which firearm suits my little guy...

[jettabambino]

Ok so my little guy is interested in getting his first gun...He loves shooting grouse and rabbits... So here is my question. I use a 12 ga for my grouse but he keeps on saying he wants a 22. I am thinking maybe a 410 is better suited for him...

so i am opening it up... He has a decent shot.. For his purpose what do you think is better ... A 22 or a shotgun...

Also since he is saving up he money to get it i was wondering how much he should have before he goes out there and starts shopping.

thanks

[Benthos]

i like the .22

ammo is cheap, will teach your son to shoot well, it will be more challenging for him to shoot animals with a .22lr than a shotgun. personally i think this will make him a better shot in the long run

[The Hermit]

Both!! He buys one and you buy one!! ;-) Gosh I like spending other guys money!!!

[The Dawg]

A 22 is more versatile and its a lot cheaper to go plinking with it than a 410. Like it was said, the 22 will make him a better shot as well. You can pick up a brand new 22 for about $150, and a new 410 is about the same. So it comes down to preference again...

[Fisher-Dude]

I think the 22 is the way to go as well. It will help him with his marksmanship, and ammo is so cheap. If you are lucky enough to find one of those old 22/410 over&unders, that might be the best of both worlds.

ps - in the WS catalog, Winchester 410 ammo is $13 for 25 rounds, 22 ammo is $13 for 500 rounds...

[partsman]

I have the old Savage combination rifle/shotgun, 22/410 great and they are single shots, which makes them a good learning tool.
I have friends with the 22 mag/410 and they are nice too.
But mine is cheaper to use.

[Walksalot]

For a first gun a 17 HMR might be a good choice, in my opinion. Grouse at longer range and can be used to hunt turkeys.

[rocksteady]

Depending on what your boys future holds as far as hunting, if you can see him having a passion for waterfowl, don't pass up the thought of buying a nice 20 or 28 guage pump or semi auto as a stepping stone. Its great for grouse, as well suitable for close range waterfowl..

I find the 410 is underpowered for anything except a stationary ditch chicken, especially when you are learning..

[Steeleco]

Every kid needs to own a 10-22, mine got one a little while back. Any .22 is a good start, but I like the "both" answer the best!!!

[Amphibious]

the .22 will alow him to shoot a lot more. a box of 550rnds of .22 is the same price as a box of 25 .410.

I have used my .410 to take countless chickens and running rabbits, but I would not think a rookie or youth shooter would have the skill yet to consistantly hit witha .410.

got for the .22

[Bugsy]

If you don't already have a 22 rimfire for him to use then that's what I would tell him to save for.:)
If on the other hand you already have one for him to practice with then I would tell him to save for the 410.8)
My first gun given to me was a single shot winchester cooey 410.My oldest daughter started with it and my youngest will start with it soon aswell.My oldest now has a new pump 410.Lots of 22's kicking around for them to use when we are just plinking and when we are hunting I don't really mind the extra cost for the shells.I allso think the 410 conditions them better for when they are going to shoot center fire rifle.A little louder and a little bit of kick.8-)
Just my two cents.Good luck and let us know what you decide! Bugsy.:)

[hoochie]

.22
cheap ammo, and will increase his skill level for when he graduates to a big bore.
Shotguns are great.. but the precision isnt there.. no what I am getting at?

[tuchodi]

My Dad started me out with a 22 single shot. With a single shot you learn to make the first one count. I also had a single shot 410 same results became quite a good shot. Later I got a repeater 22 and a pump 20 guage. How old is your little guy?

[swamper]

I have to go along with the general consensus on this one. The .22 is by far the best way to start. Not only is the ammo a lot cheaper, you can find a lot of manufacturers making .22's for kids. If the gun fits better, he will learn to shoot better. And besides, what kid doesn't love shooting the hell out of pop cans. For $15 you can kill a hell of a lot of cans.

[DropTines]

Go with the .22 I started with one that has a clip and I loved it, I shot everytime I went out and was soon picking pop cans, cigarettes, and once I hit a nickel, then I got my .243 and haven't been to close to my .22 which I had trouble shooting with this season. Good thing it had a clip! :D
________
Suzuki katana ay50 history (http://www.suzuki-tech.com/wiki/Suzuki_Katana_AY50)

[Chuck]

All valid opinions. The 410 is a good meat getter for birds and rabbits at close range and especially behind a dog. Pricey to operate but effective with the right load. The 22 is the best first tool to teach shooting and skills initially. I think scope and bigger comes later. However the 22 will make it a bit more difficult to easily bag the game with open sights. The 22 is "funner". Just my opinion.

[Farmer]

Start with a .22. As most have said ammo is cheaper and it will teach accuracy more than a .410. I picked raspberries one summer to buy my first gun. A cooey .410 single shot. It shot a number of grouse but not one on the wing, and boy was it hard to hit flying ducks with when I started to hunt ducks. As far as the .22 goes, do not get a semi-auto for a first gun. Your son will need to concentrate on becoming accurate before volume of shots takes over. A single shot or bolt action will also be safer to learn on.
Just my .02
Gord

[30-06]

partsman,,i also have the savage combo rifle 22/410//its not that good of a rifle,,the stock is peeling and the barrel wiggles

[hunter1947]

I'm for the 22. go for it ,not as much kick. hunter 1947.

[elkster]

Again, if there isn't a 22 around, start with that. Its way more fun, and much more versitile then a .410. my 2c

[jettabambino]

my worry is that the 410 allows for him to have a greater margin of error...This way he wont get discouraged. Or would one argue that the 22 would be more effective because of having a scope and less or a kick...

I am thinking that its going to have to be a semi auto so it will allow him to take a few quick extra shots.

If anyone knows of any that are on for a good price either new or used please let me know.

Thanks
Gents and Ladies

[CanuckShooter]

Ok so my little guy is interested in getting his first gun...He loves shooting grouse and rabbits... So here is my question. I use a 12 ga for my grouse but he keeps on saying he wants a 22. I am thinking maybe a 410 is better suited for him...

so i am opening it up... He has a decent shot.. For his purpose what do you think is better ... A 22 or a shotgun...

Also since he is saving up he money to get it i was wondering how much he should have before he goes out there and starts shopping.

thanks

"he keeps on saying he wants a 22 / since he is saving up money to get it" This should make your decision easy? If you were saving up for a 338 would you be happy with a 270 ??

[Farmer]

I am thinking that its going to have to be a semi auto so it will allow him to take a few quick extra shots.



This is the wrong attitude to take:frown: . Your son needs to learn safety and accuracy before being concerned with getting off extra shots just because he missed the first shot. It is too easy with a semi to just keep shooting. Learning to make the first shot count will make him a better hunter than relying on volume.

[dawn2dusk]

My first gun was a single shot .22 that my Dad got me for Christmas when I was six. I think it is a suitable gun for a youngster starting out. Teaches them to be a good shot. And is also much safer than semi auto. And .22 is so quiet and no kick that it wont develop a flinch or lack of desire to go out plinkin due to costs of ammo. There can always be more guns in his future right? I still have my single shot .22 ready for my own son or daughter one day.

I hunt alot of grouse with a .22 no problems when your a good shot and only take the stationary grouse doing the head bob. Sure I dont bother with the grouse that take to flight, but I usually manage to get enough grouse for dinner.

[The Dawg]

You can pick up a brand new Mossberg or Stevens 22 with a 10 shot mag for about $150 just about anywhere...a Ruger 10/22 will run about $250

[pork n beans]

.22, cheap, accurate, no recoil, quiet, light weight. you can live for a long time with a .22 and a brick of ammo. He will learn to be a better shot in the long run with a .22 and the .22 will be a trusted friend that he with his refined skill can depend on.

[BCrams]

I am thinking that its going to have to be a semi auto so it will allow him to take a few quick extra shots.



Honestly - I think that would be a really poor way to teach him shooting ethics. It won't teach him to be an patient and accurate shooter down the road.

Get a single shot bolt action or one with a small clip. He will learn to shoot better rather than banging off rounds "hoping" to hit the grouse. All skill, concentration etc on making a clean kill will likely go right out the window if he misses that first shot and then flires rapidly in a panic afterwards hoping to make a hit.

Doing this can easily translate to emptying magazines at a deer, elk or moose and flock shooting birds without the skill and patience when he gets older.

[hunter1947]

My son shot with a 22 at grouse for a few years and he shot at targets for a few years ,when you learn him to take his time when shooting at anything ,then he will-not shot wild at others ,i let him shot a 30-30 at a target at 100 yards with open sights he knocked out the 6 inch circle with the two shots he fired ,this year when bear hunting ,bought him a 303 and i sighted it in bullseye at 25 yards ,then he shot it two time after and put the bullet in on each side of my shot. Also you don't spend lots of money on bullets using a 22. to keep practicing your aim at targets and grouse ETC ,hunter 1947.

[GrandA]

Hey guys, this is going to sound like a "ROOKIE" question. I just got on your forum (kicks ass), I am looking to purchase my first .22. Do I have to get some sort of shooting license before I can legally purchase the fire arm?

[The Dawg]

GrandA....first off , welcome...secondly, yes you are going to need to have a PAL . (Possession and Acquisition License). Its not a difficult licence to get, but you do have to go through a test. This link will help you get started.

http://www.cfc-cafc.gc.ca/compliance-conformite/safety-surete/safety_course_e.asp

By far, the most difficult part of licencing is the waiting period from back east. They are usually pretty backed up and can take months to mail it back to you.

[Dad and son]

These are my thots. One thing we do not know is how old your child is. One thing to remember the hunting rules are quite clear that a child needs to be 10 or older to hunt. My 2 kids are now 11 and 13 and I have just introduced them to hunting in the last 3 years. I highly recomend a 20 guage shotgun if the child is 9 or older. If younger I recomend a bolt action .22. I highly recomend against a 410 especially compared to the 20 guage. I speak from personal experience that a big part of the hunt is actually getting the bird or rabbit for my kids. That is most easily accomplished with a 20 guage. Many people have commented on the importance of shooting accuracy and teaching skills. Well my kids have shot hundreds of rounds both with large rifles and with .22's and shotguns. No matter how accurate they are on the range it is another thing for my 11 year old to be shooting a bird in the bush. They are very accurate on the range but still miss in the field even with close shots and with the shotgun. I think the most important thing to encourage hunting in kids is for them to experience success. I believe the odds of them actually killing the animal is greatly increased with a shotgun. If you live in the Vancouver area, I have a youth Remington model 870 20 guage that you could borrow to see how your son likes it. I bought the youth model so the gun would fit much better and it is much shorter than the standard model. The kick on the 20 guage is not bad at all, but I also had a good quality limbsaver put on by Reliable Guns. The kick is not a factor at all in both of my kids shooting the gun. My 13 year old now shoots a 12 guage as he feels he has now outgrown the 20 guage.