Best 22 pistol to get the grandson started with?

[JustMe]

Absolutely--The Rugar SR22.. I have taught from a 7 year old to an 85 year old--and both were able to operate it efficiently

[srothstein]

My husband has been talking about getting a 22 pistol to introduce his 8 year old grandson to shooting. I'm thinking about making this a Christmas gift for my husband. Opinions, thoughts, advice on the good ones? Ready, set.....GO!

I know I am answering a question that you did not ask, but I do not suggest a pistol to introduce an 8 year old to shooting. It is much easier and safer to teach safe gun handling and marksmanship with a single shot bolt action rifle. Don't let pride or ego interfere with what is best for the child.

Teaching a person to obey the gun safety rules is much easier with a rifle. With a pistol, it is too easy to point muzzle in an unsafe direction. With a semiautomatic a lapse in trigger discipline can result in multiple rounds being fired. There are also more mechanical manipulations to learn with a semi-automatic pistol. Keep it Simple. I recommend baby steps.

I agree with WildBill. From experience with my kids, most of them were not able to hold a pistol up well enough to shoot it at that age, but a rifle designed for them worked fine. I have a nice selection of Crickett and Marlin youth models if you needed to borrow one. My oldest (34 now) still has the Daisy 22 he learned on when he was 10.

But if your husband insists on a pistol, I like the Browning Buckmarks and the Ruger Mark III. I also like revolvers but the kids actually preferred the semi's. Most of them moved into pistols around 12 or so. Some preferred pistols and some learned but preferred rifles.

[jmra]

Absolutely--The Rugar SR22.. I have taught from a 7 year old to an 85 year old--and both were able to operate it efficiently

Does the SR22 like the federal 550 pack ammo?

[G.A. Heath]

Absolutely--The Rugar SR22.. I have taught from a 7 year old to an 85 year old--and both were able to operate it efficiently

Does the SR22 like the federal 550 pack ammo?

I haven't found anything mine doesn't like, it surprisingly functions flawlessly with old un-plated lead ammo from Winchester, Federal, and Remington.

[Oldgringo]

My husband has been talking about getting a 22 pistol to introduce his 8 year old grandson to shooting. I'm thinking about making this a Christmas gift for my husband. Opinions, thoughts, advice on the good ones? Ready, set.....GO!

I know I am answering a question that you did not ask, but I do not suggest a pistol to introduce an 8 year old to shooting. It is much easier and safer to teach safe gun handling and marksmanship with a single shot bolt action rifle. Don't let pride or ego interfere with what is best for the child.

Teaching a person to obey the gun safety rules is much easier with a rifle. With a pistol, it is too easy to point muzzle in an unsafe direction. With a semiautomatic a lapse in trigger discipline can result in multiple rounds being fired. There are also more mechanical manipulations to learn with a semi-automatic pistol. Keep it Simple. I recommend baby steps.

and if it MUST be a handgun, I still suggest a revolver for the above reasons.

[jmra]

Absolutely--The Rugar SR22.. I have taught from a 7 year old to an 85 year old--and both were able to operate it efficiently

Does the SR22 like the federal 550 pack ammo?

I haven't found anything mine doesn't like, it surprisingly functions flawlessly with old un-plated lead ammo from Winchester, Federal, and Remington.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=485497

Any issues with the slide from the slide stop as experienced in the link above?

Trying to decide between the SR22 and a Mark 3. Like the idea of the easy take down of the SR22 - the only reason I'm looking at the SR22 over the Mark 3 is ease of take down.

From what I'm reading the Mark 3 is more accurate but a pain to take apart. The SR22 is less accurate which I can live with but not if the slide is going to get chewed up and affect performance.

Hope this discussion is helping the OP and I haven't totally hijacked the thread.

[Rex B]

The teardown on the Mk3 is a non-starter for me. I have a nice one, and I've tried to master the teardown, but it just doesn't have to be that difficult. And I am not mechanically challenged.
So my daughter is getting a new SR22 for Christmas
The Mk3 is for sale, then I'm getting a SR22 for myself.

If a revolver, I'd 2nd the Ruger Single Six Convertible (or Single 10!), or the S&W 617, or any of the all-metal DA revolvers. These start at $400, but all will be keepers forever.

[G.A. Heath]

Absolutely--The Rugar SR22.. I have taught from a 7 year old to an 85 year old--and both were able to operate it efficiently

Does the SR22 like the federal 550 pack ammo?

I haven't found anything mine doesn't like, it surprisingly functions flawlessly with old un-plated lead ammo from Winchester, Federal, and Remington.

http://thefiringline.com/forums/showthread.php?t=485497

Any issues with the slide from the slide stop as experienced in the link above?

Trying to decide between the SR22 and a Mark 3. Like the idea of the easy take down of the SR22 - the only reason I'm looking at the SR22 over the Mark 3 is ease of take down.

From what I'm reading the Mark 3 is more accurate but a pain to take apart. The SR22 is less accurate which I can live with but not if the slide is going to get chewed up and affect performance.

Hope this discussion is helping the OP and I haven't totally hijacked the thread.

I've had no issues with my SR22, although I have only 3,500 or so rounds through it. If it does develop issues then it goes back to Ruger and they will fix it. Regarding the takedown on the Mark III, once you do it once or twice its not hard to do, the one thing that I get irritated with the inserting the magazine as part of the takedown proceedure (You have to press the trigger and it has a magazine disconnect "feature").

[jmra]

Bought a ruger sr22 today from A2J2 Sales at the mesquite gun show. They are a Lewisville based FFL.

paid $299. Saw it a little cheaper but A2J2 claims that if I have any issues with the gun they are authorized by their distributor to replace the gun with a new one on the spot. Hope I never have to find out if he was telling the truth.

Can't wait to shoot the ruger. I have already taught my 11 and 13 yr olds to break down and clean it. Reviewed safety procedures and let them dry fire it a number of times. If it shoots as well as everyone says I might have to pick up another one.

[frreed]

I have a Walther P22 which I taught my son with. I think the SR22 would be a better overall pistol but is quite similar in size and function.

As for the safety issue regarding a semi-auto. I loaded on round in the magazine and he shot, reloaded one round and he shot, repeat, repeat, repeat. When he proved safe with it he started shooting multiple aimed shots. When he moved up to my 9 mm we started with 1 round in the magazine. It allowed him to become familiar with the pistols I own. It also slowed him down. He learned to shoot well and not just pull the trigger time after time.

[pbwalker]

I have a Walther P22 which I taught my son with. I think the SR22 would be a better overall pistol but is quite similar in size and function.

As for the safety issue regarding a semi-auto. I loaded on round in the magazine and he shot, reloaded one round and he shot, repeat, repeat, repeat. When he proved safe with it he started shooting multiple aimed shots. When he moved up to my 9 mm we started with 1 round in the magazine. It allowed him to become familiar with the pistols I own. It also slowed him down. He learned to shoot well and not just pull the trigger time after time.

You bring up a good point. I guess a semi doesn't have to be semi when training new shooters. Just give them one round at a time.

[Jungle Work]

I have bought each of my grandchildren, all 9 of them, a S&W Model 63 or 34 with a four inch barrel.

They are light enough for them to hold and shoot. Excellent Pistols to learn on and they will remain in topnotch shape if they are maintained properly. I expect my greatgrand kids to learn on them.

I bought the first one 18 years ago and since then I've purchased 9 more. I always figured Furtile Mertile daughters I have, even though none planned on it might have another.

Jungle Work