chris s

Check Brownells for the Ruger Youth stock .I have one for my kid .LOP is like 11 inches which may be short for your son so you can add a pad. This stock has the proper trigger reach for small hands. You can teach the fundamentals of shooting by putting one round in the mag. But kids being kids buy a steel reactive target- the have them in Walmart

joe/OH

Once my little ones hit that age - I plan on starting them off with a over/under. 20 ga. / .22 combination. The 10/22 is a great rifle, but I think forcing a youngster to reload after every shot will force them to focus on aiming and the mechanics and eliminate the early tendency for fast, sloppy shots. (Why take the time to aim when you have 9 more with just the pull of a trigger?)

I think it really boils down to what type of shooting you do the most. We shoot trap in the summer quite a bit - so a shotgun (even a single shot) will allow the youngster to participate with his own gun.

The first gun I hunted with as a kid was my Dad's Savage over/under. The versatility for hunting squirrel with that gun is just amazing.

moderatetennessean

I would say a .22 also. Walmart has em for low, low prices, about a hundred bucks, and a box of 550 HP rounds for about 12 dollars.

cagueits

FYI

http://www.ocshooters.com/Gen/kidsho...h-firearms.htm

http://www.dakotaarms.com/youthProgram.html

snowdoctor

HEY great topic. If it was me, and it will be in 9 years!!, I am going to buy a ruger 10/22 .22lr for my kids first gun. Then a remington 11/87 youth 20 gauge.
But I will start with the 10/22. I got mine at 12, and still have it today, in fact my wife and I took it to the range and put 200 rounds through it, and as usually no problems.

There is a few reasons I would start with a .22 and a ruger.
1. .22lr is cheap and no recoil.
2. accurate.
3. rugers are reliable, tough, and semi auto. you can teach safety, without having to load, work the bolt, etc, that children get bored with
4. rifles teach accuracy, patience, and trigger pull
5. rifles are used for down range stationary targets, good for teaching basics of firearm safety, and the muzzle is pointed in a safe direction. shotguns are intented to be pointed up in the air, and waved around. Yes taught to be down range, but they still 'wave', and some rifle training would help teach a youngster gun control.
6. a 10/22 is lighter than a shotgun.

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--people ask why I carry, and I show them this picture. I think it says it all.--

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RSSZ

Know that this is a real old thread but just had to add that Ruger has finally come out with a youth model 10/22.

IIRC 16"bbl and just under 13" LOP. Also a see thru mag. Should be great for kids. Take a look. ------

pgrass101

I remember my Dad giving me my 1st gun on my 10th Birthday (I felt that I was 10 feet tall that day). I still have the 20 gauge single shot and it has taken many of a squirrel, rabbit and dove. I like the idea of a single shot .22 ,20 gauge combo. That would be my chioce for a 1st gun.

USPnTX

The Ruger 10/22 is the best bang for the buck. My brother and I got our on our 10th birthday. We both still have 'em and they shoot like they did when they were new.

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"Do not fear those who disagree with you; fear those that do and are too cowardly to admit it" - Napoleon

AmericanCCW

Ruger 10/22 would be a good choice. He can learn the basics and have a lot of fun at the range shooting bullseye targets.

AmericanCCW

Oh, I forgot, a CZ452 bolt-action .22LR would also be a good choice. It's a great shooter and one of the more accurate .22LR rifles out of the box.