Handgun selection for teenage son.....

[Ura-Ki]

I would go with a .22 or larger Bolt action of decent quality as the first firearm. It will be far more useful, and will teach much more in a shorter time. Plus, it's a rifle, far more cool then a hand gun! There is pride in owning a tool that has the potential of feeding a person as well as protecting them, there is pride in wood and blued steel, and there is pride in punching tiny little groups in paper at ranges FAR beyond any pistol! There is also responsibility, care and safe handling and safe storage. A rifle is and always has been the Most valuable and prized firearm a person can own! There is a lot can be said about that as a gift!
If you already have a .22 he can shoot, why not step up to a .223 Rifle and build from there!

 

[L84Cabo]

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.

View attachment 526424

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Those .22 military training rifles are even a field of collecting.

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The US military had .22 training rifles as well.

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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.

Interesting choice using Hitler's Germany as a positive example of anything.

 

[KKG]

The OP hasn't responded to any of the posts so I have to wonder. Is he real or...

 

[shibbershabber]

For Christmas, we are giving him the gift of a Gun Safety course. He is 14 years old, and will be 15 in February. For his 15th birthday we are planning on gifting him with his first handgun. As cautious/concerned parents looking for opinions, thoughts being a 9mm, something he can use for quite sometime and enjoy. Thank you all for you thoughts and a Merry Christmas to all!

Jace

Hard to say without knowing his history with firearms...

If he has never fired a gun or much at all......
You should probably get him a .22lr rifle. There is no benefit to diving into a 9mm pistol without first getting your feet wet with a 22 rifle.

If you are looking at a handgun because he is a somewhat experienced shooter and is ready to move up to handgunning...... then I would still suggest a .22lr. its cheap and fun no matter how old you are... its better for familiarizing yourself with the controls and handling of a handgun without the added challenge of recoil management. There are plenty of .22 pistols that replicate the feel and operation of most common handguns. Sig, Styer, Ruger and Walther all make nice ones. Someone has a Styer RFP here for $200... cant go wrong there. I love mine, it is my goto whenever I am working with new shooters.

If none of that is a concern and he is ready for the real deal and shooting a modern centerfire pistol.... then 9mm would be a good choice. I would suggest a traditional DA/SA configuration... Sig, Beretta... older Rugers and S&W pistols are good choices.


Maybe take him to a gun show and let him handle different models to see what feels best in his hands... that is the most important part of shooting a handgun. If you arent comfortable with it, you wont be accurate with it and will not enjoy yourself.

 

[shibbershabber]

The OP hasn't responded to any of the posts so I have to wonder. Is he real or...

Either scared off by the three pages of suggestions.... or its an anti-gun troll who wants to show how uncivilized we are in advocating teens being armed

 

[BSG 75]

Interesting choice using Hitler's Germany as a positive example of anything.

Even the Nazis knew training young teenagers with 9mm handguns wasn't a good idea, no matter how much it speaks to them.

Moreover, I think it's equally as important for a first gun to get something that "speaks to HIM."

 

[DirectDrive]

So, let's say I'm a young parent and sort of hinted to my 14 year old son that I might be getting him a 9mm pistol for Christmas.
Then I put the proposition to my friends and they were not on board with the idea.

As I rethink all of this, what should I do ?

 

[BSG 75]

Probably a good time to remind everyone that under Federal law, with only a few specific exceptions, it is illegal for someone less than 18 years old to possess a handgun or handgun ammunition. That includes a .22LR handgun.

18 U.S. Code § 922
(x)
(2) It shall be unlawful for any person who is a juvenile to knowingly possess—

(A) a handgun; or
(B) ammunition that is suitable for use only in a handgun.​

(3) This subsection does not apply to—

(A) a temporary transfer of a handgun or ammunition to a juvenile or to the possession or use of a handgun or ammunition by a juvenile if the handgun and ammunition are possessed and used by the juvenile—

(i) in the course of employment, in the course of ranching or farming related to activities at the residence of the juvenile (or on property used for ranching or farming at which the juvenile, with the permission of the property owner or lessee, is performing activities related to the operation of the farm or ranch), target practice, hunting, or a course of instruction in the safe and lawful use of a handgun;
(ii) with the prior written consent of the juvenile's parent or guardian who is not prohibited by Federal, State, or local law from possessing a firearm, except—

(I) during transportation by the juvenile of an unloaded handgun in a locked container directly from the place of transfer to a place at which an activity described in clause (i) is to take place and transportation by the juvenile of that handgun, unloaded and in a locked container, directly from the place at which such an activity took place to the transferor; or
(II) with respect to ranching or farming activities as described in clause (i), a juvenile may possess and use a handgun or ammunition with the prior written approval of the juvenile's parent or legal guardian and at the direction of an adult who is not prohibited by Federal, State or local law from possessing a firearm;​

(iii) the juvenile has the prior written consent in the juvenile's possession at all times when a handgun is in the possession of the juvenile; and
(iv) in accordance with State and local law;​

(B) a juvenile who is a member of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard who possesses or is armed with a handgun in the line of duty;
(C) a transfer by inheritance of title (but not possession) of a handgun or ammunition to a juvenile; or
(D) the possession of a handgun or ammunition by a juvenile taken in defense of the juvenile or other persons against an intruder into the residence of the juvenile or a residence in which the juvenile is an invited guest.​

(5) For purposes of this subsection, the term "juvenile" means a person who is less than 18 years of age.

18 U.S. Code § 922 - Unlawful acts

 

[shibbershabber]

So, let's say I'm a young parent and sort of hinted to my 14 year old son that I might be getting him a 9mm pistol for Christmas.
Then I put the proposition to my friends and they were not on board with the idea.

As I rethink all of this, what should I do ?

If you have a 14 year old... You probably aren't a young parent

 

[DirectDrive]

If you have a 14 year old... You probably aren't a young parent

Stop it.

 

[OldBroad44]

I'm NOT enthusiastic about the idea of giving a kid a handgun. Even if it were legal for him to own it without all kinds of restrictions and fine print, which it isn't. Even if the fine print was known by all LE, which it probably isn't; so the kid would likely get arrested every time any LE or game warden saw him. Meaning he couldn't really take the gun anywhere or do anything with it unless you were along.

If you've told the kid he's getting a handgun, go back and tell him otherwise. And why.

There are myriad good reasons why a kid's first gun should be a .22 rifle. Usually a kid has a .22 rifle, a center fire rifle, and a shotgun and has been shooting and hunting for years and has proved himself a responsible gun owner for years before anyone gives him a handgun.

Kids have a huge tendency to want to show off their guns and usually not very good ability to stand up to peer pressure. The buddy wants to handle or shoot the gun, and you end up with a dead or injured kid. And even most gun people would, if that happened, think that it was at least partly your fault. As would I.

 

[Lefkoslykos]

Get a CZ-75 and put it in your trust for him. Also get a nice 22LR (lots of great ideas above thread) and an AR-15 and put those in the trust too. These will be his inheritance guns.

( If you have multiple kids, get multiple sets so they dont start a war over the trust guns. )

This lets you give him a gun without legally giving him a gun yet. It also lets you play gatekeeper as you train him and let him grow up while gaining more experience.

Order the parts and mill and build out an 80% ar-15 with him. Turn it into a father son bonding project.

The best time to teach your kids is now.

When he works hard and saves up the cash while watching gun.deals like a hawk for his first gun that he buys himself, you can sit back proud.

 

[L84Cabo]

I'm NOT enthusiastic about the idea of giving a kid a handgun. Even if it were legal for him to own it without all kinds of restrictions and fine print, which it isn't. Even if the fine print was known by all LE, which it probably isn't; so the kid would likely get arrested every time any LE or game warden saw him. Meaning he couldn't really take the gun anywhere or do anything with it unless you were along.

If you've told the kid he's getting a handgun, go back and tell him otherwise. And why.

There are myriad good reasons why a kid's first gun should be a .22 rifle. Usually a kid has a .22 rifle, a center fire rifle, and a shotgun and has been shooting and hunting for years and has proved himself a responsible gun owner for years before anyone gives him a handgun.

Kids have a huge tendency to want to show off their guns and usually not very good ability to stand up to peer pressure. The buddy wants to handle or shoot the gun, and you end up with a dead or injured kid. And even most gun people would, if that happened, think that it was at least partly your fault. As would I.

I had to double check the web address. For a minute there I thought I was on the Demanding Moms page.

 

[DirectDrive]

I'm NOT enthusiastic about the idea of giving a kid a handgun. Even if it were legal for him to own it without all kinds of restrictions and fine print, which it isn't. Even if the fine print was known by all LE, which it probably isn't; so the kid would likely get arrested every time any LE or game warden saw him. Meaning he couldn't really take the gun anywhere or do anything with it unless you were along.

If you've told the kid he's getting a handgun, go back and tell him otherwise. And why.

There are myriad good reasons why a kid's first gun should be a .22 rifle. Usually a kid has a .22 rifle, a center fire rifle, and a shotgun and has been shooting and hunting for years and has proved himself a responsible gun owner for years before anyone gives him a handgun.

Kids have a huge tendency to want to show off their guns and usually not very good ability to stand up to peer pressure. The buddy wants to handle or shoot the gun, and you end up with a dead or injured kid. And even most gun people would, if that happened, think that it was at least partly your fault. As would I.

Excellent post.
The last paragraph is how it goes down when it goes bad.

 

[DirectDrive]

I had to double check the web address. For a minute there I thought I was on the Demanding Moms page.

Sounds to me like she knows how to raise boys.

 

[orygun]

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.

I'll try to make a long story short...
I bought Mom a Henry 22 and put a small 2 3/4 Redfield on it when she turned 72. She had never shot a gun and she wished she had. The same guy (Dad) that taught me to shoot then taught Mom. For a few years Dad would bring Mom's gun to family gatherings and everyone, including Mom would take a turn or two, or three.
Fast forward about 10 years and my grandson is 5. The Henry was the perfect place to start.

 

[Andy54Hawken]

In my first post in this thread I suggested a .22 firearm...I was thinking of a .22 rifle , even though I did not say so....I still stand by that advice / statement.
With that said...

I was given my first handgun on my 13th birthday. It was a H&R 649 .22 revolver...I still have and still shoot this revolver today.
Everything turned out well with me and my usage of this gun...no accidents , or improper handling or "showing off" of said gun etc....

The point of the above statement is not to argue ....but to show that :
The teaching of firearm safety and responsible use , should be left to the household firearm owner.
They should know what is best for their situation.
Regardless of the "should" in the previous statement...
What works for one family or home , may not work in another.

And yes I know that every situation is different and the times now are not the same as they were then...How I taught my daughter , firearm safety is different , than how my dad taught me.
The point here is :
I taught her safety and responsible firearm use...the methods used were what were best for her....not what some law or other person's set of standards states as "safe".
Please note that I am not saying to break a law here....just saying that you the gun owner , are the first and often best method of firearm safety.
Andy

 

[justcuz]

First, presumption of the cognition and maturity of the OP's offspring hasn't even been brought up. Remember, Lanza, shooter in the Sandy Hook incident, who, from a young age was diagnosed with significant & multiple MH issues, was allowed by his sole caregiver, mother, access to numerous firearms to shoot over this young lifetime. However, as recently shown, apparently the caregiver was in denial of/ignored the warning symptoms of the violent severity his mental state had descended to.

Second, with only two (2) posts to this august forum, the OP's competence regarding their knowledge/skill/attitude in the use/handling of firearms is completely unknown! [interesting to note the "OP" used the appropriate term of GIFTING which the majority of citizens wouldn't be familiar with.]

So what is extremely fascinating is that members are spouting their rightous commentary on history [was quite interesting btw]/which firearm/caliber/fed statutory-but not state specific/teaching philosophy/etc to the tune of three pages worth, to someone who has absolutely no tracked history out here.

This wealth of suggestions might be exemplary to give to those family/friend/acquaintances you have personal contact with but to espouse to an unknown entity who professes to want to give a firearm to their young minor child of unknown maturity/behaviour on their second post - really?

 

[DirectDrive]

First, presumption of the cognition and maturity of the OP's offspring hasn't even been brought up. Remember, Lanza, shooter in the Sandy Hook incident, who, from a young age was diagnosed with significant & multiple MH issues, was allowed by his sole caregiver, mother, access to numerous firearms to shoot over this young lifetime. However, as recently shown, apparently the caregiver was in denial of/ignored the warning symptoms of the violent severity his mental state had descended to.

Second, with only two (2) posts to this august forum, the OP's competence regarding their knowledge/skill/attitude in the use/handling of firearms is completely unknown! [interesting to note the "OP" used the appropriate term of GIFTING which the majority of citizens wouldn't be familiar with.]

So what is extremely fascinating is that members are spouting their rightous commentary on history [was quite interesting btw]/which firearm/caliber/fed statutory-but not state specific/teaching philosophy/etc to the tune of three pages worth, to someone who has absolutely no tracked history out here.

This wealth of suggestions might be exemplary to give to those family/friend/acquaintances you have personal contact with but to espouse to an unknown entity who professes to want to give a firearm to their young minor child of unknown maturity/behaviour on their second post - really?

I mentioned the kid's maturity level in my post on page 2.
There are strong opinions on this subject as we see in this thread.
I don't think the OP is coming back as we talk amongst ourselves.

 

[Mikej]

I was given my first handgun on my 13th birthday. It was a H&R 649 .22 revolver...I still have and still shoot this revolver today.
Everything turned out well with me and my usage of this gun...no accidents , or improper handling or "showing off" of said gun etc....

Yeah but, you're like a 100 years old. Things, and people, were different back then. I mean, the kids needed to help protect the cabin from the Indians, and buffalo stampedes, and other stuff.