Best handgun to teach someone to shoot

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wscottstewart

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As my grandchildren get a little older, I want to teach them how fun it is to shoot handguns. Looking for advice on what .22 to choose. Would consider reloading 380 light if that makes more sense.

Right now the Ruger SR 22 looks appealing. I'm looking for any advice on this topic.
I'm thinking age 7 or 8 is the minimum age, but advice on that would be appreciated also.
Thanks in advance
 
Iffen I were stating all over again (my "boys" are 40 and 43) I go with a Ruger Bearcat! http://www.ruger.com/products/newBearcat/models.html
Click to expand...

Before I clicked on this thread, I was going to suggest the Ruger Single Six.

The Single Six is a bit larger and heavier than the Bearcat. The recoil should be minimal.

Ruger makes a version of the Single Six that has a replaceable cylinder which can accept .22 WMR for a little more power than .22 LR.

Nothing wrong with the Ruger SR22, but to save yourself some hassle, a lot of .22 LR semi-automatics are picky about ammunition. If you are going to buy one I strongly suggest you use a high quality round such as CCI Mini-Mag. The name is a bit misleading. The Mini-Mags are not .22 WMR (they are a little hotter .22 LRs). The CCI Maxi-Mags are .22 WMR.

The two rounds are not interchangeable. Do not fire .22 LR in a .22 WMR chambered firearm (unless it has a replaceable cylinder like the Single-Six).
 
i learned on .22 revolver when i was maybe 8 or 9 but had been shooting a BB gun since i was 6. i think the bb gun taught me the rules and showed i was responsible enough to shoot a real gun. i think age is less important and rather the personality, curiousity, and maturity of the kid is what tells you they are ready. Each is probably different by a few years so just use your judgement. 22 rifles are also a good choice too. Let them shoot stuff like cans ormilk cartons as targets. i could shoot that stuff all day as a kid.

my oldeat boy turns five this week and i am getti g him his first toy guns and bow and arrows to begin to teach him some of the safety rules. he is nowhere ready for a real gun but i bet when he is his little brothers will be too
 
I like the single six but I wouldn't spend that much money that early because they may or may not maintain their interest in guns. I would get a Heritage Rough Rider for them to learn on and upgrade if needed. Mine has proven to be very reliable and accurate.
 
When I was a kid I learned to shoot with a single-shot .22 rifle shooting 22 shorts. That taught sight picture, breathing control, and trigger pull. This was at a summer camp over a couple of years with an instructor.

When I was a teenager I learned to shoot handguns with a 6" barrel S&W Model 10 and wadcutter ammo.

When I was a young adult I learned how to shoot a semi-auto with a S&W Model 59 9mm, and then later a Colt Combat Commander .45.

No idea what one would use these days. I guess if they are going to grow up shooting semis, no need to teach them on a wheelgun.

I'd go for something like a Browning Buckmark or Ruger Mark III in .22 if it were me trying to teach kids basic marksmanship and gun handling with a handgun.
 
Another vote for an airgun to begin with.
There's plenty of very realistic ones, either airsoft or pellet with rifled barrels.
Airsoft is much safer, though.
Then when you're absolutely sure they understand and obey all the safety concerns, and have the basics down pat, they can move on to "real" guns.
The life you save might be your own.
Or even more important - theirs.
 
I love my SR22. It eats bulk 22LR ammo just fine. What I like about it is that (other than having a fixed barrel) it look, feels, and operates like most other DA/SA polymer semis, so it would be an easy jump to 9mm in a couple of years...or as soon as you think each kid is ready.
 
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Yeah, a Ruger single six .22 sounds about right - or the poor man's version; Heritage Rough Rider - a 6" or longer would be preferred so newbs are less likely to turn it more than 90 degrees from downrange (or more).
 
I have grandkids in that age range...and from 2 to 25.../ and every kid is different....some of them want to start shooting around 8 or so --- but it comes down to attention span and how much they want to do it - and do they have the arm strength to point a weapon.

Some kids are ok around 8 --- but for most of them, its closer to about 11 or 12 ...( and I have both boys and girls )....

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As far as guns .... a model 18 S&W 4" revolver has worked very well / the model 617 in a 6" proved to be too heavy. So if you go with a revolver...weight is a factor.

In semi-auto .22's.... Browning Buckmark was my choice ...and its been a solid gun for them to learn on, learn how to load the mag, etc...

As they get a little older....conversion kits on 1911's or on Sig Sauers...in .22 have worked out well...

and around 14 or 15 yrs old ...as I transition them into a 9mm...keep the guns on the small side, lighter and single stack ( Sig 239's worked out well, I have a Kimber 1911 4" alloy frame Tactical Pro model in 9mm as well...and keep the loads "light" and you'll be ok ).

Most of the .380's were too difficult to rach or operate because of stiffer springs in many of them ...so I took them from .22's to the Sig 239 or the Kimber 4" in 9mm...

At about 16 --- they transitioned into heavier calibers..and heavier guns ...but many kids still have smaller hands ( so stay single stack )...but K, L or N frame S&W revolvers, I have a Freedom Arms single action ( all in .357 Mag or let them shoot .38 spl's in them too ).....leave .40 S&W, .45 acp , .357Mag or .44 mag for the older kids - 16 and up...

and let them have fun !! ....pick cool targets, some simple games ( like Tic Tac Toe ...) stuff like that...
 
A Beretta Neos is worthy of consideration, too. The price is good, the grip is quite small, and the styling often appeals to youngsters, even though we traditionalists don't care for it. In the early stages, you can load one round per mag. Mine eats the cheapest ammo cheerfully as long as I keep the extractor clean.
 
If you don't want to spend that much on a 22 why don't you at least look at the Taurus 22 SS mag? I had mine for 20 years and it kept on ticking and took lots of abuse. Had to change the trigger pull but after that it was smooth.
Please everyone, I am a Ruger convert except for my Rossi 2" 357. Certain models by the "other gun mfgs" are super. Just hard to find, but when you do,
you'll know it.
Doc
 
Doc, I know you love your 2" Rossi .357 Magnum, but one of these days I hope you will try a classic Smith and Wesson. I'll keep trying to convince ya:D.
 
My S&W Model 63 is kid sized, though it won't be too kid friendly w/o work to lighten the DA pull and cocking effort.

I have watched kids do well with a Ruger SP101 .22 that had a custom grip. With that peg mounted grip there is room to reduce both the size and length pull by quite bit. Spendy, but effective.
 
And another vote for a Ruger Single Six.

I favor a revolver over a semi-auto because with a semi-auto it's just too tempting to pull the trigger faster, and for training it's important to learn trigger discipline and sight alignment for each shot. Being able to shoot fast can lead to laziness with the trigger and sights.

I favor single action simply because (a) the trigger is lighter and cleaner than a double action, and (b) because a young child may have difficulty managing a DA trigger, resulting in accuracy problems. It's easier to shoot well with a SA, and you want the kids to shoot as well as possible so they'll enjoy it.

The Heritage Rough Rider is a possibility, and it's also available with a WMR cylinder, but a Single Six will last many generations. I don't think a Rough Rider will.
 
Colt Scout which is 3/4 size, preferably a Buntline with an extra .22 magnum cylinder. Long barrels are harder to point in an unsafe direction.

Make sure they load 1, skip 1, load 4 to rest on an empty chamber.
 
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