First rifle for kids.

[beechbum444]

im with the 22 LR guys..... a bolt action 22 single shot is a right of passage

[justindad]

My kids are just old enough to shoot the pellet gun I got when I turned 8. I have a Ruger 10/22 from when I was about 12, but I never shoot it because it doesn’t kick. They will shoot the .22 when they graduate from pellets, but I’d like for what I buy them to be something they will still enjoy using when they turn 40.
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One summer my dad bought 10k rounds of .22LR and my brother & we shot the whole lot. I can hit anything with that gun.

[BunkTheory]

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JMO, but kids don't need a lot of power, or weight/length, because those things can make them fearful or awkward if/when firing.

The choice of a first real firearm should take the age, physical size, and maturity of the subject child into consideration.

I catered to their expectations, not mine (except for safety).

I made shooting fun for my children, shooting at large/fragile targets - like balloons, clay pigeons & empty beverage cans.

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It depends on what they are going to do with it. Far to damn sick of seeing kids being given single shot .410s or a 223 or 243 and being sent out to "hunt" when they arent being given the skills or the right tool.

Sure if you can shoot, a 243 or 410 with a slug can do fine, but 90% of "hunters" i know need 5 rounds to take a single doe down.

[GregLaROCHE]

I strongly believe that it’s important that the first step is with a single shot rifle.

[ABJ]

I'm not going to rehash the above post just give you the facts as my grandchildren have said.
I started them all on air then moved to SS rimfire. Then to a 357 carbine with cowboy loads. Now I only have to take two guns to the range.
Rossi 22 levers, and Rossi 357 with 38's. The older ones do like to help size and load the 38's, then go shoot them. They do understand the process and love to help in order to have a big box of ammo to shoot when range time comes. They fuss at each other when one misses a piece of brass on the ground.(LOL)
I think the 357 is perfect, as to slowly increasing the load as they grow and learn to shoot with the same gun.
Just my opinion but, finding a gun that fits is more important than the caliber. For the younger ones we use shooting sticks to hold the weight and use a Ruger Bearcat for the handgun. A sleeper out there in handguns is the Uberti made model "P" Jr. 3/4 size of a standard single action.
I hope my experiences help.
Tony

[popper]

Nothing wrong with 22. Fun and cheap. If the kids don't take to shooting, no loss.
3yrs ago, went to Ar with daughter and teen GK boys with another family I never met. Teen girl and boy, GS girl and boy. Went through teaching safety after dinner. Went to range next day. They shot 9 xds, 9 xd, 40 xd, ar15 and ar10 plus BO pistol. NO 22 but I could have brought one. None had shot before. All did excellent, teen girl had fun but not her 'thing'. I brought back about 20# of brass so yes, we shot a LOT. Not a single safety problem.

[dverna]

My kids are just old enough to shoot the pellet gun I got when I turned 8. I have a Ruger 10/22 from when I was about 12, but I never shoot it because it doesn’t kick. They will shoot the .22 when they graduate from pellets, but I’d like for what I buy them to be something they will still enjoy using when they turn 40.
*
One summer my dad bought 10k rounds of .22LR and my brother & we shot the whole lot. I can hit anything with that gun.

If you were to do that today...buy 10k rounds...you are looking at $1000. I think you proved my point. You can shoot well because you shot a lot. Today shooting a lot is not affordable for many people. If you can afford it...go for it.

I recently bought 14k .22 pellets for $175. I am now stocking up on .177 pellets for our two new PCP pistols. I can afford to shoot .22 LR's at $5/box and/or waste primers to make plinking loads for our .38/.357 weapons...but spending more will make it any better to keep our skills sharp.

Anyone who thinks .22 LR's are "cheap" has a lot more money than I do.

[jaysouth]

I have a Handi rifle in .357 MAXX. with a collapsible M-4 style stock and .38 wadcutters, it is a child's delight.

[uscra112]

What ever you come up with it should be a single shot. Simi autos waist a lot of ammo. I started off with a #4 Remington way back when. At 12 or 13 a farmer was paying me to shoot ground squirrels. I had a choice between the #4 and a model 12 Remington. Both shot the same on paper but the #4 got more squirrels. You can use a lot of ammo up when you know you got a back-up shot. With a single shot you make every shot count.

What he said.

I started two grandsons on a Marlin 15Y single shot .22. First with irons, then with a Weaver scope. To graduate to something bigger I would have had them shoot my Marlin 336 lever gun chambered .35 Remington, first with soft cast-bullet handloads., then working up.

[smithnframe]

In July I started my then 7 year old grandson on an air rifle and he was very proud and very good at following safety instructions! He was hitting a steel gong at my 50 yard range in about 5 minutes. He stayed with us for 10 days before Thanksgiving and I gave him a standard model Henry 22 lever action. He picked up where we left off in July. He asked me where the safety was . I told him the safety is the responsibility of the person holding the firearm. He responded Don’t point the weapon at anything you don’t want to destroy, keep the muzzle pointed toward the ground, don’t have a loaded round in the chamber and keep your finger off the trigger!

[uscra112]

It certainly does seem that starting them first on an air rifle is a good plan, given the scarcity and prices of ammunition.

[JimB..]

How old?

Mine didn’t get bored due to lack of power, but of shooting the same boring targets. Set them out some cheap cans of soda, some necco wafers, maybe a small plate rack, etc. Keeping it interesting is harder until they get the safety thing totally ingrained.

[dverna]

How old?

Mine didn’t get bored due to lack of power, but of shooting the same boring targets. Set them out some cheap cans of soda, some necco wafers, maybe a small plate rack, etc. Keeping it interesting is harder until they get the safety thing totally ingrained.

Yes...some people get bored shooting paper. When I was young, we did not have a lot of money. I had a cheap .177 springer and my "fun" was putting up an empty pack of my dad's cigarettes and cutting in half. Cans might cause ricochets so not a good choice for pellets.

I have a "Crazy Eights" target from Air Venturi for fun shooting with the air guns:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwzVW0VNJH0

Easy to set up, store, and cheap. Getting immediate feedback keeps it interesting.

[Half Dog]

We went from a BB gun to a 243, several years later.

[Brassmonkey]

Henry ar7 survival rifle?