols though.

The Ruger autos are very good shooters for the money and available used. Very hard to wear on out. One thing to consider with an auto is that there is a fresh round in the chamber after each trigger pull. It is unnerving when a grinning new shooter starts to turn around with an auto pistol and a round in the chamber.

I have had good luck with new shooters with my Bisley .22. It is almost as accurate as a K-22, holds easy, and ther is nothing but an empty shell under the hammer until it is cocked again. Used single sixes are around. See how her hand fits one.

Hoe this helps.

[big dale]

I bought a 22 a few years ago that all you guys might enjoy. It is a Sigarms Hammerli Trailside. Each time I take it out I get a big ole grin from ear to ear. It shoots the cheap Remingtons that I get from Walmart more accurately than Ely match. They are no longer made, but I have never had a problem of any kiind with mine.

Only accurate guns are interesting.

Big Dale

[schutzen]

I used to coach 4-H pistol shooters. Several good guns come to mind.
Auto's - Browning Buck Mark; least ammo sensitive but can be hard for small hands to rack slide
- Ruger Mark II; easy to operate, but can be sensitive to ammo types
Revolver- The best I have found is the K-22 or its stainless version 617?
Single shot- The TC Contender

Mike in Colorado had some good advice, take her with you and see what fits her hand. Hand size and upper body strength both have substantial effects on marksmanship.

If she truly takes and interest in shooting, don’t be surprised if she out shoots you in a few years. Young eyes and young reflexes are great. Even if it is just a passing interest, it will generate fond memories for both of you.