Looking for a good First

**mountain mama** · 07-27-2010, 10:45 AM

My little girl (12 yrs old) just finished Hunter's Ed. I am now curious what y'all would recommend for her first .22 and shotgun (price is a factor). Little guy is getting a red ryder for his 8th birthday in December.

**klickitat** · 07-27-2010, 11:03 AM

A good Marlin or Savage arms bolt action .22 is a great training tool. Teaches to use the bolt for later, which most hunting rifles are bolt action. Walmart is a great place to pick one up and can usually be purchased for less than $120.

As for a shotgun, a single shot H&R 20 g. is a good beginners gun. It is one that kids can hold up. I found with my boys, at an early age a gun that they could hold up was the most important thing. Again you can pick these up fairly inexpensively. I find these used all the time for around $100.

WARNING: Stay away from the Rossi Combination .22/.410 youth guns!!! I brought one home for my youngest boys. When I go it home, I put a .410 bird shot shell in and touched it off. That little critter had so much recoil that I am afraid it will ruin my boys and cause them to flinch. I have a cousin who also bought one for his kids and will not let them shoot it either.
I am saying this as a person who shoots on average of 100 rounds each week and I do not have a problem with recoil. I let my youngest shoot my PSL (Full size gun) with no problem, but will not let him touch the Rossi.

Some times I wonder if there isn't an antigunner working at Rossi to destroy a whole generation of youth shooters.

**hunter63** · 07-27-2010, 12:16 PM

Congrats MM on your direction for your young people.

I guess there are a couple schools of thought on this subject.
One, of course, with cost in mind is the Single shot shotgun/.22 combinations.

Even a SS H&R 20 will boot you, and again I agree, SS shot gun for a young man of lady, may have ruined many of young person.

The other school of thought, being spend a little more bucks to start with, but they will end up with a couple of usefull tools, they can use the rest of their life.

I started my nephew out with a Marlin bolt .22, (I agree with klickitat on this), was a raffle gun I won.
Moved up to Ruger .270 bolt gun for his first deer at 13 years old. (let him keep that one as well, after using it for a few years).

As for a shot gun, it was youth model Rem 870 in 20 ga.
As he grew, (alot, and fast) a Christmas gift was a full size stock and forearm, for the same.
Now that he in in his 20's, he has added to his collection, but outfitted the old 20 ga with a scoped slug barrel, and still uses the regular barrel for upland bird hunting.

Just my 2 cents

**SARKY** · 07-27-2010, 12:59 PM

I would say the Ruger 10-22 for a number of reasons. It is utterly reliable, easy to customize to her tastes and lastly it is a rifle that she would be happy with as an adult as well.
As to shotgun, either the Mossberg 20ga pump, or the Remington 20ga auto loader. The Remington will kick less.

**kyratshooter** · 07-27-2010, 01:52 PM

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/41858

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/41857

http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/p...ducts_id/61454

All the guns mentioned are good choices but may not fill all the firearm needs the family will face in the short term or long term. She may not like a bolt or simiauto. Let her shoot a starter set and give her some time to develop a preference.

The Rossi two gun and three gun combo packs are the best buys on the market for a beginning shooter, or and experienced one. It is light, simple and safe. My 12 y/o grandson got the .22/20 set for Christmas.

I own a 20ga/30-06/.22 set up and can attest to the quality and accuracy of the products.

This is a set that can be passed down to the younger when the time comes or you can buy a second set in a different package and have a mix and match thing going. I expect to pass my set down through them family.

**klickitat** · 07-27-2010, 02:00 PM

The Rossi two gun and three gun combo packs are the best buys on the market for a beginning shooter, or and experienced one. It is light...

Have you actually shot one? I am telling you from personal experience that they are brutal on the recoil. I shoot heavy recoil guns all the time and find the Rossi youth gun uncomfortable.

**Ole WV Coot** · 07-27-2010, 04:26 PM

I'm gonna break ranks with the 22 just because of it's range. Those boxes usually say range 1 mile so I would teach both to shoot a 22 under adult supervision only. A 20ga is a great choice, I started with an H&R Topper in the early '50s. Don't go with the 410, it ain't a kid's gun. It takes a decent shot to score with one. I will vote for single shot on anything. When I went squirrel hunting I was given 6 #5 shot shells, 6 being the limit. When I shot them I went back and waited on everyone else. I had to account for every round fired and hunting with a 22 is not for a youngster period.

**kyratshooter** · 07-27-2010, 04:59 PM

Originally Posted by klickitat

Have you actually shot one? I am telling you from personal experience that they are brutal on the recoil. I shoot heavy recoil guns all the time and find the Rossi youth gun uncomfortable.

I was shooting the -06 just yesterday. I do not consider it bad and I am recoil sensitive. At least I thought I was. I don't find the Mosin bad either and others seem to be impressed with it. I hate shooting most 12 ga guns. I hardly feel the push of the 20ga. The shotgun basic system comes with a pretty good recoil pad.

I never shot a .243 I thought would hurt anyone. The .22 is not going to even move and the 20 ga is the most usable shotgun for covering all ages and weights. I supose one could back off to the .410, but that is a sacrifice.

If cost is a factor, and one needs a good all around firearm this is the package. Anything else at the same price is going to be one or the other, not both.

**klickitat** · 07-27-2010, 05:46 PM

Originally Posted by kyratshooter

I was shooting the -06 just yesterday. I do not consider it bad and I am recoil sensitive. At least I thought I was. I don't find the Mosin bad either and others seem to be impressed with it. I hate shooting most 12 ga guns. I hardly feel the push of the 20ga. The shotgun basic system comes with a pretty good recoil pad.

I never shot a .243 I thought would hurt anyone. The .22 is not going to even move and the 20 ga is the most usable shotgun for covering all ages and weights. I supose one could back off to the .410, but that is a sacrifice.

If cost is a factor, and one needs a good all around firearm this is the package. Anything else at the same price is going to be one or the other, not both.

My comments are for the youth model. The full size model is not near as bad.

**your_comforting_company** · 07-27-2010, 08:38 PM

Marlin was my first 22. the sportsman model. I still own it and it works just like new. Probably the best thing my dad ever bought me.

**Swamprat1958** · 07-27-2010, 08:58 PM

I agree with klickitat and hunter63 on both choices. However, you might want to look at the HR1871 Handi Rifles also. You can purchase the Handi Rifle in .22lr and as needed add additional shotgun and other rifle barrels. New barrels are rarely over $135 or $140 dollars.l

**Rick** · 07-27-2010, 10:55 PM

Aren't they a little heavy for a kid? They run in the 7 pound range in the bigger bore. 22 is about 5.5 pounds.

**rwc1969** · 07-27-2010, 11:22 PM

Ruger 10/22 or Marlin model 60 if price is a concern. Mossberg makes a real cheapy, but I can't comment on the quality. It looks pretty cheap though and I think it's made in mexico or brazil. They're all semi-auto. The 10/22 costs more but will last a lifetime.

I'll second, third, or fourth a break action shotgun. I'd go with a 20 gauge since shes a girl, or if shes a tough girl a 12. The lower end 12s can kick pretty hard though becuase they are generally much lighter weight than the higher end stuff. The more it weighs the less it will kick. I have a low end Marlin 12 gauge that kicks like a mule with slugs. I'm afraid of it. LOL!

I'd avoid a 410 because they are somewhat limited. I can't suggest a specific model though.