Setting up the adolescent shooter

[MacJenkins]

Just looked at our local gun listings and there is a brand new Ruger American in 30-06 listed for $350.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Just looked at our local gun listings and there is a brand new Ruger American in 30-06 listed for $350.

Sorry, but no way would I start a kid with one of those butt ugly cheap guns. Don't care how well they shoot. If I gift a rifle to a dependent, it will be a reflection of me. Something he/she can associate with the donor forever. I may be thrifty but I'm not junky!

My first gun given to me on my twelfth birthday was a lovely used Model 12 sixteen gauge Dad bought from a little old lady who had stopped hunting because her husband just passed. Wish I knew more about her. That shotgun now belongs to my daughter. She shoots grouse with it.

 

[rookhawk]

If our sport is to flourish, we need to guide young people into the shooting sports. But in most cases, they are not able to kit out with Swarovski Z6, or anything really high end. I remember saving up for my first deer rifle, only to almost give way to despair when the dealer said I should spend just as much again to scope it and equip it. What are your specific, tested bang for the buck suggestions for the new shooter, women included of course. We are talking solid gear that is not wasted $$ on rubbish, but is within reach, and leaves room in the budget for lots of ammo and training/practice. If some sweat equity is involved which involves them in refinish/improvements, so much the more the bonding experience for them with their first rifle.

Maybe another way to share the love is to equip a loaner gun? Several could benefit serially from that.

Of course we could address the sequence of purchases beginning with small game?

Every kid that graduates from this household gets two things: A shotgun and A rifle.

They cost a lot more than "starter rifles" but they are also of a quality in which they would not feel compelled to sell them for something better if they grew up to be incredibly affluent.

Examples:

My middle kid has a custom 7x64 brenneke. It was built in Germany and has the absolute best components in it: $500 recknagle trigger group, $450 german side-safety, $2000 pivot mount bases, $500 in ERA or EAW front and rear sights. $300 inletted Ken Howell sling stud in the stock, $250 barrel band swivel on the safari barrel. Engraved cross bolts. Etc. It's a NICE rifle.

When we bought it together, he was 7. It was sitting in a Cabelas for $3500 but it had been there unsold for more than 5 years. We haggled them to $850. Anyone could have done it, thousands of people walked past that rifle every month for years. Perpetual markdowns were an indicator they wanted it sold.

He then did on odd chores and I did a few gunsmithing jobs in exchange for a set of german pivot rings and he bought a Swaro z3 3-9x36 optic for it at $645. All-in, it cost us $1500 and he's drug it all over the world hunting. Nobody will fault him for that Mauser actioned sporting rifle regardless of station in life.

I could give an identical scenario for the other shotguns and rifles in the household.

Just buy things that are lasting. I've seen very nice 8x57 and 30-06 Mauser sporting rifles that were true customs sell for $450-$600.

Plastic junk at the local gun store is no cheaper than high quality stuff, it just takes patience and forethought to not swipe a credit card and buy something shamefully low quality.

So order of outfitting a youth: Get a rifle, get good rings and optic later, even if second hand (but still German glass). Get them a decent O/U or SxS shotgun as well. Take them hunting often. Have the youth make the gear they can make themselves such as slings, pouches, etc. Look for a vintage pair of german binos at a garage sale for $10, etc.

 

[MacJenkins]

Sorry, but no way would I start a kid with one of those butt ugly cheap guns. Don't care how well they shoot. If I gift a rifle to a dependent, it will be a reflection of me. Something he/she can associate with the donor forever. I may be thrifty but I'm not junky!

My first gun given to me on my twelfth birthday was a lovely used Model 12 sixteen gauge Dad bought from a little old lady who had stopped hunting because her husband just passed. Wish I knew more about her. That shotgun now belongs to my daughter. She shoots grouse with it.

Looking for a low cost gun that is decent and shoots well was the point. As I said not my cup of tea. But it is an option. I would not consider them junk from the few I have played with.

 

[Sabre]

@Ontario Hunter - Ugly, cheap, junky

@rookhawk - Shamefully low quality

I think these are a bit unfair characterizations of the "budget" guns that have been mentioned and have at least to some degree been mostly directed at the Ruger American.

I don't make any grand claims that they are a high end, fine, precision made firearm. But it seems a bit unfair to call them junky and low quality.

It's fair to say that deals like rookhawk found can be had sifting through used high end firearms. But, it's not common, and certainly not enough that if a guy wants to buy a deer rifle for his kid for deer season this year, that he will find a deal like that. Also, a person has to have fairly extensive knowledge of firearms and their values to get that deal. Just about anyone can go pick up one of the often repeated models in this thread and have a really good chance of getting a dependable accurate gun for their kid.

I have a few Ruger Americans, they aren't beauty queens, and they aren't flawless construction. However, they have been shockingly accurate, and so far flawless functioning as well.

The accuracy I have gotten out of them has been sickening at times. I bought them on big sales during the first Trump term before covid when gun prices were absurdly cheap. And there is nothing worse than getting a very expensive rifle that you had high hopes for and it not shooting well, while your bargain bin Ruger American that cost 10X less is eating every brand ammo and repeatedly printing better groups than the expensive gun you were so excited for.

So, for me, yeah, I'd be happy to get one of those guns for a young person for their first rifle. And I have, multiple times already. Unsurprisingly, they shot well, and functioned well for them too.

 

[Philip Glass]

If our sport is to flourish, we need to guide young people into the shooting sports. But in most cases, they are not able to kit out with Swarovski Z6, or anything really high end. I remember saving up for my first deer rifle, only to almost give way to despair when the dealer said I should spend just as much again to scope it and equip it. What are your specific, tested bang for the buck suggestions for the new shooter, women included of course. We are talking solid gear that is not wasted $$ on rubbish, but is within reach, and leaves room in the budget for lots of ammo and training/practice. If some sweat equity is involved which involves them in refinish/improvements, so much the more the bonding experience for them with their first rifle.

Maybe another way to share the love is to equip a loaner gun? Several could benefit serially from that.

Of course we could address the sequence of purchases beginning with small game?

Over the years I've found it quite a disservice to give kids junk guns and scopes. We've all done it. I remember learning this lesson well when my kids were shooting 4H shotgun sports. New kids as young as 3rd grade would show up with dad's pump gun. We would lose about half of them for obvious reasons. We finally as a club bought Beretta 20g for the kids who could not afford a new auto. Those along with the ones who invested in a quality auto loader stayed and enjoyed the sport. Rifles are no different. I went ahead and spent the money on an R8 for my youngest son when he was 14. This was after getting him a Ruger American that didn't work well for him. He is a great shot and I am glad I went ahead and spent the money. This is a lifetime gun for him.
As for scopes the best bang for your buck now is the Leupold VX5. At about $1000 and filled with features it just works and we have several of them.

 

[rookhawk]

@Ontario Hunter - Ugly, cheap, junky

@rookhawk - Shamefully low quality

I think these are a bit unfair characterizations of the "budget" guns that have been mentioned and have at least to some degree been mostly directed at the Ruger American.

I don't make any grand claims that they are a high end, fine, precision made firearm. But it seems a bit unfair to call them junky and low quality.

It's fair to say that deals like rookhawk found can be had sifting through used high end firearms. But, it's not common, and certainly not enough that if a guy wants to buy a deer rifle for his kid for deer season this year, that he will find a deal like that. Also, a person has to have fairly extensive knowledge of firearms and their values to get that deal. Just about anyone can go pick up one of the often repeated models in this thread and have a really good chance of getting a dependable accurate gun for their kid.

I have a few Ruger Americans, they aren't beauty queens, and they aren't flawless construction. However, they have been shockingly accurate, and so far flawless functioning as well.

The accuracy I have gotten out of them has been sickening at times. I bought them on big sales during the first Trump term before covid when gun prices were absurdly cheap. And there is nothing worse than getting a very expensive rifle that you had high hopes for and it not shooting well, while your bargain bin Ruger American that cost 10X less is eating every brand ammo and repeatedly printing better groups than the expensive gun you were so excited for.

So, for me, yeah, I'd be happy to get one of those guns for a young person for their first rifle. And I have, multiple times already. Unsurprisingly, they shot well, and functioned well for them too.

@Sabre

A couple of things about your post. First, I never called out the Ruger American by brand, I was just thinking of all of the stuff on the retail rack at Cabelas. I find them all low quality. Savage, Remington, Browning. I can elaborate if you want the thread to drift into why these are terrible guns.

But drift on back into the Cabelas Gun Library? Yeah, you'll find a German made Mauser 98 that was born as a sporter, not sporterized, in some pedestrian-not-collectible caliber like 8x57 or 30-06 for a pittance. That is tangibly a very good quality gun that no one will "outgrow". (if made new today to the same standards, it would be a $10,000 rifle)

The other comment is obsession with accuracy. I've never found a vintage or antique gun that wouldn't shoot excellently (1.5" groups at 100 yards or better) with minor fussing. Yes, even those with a bit of throat erosion. What the vintage guns do very well is feed/not jam/not break. They also have true dimensions for mounting a scope, a serviceable trigger, and infinite replacement parts that can be had for next to nothing. (springs, followers, etc.)

Your point may be valid that it takes some consumer understanding to find a good value, but the point was about teaching children hunting and that has to start with teaching them the value of a dollar and to make good long-term decisions. Anyone reading this can learn to discern good quality guns and pass that info on to younger people, rather than fall for overhyped marketing and low quality.

 

[deewayne2003]

Over the years I've found it quite a disservice to give kids junk guns and scopes. We've all done it. I remember learning this lesson well when my kids were shooting 4H shotgun sports. New kids as young as 3rd grade would show up with dad's pump gun. We would lose about half of them for obvious reasons. We finally as a club bought Beretta 20g for the kids who could not afford a new auto. Those along with the ones who invested in a quality auto loader stayed and enjoyed the sport. Rifles are no different. I went ahead and spent the money on an R8 for my youngest son when he was 14. This was after getting him a Ruger American that didn't work well for him. He is a great shot and I am glad I went ahead and spent the money. This is a lifetime gun for him.
As for scopes the best bang for your buck now is the Leupold VX5. At about $1000 and filled with features it just works and we have several of them.

Well said @philip - Whoever bought our 4H club guns obviously had no clue what they were doing so I’m stuck trying to teach kids trap & skeet with 870s and a couple of POS 1187s.

My Beretta AL390 that I bought second hand from a local duck guide served me well all through college trap & skeet competitions and before my last collegiate nationals tournament I sent it into Beretta for service before the tournament since I had put 10,000+ rounds through it…. Beretta said it had ZERO issues and sent it back, that gun is still going strong after 20 years in my hands.

For rifles a have guided LOTS of kids and adults on their first hunts; I’ve got matching Ruger M77MKII stainless rifles in .22lr & 30-06.

They have matching Timney triggers & Leupold scopes. I start them with the .22 shooting clay pigeons on the berm then move onto the 30-06 with the now discontinued Federal Fusion Lite 170gr loads for their first deer and finally full power loads.

To the OP’s question - You can find great deals on used rifles in classic calibers that have fallen out of vogue such as the 30-06 and quality older generation scopes that are still quite serviceable.

I just watched a M77 Ruger 7x57 with redfield scope go for $650 on gunbroker and is a prime example of a great cost effective rifle for kids and women that will last for generations.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

@Ontario Hunter - Ugly, cheap, junky

@rookhawk - Shamefully low quality

I think these are a bit unfair characterizations of the "budget" guns that have been mentioned and have at least to some degree been mostly directed at the Ruger American.

I don't make any grand claims that they are a high end, fine, precision made firearm. But it seems a bit unfair to call them junky and low quality.

It's fair to say that deals like rookhawk found can be had sifting through used high end firearms. But, it's not common, and certainly not enough that if a guy wants to buy a deer rifle for his kid for deer season this year, that he will find a deal like that. Also, a person has to have fairly extensive knowledge of firearms and their values to get that deal. Just about anyone can go pick up one of the often repeated models in this thread and have a really good chance of getting a dependable accurate gun for their kid.

I have a few Ruger Americans, they aren't beauty queens, and they aren't flawless construction. However, they have been shockingly accurate, and so far flawless functioning as well.

The accuracy I have gotten out of them has been sickening at times. I bought them on big sales during the first Trump term before covid when gun prices were absurdly cheap. And there is nothing worse than getting a very expensive rifle that you had high hopes for and it not shooting well, while your bargain bin Ruger American that cost 10X less is eating every brand ammo and repeatedly printing better groups than the expensive gun you were so excited for.

So, for me, yeah, I'd be happy to get one of those guns for a young person for their first rifle. And I have, multiple times already. Unsurprisingly, they shot well, and functioned well for them too.

I'm sure your gifting a cheap Ruger that shoots bullets on top of each other is a perfect reflection of who you are. For whatever reason you, and many others it seems, highly value sub MOA for deer hunting. Personally, super accuracy has never been important to me as a big game hunter. MOA has been more than sufficient for my kind of hunting. Even out to 300 yards I can still put a bullet somewhere in the boiler room (though anything past 200 yards is extremely rare). Considering that most deer hunters now are limited to shooting from tree stands or over bait on tiny parcels of land, 2" MOA is probably sufficient.

A gun that shoots animals in the next zip code has no value to me and I certainly would not be inclined to gift one to a new hunter. Not a reflection of the donor or the values he wished to impart.

While I'm not elegant in appearance, I'm certainly not ugly either. Can't see myself gifting something that is butt ugly. It's true my go to shotguns for the last 20 years are black plastic. But only because I shot the wood to pieces on both of them twice (current A5 and its predecessor 870). If/when I hand them down, they will be returned to wood. Doubtful given the way things are going that the next generations will have an opportunity to wear them out like I did.

If I was to buy a gun for a new hunter who meant something to me, I would shop for a used rifle in a "normal" useful caliber that looks nice. Like the 30-06 Mauser action Browning recently advertised on this forum. Still a beautiful gun in spite of a few scratches. 30-06 is tops for big game hunting and ammo will always be available. I could easily make that gun new again in a couple of days. In the extremely unlikely event anything should be functionally wrong with a used rifle, I know I could fix it. In fact, buying a basket case and turning it into a silk purse would make it the most meaningful gift for both donor and recipient. I personally brought it back to life so it can keep me alive after I'm gone. Something off the shelf just doesn't do that. Not nearly as well anyway.

 

[steve white]

Just remember, before you call something "butt ugly" that you were given a $15 gun to improve that must have been butt ugly to start with, or you wouldn't have improved it. I have certainly done that. And to be brutally honest, not all restockings are correct to my eye. Tastes vary. But to a young hunter, hitting something with confidence is golden, and newer guns are getting more accurate than the factory standard of yore.
+1 on feeding, reliability, and parts availability.

 

[MacJenkins]

I'm sure your gifting a cheap Ruger that shoots bullets on top of each other is a perfect reflection of who you are. For whatever reason you, and many others it seems, highly value sub MOA for deer hunting. Personally, super accuracy has never been important to me as a big game hunter. MOA has been more than sufficient for my kind of hunting. Even out to 300 yards I can still put a bullet somewhere in the boiler room (though anything past 200 yards is extremely rare). Considering that most deer hunters now are limited to shooting from tree stands or over bait on tiny parcels of land, 2" MOA is probably sufficient.

A gun that shoots animals in the next zip code has no value to me and I certainly would not be inclined to gift one to a new hunter. Not a reflection of the donor or the values he wished to impart.

While I'm not elegant in appearance, I'm certainly not ugly either. Can't see myself gifting something that is butt ugly. It's true my go to shotguns for the last 20 years are black plastic. But only because I shot the wood to pieces on both of them twice (current A5 and its predecessor 870). If/when I hand them down, they will be returned to wood. Doubtful given the way things are going that the next generations will have an opportunity to wear them out like I did.

If I was to buy a gun for a new hunter who meant something to me, I would shop for a used rifle in a "normal" useful caliber that looks nice. Like the 30-06 Mauser action Browning recently advertised on this forum. Still a beautiful gun in spite of a few scratches. 30-06 is tops for big game hunting and ammo will always be available. I could easily make that gun new again in a couple of days. In the extremely unlikely event anything should be functionally wrong with a used rifle, I know I could fix it. In fact, buying a basket case and turning it into a silk purse would make it the most meaningful gift for both donor and recipient. I personally brought it back to life so it can keep me alive after I'm gone. Something off the shelf just doesn't do that. Not nearly as well anyway.

I don't think you understand that the vast majority of american hunters don't care 1 bit what their rifles look like. When I am at the range I almost always the only shooter there with a wood stocked rifle. Almost every close friend I hunt with never hunt with a walnut stocked rifle. Most of them are all in some sort of Chassis bolt gun in recent years.

And this is coming from a guy who often states, Life is too short to hunt with and ugly rifle.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Just remember, before you call something "butt ugly" that you were given a $15 gun to improve that must have been butt ugly to start with, or you wouldn't have improved it. I have certainly done that. And to be brutally honest, not all restockings are correct to my eye. Tastes vary. But to a young hunter, hitting something with confidence is golden, and newer guns are getting more accurate than the factory standard of yore.
+1 on feeding, reliability, and parts availability.

Dad sporterized my military surplus 03A3 two years before I was legally old enough to hunt with it in 1964. Since then I have done upgrades to it mostly out of necessity. The first stock broke in two when my horse wrecked in 1981. A few years back I discovered the original barrel had a patch of corrosion in the rifling that had always produced the rare inexplicable flyer so I replaced it during COVID. Not a big problem historically as I'd been primarily a tracker in big timber and shots were typically very close. But I changed to plains hunting in Montana and Africa so I needed to improve accuracy. During the barrel swap I added express iron sights (mostly "just because") and QD rings. Then I had to have the gun reblued after it was rebarreled. The current stock has been refinished at least three times.

True, some of the younger crowd may be more interested in showing off their super accurate guns punching paper in the next zip code at the range. Not for me. I am a hunter, not a shooter. If I can affect a young person's thinking and ethics with what I gift them, then why not at least try?

 

[rookhawk]

Damn, the world has turned upside down lately. I'm starting to find common ground with @Ontario Hunter because he's making sense these days.

 

[HankBuck]

If our sport is to flourish, we need to guide young people into the shooting sports. But in most cases, they are not able to kit out with Swarovski Z6, or anything really high end. I remember saving up for my first deer rifle, only to almost give way to despair when the dealer said I should spend just as much again to scope it and equip it. What are your specific, tested bang for the buck suggestions for the new shooter, women included of course. We are talking solid gear that is not wasted $$ on rubbish, but is within reach, and leaves room in the budget for lots of ammo and training/practice. If some sweat equity is involved which involves them in refinish/improvements, so much the more the bonding experience for them with their first rifle.

Maybe another way to share the love is to equip a loaner gun? Several could benefit serially from that.

Of course we could address the sequence of purchases beginning with small game?

@steve white - for “Shooting” my focus would be proper gun fit and a manageable caliber/gauge.
After that for Rifle I would start the basics of shooting with a .22lr at stationary paper targets and for shotgun a 20ga (or 28ga if available for reasonable price). For shotgun after a few shots on a stationary target - most practice sessions would be on “moving” clay targets with easy straight always to start.
If someone already owns a proper fitting expensive gun or can afford to buy one - great….but a Mossberg, Remington, etc.. would be fine.
Lastly, for shotgun - consider adding in lessons from an NSCA/NSSA certified coach for two reasons: 1). They will usually be experienced in teaching beginners. 2). Sometimes Kids listen better to a stranger then “Dad”.
For “Hunting” I think teaching them yourself is the way to go - the time together in the woods or on the water and sharing the learning experience will be fondly remembered forever. The thrill of seeing your Son take their first Duck, Deer, Dove etc.. will get YOUR heart pounding and put a grin on your face that will return - everytime you recall the memory.

If our sport is to flourish, we need to guide young people into the shooting sports. But in most cases, they are not able to kit out with Swarovski Z6, or anything really high end. I remember saving up for my first deer rifle, only to almost give way to despair when the dealer said I should spend just as much again to scope it and equip it. What are your specific, tested bang for the buck suggestions for the new shooter, women included of course. We are talking solid gear that is not wasted $$ on rubbish, but is within reach, and leaves room in the budget for lots of ammo and training/practice. If some sweat equity is involved which involves them in refinish/improvements, so much the more the bonding experience for them with their first rifle.

Maybe another way to share the love is to equip a loaner gun? Several could benefit serially from that.

Of course we could address the sequence of purchases beginning with small game?

 

[Flbt]

Well if some of you don’t like the cheaper bolt action on the market you will probably hate what me and my brother do.
After the 22rf. The first rifle has been a ar-15
First with a 223 upper the a 350l at least for his boys mine started before the 350L was out.
Light weight adjustable stock.
But we started them very early 3-4 if you count the BB guns

 

[HankBuck]

@Ontario Hunter - Ugly, cheap, junky

@rookhawk - Shamefully low quality

I think these are a bit unfair characterizations of the "budget" guns that have been mentioned and have at least to some degree been mostly directed at the Ruger American.

I don't make any grand claims that they are a high end, fine, precision made firearm. But it seems a bit unfair to call them junky and low quality.

It's fair to say that deals like rookhawk found can be had sifting through used high end firearms. But, it's not common, and certainly not enough that if a guy wants to buy a deer rifle for his kid for deer season this year, that he will find a deal like that. Also, a person has to have fairly extensive knowledge of firearms and their values to get that deal. Just about anyone can go pick up one of the often repeated models in this thread and have a really good chance of getting a dependable accurate gun for their kid.

I have a few Ruger Americans, they aren't beauty queens, and they aren't flawless construction. However, they have been shockingly accurate, and so far flawless functioning as well.

The accuracy I have gotten out of them has been sickening at times. I bought them on big sales during the first Trump term before covid when gun prices were absurdly cheap. And there is nothing worse than getting a very expensive rifle that you had high hopes for and it not shooting well, while your bargain bin Ruger American that cost 10X less is eating every brand ammo and repeatedly printing better groups than the expensive gun you were so excited for.

So, for me, yeah, I'd be happy to get one of those guns for a young person for their first rifle. And I have, multiple times already. Unsurprisingly, they shot well, and functioned well for them too.

@Sabre - I agree and have seen many high end guns that I find UGLY, anything with a plastic/black/synthetic stock just hits me the wrong way and even tack drivers at 800 yrds like those made by Gunwerks have zero appeal to me. Most will disagree with me and especially those born after 1980. Wood stocked rifles seem to be for Old-Dudes. But for me, a wood stock, shooting a 1” MOA, high luster blued barrel, and NO can on the end = my idea of a functional AND nice looking rifle.

 

[Flbt]

@Sabre - I agree and have seen many high end guns that I find UGLY, anything with a plastic/black/synthetic stock just hits me the wrong way and even tack drivers at 800 yrds like those made by Gunwerks have zero appeal to me. Most will disagree with me and especially those born after 1980. Wood stocked rifles seem to be for Old-Dudes. But for me, a wood stock, shooting a 1” MOA, high luster blued barrel, and NO can on the end = my idea of a functional AND nice looking rifle.

My oldest nephew likes wood and blue better than plastic and ss. He has out grown the light ar and use what’s in the gun safe
The 2 he is more than likely to is my cz 6.5 Grendel or his dads tang safety ruger 77 6mm

 

[Ontario Hunter]

@steve white - for “Shooting” my focus would be proper gun fit and a manageable caliber/gauge.
After that for Rifle I would start the basics of shooting with a .22lr at stationary paper targets and for shotgun a 20ga (or 28ga if available for reasonable price). For shotgun after a few shots on a stationary target - most practice sessions would be on “moving” clay targets with easy straight always to start.
If someone already owns a proper fitting expensive gun or can afford to buy one - great….but a Mossberg, Remington, etc.. would be fine.
Lastly, for shotgun - consider adding in lessons from an NSCA/NSSA certified coach for two reasons: 1). They will usually be experienced in teaching beginners. 2). Sometimes Kids listen better to a stranger then “Dad”.
For “Hunting” I think teaching them yourself is the way to go - the time together in the woods or on the water and sharing the learning experience will be fondly remembered forever. The thrill of seeing your Son take their first Duck, Deer, Dove etc.. will get YOUR heart pounding and put a grin on your face that will return - everytime you recall the memory.

I'm not saying your advice is wrong (it's not) but my grandson recently broke all the rules. He just turned twelve and decided to check out the trap club with Papa. I first took him to the practice trap range (at that house the ancient thrower is fixed forward). He shot at maybe fifteen targets with my magnum 12 gauge A5 and broke half of them. First time he'd ever shot anything bigger than .22. Quite a jump! Then I wanted to shoot a couple rounds of skeet before it started raining. I stopped at the vehicle on the way over and swapped the A5 for Citori twelve gauge. Usually I only shoot the heavier A5 at the range but once in a while choose to make things interesting with the Citori (which I don't shoot as well). Parker's eyes got big when he saw that fancy gun come out of its cherrywood case: "Papa can I shoot it?" Okay, but skeet isn't easy. At station one he proceeded to break four targets (singles only). Whoa! Didn't keep score but he must have broke half the targets that first round ... including incoming from low house at station eight! That was in June. Now after shooting a couple rounds every week he's already knocking down 20-21 regularly, including doubles. He's getting tall but quite slender. That 12 gauge O/U with 28" barrels is a handful and really jolts the kid but doesn't seem to affect his ability to stay on target. One of the guys we shoot with said I should buy a twenty gauge for Parker. "Why? If he's shooting a twelve gauge this good already, he'll only get better as he grows into it." So much for the "kids size gun first" concept. Or perhaps Parker just has an exceptional coach?

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Well if some of you don’t like the cheaper bolt action on the market you will probably hate what me and my brother do.
After the 22rf. The first rifle has been a ar-15
First with a 223 upper the a 350l at least for his boys mine started before the 350L was out.
Light weight adjustable stock.
But we started them very early 3-4 if you count the BB guns

Someone get a rope!

 

[Flbt]

I'm not saying your advice is wrong (it's not) but my grandson recently broke all the rules. He just turned twelve and decided to check out the trap club with Papa. I first took him to the practice trap range (at that house the ancient thrower is fixed forward). He shot at maybe fifteen targets with my magnum 12 gauge A5 and broke half of them. First time he'd ever shot anything bigger than .22. Quite a jump! Then I wanted to shoot a couple rounds of skeet before it started raining. I stopped at the vehicle on the way over and swapped the A5 for Citori twelve gauge. Usually I only shoot the heavier A5 at the range but once in a while choose to make things interesting with the Citori (which I don't shoot as well). Parker's eyes got big when he saw that fancy gun come out of its cherrywood case: "Papa can I shoot it?" Okay, but skeet isn't easy. At station one he proceeded to break four targets (singles only). Whoa! Didn't keep score but he must have broke half the targets that first round ... including incoming from low house at station eight! That was in June. Now after shooting a couple rounds every week he's already knocking down 20-21 regularly, including doubles. He's getting tall but quite slender. That 12 gauge O/U with 28" barrels is a handful and really jolts the kid but doesn't seem to affect his ability to stay on target. One of the guys we shoot with said I should buy a twenty gauge for Parker. "Why? If he's shooting a twelve gauge this good already, he'll only get better as he grows into it." So much for the "kids size gun first" concept. Or perhaps Parker just has an exceptional coach?

I think it depends a lot on the kid. I was shooting a rem 870 with 3 in mag buckshot at 9 and a 30-06. But I was 6’2” and 230lbs at 12 and our 4h let me start showing steers at 8. Which was 2 years early than normal. But I was really big for my age group.