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  • Bigtanker

    Cuddles
    Emeritus
    Rating - 100%
    24   0   0
    Aug 21, 2012
    21,688
    151
    Osceola
    .22 pistol or rifle. Ruger 10/22 rifle or Ruger American Rimfire bolt action are both great choices. A good pistol would be a Ruger SR22 or MK IV. There are actually quite a few other brands that can fill the bill. Walther, S&W, Browning, etc.

    One thing I will suggest for someone that is just getting into firearms is to find some good training BEFORE buying a gun. NRA safety courses are a good start.
     

    oldpink

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Apr 7, 2009
    6,660
    63
    Farmland
    Go with tried and true: bolt action single shot .22 LR
    There are plenty of used and new examples, so selection is good.
    The price is right, with most any of them being right at or just a shade over the C-note mark.
    You get almost zero recoil, ammo is pretty cheap, and it's a great way to learn the basics.
     

    eldirector

    Grandmaster
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Apr 29, 2009
    14,677
    113
    Brownsburg, IN
    I've always used my .22 pistol (Walther P22) with ammo just fast enough to cycle the action. At least for first-timer adults.

    Easy to load the magazine, easy to operate the safety, easy to manipulate the slide, almost no recoil, and not all that loud. Lots of other .22 pistols that are similar.

    For kids, I prefer a single-shot rifle. Much easier for me to control if needed. Grandpa's old Remington with .22 Short makes a great starter.
     

    DaveM

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Feb 7, 2017
    28
    1
    Southern Indiana
    I don't know, I've never really bought into the "give them a 22" suggestion. Obviously handing them a .50 caliber Desert Eagle or a high caliber rifle probably won't go so well as a learning tool, but why not start them out with a plain old 9mm or an AR? Neither are anywhere near harsh in recoil, and they're going to have to expect the bang and muzzle rise eventually. Let them get that fear over with and show them it's not so bad after that very first shot. To me, giving them something with no recoil to learn on and then handing over something that makes a louder noise and actually moves their arm can reverse the process of good skills.

    Now I'll tell you right now I don't have decades of shooting under my belt, so my opinion is simply that, opinion. But I learned with a snubnose .38 and a 12 gauge as those are the only firearms I had access to. I lived through it just fine and learned how to handle a gun even when it wasn't all that pleasant to pull that trigger. Now if we're talking major arthritis issues in the hands, then sure, maybe stick with a 3-4 inch barrel .38 or a break-open shotgun or rifle. If they want to stick to .22 for now, let them and encourage them. But don't just make it the default caliber because other calibers may scare them. Let them see what they can do.
     

    Bapak2ja

    Master
    Rating - 100%
    10   0   0
    Dec 17, 2009
    4,580
    48
    Fort Wayne
    Go with tried and true: bolt action single shot .22 LR
    There are plenty of used and new examples, so selection is good.
    The price is right, with most any of them being right at or just a shade over the C-note mark.
    You get almost zero recoil, ammo is pretty cheap, and it's a great way to learn the basics.

    Agreed. So what do you think is the best single-shot bolt action rifle available.

    Cheaper Than Dirt favors the Cricket
    https://www.cheaperthandirt.com/cat...gun_action=Bolt&pp=30&sortby=priceAscend&cx=0

    Outdoor hub lists these http://www.outdoorhub.com/stories/2015/08/21/best-rifles-first-time-shooter/
    Non-Single Shot
    Savage Arms Mark II .22 LR and 93R .17 HMR
    Ruger American Rimfire
    Marlin Model XT-22 series
    marlin xt-22


    Single-shot rifles
    Henry Mini Bolt Youth (henry mini bolt)
    Savage Arms Rascal Series Youth .22 LR
    Crickett,single shot

    Any preference?
     

    Thomas13906

    Plinker
    Rating - 0%
    0   0   0
    Mar 17, 2017
    60
    6
    Greenfield
    My first firearm was a ruger 10/22 and I think for children all the way up to adult it is a good beginner rifle that is packed with versatility and can be changed as your needs or wants arise.
     

    Fixer

    Expert
    Rating - 96.3%
    26   1   0
    Nov 22, 2009
    1,157
    63
    Fort Wayne Area
    22lr is a great choice for new shooters. The last thing you want to do is turn them off due to excessive recoil. I started my daughters out on a 22 bolt action rifle at age 5-6. My youngest now 13 has a 10/22 and has moved from a 22 pistol to a 9mm.
     

    Hawkeye7br

    Expert
    Rating - 100%
    1   0   0
    Jul 9, 2015
    1,363
    67
    Terre Haute
    Ditto the "start with a .22" mentality.

    I read the first few pages of the sticky link. It seems to me the ones that start with a 9mm or 38 snubby are seldom beginners, or they are more imbedded in the gun culture than many true beginners. Our club sees about 60 new members a year, often first-timers. It's painful to watch men with their beginner wife/girlfriend that insist she start with his glock 40. I experienced a young woman who insisted she liked a .45, right up until we put one in her hands and she couldn't hit a torso target at 10 yards. We get a several 60+ age couples that realize they are targets of crime and seek home protection. Invariably, the wife can't rack the slide, can't hold the gun in recoil, and ends up afraid of it.

    My daughter, now in mid 30's, shot a 22 while growing up. Her husband bought her a SCCY 9mm last year, and after the first mag she hated it. Too snappy and the grips cut into her hand. I took her to the range, we fired a bunch of guns. She eventually went home with my Bersa 380, and I kept her 9mm.
     

    Fixer

    Expert
    Rating - 96.3%
    26   1   0
    Nov 22, 2009
    1,157
    63
    Fort Wayne Area
    Ditto the "start with a .22" mentality.

    I read the first few pages of the sticky link. It seems to me the ones that start with a 9mm or 38 snubby are seldom beginners, or they are more imbedded in the gun culture than many true beginners. Our club sees about 60 new members a year, often first-timers. It's painful to watch men with their beginner wife/girlfriend that insist she start with his glock 40. I experienced a young woman who insisted she liked a .45, right up until we put one in her hands and she couldn't hit a torso target at 10 yards. We get a several 60+ age couples that realize they are targets of crime and seek home protection. Invariably, the wife can't rack the slide, can't hold the gun in recoil, and ends up afraid of it.

    My daughter, now in mid 30's, shot a 22 while growing up. Her husband bought her a SCCY 9mm last year, and after the first mag she hated it. Too snappy and the grips cut into her hand. I took her to the range, we fired a bunch of guns. She eventually went home with my Bersa 380, and I kept her 9mm.

    +1
    I also believe that one can develope a lot of recoil induced habits that are harder to undo than to develope good ones with a low recoiling handgun for true first time shooters. My daughter hated the Ruger LC9 but loved my dad's XDm9.
     
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