looking for a kids gun

[Ken Cormier]

Don't know if this right spot or not. What I am looking for is a production small caliber 32 36for an 8yr old. I don't know much about over the counter guns I have owned only one that I bought in 1978 things have changed a lot. I looked into having one made same money I spent on his fathers I would spend the money if he would not out grow it a couple of years.
If this is in the wrong place please fell free to make it right.
Thanks Ken

 

[azmntman]

keep yer eye on the classified section. many nice guns priced fairly. Also gunbroker.com. Or gunsinternational. Broker had a sweet little .32 that went 160 last week. I bid up to 130 (and dint even need it but it was a nice looker)and thought I had it. seems alot of folks were waiting till last minute and I didnt win

Your son may out grow it but he will have a son someday? Or even a daughter...

 

[Rifleman1776]

This came up recently. I replied that I don't reccomend getting a designated rifle for a youngster. Main reason is they grow :shocked2: . And they grow rapidly. Many so-called 'youth' rifles get very little, sometimes no use before the tiny kid is too large for it. Then you have a useless, hard to sell, rifle on your hands.
However, when I had my shop I fitted my boys with rifles that, sorta, grew with them.
I got H&A underhammers. Two reasons, they were inexpensive and easy to modify. I bought spare stocks. The original I would cut down to fit the boys but kept the cut-off. Later I would screw it back on for a slightly longer pull. Didn't look pretty but worked. Eventually, I would attach a factory made one to bring it back to original.
The H&A style rifles are easy to modify. Even a non-expert woodworker can make a stock to fit.

 

[Ken Cormier]

Hi thanks for the info it's for the grandson

 

[Rifleman1776]

Hi thanks for the info it's for the grandson

My twin grandsons were given youth sized .22s by their other grandfather.
We had them here once and told them to bring the rifles which they did. We had a teaching/learning session in the yard and they shot them. Had a great time. But, that was the only time the rifles were used. The boys are now taller than me or their father and I'm sure the rifles will remain in storage for near eternity.

 

[Ken Cormier]

Well I guess I should have. Explained this a little better. The reason I am looking for a youth sized gun is that my grand kids 5 of them are getting to the age to begin shooting. All 4of my kids shoot ml on a regular basis and have since they were 7 or 8. So I am pretty sure that the gun will see a lot of use in the next few yrs. We are a hunting and fishing family. We all shoot as often as we can. Heck we even shoot long bows. The 8yr old is shooting my model 19 single shoot 22lr and loves it. I am a very lucky Dad and Granddad to have the family that we have even the wife shoots.

 

[Rifleman1776]

OK, good. Go fer it. :applause:
I still reccomend the H&A underhammer approach. It should get a lot of use from the description of yer family. Good on you for doing this. :applause:

 

[necchi]

First find out if the kid is left or right eye dominate.
My son turned out to be cross dominate,
Right handed-Left eye,
I found that out when he was still pretty young, but it made a huge difference in his ability to hit what he shot at.

 

[William O.]

Check out Mike Lange and his "rugrat" rifles he makes;http://www.chooseyourweapon.net/pics.html
He normally has these already put together using used components and either a modified stock or one of his own making but with a shorter length of pull. Not historically correct by any stretch but good, solid and functional muzzle loaders for youngsters. Of course, he builds custom rifles for us oldsters too, in case you need one but that's another subject all together.

 

[don hepler]

TC Seneca or Cherokee, would be good, if you can find one. I saw a Seneca 36, on Friday, for $525. out the door. Called a buddy, and he went straight over to buy it, for his wife.

 

[Black Jaque Janaviac]

Good luck in your search. The solution to the problem of youth guns not getting used is to have a lot o' kids. I've got lots of youth guns and I have little trouble keeping the barrels warm.

Unfortunately my youngest are still only 7 so I won't be sellin' my youth models any time soon.

I can only say that I highly encourage the purchase of youth guns. If the lad or lass outgrows it in a short time and is needing another full-size gun then the youth gun was worth every penny. Too many people wait way too long to take the kids shooting which results in the youngsters NEVER wanting a full-size gun because they are more interested in other things.

 

[BrownBear]

We have a number of small guns in our rack, and our granddaughter has always had the pick of them for shooting.

Here's a general summary of her reactions:

Most have barrels too long for ease of holding and aiming for small folks. They might be "light" to us, but to short folks that longer barrel becomes an issue.

Most small cals have a lot of steel out front due to heavy barrel walls on blanks too heavy for small cals. Read above.

Our granddaughter's pick of the litter is a short little Pedersoli Frontier Carbine in 50 caliber. It's short and very light out front due to thin barrel walls, and very easy for her to hold and aim.

With 30 grain charges it recoils no more than your average small caliber, and that little powder charge is easy on the ears.

When the day comes and she decides to poke a deer, she'll already have the right gun in her hands. Meanwhile the targets and snowshoe hare catch heck.

Yeah, they're expensive when new. But keep your eyes open for used. I only paid $300 for mine.

Edit:

Can't seem to find it among their current models, even if the standard Frontier is still there. Their Dixie Cub looks to be similar and tips the scale in the same 6# range as my Frontier Carbine, if you want to look at that for spec comparisons.

 

[hanshi]

Right on! I have one of Mike's rugrat rifles and it is delightful.

 

[Muskeg Stomper]

I found an old CVS Squirrel Rifle in .32 for my daughter. The previous owner had shortened the length of pull to about 11". When my daughter first started shooting, even that was still long for her and she could only shoot it off of a rest on a bench. She's 14 years old now and is still pretty small but she hasn't outgrown the rifle yet. I figure that it will be pretty easy to find a used full sized stock for her when she reaches that point. I see them on auction sites all the time.

 

[bubba.50]

a while back Wally-World had little Traditions side-hammer carbines with Tupperware stocks for about 60 or 70 bucks & they show up at gunshows for around 50. get one, cut the stock to length needed now, & when the young'un reaches full stature have a full length wood stock made for it. they only came in .50cal but that;s part of the beauty of "rollin' yer own" that you can load up or down to whatever works.

 

[fcderosa]

Traditions Tennessee Rifle, if you can pick one up used. Shortest sidelock I own. Mine's a .50 but if they make them in .45 that would be the Cat's meow for a youngun.

 

[BullRunBear]

kennyc,

It's wonderful that three generations can share so much fun in the outdoors. If you can find a Dixie Cub, that should fit the bill. I found one in 40 cal. for my five foot tall wife. Short enough,very light and, of course, she can load it down as needed. What works for a small, middle aged woman might work for your grandkids.

Another possibility: would a small cap and ball revolver or a single shot Kentucky pistol suit your needs? Less weight and no LOP to worry about. Just a thought.

Jeff

 

[tenngun]

I have never delt with sitting fox and have heard good and bad things about them. I know they offer 'boys rifle"in southren mountian style. They also offer a light "poor boys"rifle made with out a butt plate and very plane. Rifle man 1776 had a simmular light gun tha fit my wife well and I used to drul over it my self,just my roundtoit is being repairedand I aint made one yet.

 

[b737tvc]

I built one for mine its a octagon with wedding band to round bbl.
half stock with l&r lock. I didn't spend much its in a 32 cal. The only regret I have is not choosing a 45 cal.

The Beavertrapper

 

[Rifleman1776]

I have never delt with sitting fox and have heard good and bad things about them. I know they offer 'boys rifle"in southren mountian style. They also offer a light "poor boys"rifle made with out a butt plate and very plane. Rifle man 1776 had a simmular light gun tha fit my wife well and I used to drul over it my self,just my roundtoit is being repairedand I aint made one yet.

Yep, that was the one that just had 'JB' on the barrel. I never knew who the builder was.
I sold it to Steve Peterson and he promptly took a hacksaw to the barrel. :shocked2: