12 year old Grandson wants to start pistol shooting

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My grandson wants to start shooting pistol with me. He already has a .223 at his other grandad's that he hunts with so he is not a stranger to shooting.

I thought I would start him out with a 22LR and was wondering if any of you have experience with the Browning Buckmark?

Is this gun one that you would recommend as a starter pistol for someone his age?

Thanks
 
I prefer the Ruger but the Buckmark is a good little gun. I don't see anything wrong with starting him on something like the Buckmark.
 
Nothing wrong with a buckmark, I've had mine for years and its one of the last guns I'd part with. Fun, accurate and normally (excluding the last 18mos) cheap to feed. I put a red dot sight on it a few months back and now its even more fun. If I were introducing a new pistol shooter, it would be the 2nd gun I handed them - right after the Single Six, as I believe non-semi autos with open sights make the shooter think a bit more about each shot and focus on fundamentals.
 
I would suggest a revolver like the heritage or single six. Actually for kids I would go heritage OVER single six for the hammerblock safety. Less ammo usage and it will teach good trigger control. If your going with an auto I would suggest a s&w 22a. Good gun for a good price plus it's optics ready. Sold my standard, looking for the target model.
 
Ruger MkII ,4", blue. That's it. Not that there's anything wrong with a Buckmark. As a matter of fact, all of my .22 auto-loaders are Browning. Get the Ruger for puzzle practice. Work his mind.
 
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Thanks for the feedback. You guys have given me more options to consider. I really don't know which is the best way to go, but it's midnight and I can't think anyway.:rolleyes:
 
I do agree the Browning Buckmark is a great choice. The feel of the grips is well ahead better than the Ruger Mk 2. Although the Ruger 22/45 is an improvement.
 
Buckmark is good. MKIII is good. A Single Six is great. I think the "coolness" factor of using a single action revolver should not be overlooked when starting a young person out on handguns. There is something romantic and rewarding about the look and feel. Not to mention the cocking of the hammer. It is something I think can really stick with a person when just starting out.

And even with the current generation of kids, "cowboys" still hold up as relevant and cool. Westerns are still being made, just look at the popularity of the cartoon "A Toy Story"

I learned to shoot on a single six and so did my kids (and my youngest will one day)
 
I think a Browning Buckmark or a Ruger Mk.II or Mk.III would make for a great .22 to start out with. Another decent pistol is the Beretta Neos.
 
Either Buckmark or Ruger.

One thing about youths, I'm hesitant to give them a pistol. I want to know they'll place their shots first. Hence I'd rather give them access to a revolver.
 
Yes, the cowboy look aspect I am sure would be an attraction for my grandson. I had never considered the coolness factor.

What about the Chiappa 1873 models? They cost darn near half of what the Ruger Single Six does. Does the old adage hold true here? Will I get half the quality gun of the Ruger?
 
Not half the quality but not all of it either.

For a great in between choice look at the EAA Bounty Hunter.

Solid, German made, plus they actually sound like a Colt when cocked. Unlike the other clones.
 
A used single six is not expensive...nor is a new one. They will last several lifetimes.


I bought my my son a S&W 422 when he was 9. He's 31 now and still has it! That gun was discontinued years ago. I have 3 Buckmarks these days, all are fantastic
 
oldillini said:
Bookmark is good. Don't forget a nice revolver in 22 would be good as well.
Click to expand...

The best thing about that gun is when you're through shooting it you can use it to keep your place in a good book! :evil::neener::p

Sorry, wiseacre remark I know, and yes I have made errors on the internetz.
Just couldn't resist.
 
CDNN has a Ruger 22/45 Mark III for $289, which is a real good price...
You may want to check it out. Have one in the shorter barrrel and it's been a great shoot!!

.
 
My first handgun was a Smith Model 17 revolver but my kids never liked it much. I decided to buy a .22 autoloader to do double duty as a trainer for my daughters and to shoot Steel Challenge (if a club near you offers Steel Challenge, check it out).

I narrowed my choices down to the Ruger or the Buckmark. Both are excellent pistols. I ended up with the Ruger 22/45, in part due to a couple of factors. First, the Ruger came with two magazines, the Bucky with one. Extra mags for the Ruger were also less expensive. Also, the Ruger can be dry fired without fear of damaging the gun. In Steel Challenge, part of the process of clearing the gun requires the shooter to point the (cleared) pistol downrange and dropping the hammer/striker. Also, dry firing is a great training exercise. With the Browning you might need to use a snap cap or drywall anchor to prevent damage to the firing pin or chamber. With the Ruger, just snap away.
 
You cannot go wrong with a Buckmark or Ruger. I have taught kids to shoot handguns for years and either of those two are a great choice. For some reason most kids shoot a semi auto more accurately than a revolver. There is nothing like taking home a good target to get kids back for a return trip to the range.
 
There are five good choices in target pistols,,,

There are five good choices in target pistols,,,
Smith & Wesson 22A,,,
Browning Buckmark,,,
Beretta U-22 NEOS,,,
Ruger Mark Series,,,
Ruger 22/45.

My personal favorites are the Ruger 22/45,,,
And the Beretta U-22 NEOS.

In reality though,,,
Any of these five would be just fine.

Aarond

.
 
Great feedback from all. I think I have made a decision, but wanted to ask one final question.

I went to LGS today and handled a Buckmark. It looks to be a great gun, however, I had a heck of a time reaching the mag release with my right thumb. Now I have medium sized hands, but have never had this problem with any other gun I've owned. My grandson certainly couldn't work the release. I wanted to handle a Ruger 22/45 but couldn't find one locally.

Does anyone have experience with both the Buckmark and the 22/45? I am thinking that I may go with the 22/45 unless the grip size from front to back is the same as the Buckmark.

Thanks again. I learn a lot at THR.
 
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Agree that a revolver is probably better for a youth gun than an automatic. They tend to make you think and concentrate more on the fundamentals.
My first choice in this regard for a 12 year old would be the Ruger Bearcat.

They are a bit smaller and lighter than the others mentioned and are simply a wonderful gun that any kid would love.
 
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