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Author
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Topic: Good gun for a kid?
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Lonny
PANTS ON THE GROUND
Member # 19
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posted December 21, 2003 03:25 PM
A guy I know quite well mentioned the other day he was going to search the pawn shops to buy a couple of used model 94 .30/30's for his two boys who are just old enough to hunt.
Both boys are quite small and thin for their ages. He believes the short open sighted 30/30 will be a perfect fit for them to learn to shoot and hunt deer with. Neither has had a rimfire .22 of their own yet. Their Dad knows very little about hunting or firearms so there won't be alot of good instruction.
I had to bite my tongue to keep from saying anything. I can't think of a much worse choice myself. Outside of some mule kicking magnum for a kid. I can just imagine when these kids have small cold fingers in oversized gloves and try to safely operate the hammer on the 94. Just seems like a better choice could be made... I realize thousands of kids have learned to shoot and hunt with this same rifle though. Any thoughts on giving a kid a rifle like this for their first.
What did you guys learn to learn to shoot with and what did you start hunting with? Excluding airguns. What in your opinion is a good caliber and rifle for a kid starting out?
Posts: 1209 | From: Lewiston, Idaho USA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 21, 2003 03:58 PM
That's a real good question, Lonny. Probably as many opinions on that as there are various choices available? One thing you and I agree on, a Model 94 Winchester 30/30 isn't it. (never did figure out what they were good for) But, they're his kids, and there ain't much you can do to influence the situation.
Model 7?
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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Norm
Knows what it's all about
Member # 240
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posted December 21, 2003 04:10 PM
Lonny, great question;
I agree the 30/30 isn't the right rifle to learn with...
I learned with the 22rimfire; then a .410, then .12 guage; in regard to rifles, I went from the .22 to the M16, given my dad didn't do big game hunting. After the military, it was back to the shotguns and archery equipment. I picked up a 30/30 when I moved to Maine plus some .22's for the boys to shoot with; now have a .223 and .17 for predator hunting...
If I were starting kids hunting today, I would start with a .22; If it is deer hunting the boys are after, maybe a .243 or 25-06;
I am sure there are more opinions on this one;
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Carpe Diem
Posts: 778 | From: Phx AZ | Registered: Oct 2003
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bucksnort
Miss Chris from AZ
Member # 202
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posted December 21, 2003 04:45 PM
Well, I have to differ a little, so be it. I started at 5 years of age with a Red Ryder BB Gun and had a hell of a time cocking it. Then I get a .22 at 7 years of age, and Winchester 30-30 at 10 years of age and killed my first buck at 12 years of age. So what if it kicks a little - very little to the boy who owns it. Heck, I would bet a 12 year old boy could shoot his first buck with a 700 Nitro Express and never feel the kick. ![[Big Grin]](biggrin.gif) Yeah I know, but just my thoughts. In fact, I was shooting my Granddad's 38-55 at 10 and thought it was fun at 250 grains. "Cowboy Up" and pull the trigger!
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"There are lion chasers, lion catchers, and lying SOB's."
"Warriors of El Gato - The Lion"
Posts: 368 | From: Tucson, AZ | Registered: Jun 2003
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illinois farm boy
Knows what it's all about
Member # 250
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posted December 21, 2003 05:06 PM
i started out with 410 then 20 and when i turned 14 worked all summer mowing yards and putting up hay bought a remington 1100 12ga man was i proud of it still have it bought my daughter a remington 870 20 ga last year 9 yrs old but she plays football with the boys no sissy we can't hunt deer here with a rifle so it would be different out west but i wouldn't start my child out with any type rifle to far of a range gary decker
[ December 21, 2003, 07:14 PM: Message edited by: illinois farm boy ]
Posts: 14 | From: illinois | Registered: Nov 2003
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Az-Hunter
Hi, I'm Vic WELCOME TO THE U.S. Free baloney sandwiches here
Member # 17
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posted December 21, 2003 05:12 PM
Im kinda close to Bruces' way of thinking on this one. I have always believed that the foundation of my basic skill with a firearm was learned from the countless hours behind the trigger of various BB guns, and later more sophisticated air rifles. I don't think I'd be stretching the truth to much if I said I have sent a million BBs down the tube. I mastered the fundamentals of aerial shooting, moving targets and precision shooting, all with the lowly BB gun. I still enjoy the hell out of shooting air rifles, but good air rifles, not what we had then. So, back to the question. If the fellas boys had a background in shooting BB guns, rimfires and small gauge shotguns, I'd say no problem to arming them with 94s'. At the particular point they are at in both firearms knowledge and experience, no, they are better served with at least starting with a good rimfire rifle to learn basics. They might be just fine too, who knows? To begin your shooting education with a rifle that is a 3-5 inch @100 off the bench kind of rifle, then add the adolescent new shooters jitters, it's just not a good tool to learn on. A good shooter, can do truly amazing things, at moderate ranges, with a reasonably tight 94. A green shooter, or a bad shot, can't. Kids learn quick, start them on a quality rimfire rifle and in no time flat, they will be ready for anything they can shoulder.
Posts: 1670 | From: 5 miles west of Tim | Registered: Jan 2003
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Lone Howl
Free Trial Platinum Member & part-time language police
Member # 29
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posted December 21, 2003 05:38 PM
I say .243 with mild loads.Thats what my buddy did and Im gonna do it with mine as well.
I started with a .300 savage.
Gary Decker, if your the one who makes the calls that are on APC, those are good lookin calls.
EDIT: I didnt see the part about them not having any .22's to start with. Not good. I would try to buy at least one used .22 and learn both of em on it first.
[ December 21, 2003, 05:41 PM: Message edited by: Lone Howl ]
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When tyranny becomes law, rebellion becomes duty.
Posts: 2083 | From: Texas | Registered: Jan 2003
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Barry
Knows what it's all about
Member # 34
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posted December 21, 2003 06:58 PM
It sounds like the kids havent shot much.If he was planning on making them deer hunters they should have worn out at least one 22 apiece.A 30/30 is an excellent place to start.Espically if your from the school of open sights before a scope.No-one can complain about the number of deer harvested with a 30/30. A Savage 99 in 300 would be great also but time at the range sounds like the best place to start.As far as cold fingers and hands go,hunting is a mans sport.Why treat'em like wimps and baby them.Sure its going to be cold some days.It helps seperate the men from the boys.Find out if its in their blood before you get too technical with ballistics and recoil.Just my 2-cents.
Posts: 133 | From: Trinidad CO. | Registered: Jan 2003
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Leonard
HMFIC
Member # 2
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posted December 21, 2003 07:05 PM
That's an excellent point, Barry. I failed to notice that little bit of information, myself. Can't argue with a 22 rimfire, that's for sure.
Good hunting. LB
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EL BEE Knows It All and Done It All.
Don't piss me off!
Posts: 32361 | From: Upland, CA | Registered: Jan 2003
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illinois farm boy
Knows what it's all about
Member # 250
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posted December 21, 2003 07:11 PM
lone howl thats me thanks for the compliment
Posts: 14 | From: illinois | Registered: Nov 2003
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Barndog
Knows what it's all about
Member # 255
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posted December 23, 2003 10:21 AM
Lonny
I know the pawn shops shops in the logan area and I don't know if the guy could find a good deal on a couple of 30/30's. If the guy wants someting that kicks a little he should invest in a flatter shooting caliber like a .270 or .243 but I would recomend a .270, they could hunt deer and elk. There are still alot of good deer hunting up there. My cousin shot a 5 point 35 3/8 spread just south of imagration canyon, I wouldn't chance that kind of buck with a 30/30. My oldest boy just turned 4 and I've got him shooting a Henery mini bolt .22.
Posts: 185 | From: Idaho | Registered: Dec 2003
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DAA
Utah/Promoted WESTERN REGIONAL Hunt Director
Member # 11
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posted December 23, 2003 03:56 PM
Pretty typical start myself. Lots and lots and lots of shooting my BB gun. First rifle I got to use was my Dad's old Winchester pump .22, supervised target shooting starting at 6 years old. Carrying it around in the sage brush shooting jack rabbits with it at 7 years old.
When I was 9 or 10, my Dad gave me a 12 guage shotgun for Christmas, cheap Winchester brand break open single shot. Blasted a whole BUNCH of jack rabbits with that thing! Even got a coyote with it, jumped it while rabbit hunting. Goes to prove Bruce's point about kids not noticing recoil. I still have that shotgun, and can't hardly shoot it, because it kicks so bloody hard (gun only weighs about 7 pounds). But I truly never noticed that till I was an adult.
At 12 years old, I saved my lawn mowing money all summer and bought myself a M70 .270 Win. Dad gave me a scope (Leupold 4x) to go on it for my birthday in November that year, then the following month gave me a Pacific reloading press, an RCBS powder measure, a set of RCBS dies, a sack full of once fired '06 cases to reform and a big coffee can full of surplus H4831 for Christmas. Used that .270 for jacks and coyotes and big game and prairie dogs and muskrats every other darn thing for 15 years before I bought another centerfire. I still use that same press to load everything.
My Son hasn't got to shoot a BB gun like I did. Just nowhere around here for him to roam about and shoot like there was when I was his age. Only time he gets to shoot his BB gun is when we go camping, or he visits my Dad. He's 8 years old now. His first experience shooting was with a scoped 10/22 from the bench, when he was 4 years old (the pic). Just in the last year or so, he's got to shoot some of my centerfires from the bench - he thinks that's pretty neat. I bought him his first rifle last year when he was 7, a CZ 452 "Scout" .22LR. Really a nice little bolt action rimfire, with a stock sized for young boys and a short barrel to make the package balance well. I'm really impressed with how accurate the little rifle is, and the irons are adjustable. It's a clip fed model, but for now, it's got a dummy clip in it so that it functions as a single shot. And he won't be getting a scope on it for awhile yet either. Not till he has whacked a few more jack rabbits with the irons.
- DAA
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"Oh yeah, they're gonna talk to you, and talk to you, and talk to you about individual freedom, but they see a free individual, it's gonna scare 'em." -- George Hanson, Easy Rider, 1969.
Rocky Mountain Varmint Hunter
Posts: 2676 | From: Salt Lake City, UT | Registered: Jan 2003
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