Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters First gun for a kid

Depends upon when/where/how you will let him use it. Unsupervised? Daisy BB gun versus paper targets.. In a couple or three years maybe a pellet rifle. Other side of 10-11 years old, a single shot .410 or maybe a .22. A lot depends on the surroundings you live in, how disciplined the lad is and how much oversight you will invest IMHO.

For perspective, I was 11 or so when I shot myself in the big toe on a freezing cold morning with a .22 air rifle. It was a painful lesson and I'm more than thankful dad didn't let me run loose with a .22 or shotgun on my own.

Mine shoots really well. 15 yards I can cover the group with a 50 cent piece.

But not for a 7 year old.

Call me old school... But if a 7 year old has not been exposed to any firearms at all, I'd start with a quality air gun. Teach him the safety and basics and turn him loose with it.

Next Christmas would be a great time to graduate him to a 22 rifle.

If he's already been shooting a BB gun perhaps it's time for a 22. Gonna add my vote to those who said "Savage Rascal". Got one over a year ago for the grand kids to plink with. I like it so much I wind up shooting it as much as them. Love that aperture sight and it even has an Accutrigger and it's accurate to boot. Nice little single shot makes them concentrate on their marksmanship vs. spray & pray. The one who recently turned 16 has sort of outgrown it but she still loves shooting it. It's currently just right, size wise, for the 7 year old. I will even confess to plinking with it when they aren't around because it's so much fun.

Started my boy at 5 with a Lil Henry mini bolt 22 LR. Can’t count how many birds, rabbits and squirrels he killed with that thing.

https://www.henryusa.com/rifles/mini-bolt-youth/

Another vote for single shot .22 bolt rifle. I started with a Remington 514 about 52 years ago. Still have it. Will go to my grandson at the appropriate time.

I also like the idea of keeping the bolt separate.

Good to hear. I was worried they were all like this. I have a long history with Blackhawks but this Wrangler makes me look stupid.

Exactly what digital dan said. Exactly.

An air rifle is plenty of pop to learn basics of riflemanship and safety, and modest enough to limit the damage when he makes a mistake in the process. Between simple mistakes in learning, to the boneheaded stuff we all did at least once, to poor backdrops and things we shouldn’t have been shooting at... part of growing up.

Edit to say, pellets ricochet less than bb’s, so kinda prefer them. More things learned the hard way as a kid.

Marlin youth 22. Put a cheap scope on it. I have one in safe. It was my boys, will soon be his son’s.

I started with a bb gun, moved to a pellet rifle, then a Remington mdl 24 .22 and a 28 gauge. Planning on starting my daughters with a bb gun, then a pellet rifle, and once I feel comfortable I have a TC Hotshot 22 that I picket up for them a couple years ago that I think will be perfect. Oldest will be 4 in March so I still have a little time.

This is good.

This. I've yet to meet a 7 year old who exhibits the maturity to be issued a powder burning rifle of some sort. Hell, when I was 7 I was eagerly shooting my sister's in the butt with a BB gun whenever no one was looking (especially them) and my old man was a strict disciplinarian who thought I was cool with a gun. A couple more years ain't gonna hurt to wait. Don't rush him or, more importantly, yourself.

This. No pistols for starters.

I got my and daughter a 22 single shot rifle.

It is a Stevens and the bolt has to be pulled every time.

I have a 22 single shot lever rifle and use it foe the 3 Grandsons when we go.

The oldest is getting large enough that he can handle a larger rifle and may get one of his Dad says ok.

He might have other ideas.

When i got my first gun it was a 20 gauge single shot and i used it to shoot deer in MS.and have even used that full choke thing for quail and doves.

I did give it up after tearing up to many birds.

Assuming he's grown up around guns, and knows gun safety, I think something that you'd feel comfortable turning him loose on his own with. Something he could use even when you weren't there.

I would say a Daisy 880 because it's accurate, powerful, and easy to pump. And it was my first "hunting rifle". It's what I really learned to shoot with. I wore that thing out. But the length of pull is kind of long.
So maybe the Daisy 35. It's smaller, and less than three pounds, but a smoothbore. So not quite as accurate. But powerful and not a bad shooter. Not bad at all. And cheap enough that he could use it for a couple of years and then get something a little bigger with rifling.

Ruger 10/22

don't hamstring the kid with a no-fun single-shot hard-to-manipulate too-long too-heavy bolt-gun.

Ruger 10/22, short stock, 25-round magazines loaded with cheap bulk ammo, and get the kid shooting and having fun. He'll never not want to go out for some range time, and he'll learn trigger control a lot faster if he gets more of it.

You guys sound like ridiculous killjoys.

Santa was good to my 6 and 9 year old.




A few hours later. One shot.


They’re kept in one of my safes. Only used when I’m within arms reach of them.

I bought the Browning SA22 because I thought they were neat, historic, and could be kept the rest of their lives and not be handicapped using them as they grow old.

My local gun shop gave each of my kids a Cricket bolt-action .22 when they were born. My son is five now and can shoot his pretty well. He struggled with the concept of the sights so I mounted an Aimpoint and he immediately started making hits. I recommend some type of reactive target so that they get instant gratification as well as positive feedback.

^^THIS^^

Started both of my kids out on Red Ryders around the age of 5. By the time they were 7, both we're shooting 10/22's and having a ball. Teaching and ensuring their understanding of gun safety was key. Both of my boy's are fairly good listeners, so this helped.

Lots of different ways to look at this. Appreciate all the opinions. Obviously good gun safety teaching is paramount. Think I’ll go with an air rifle this summer and upgrade to a 22 when he proves he’s ready by the way he handles the air gun.