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First Gun for Son


sixhills 69
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Hi I am looking for a air-rifle for my 8 yr old son he has been on my case for sometime now and i have been looking around due to his age and the fact he is small i was thinking about something loke the Ratcatcher or the one up from that i think its the king ratcatcher.

It will be used for rabbiting and as i don't use air guns i thought i would ask. I have read that they can be brought up to the 12ftlb limit but is this hard to do and will it cost a fortune.

I want to make sure he likes it before i go and spend money on a pcp type rifle.

Look forward to any idea's

 

Thanks

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An Air Arms S200 or BSA ultra could be good starter air rifles for your son. Although PCP both are small and relatively light in weight. The air Arms is renowned for its accuracy and if you keep an eye out you may be able to pick either up with charging gear for around 300 quid second hand.

I realise this is quite a bit more than the cost of a rat catcher but i honestly think it is worth it. Both will hold value quite well and neither will suffer from power increase or decrease depending on how warm or cold it is like CO2 guns do.

 

If he takes to the sport and gets into target shooting he will be well set up with an S200.

 

Hope this helps, maybe a top end of the budget would help with suggestions.

 

Good luck and all the best

Paul

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Since by your tag you have a slot for a 22 air rifle... Get yourself a nice FAC PCP and treat your son to a Brocock, as Beretta has mentioned springers can be a finger trap and they can also be hard to cock. The Brocock's are small and very light, I've tried one and really admired the quality for the cost... Ok I ended up with a Daystate, but that's just my acquisition syndrome mixing with more money than sense :P

 

Best of luck with your purchases!

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Although an AA s200 is good and fairly light for a precharge I'd expect it to be way to much for a youngster, also cos its so long, the muzzle will be too heavy.

 

I taught my daughter with a SMK but she was 11, which can make a fair difference.

 

I think a ratcatcher or an old webley ranger if you can find one are two good places to start.

 

start him off gently and he will find things so much easier as he gets a year or too older.

 

I think it takes a time for them to develop the maturity to hunt, so maybe not put him on live quarry for a few years. Then ensure he has excellent and consistant accuracy, which I find is rare in a yougster!

 

Andy

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I doubt there's an air rifle that the average child of this age can stand with. I teach a lot of kids and a few of the 10-13 year-olds think they can stand, but after a few minutes of struggling to hold a rifle up, never mind get it on target, they come back to benching it. Then they enjoy the session and come back for more, instead of going away thinking it's just too hard.

 

My boys (7 & 9) use an S200 for 6m & 10m, but it's too heavy for them to stand. The fact that they don't need to cock the rifle means we get a much longer session before they are tired too, and better results. Strength comes later.

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This is the problem i have found its the lenght and weight of the rifles i have a Magtech semi auto and that is light but its the lenght and i have tried (unloaded) to get him into using a scope and the rifle on a bipod but he then he struggles with eye reief again as the butt is to long. i know he will nt carry a S200 I think my only choice is the ones i have mentioned so my other question is can they be brought up to 11 to 12ftlb without to much expense.

Thanks

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Could you not get him a air arms carbine version, they maybe expensive but being air arms they always sell and generally you don't loose nothing on them if there good nick and you bought it second hand. They hold value, accurate, small and being a pcp easier I think to learn with but I think a springer would create a better shooter. Pcp would he more fun for a kiddy and would make him want to go again

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My son`s first rifle was a wee cometa 50 .177:rolleyes: these are only around the 8ft lb mark but are small and very light :good:

 

You also get the cometa 100 that is a bit more powerful and only costs £100 new.

 

The cometa 50 was only £80 new btw.

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Also remember the LAW - your son cannot own the gun or use it unsupervised or have access to it until he is over 18 (etc). Again what gun is down to budget. If you are looking at springers and have strength doubts Mrs Gun uses a Gamo Whisper X which is a twin spring 12ft lbs gun. A doddle to cock and accurate (plus it is already moderated). Price without scope retail is around £250. You can get better deals (scope included) at game fairs etc. From memory we paid about £225 inc scope a couple of years ago.

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SMK Do a rifle called SYNTARG which is 2/3rd size and fairly light as it also has a skeleton stock, output is around 6-7ft/lbs I believe.

Bought one latter part of last year for my 10yr old son, came with a 4x32 scope and case and some targets for £99

 

Gamo(imported & distributed by BSA) do a couple of child friendly sized rifles, one has a skeleton stock to keep the weight down a bit

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Thanks Garden Gun My son has been brought up around firearms and he loves to help clean them for me when i come back from a day out(under a whatch full eye) and he does a good job even though he is only 8 he understands that the gun will be mine and live in the cabinet with all the others and only uses it when he is with me.

He is not like a lot of children sitting on a computer games killing things, if he was i would wait another few years before introducing him to the sport i am very proud he is not a silly kid and this is why i want to get him the right airgun as i don't want to put him of by giving him something he is going to struggle with.

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Why on earth woud you want to put a pcp in the hands of an 8 year old !

 

You want a small, cheap, lightweight Springer -something like an old BSA Meteor.

Sorry some one has not read the thread i am looking for something to introduce him to the sport other people have mentioned PCP not me i want a light weight SMALL rifle due to his height like a co2 or something so please get your facts right..... :angry:

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Hi mate im new to the site and was browsing as you do and noticed your topic have you thought about one of those rabbit stopper co2 guns i bought one for 99 quid i know they are not very powerfull but they are light and short it has a wooden stock so you could cut it down to fit your lad and if he takes to it mate then you havent lost and if he dont like it youve only lost a few quid

sounds bit like my lad he was the same my youngest found it a bit hard to shoot my guns and he wears glasses he found it hard to look through the scope he was small for his age and my eldist found it easy as he was bigger any way mate good luck :good:

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Hi mate im new to the site and was browsing as you do and noticed your topic have you thought about one of those rabbit stopper co2 guns i bought one for 99 quid i know they are not very powerfull but they are light and short it has a wooden stock so you could cut it down to fit your lad and if he takes to it mate then you havent lost and if he dont like it youve only lost a few quid

sounds bit like my lad he was the same my youngest found it a bit hard to shoot my guns and he wears glasses he found it hard to look through the scope he was small for his age and my eldist found it easy as he was bigger any way mate good luck :good:

Thanks for understanding exactly what i talking about im sure i will find what i am looking for.

 

Cheers :good::good::good:

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