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Hey now....!
But sooooo true ask me how I know....
Andy
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Andy, the cap and ball revolvers are so much fun to shoot.
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Andy, the cap and ball revolvers are so much fun to shoot.
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Good post, I agree with you. I won't go into specifics, but your post rings true.
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Yep...When I have them on display or go shooting with them...they always gather a crowd.
Andy
No need for me to read past THIS ^^. If the two of you do a lot of shooting together, buy yourself a new gun that he can shoot when you guys are at the range. Then make it a birthday present down the line once he's had a chance to grow, physically and mentally. Not to mention...MANY of the kids today are vastly different than when we were growing up. The outside influences and peer pressure these days couldn't even be compared in my opinion.
And after reading that, a fairly decent bolt rifle will always raise curiosity in a young'ns mind as to why a 10/22 just cant match the accuracy of a bolt. Not that there arent any good accurate 10/22's, they are just not as prevalent as good accurate bolt rifles.
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I have a glock 17 and I am a fairly decent shot.
With my G17 I can hit a pie plate at 15-25 yards.
With my Ruger mark 3 Hunter I can hit a 3" target or less at the same distance.
Any gun you get him should be very accurate - it is very frustrating to try and group shots with a stock glock without tons of practice.
Total cost on my mark 3 with 4 extra mags, grip and accuracy kit was less then my stock G17.
I love both, but my Ruger is a shooter and my glock is a self defense peice - it goes bang every time and is expendable if taken as evidence.
Plus the Ruger is sexy
.
With my G17 I can hit a pie plate at 15-25 yards.
With my Ruger mark 3 Hunter I can hit a 3" target or less at the same distance.
Any gun you get him should be very accurate - it is very frustrating to try and group shots with a stock glock without tons of practice.
Total cost on my mark 3 with 4 extra mags, grip and accuracy kit was less then my stock G17.
I love both, but my Ruger is a shooter and my glock is a self defense peice - it goes bang every time and is expendable if taken as evidence.
Plus the Ruger is sexy
.
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In my life, thus far, I haven't met a 15 year old yet, that I would gift a 9mm pistol and let him have custody of said pistol.
I would however, let a qualified 15 year old shoot my 9mm under my supervision but that would be the extent of it.
My advice is to rethink this and take some of the good advice in this thread.
But maybe this kid is an Eagle Scout, NRA Gold Medal type kid and could handle this ?
I would however, let a qualified 15 year old shoot my 9mm under my supervision but that would be the extent of it.
My advice is to rethink this and take some of the good advice in this thread.
But maybe this kid is an Eagle Scout, NRA Gold Medal type kid and could handle this ?
I have a glock 17 and I am a fairly decent shot.
With my G17 I can hit a pie plate at 15-25 yards.
With my Ruger mark 3 Hunter I can hit a 3" target or less at the same distance.
Any gun you get him should be very accurate - it is very frustrating to try and group shots with a stock glock without tons of practice.
Total cost on my mark 3 with 4 extra mags, grip and accuracy kit was less then my stock G17.
I love both, but my Ruger is a shooter and my glock is a self defense peice - it goes bang every time and is expendable if taken as evidence.
Plus the Ruger is sexy
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I popped a quail and over 90 yards with my Ruger 22/45 MKIII Hunter target model. Thumbs up on that. As pictured.
I agree with the majority of opinion here:
Henry Lever Action .22 Classic Lever Action .22 Rifle | Henry Repeating Arms $293
- .22LR over anything else. Ammo is much cheaper and encourages practice.
- Rifle instead of handgun. And bolt action or lever action instead of semiauto encourages making every shot count.
Henry Lever Action .22 Classic Lever Action .22 Rifle | Henry Repeating Arms $293
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I'd go 22/45 or mkIII/IV. I'd go heavy barrel too. Or the mkIV LITE. That's what my son has.
If you go 9mm I think the fit in the hand is most important. I love the HK VP9 and the Walter PPQ wnichbhave identical and amazing ergonomics with a raft of included grip components which are mix and match to get perfect fit.
If you go 9mm I think the fit in the hand is most important. I love the HK VP9 and the Walter PPQ wnichbhave identical and amazing ergonomics with a raft of included grip components which are mix and match to get perfect fit.
You can go to Davidson Gallery of guns and get that CZ455 Scout ordered for $299. A fine choice by the way. I used some cheap(?) Geco ammo in my 29" version and am still waiting for a flyer. I dont normally shoot tacs but if I did it would drive every single one of them.
Cool gun for a young man! Sportsman's Warehouse has 'em for 319.00. What kind of NEW hand gun can a person get for that?
It would be nice if you had a heirloom gun or one from your youth to give him.
First gun I got was a Ruger 10-22 rifle at Hillsboro Bimart for $60 with a 7 power scope, I still have it 45 years later and has always been the funnest gun in my safe, it's going to my grandson when he comes of age.
PNW is a great place to hunt, and hunting birds is a blast Pheasant, quail, chucker, ducks, etc.
Get him a Labrador and a 12 guage shotgun.
First gun I got was a Ruger 10-22 rifle at Hillsboro Bimart for $60 with a 7 power scope, I still have it 45 years later and has always been the funnest gun in my safe, it's going to my grandson when he comes of age.
PNW is a great place to hunt, and hunting birds is a blast Pheasant, quail, chucker, ducks, etc.
Get him a Labrador and a 12 guage shotgun.
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I'm an advocate for starting with a 22LR also, but that's not the only soft shooter out there.
I started with a Ruger Standard 22 (semi auto). With guidance from Dad that worked out ok, but a revolver may be simpler/safer. Guidance from Dad is probably the most important part. While my grandson has shot that gun, these days we shoot a Taurus 8 shot DA revolver. It's 4" and light enough for a youngster to hold on target. Shooting single action it's easily accurate enough and simple enough for an 8 year old to understand.
However, if sticking with the thought of buying a center fire handgun with future uses, I wouldn't buy a 9mm for a newby. I'd by a 4" double action 357 Revolver. An all steel gun that size is big enough to make shooting 38 Special cartridges as soft as can be, but it's small enough to be easier to hold and carry. Later, when more power is wanted, 357 Magnum cartridges will cover that need.
I started with a Ruger Standard 22 (semi auto). With guidance from Dad that worked out ok, but a revolver may be simpler/safer. Guidance from Dad is probably the most important part. While my grandson has shot that gun, these days we shoot a Taurus 8 shot DA revolver. It's 4" and light enough for a youngster to hold on target. Shooting single action it's easily accurate enough and simple enough for an 8 year old to understand.
However, if sticking with the thought of buying a center fire handgun with future uses, I wouldn't buy a 9mm for a newby. I'd by a 4" double action 357 Revolver. An all steel gun that size is big enough to make shooting 38 Special cartridges as soft as can be, but it's small enough to be easier to hold and carry. Later, when more power is wanted, 357 Magnum cartridges will cover that need.
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Gotta second that lever Henry-- accurate as hell and hard to do a mag dump. Grew up on a Browning BL-22 lever and would absolutely buy one for a youngster just learning the sport, though the Henry is almost as nice and cheaper.
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My first response to anyone trying to figure out which gun to get for a person...even if that person is your 15 year old son...is what does HE want?
The reason being, in no small part, because it's his hands that have to operate the controls. A handgun is not something that should ever be picked out by someone, for someone else. What works and feels good for me, might not be what works and feels good for you...or him. So he should very much be a part of this decision. And in fact, the selection process can be a part of very cherished memories. Take him shopping and to the rental counter at your local range and let him try a number of options. It will be a lot of fun too.
Now with the above said, you should also give some thought to the basic platform. Given that this is his first handgun, would something in a SA/DA be a bit safer for a first time shooter/gun owner? Or perhaps a polymer gun with a safety? And I'm just tossing this out for your consideration as I obviously don't know your son and don't know what his habits and skillset are currently. If he has very good trigger and safety discipline, then a normal striker gun without a safety may be just fine. And they're certainly affordable.
I'll also be the dissenting opinion and say that a 9mm is probably just fine over a .22. Yes, in a perfect world a .22 may be a slightly better choice to learn on than a 9mm. But certainly plenty of people have learned to shoot on 9mm...and 45acp too for that matter. The military doesn't start people out on .22's to the best of my knowledge. Moreover, I think it's equally as important for a first gun to get something that "speaks to HIM." He'll be much more likely to practice with it, care for it, and stay with the hobby/sport if it's a gun that he is truly interested in...another reason to let him have a hand in picking it out.
As for specific models if you're looking at SA/DA's I'd probably start by looking at a Sig P226, Beretta 92, and maybe a CZ of some sort.
For polymers I'd start with Glocks and M&P's and see if either of those appeal to him.
The reason being, in no small part, because it's his hands that have to operate the controls. A handgun is not something that should ever be picked out by someone, for someone else. What works and feels good for me, might not be what works and feels good for you...or him. So he should very much be a part of this decision. And in fact, the selection process can be a part of very cherished memories. Take him shopping and to the rental counter at your local range and let him try a number of options. It will be a lot of fun too.
Now with the above said, you should also give some thought to the basic platform. Given that this is his first handgun, would something in a SA/DA be a bit safer for a first time shooter/gun owner? Or perhaps a polymer gun with a safety? And I'm just tossing this out for your consideration as I obviously don't know your son and don't know what his habits and skillset are currently. If he has very good trigger and safety discipline, then a normal striker gun without a safety may be just fine. And they're certainly affordable.
I'll also be the dissenting opinion and say that a 9mm is probably just fine over a .22. Yes, in a perfect world a .22 may be a slightly better choice to learn on than a 9mm. But certainly plenty of people have learned to shoot on 9mm...and 45acp too for that matter. The military doesn't start people out on .22's to the best of my knowledge. Moreover, I think it's equally as important for a first gun to get something that "speaks to HIM." He'll be much more likely to practice with it, care for it, and stay with the hobby/sport if it's a gun that he is truly interested in...another reason to let him have a hand in picking it out.
As for specific models if you're looking at SA/DA's I'd probably start by looking at a Sig P226, Beretta 92, and maybe a CZ of some sort.
For polymers I'd start with Glocks and M&P's and see if either of those appeal to him.
Come on. To the best of my knowledge the US military doesn't train 14 and 15-year-olds to shoot either. The OP's kid is 14 going on 15.
And the country whose military trained kids that age to shoot DID start them out on .22s.
Those .22 military training rifles are even a field of collecting.
The US military had .22 training rifles as well.
as did the British
Enfield Rifles comparison page
and the Poles and Czechs.
Gun Review: Polish WZ-48 .22LR Military Trainer - The Truth About Guns
Polish Wifama wz.78 .22lr Military Training Rifle
Giving an inexperienced young shooter a full-power firearm can cause them to develop a flinch and other bad habits that then have to be corrected. I have taught many first-time and very inexperienced shooters and I used to include some centerfire shooting along with rimfires. Now I have them shoot ONLY rimfires. I have a selection of different types of rimfires - revolvers in both single action and double action, semiauto pistols, and lever action, bolt action, and semiauto rifles - that they can shoot so they can shoot well right from the start, become familiar with the different types of firearms/actions, avoid developing a flinch or even turn them off from shooting completely, and most importantly have fun. And since I provide everything for them it doesn't cost me a lot of money in ammo.
If someone later buys a centerfire firearm the rimfire firearm they started out with doesn't become useless. While I have many centerfire firearms I still buy and shoot rimfires. Four of the last five rifles I bought were .22s. A nice rimfire rifle can provide a lifetime of inexpensive fun shooting, and can be passed on to train the owner's children and grandchildren when the time comes.
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Hey now....!
But sooooo true ask me how I know....
Andy
View attachment 526183
View attachment 526184
You know Andy. Starting off with that, would be awesome, allowing them to fully understand the science and mechanics involved. I know its not going to happen, but if young minds were open, what great way to start.
I recall as a youth maybe 13 firing back powder rifle, all I remember is how loud it was LOL
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I often have to sigh when people use the way the Military does almost anything as a way to train anyone. The military is infamous for doing a lot of stuff that makes no sense.
As for teaching anyone to shoot I have lost track of the times I was able to night and day help some new shooter who had been handed something large right out the gate. They could not even get on paper some times and as soon as you watched them you could see why. Would hand them a .22, let them work till they got on paper, then hand them back the larger gun. All of a sudden they could hit or at least get on paper and their face would light up.
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Considering the OP hasn't really been involved in the thread. I'm assuming he / she found a good pick?
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