My son's first .22

[rojocorsa]

+1 for the suggestion of a bolt-action .22

I wouldn't get a single shot though, I'd get a normal mag fed rifle, and then buy a single shot adapter. That way, the same rifle can be used more flexibly when the kid gets older. I'm sure you'll son will have tons of fun.

I didn't even have a goddamn rubber band gun when I was a little kid.

[AirtechJr]

I purchased a Chipmunk 25 years ago. My eldest Son was 4. Since then all 4 kids have learned to shoot with it. Bolt action, small, and very clean.

My 9 year old (youngest) has gone to a S&W M&P 15-22 last Christmas.

He has shot a Steel Challenge and now wants a Buckmark with a Tactical Solutions 7.5" barrel from Santa this year.

Cheaper than Ice Hockey.

Good luck, and go shooting!

[brassburnz]

Get him a bolt-action. I picked up a few Romanian M-1969 .22 trainers in anticipation of my kids getting old enough for their own guns. I was going to cut down the stock, but as it was my wife didn't let me teach the kids how to shoot until they were big enough to handle the rifles from a rest.

Now my kids are teen-agers, and even though they have access to tricked out 10/22's and Umarex Colt M4's, they still like the .22 trainers the best. The .22 trainers actually have excellent triggers even though the magazines don't feed worth a darn rendering them from 5-shot repeaters to a single shot.

The Romanian M-1969 was selling for $70-$100 back then. If you can find one in that price range, pick it up.

[WDE91]

Here is the perfect gun for kids

http://cz-usa.com/products/view/cz-452-scout/

Pay more get more
it is quality, something that is typically lacking in a youth rifle
adjustable trigger, can accept single shot, 5 shot or 10 shot magazines, and finally the ability to use certain other CZ full sized rimfire stocks
heres a thread on rimfire central, everything from the mild to the wild

http://www.rimfirecentral.com/forums/showthread.php?t=269539

[welchy]

I'm thinking of getting my son a Marlin 925

[usmcchet9296]

I'm thinking of getting my son a Marlin 925

Thats a nice rifle but consider the Savage MkII with bull barrell. It can be a base to later be upgraded as he grows.

[kendog4570]

A bolt gun with aperture sight. Autos and scopes can come later. Much later.

[rojocorsa]

I'm thinking of getting my son a Marlin 925

IDK about your local Big 5, but I saw one for $180 my Big 5 today...

[tango5]

When i was a kid my family didn't have a lot of money. My dad had guns, and my first fire arm was a Glenfield Model 25, made by Marlin, mag fed, bolt action rifle. Marlin still makes the rifle, but its now the model 925. It has seen better days prior to my dad buying it. My son is 2 years old, and handing guns down in the family has been a tradition. So my first rifle will be his first rifle. About 6 months ago i tore the gun down to pieces, refinished the stock in a nice mahogany stain, sanded it down, removed all nicks, and the initials the previous owner carved into the stock. Cleaned up all steel parts and the bluing came out like a new rifle. Put her back together and bought a cheap $30 Barska .22LR scope from Big 5. I didn't think it would be very accurate, but i was amazed. At 25 yards i was putting 10 shots all with in a 1/2 inch group. My AR with a .22 conversion cant even get that tight!

I know the day when my son is older (5 or so), it will be a proud day for me, and a day he will always remember, just like i did when my dad gave me the rifle.

[inkedshooter]

My wife is 19 weeks pregnant with our first (a boy) and I can't wait till he can come to the range with me . I've already been eyeing a Red Ryder bb gun and plan on getting him a .22lr bolt action, but my wife told me not till he's atleast born. What's wrong with wanting to test the accuracy of the rifle before he's born?

[tango5]

My wife is 19 weeks pregnant with our first (a boy) and I can't wait till he can come to the range with me . I've already been eyeing a Red Ryder bb gun and plan on getting him a .22lr bolt action, but my wife told me not till he's atleast born. What's wrong with wanting to test the accuracy of the rifle before he's born?

Get it now, when the kid comes, all available funds will be sucked dry, lol.

[five.five-six]

Get him a single shot bolt action sears and roebuck or marlin.. Or possibly a cricket if he is small.

60-100 bucks and he'll pick up good habits from it...

Semi autos become ammo dumping devices in the hands of young ones.

I like the cricket, for a young child's gun because most small kids do not have the strength to cock it, requires dad to, I still have my 10/22 and my model 60, the 5 year old is going to get the 10/22 and frontier scout, the infant will get the model 60 and probably a Walther .22 pistol to even things out.. whem Mom says it's OK

[usctrojan]

My wife is 19 weeks pregnant with our first (a boy) and I can't wait till he can come to the range with me . I've already been eyeing a Red Ryder bb gun and plan on getting him a .22lr bolt action, but my wife told me not till he's atleast born. What's wrong with wanting to test the accuracy of the rifle before he's born?

Glad I am not the only one... My wife won't let me buy until we have conceived... rules <ugh>! (I am totally serious... I am aching to buy the cricket)

[inkedshooter]

Yeah one day I think I'll "go to the store" on the way home from work and atleast get a Red Ryder:

[50BMGBOB]

I dont see a problem with a kid having a .22 as long as he is supervised while using it. Its not something that he should be able to keep in his bedroom and show his friends. But if its locked in a safe and taken out when you guys want to shoot, then it would be a great way to teach him some gun responsibility.

Big +1
My son got a pellet gun when he was 4. It went in the safe along with my guns. My local range says they have to be 8 to shoot so that is when he got his first 22. By the time he was 10, I could take him out and turn him loose with a 22 while I was working on building shooting benches 100 yards away from him and never had to worry about him. When he was 11, I had him working at shooting matches I ran and while I did the stats after the match, he took his rifle and went shooting. It makes a dad really proud when several of the other shooters at the match came and told me how safe and responsible he was shooting without adult supervision and that they thought he was safer than many of the adults at the match.