First gun for 5 year old for Christmas?

[bayougump]

My son will turn 5 right after Christmas this year and I want to get him started shooting and learning how to handle guns safely and one day shoot USPSA like his dad. Any suggestions on what would be a good rifle to start with? maybe a "Red Ryder BB gun with a compass in the stock" LOL. What did some of you guys start your little ones out with? Thanks in advance.

Gump

 

[SVT]

50 cal

 

[Neil09]

Every kid should have a Red Ryder!

 

[toddrod]

I did the Red Ryder and then moved him up to a Ruger 10/22, and now a JR carbine in 45 ACP. As soon as his hands are big enough I will get him the Ruger SR9c and feed it my down loaded 9mm ammo.

 

[bayougump]

50 cal

That's not bad idea, good excuse to have a 50 cal added to my arsenal, lol


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[JNieman]

Every kid should have a Red Ryder!

This.


However, the stock is a bit long for most 5 year olds. There's a similar one marketed as "Buck" that has a shorter youth-youth stock.
http://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Outdoor-Products-Brown-Black/dp/B000W32TN6
I got one for my 6 year old from Academy, after me getting tired of having him hold my old Red Ryder under his arm pit so he could reach the trigger and fore end. Now he can actually shoulder the BB gun and he'll grow into the Red Ryder soon enough.

 

[JCcypress]

This.


However, the stock is a bit long for most 5 year olds. There's a similar one marketed as "Buck" that has a shorter youth-youth stock.
http://www.amazon.com/Daisy-Outdoor-Products-Brown-Black/dp/B000W32TN6
I got one for my 6 year old from Academy, after me getting tired of having him hold my old Red Ryder under his arm pit so he could reach the trigger and fore end. Now he can actually shoulder the BB gun and he'll grow into the Red Ryder soon enough.

I had a Daisy lever action BB gun as a pup. I don't think it was the actual Red Rider model, as "Christmas Story" had not been released and the RR had not yet regained popularity. Regardless, it was similar and had a wooden stock that my old man cut down a bit for me, and painted the end black like a recoil pad. We put that thing through the damn ringer and it never failed.

 

[JNieman]

I'm still using the Daisy Red Ryder that my parents got me in the mid 80s. Not sure if it was around before that or if they got it new. It's still truckin. We still pop cans with it. When my boy was ready to shoot, I put a couple drops of oil in the little oil hole, worked the action a bit, cleaned the dust off, poured in some BBs and it was like we never separated.

 

[JCcypress]

Of course, you've always got options...

 

[gunner_lee]

I've started my grand daughter shooting my Daisy BB gun that my Dad gave me for my 5th Christmas. That was 1965. It has made one trip back to Rogers AR and got refurbed in the late 80s and it still shoots today. I told Reagan "when you are big enough to cock it I will teach you how to shoot it." That happened weekend before last. Don't start them out on a .22 if they're younger than 5-7. A BB gun AD won't hurt someone near as bad as a .22LR. Let them learn safe gun handling with the BB gun before graduating them up into pellet/smallbore/centerfire. Just my .02

 

[03protege]

I have a Red Ryder that was my first gun to play with but the first actual gun I shot was probably a 22lr "Cricket" and some ruger Single-Six 22lrs.



EDIT: now that I think about it there was a smaller BB gun that I shot before I got my own Red Ryder.

 

[Danny Abear]

Crickett 22

 

[kibb]

I know you asked about a rifle, but I started my son off with a pistol first. I bought him a mock M&P which uses CO2 cartridges. It was a little big for his hands,even though he was big for his age. At 7 years old he could shoot sand crabs off the porch at the camp at 35 yards away. The rifle came natural after that. Hell, I think he'll give me a run for my money by the time he can shoot a full size auto.

 

[noobie]

A daisy buck for the first few years, then move up to a cricket or a henry mini bolt. That's what id do. No experiences with the cricket rifles however they are some gorgeous lookin little guns, i do have a mini bolt and the thing is great and simple! Nice fiber optic irons too green in back red up front! Hope he loves whatever he gets!!

 

[enutees]

If you're kid is normal sized a red ryder is too long. My 7 year old still holds his under his arm to shoot. He hits pretty good though. The cricket is the best fitting gun for a kid. I bought mine a red ryder and an AR15 lower with 10 30 rd mags for future use. I was going to buy a cricket but he started shooting my AR SBR in 22 suppressed instead.

 

[freedive10]

Airsoft w/ blowback action is a good start. He can shoot in the back yard and still practice safety.

 

[dantheman]

I bought a Cricket for my grandson but he outgrew it quickly . I should have gotten it sooner . I'll keep it for my other grandson .

 

[3fifty7]

I got my daughter a Thompson Center Hotshot when she turned 5. She has been able to handle it well from the get-go.
Safety is first and foremost always.
Positive reinforcement is another huge key.
All of the kids I've shot with love reaction targets, a hole in a piece of paper doesn't mean much to them. My go to target is a panel of hog wire 8"x8" squares with a balloon placed in the square. Different colors are a plus too.
If they need a little extra help getting on target slip in a rat shot load to boost their confidence.
Enjoy and pass it on.

 

[gunslinger]

Get him a 4-10 shot gun and some lo power shell's it will kick him a lil and hurt a lil and he my be scared of it ,BUT he needs to be. BB guns teach what? that "fire at will" mentality . Think about it.

 

[alpharic]

this is an awesome idea.

I got my daughter a Thompson Center Hotshot when she turned 5. She has been able to handle it well from the get-go.
Safety is first and foremost always.
Positive reinforcement is another huge key.
All of the kids I've shot with love reaction targets, a hole in a piece of paper doesn't mean much to them. My go to target is a panel of hog wire 8"x8" squares with a balloon placed in the square. Different colors are a plus too.
If they need a little extra help getting on target slip in a rat shot load to boost their confidence.
Enjoy and pass it on.