need a recommendation, 22lr for my kids

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I'm gonna look at the rugers. But since I will be using it as well I was trying to keep the same platform. Alos, I have looked at the heritage I thought the grip to trigger reach was too long
 
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The problem for the girls with small hands is that most of the .22 rimfire semi-autos are basically rimfire clones of full-size, centerfire pistols. Yes, they are spendy but the Browning 1911-22 is a scaled down pistol that should be a perfect fit in smaller hands. You don't have to get the Black Label version. That one has a polymer frame, but the original base model is all metal and a tad more affordable. (Still not cheap, but a bit less outlandish in price.)

And, of course, as someone hasd already mentioned the Ruger Bearcat revolver is also very nicely sized for small hands.
 
Your 22/45 is a good one to shoot off the bags. That would alleviate the weight issue, but the grip and trigger reach may still be an issue. My MkIII 22/45 and Rough Rider get shot from bags occasionally. They are both incredibly accurate and with the longer barrels, are easy to shoot off of bags.
 
Another vote for the Browning 1911-22, yes they are expensive, but also quality pieces that you(well maybe I should only speak for myself) can take pride in owning.

I'll also throw the BERSA BT22 in the ring for consideration. Its probably on the heavier side of what you're looking for, and some of them can be picky about ammo(not so long ago that was the norm), but I think they're a great pistol for plinking, and well worth the money.
 
With the acceptation of your eldest the two younger one might have to wait a little longer to where they can grow into a handgun seeing that their hands are not the correct size yet.
If you are not willing to wait my recommendation would be a NAA pistol and order custom grips for that pistol from CV revisions. Just make sure that you check CV revision first as their grips will not fit all NAA models.
http://www.revisioncv.com/catalog/4
 
Another vote for the Buckmark!

And if you are a revolver fan, try to get ahold of either a current production or an old production S&W Model 63 in 22LR.
Great revolvers!
 
Why not appropriate for a 6yr old?

Because it's a real gun.
Supervision or not, guns aren't for little kids.
If the 12 year-old exhibits some elevated level of responsibility and self-discipline, they might be old enough to be supervised with a single-shot 22 rifle, preferably a junior target rifle, with peep sights, on a range with a rangemaster. Junior rifle league, anyone?
The younger ones need to look up to the oldest; wait for it and earn it, as the oldest is held to a high standard, worthy to be followed.
Handguns are for responsible adults. Not everyone should drive; not everyone should drink; not everyone should shoot. Some things are worth waiting for.
But they are your kids.....How about fishing?
 
Pathfinder45 said:
Supervision or not, guns aren't for little kids.
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My grandfather taught me to shoot when I was 8. My brother was 6. I wasn't given a gun or turned loose to shoot without supervision, but I learned to shoot -- safely.
 
Can't stand fishing. I know its useful to fill the freezer but I sure don't enjoy it.

When teaching a kid something there is only so much explaining you can do. At some point they need hands on experience. And repetition is the only way I know of to build experience. Thus to teach, and for them to truly understand, they must do. Trust me, I would not be working with them if I didn't feel they could follow directions. And I am taking precautions and am closely supervising and hands on with them. They all gave done great so far.
 
A total nightmare for training with as it is very small: The Phoenix HP-22. Get the "target" conversion for a slightly longer barrel and magazine with extended grip.

Inexpensive and with the standard barrel you have back-up concealment option if needed.
 
I think your doing fine Shadow. Nobody here knows your kids better than you. Mine were not ready at 6, but my eldest son, at 8, was surprisingly accurate with a 9mm handgun. We were with my BIL. I didn't own any handguns yet. He's 17 now and doesn't have much interest in guns, and neither does my daughter, but my youngest has expressed interest.

There are definitely exceptions, but I think educating them young about firearms and firearm handling takes the curiosity and intrigue with firearms away, or at least reduces it dramatically.
 
The issues that have been mentioned repeatedly are recoil and grip size and weight of the gun.
Recoil and gun weight are related closely. If you make the gun lighter, you change the recoil.
My feeling is if recoil is of a .22 is at all an issue.....then the child is too young to be using a pistol.
The same applies to grip size. Most (all) of the guns that you have tried are too large for her.
The why of that is that most guns are not intended for a 6 year old.
Two, however, to try: the Ruger Bearcat.....small, steel.
The other one is a S&W 317 Airlite, the kit gun with the three inch barrel. Very light. Eight shots. Both grip length and trigger pull might present problems but not weight.
Another small steel gun....also a revolver....is the little .22 from North American arms....maybe even too small for a young child.
 
A couple posts have mentioned the NAA. The OP stated that the 3 kids have shot the NAA and 2 of the 3 struggled with the trigger. It's in the 1st post.
 
I have been very happy with my M&P 22 Compact that I bought primarily for my wife which shoots everything I feed it and super easy to rack the slide. It is about the size of a Shield and pretty short trigger reach . Good luck finding a 22 LR pistol these days though.

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darkgael said:
The issues that have been mentioned repeatedly are recoil and grip size and weight of the gun.
Recoil and gun weight are related closely. If you make the gun lighter, you change the recoil.
My feeling is if recoil is of a .22 is at all an issue.....then the child is too young to be using a pistol.
The same applies to grip size. Most (all) of the guns that you have tried are too large for her.
The why of that is that most guns are not intended for a 6 year old.
Two, however, to try: the Ruger Bearcat.....small, steel.
The other one is a S&W 317 Airlite, the kit gun with the three inch barrel. Very light. Eight shots. Both grip length and trigger pull might present problems but not weight.
Another small steel gun....also a revolver....is the little .22 from North American arms....maybe even too small for a young child.
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I have the NAA. the trigger is too small and heavy, she cant pull the trigger.
 
With respect to gun weight, I'll interject that I don't think it's the weight of the gun that's an issue. For youngsters with underdeveloped hand strength and arm strength, I think "weight" is more an issue of balance. Handguns with longer barrels, especially heavy, bull-like barrels, are muzzle heavy and a small shooter with limited strength would likely run into difficulty keeping the muzzle up when shooting. For that reason, for any handguns that offer different muzzle lengths I would look at the shorter barrels for young kids. The mechanical accuracy will be pretty much on a par with the longer ones. Yes, the sight radius will be shorter, so practical accuracy may suffer a tad, but when teaching kids you're probably not going to be shooting at 50 yards, and not looking for bullseye, ten-ring ten-X accuracy.

For example, the Browning 1911-22 comes in a "full-size" version and a "compact" version (which is a scaled down Commander). In real 1911s, I prefer the balance of a Commander rather than a 5" full-size pistol. I would expect the same to be true for the 1911-22. Mine if a "full-size," but I bought mine when Browning first introduced it and there was no Compact version.
 
And, yet, another vote for the Browning 1911/22 and the Ruger Bearcat. I have both and absolutely love them. Not one, single problem reliability wise. The only major gripe I have with the Browning is the sights. With their young eyes, they shouldn't have much problem using them. I understand the price point is a little high. However, the quality is the reason. If you can foot the bill, it will be a distant memory once you get out to shoot it and how long it will last.

AS FOR EVERYONE ELSE: Your concern for the OP's choice for training his 6 year old at her age is duly noted. Now, let it GO.
 
I should have disclosed my 1911-A1 loyalty. We all have our favorite handguns. Mine is the 1911-A1. I have no clue why. Maybe it was all those Combat reruns I watched as a kid. However, the 1911-A1 fits naturally in my hand and it has the best natural point of any handgun I've held.

It might be in my DNA. My youngest has the identical natural affinity for the 1911-A1. Hence, the Browning 1911-22 made sense.

The absolute factual reality is you should buy the handgun that's perfect for your kids. They're the ones who'll enjoy it.

BTW, I believe that the 1911-A1 is among the safest of all handgun designs it not the safest. It's thumb safety, grip safety, and half-cock safety are reassuring. A 1911-A1 cannot be fired unless it's in a shooter's hands. And yes, I've been exposed to inertia firing of a 1911-A1 dropped on its muzzle. However, I have never, ever known of such an occurrence. If it were to occur, the bullet would hit ground. Some 1911-A1 models have an additional safety to prevent firing if dropped.
 
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