need a recommendation, 22lr for my kids

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Got one!

So, I now own a Browning 1911-22.... :D

Learned a few things during its first disassembly and cleaning
1- I forgot about hammer bite, gonna have swap to a bobbed hammer eventually.
2- the guide rod is soft plastic, like a recoil absorber, gonna get spares
3- magazine takes some force to insert
4- browning mags cost as much as sig :mad:
5- need to get spare recoil springs, just cause.
6- I did read, no dry firing. any recommendation on decent snap caps?
7- is it ok to leave mags loaded? or just load up at the range. I know normal, but in my experience 22 mags are their own animal...
8- trigger breaks between 5 and 5.5lb. felt heavier, im guessing cause its skinny. happy with the pull.

Any other quirks I should be aware of? or spare parts I should grab? All guns have their quirks, I just don't like surprises. Been a long time since I owned a 1911.
 
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I always vote the first gun should be a revolver. He/she/young/old....but I also think folks should be able to do long division with a pencil.
 
Shadow8mm said:
Learned a few things during its first disassembly and cleaning
1- I forgot about hammer bite, gonna have swap to a bobbed hammer eventually.
2- the guide rod is soft plastic, like a recoil absorber, gonna get spares
3- magazine takes some force to insert
4- browning mags cost as much as sig
5- need to get spare recoil springs, just cause.
6- I did read, no dry firing. any recommendation on decent snap caps?
7- is it ok to leave mags loaded? or just load up at the range. I know normal, but in my experience 22 mags are their own animal...

Any other quirks I should be aware of? or spare parts I should grab? All guns have their quirks, I just don't like surprises. Been a long time since I owned a 1911.
Click to expand...
It has a magazine safety, which is a departure from the 1911 manual of arms. There are two ways to defeat it, if you really want to do so. Since this is for your kids, I would suggest NOT disabling the magazine safety. Once disabled, it can't be reinstated without buying parts -- which Browning won't sell you unless you send the gun to them for installation.

I believe someone makes a metal replacement for the recoil spring guide rod. Yep - found it:
https://www.zrtacticalsolutions.com/shop/browning-full-length-guide-rod/

Snap caps for rimfires are "iffy." The A-Zoom dummy rounds are aluminum and soft -- using them as snap caps destroys them. For snap caps, I just save my fired cases and use them.
 
I haven't had mine all that long but I haven't noticed any quirks with it. It feeds and runs reliably. The mags should be fine if left loaded. I really don't see Browning using inferior springs. My mag has a spot where it drags about halfway in but it's not hard to seat. As for the guide rod time will tell but personally I'd rather have the plastic GI rod than a steel full length. The kids shouldn't have a problem with hammer bite and I finally figured out if I curl my pinky under the grip I don't get it either.
 
Aguila Blanca said:
It has a magazine safety, which is a departure from the 1911 manual of arms. There are two ways to defeat it, if you really want to do so. Since this is for your kids, I would suggest NOT disabling the magazine safety. Once disabled, it can't be reinstated without buying parts -- which Browning won't sell you unless you send the gun to them for installation.

I believe someone makes a metal replacement for the recoil spring guide rod. Yep - found it:
https://www.zrtacticalsolutions.com/shop/browning-full-length-guide-rod/

Snap caps for rimfires are "iffy." The A-Zoom dummy rounds are aluminum and soft -- using them as snap caps destroys them. For snap caps, I just save my fired cases and use them.
Click to expand...
I will look into the guide rod, thank you! I am a little concerned about using a steel one. I suspect they used the soft polymer is because it is part guide rod, part part recoil buffer. With the aluminum frame and slide I don't want to band tings up. Will know a little better once I get to put some rounds through it.

Also, I suspect the mag disconnect based on how the mag inserted funny. I want to learn how to disable it, although I probably wont, just want to know how.
 
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I highly recommend the Taurus TX 22. While it is more of a full size gun, the grip curves in much like the old CZ pistols, which enable shorter fingers to reach the trigger. Whether your 6 yr old will be able to, is something you will need to verify.
These are very lightweight.... fully loaded, it feels empty. And, fully loaded, it holds 15 rounds.
I've had mine for about a year now, and have had it out several times. I've probably put just under 400 rounds through mine... with NO failures. Not one. I've tried several different brands of ammo, and they all feed and fire with no issues. Accuracy is better than acceptable.
Not bad at all for a low $200 pistol, that comes with two mags....
 
Ruger MKIV 22/45 Lite. Decent trigger, lightweight, threaded barrel, extremely easy tear down/reassemble. Can easily mount a red dot sight,
Kinda pricey, but what isn’t pricey these days?

Low priced alternative: Ruger Wrangler 22 LR. Comes in three colors, black, silver and bronze. One for each kid would add up to just over $600 which is about the price of a 22/45 Lite.
I bought three one for each color for my grandsons to inherit.
 
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I have a Beretta Neos .22 that has very small grips that might be suitable for kids. It also looks like a ray gun, which might amp up kid appeal.

I start kids with a .22 single-action revolver. This gives them the opportunity to learn about loading each cylinder, aiming each shot, eliminating the "spray and pray" temptation of a semi-auto, all with negligible recoil.

Cautionary tale: I took my son and a friend shooting when they were 10. Started with the revolver and then moved to semi-auto. After all the safety talks and shooting for some time, I looked over and saw the friend had tucked a Ruger semi-auto in his belt after shooting - it was not locked open! We carefully removed it and I showed him it still had a round in the chamber. Convinced me that kids need 100% attention and only have one shoot at a time.
 
I know it's not a semi-auto, but my 12 y.o. Grandson just bought a Heritage Arms Rough Rider .22 revolver. He absolutely loves shooting it and it groups quite well.
 
I am also training with a SA revolver (Ruger Wrangler). They would prefer to shoot the KT P17, but the Wrangler is useful to teach that every shot counts, and prevents "ammo dump syndrome," which video games have taught them is cool.
 
+1 for single action revolver.

In my family, you can’t shoot a handgun until you are 12 because muzzle control is so crucial and easy to lose with a handgun.

Ruger Wrangler is not much more money and would be my recommendation for 12 and up.

Single actions are safer for a beginner. If you want to argue, you’re dumb. The firing process is very deliberate.

Long radius helps with muzzle control.
Ammo dumps are impossible. Kids are gonna do it if they can and it’s dangerous.
Slow to reload encourages valuing each shot
Revolver- you can see the brass if it’s in the cylinder

I’d own one today if I didn’t own a Bearcat. For kids, a Wrangler is better IMO than Bearcat as it’s sight radius Is longer therefore safer.

My first choice for a kid under 13 is a daisy bb pistol. Cheap fun, excellent learning, shoot outdoors or in the basement.
 
Y'all, he already bought the Browning. There's nothing wrong with teaching kids with a semi. I always used a SA but the SA can be difficult for young kids to handle.
 
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