Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Kids at the Campfire 8 yr old first gun

My grandson was at a friend's camp. Friend's Dad let him shoot a .22. Boy shot it well, now he wants his own .22.

My SIL, his Dad, is a high end tax lawyer in New Orleans, has his own firm. They live in Old Metairie. He owned no guns, was wanting to go dove hunting with a well healed client. So, I took him behind my house, gave him a 1100 20 ga and we shot some clays over my pond. He hit a few, didn't seem too interested, just doing what he needed to do for the upcoming hunt (which never happened). With no gun in the house, I showed how to load the mag, gave him several boxes of shells. I told it to put in on a top shelf in his MBR closet. If needed, he could jerk it off the shelf, chamber a round and take care of business. Well, it's in his garage according to my daughter. Oh well.... Hope he never gets in a bind.

So with that background, SIL suggested instead of a .22, the boy needed a BB gun. Those things can be dangerous with bounce back, reminded him of that movie. I'm thinking a good pellet rifle, maybe CO2. SIL not yet ready yet for the boy to have a .22. So, I guess baby steps.

What do you guys think? Suggestions?

A story on my SIL that I posted some time ago. They were visiting and we had just gotten in from a wedding. He saw a coon run up a pecan tree. Coons poop on our porches, wife had declared them no bueno, so I kill'em. I asked which tree; he told me. I got my 8 3/8" K-22, took a light (it was dark), shined the coon and dropped him with the pistol. Daughter and SIL were standing on my front porch, at least 30 yds from the coon tree. His comment, "Wow, this is my first hunting trip". So you see what the grandson is up against getting a rifle.

With that background, what would you guys recommend?

DF

First thing is instill good gun safety and the consequences that goes with poor gun safety. Maybe one of those break barrel Gas Nitro Piston Air Rifles https://www.pyramydair.com/air-guns/rifles/gas-piston-rifles .Those things are quite powerful.The .177 aren't all that great,but the .22 cal are about like a 22 short or maybe even more depending on the rifle.I remember when I was his age,a box of .22's wouldn't last me too long.At least a pellet rifle takes a little longer to load.

Thanks.

Will check into that.

DF

I'd get a ruger american with the adjustable length spacer. And a brick of cci quiets, standards, whatever have fun. Single load some shorts or cbs. You are going to run across pellet guns much louder plus those terrible triggers. We got rid of the pellet gun real quick and my boys shot most a single shot savage/stephens 120 with super colibris or quiets in the backyard.

Thanks, sounds like a plan.

Now, to get SIL on board.

DF

maybe take him 22 cal shooting with the kid ? get both involved together

That would be a great idea, except they live 3 hours away and he works all the time.

He has a tax, merger and acquisition law firm that he founded, lots of well healed clients who think they own him. Well, in some ways I guess they do.

That kinda success can be a trap as well as a blessing. Not bad for a 40 yr old.

Maybe one of these days.

DF

If you are under 18 you don't own a gun, your father does and you get to use it.

Don't get me wrong, I have Christmas pics of me getting a win bolt 22 singleshot when I was 7, but see above

And that's the way it should be. But, unfortunately, every youngster isn't blessed with a Dad who shoots and promotes shooting.

We who do shoot need to take those kids underwing and help them flourish as marksmen.

And to not be a chauvinist, those girls who like to shoot. Some of them outshoot the guys. Go figure that....

DF

Well I wasn't expecting a fairly common sense
topic. I'm used to reading those " Which deer
rifle for my 4 year old- 243 win or 6 5 cm ?"

Sounds like the boy will never get proper firearms training from his family.
Therefore you will have to take him under your wing and show him the way.
I'm a big fan of a first gun being a bolt action single-shot .22 but many will recommend a Ruger 10/22.
I like the bolt action because the kid has to work an action and I like the single shot because it will encourage careful aim, knowing that there is no easy back-up shot.

I’m leaning toward a .22LR Ruger American, the compact model with peep sights, target globe front, 12.5” LOP.

You can get different stock inserts for higher comb, longer LOP. Can mount scopes, 3/8” groove or Weaver bases. Later add ons, modifications as he grows.

I think starting with target sights builds the right skill set. Kinda like learning to drive a stick. The rifle he shot at the camp had a scope. Learn basics then move up.

DF

My boy had a Marlin youth single shot, his oldest is 6. He will be using it before long. It has a Denver made 3x9 Redfield in it I bought new for it. His first high powered rifle is a model 7 in 7mm-08. We loaded it down for a few years. We bought a full size stock for it in the classifieds. He still uses it.

Thanks.

Lot to think about.

All my kids learned to use open sites with a red rider BB gun.
From there, they upgraded to my browning 22. Now, My 15 yr old now has her own 243 and my 10 yr old now has a 222 rem.

Pellet rifle and a ruger American compact. He’s not going to be able to shoot the 22 in the back yard and SIL is unlikely to be taking him to the range often. So the pellet rifle is for practice on his own in between visits to grandpa

Which one would you pick?

DF

I’d go higher dollar on the pellet rifle like a Benjamin or Gamo. Daisy has gotten to be pretty much disposable as they tend to break down really quickly. On the .22 my son is about the same age as your grandson and the ruger compact fits him well has held up so far.

My first was a rusted old Marlin 39A with no Butt stock. Went with Dad to Marlin in New Haven for a butt stock. He cleaned it up, fit the stock and gave it to me in 1961.

I still have it, I was 8 at the time.

Marlin 39 is a real classic.

I guess I could fit this one with a shorter stock, but it's not going to another owner, even him, until I'm gone from this planet. Maybe then, not now.

https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...9/re-marlin-39-trigger-stop#Post18855849

DF