I have a grandson who, on his next birthday is getting a .22 pistol. (Glad he doesn't read this forum, he wouldn't be surprised....wait, he can't read yet:biglaugh

He is small for his age so I was looking for a reliable "starter" .22 to get him started in the shooting sports. (I'm thinking "the youngest GM ever".)

So, what reliable .22 fits the bill? It needs to have a pretty small grip, although, I am not above grinding down grip panels to get something that fits him. Can a 22A with thinner grips be made to work?

I will be purchasing a Model 41 Smith next spring (for grandpa) but if grips can be purchased or made for that that will fit him, that will work also.

This is a new area for me, anyone have any ideas?

Thanks,
Bill

__________________
Life is funny

I think a Ruger Bearcat would do nicely.

(If you are specifically looking for a semi-auto, please disregard. Some folks mean semi-auto when they say "pistol," but I'm one of those guys who thinks "pistol" means handgun.)

North American Arms has mini revolvers.

Taurus has the p-22, which is a small semi-auto.

I agree with Frailer.

In addition, I'm one of those old fogey's who think new, young shooters should definitely not start out with a semiauto. Just my opinion, however.

I have taught several young shooters with a Bearcat, it was a pleasant experience for everyone.

I'd stay away from 'mini' things like the Taurus Pt-22, the DAO trigger is really heavy. Look for a J-frame Smith and Wesson, then you can enjoy it too.

+1 for the Ruger Bearcat small enough for a child and somehow large enough for an adult. It was my sons first gun a couple years ago and is perfect for teaching first time shooters. I took my sons PEE WEE football team on a camping trip. All of the kids got to shoot that pistol. It was the first time any of them had ever shot a gun. I took a little heat over that if I recall correctly:-)
I bought the Stainless version just like this one.
http://www.gunblast.com/Stainless_Bearcat.htm
Mike

I have a 6" K-22. I was looking for a semi auto pistol.
Is the M22A a good one?

Thanks again

__________________
Life is funny

I would say the Ruger Bearcat SA is excellent gun for a starter and wished I had stepped down to Bearcat, instead of standard sized 22 even though at 5.5 years he's size of average 8 or 9 year old he still has small hands.

When I got my first gun my dad bought a new Remington 550 Automatic and I just pulled trigger as fast as I could till it went empty. We left the shoot range early and next morning we went looking for different rifle and when I saw the little Mossberg I knew it was what I wanted and dad forked out two bills that I think were $20's and I was in hog heaven. He did get change back, but being only 6 I had no idea of what he paid. I asked him years later in mid 70's and he said best he remembered it was $32 and I think their MSRP was $37 from what I've been told. As to the 550, he keep it a few months before selling it to someone.

Anyway a starter gun should not be a automatic IMHO, the starter handgun for the grandson will be SA style for safety and teaching control. Their first rifle will be bolt action, when they start buying ammo and want automatics I'll break out the 22A's for them to shoot.

It's about the best bang for the dollar out there, very, very accurate, but not an heir loom type like a Browning Buckmark maybe, or Ruger. But as accurate as Buckmark and more reliable and more accurate then any new Ruger MkIII and is easist to field strip of the three.

__________________
Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

An older 22/32 kit gun with the round grip!

My future daughter in law has very petite hands and this one serves well in the training mode.

As I was reading earlier responses, I was thinking of suggesting a S&W M63. I have a couple of those but have no experience with the Ruger Bearcat.

Other than the operational features/benefits of SA v. DA, is a Bearcat a better choice for small hand novices? I'm facing the same issue in a couple years for a grandson as well.

I'll be watching responses with interest.

Bob in Indy

Yes, because it was designed for the small hand and intended originally for kids. The single action is much more safe because the shooter can't pull off a second or third shoot before you want them to, or accidentlly fire a second shot side ways before you can stop that action. Been there done that as teenager with first 22 pistol, a Ruger Standard 22 automatic. Good thing it was just me, dad and oldest sisters husband.

__________________
Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

Thank you sir, I have several heirloom firearms for the kids and grandkids already.

__________________
Life is funny

That's the reason I bought a Heritage SA $164 OTD and it should fit him by time he's about 8, but at the time I would bought a Ruger Bearcat if I had known they still made the gun. Although if price is what I hear it is, $500 range, then I would pass. Even $400 would be rather pricey for a gun for a kid in my book.

__________________
Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

I'd go for a Model 34 or 34-1 with 4 inch barrel. I've been looking for one in 2inch for a shooter but never seem to have the money when they show up. Being retired sometimes is not so great, I have to save for months to buy new guns.

__________________
Carl NRA Endowment Life Member

I think a S&W 4" J frame Kit Gun would be the best choice.

The DA revolver is the safer than a single action like the Bearcat, as it is a lot easier to be sure ALL the chambers in the cylinder are empty, and much safer than a semiautomatic for a new shooter.

Also you would be starting him out with a S&W.

Another vote here for a 4" J-frame Kit Gun. Definitely NOT a self-loader for a first gun. He needs to be concentrating on safety and on how to shoot well, not on a complex manual of arms.

The nice thing about a Kit Gun is that it can fit him now with Magnas, yet even in adulthood he can put Pachmayr Presentations on it and it will fit his hand. There are also many choices in between.

If you decide to go with a J frame S&W, do not rule out a #30 or #31 .32 Long. Cheap to shoot if you reload, a bit more power than a .22 L.R., and they can be had fairly cheap sometimes, depending on your location. The .32 Long is also a accurate cartridge.

My son's first handgun was a S&W #2213 .22 L.R. I have searched for years for another affordable one but never lucked into it.

The 2206 was far more accurate and would almost rival a 41, but you're right the 2213/4 are like trying to find chicken with teeth.

I was looking for one of the 13/14 models when I ran across the gun they updated 20 years later for the 2206/2213-14/622/422 series guns, a model 61 Escort. The 2" little gun is verry accurate and I can hit empty 50 round 22 boxes 90% of the time out to about 50 feet and it run's flawless. It was still new and unfired until I finally took it to the range in May, it now has about 100 rounds fired. Still trying to decide if I'm keeping or sell/trade off.

__________________
Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

Good post.

IMHO, single shot bolt action rifle should be the first gun if the person is that young.

Personally, I started a bit later in life (maybe 10 years old) with a 22/410 over/under rifle.

Good advice here from several people. No matter what size, a semi-auto should NOT be a young person's first firearm.

Ideally you would start with a rifle, but if a handgun is in the picture it should be a revolver. There is small and even smaller, so the question of square butt Bearcat over round butt Kit Gun is a valid one. I would guess the round butt S&W would offer the closest thing to a universal small-hands grip, and as was pointed out larger stocks can be installed later as hands grow. But get a kit gun with a barrel long enough to do target work -- four inches.

One warning: as actions get smaller, the subjective sense is that they get stiffer and tighter. I like kit guns a lot, but I will never make the claim that they have actions as smooth or easy as the larger K and N frame guns. The leverage just isn't there because of the compact size of the parts and the geometry of the action.

When I was in my early 'teens, a friend had a Bearcat. With practice he could shoot it adequately but not well; I could never hit a thing with it. It just seemed stiff and unaccommodating.

__________________
David Wilson

Thanks TC everything we can do to ensure safety and slow it down some for them the better they learn how to shoot and shoot safely. I bought a little Serbian Z5 Youth rifle (same gun as Remington M-5) for the boys to learn to shoot and it came with 2 magazines one is dummy with a ramp to make the gun a single shot and then latter when the child is ready you can use regular 5 round magazine.

Then when they are ready I have the two 22A's stuck back in the safe for them. Along with some nice CZ 22 bolt rifles, Browning A-bolt's, the Marlin lever gun's, the two S&W 610's and 4 Dam Wesson's and my two toys, Ruger 96/22WMR & 44 Carbine.

__________________
Cranky Old Retired USN Guy

+1...SA revolver, good fundamental gun, and it is nice and light.

Hi-Standard Sport King was my first gun...5th birthday present...it was a bit heavy. I do not feel having my first handgun as a semi-auto had any drawback. My father was a policeman and shot competitively...he spent a lot of time with me.

For my grandson, I bought a Savage Cub single shot bolt action rifle, down-sized, with rear aperture sight and accu-trigger. I use it sometimes on red squirrels with Colibri rounds, doesn't get the neighbors upset, no noise to speak of. As he grows out of that, he can shift over to my old Browning T bolt, that has his name on it. Not my 9422, too hard to ascertain condition; keep it simple and in plain view. Safety first, first and always.

It will be a while before he gets near a handgun. When the time comes, I have a m.34 snub the trigger isn't bad on, and a 617. If i had a Bearcat, I would keep it. For pistol, I would probably start with a Mk II Ruger, that is what I instruct with, with the right ammo it is super reliable. Which my Mk III is not.

__________________
Ed

Yep...the Ruger Marks are in my same grouping as the inexpensive Hi-Standards....great first guns, and they have been the 1st guns for thousands over the years.

Hi:
I started my six with a Ruger Bearcat and a Charter Arms Pathfinder.
Both I don't know if they are still manufactured?
Possible available on the pre-owned market?
Jimmy

Id say any of the J-frame .22's or the bearcat would be a good choice. But a J-frame adjustable sighted gun would probably be more versatile. Like the 63, 34 etc...

I would look around for a NICE used older Ruger Bearcat with original box and papers. It's a great gun for a kid or small handed adult. It's collectable, and will appreciate in value. He can eventually hand it down to his son or grandson. NO, it won't be won't be worn out by then........

Good point, also the double action pull on a Smith J frame rimfire would be too much for a young child to do with any accuracy. I'd imagine the safest place to be would be point-of-aim. Another vote for the Bearcat.

I would suggest a S+W Model 63 22 LR Revolver.You have a J frame with grips you can change for a better fit,adjustable target sights,a 4 inch barrel,and you can select either single or double action shooting.

I have been through this with two sons and one grandson, soon a second grandson and in a couple more years a granddaugher. I have done the same with each starting at about 7 years. Nothing but 22lr through this progression, and we only moved to the next step and added a gun to what they could shoot when the previous was mastered.

1st - Anschutz WoodChucker bolt gun a a single shot - one round at a time. Drive home ALL the general basics

2nd - Same gun multiple rounds

3rd - Ruger Bearcat

4th - Smith 34 shooting in both SA and DA at each session, but emphasis on DA. We don't really hold out for "mastering" DA, just mastering it as far as safely handling the gun.

5th - An OLD Iver Johson TP22 SA/DA - This is basically a 80% size PPK clone in 22lr. 2 rounds at a time to start

6th - TP22 with full mags

7th - By this time, hands are bigger, hands and arms are stronger, skills are good or they did not get this far. So, we move on to the Ruger MK semi / Smith K frame rimfire (17 or 18), and when the are ready... on to centerfire and single shot .410's.

By this point they usually start telling me what they want to shoot. :-)

__________________
BT
EGO VOLUNTAS HAUD OBEDIO

I'd surely start with a rifle. A single shot, bolt action cut down to fit the shooter. You want the new shooter to HIT targets fairly soon. This instills confidence and it's FUN.

A BearCat is one of the toughest 22s to master made today. On my current SS model I finally increased the front sight to .12" in width and filed out the rear notch to get a better sight picture (and to regulate to POA) and it's STILL a tough little gun to shoot accurately. The 34 is much easier to hit targets with. Not only are the sights adustable, they produce a better sight picture and the 34 has a shorter hammer fall that doesn't require that loooong follow through. My 34 has a better single action trigger than my BearCat.

If you insist on a semi-auto pistol I'd get a Ruger 22/45. They are light, have good sights and a thin grip.

It's a good idea to use use muffs AND plugs on a new shooter. Just plugs will increase the chances of developing a flinch.

Good Luck!!

This thread contains many good recommendations.

I guess it boils down to rifle, vs. auto, vs. DA revolver, vs. SA revolver. Deciding can be tough.

Here's my choice: The Ruger Bearcat! This is probably one of the coolest guns on earth. It's made for smaller hands and can be passed down to the next generation.

Many a youngster have learned outstanding shooting skills with the Bearcat. They are a bit pricey, but worth every penny, and then some!

Best of luck,

Lee

__________________
SD9VE, American perfection!