04-02-2019, 07:33 PM
Old dog ex-military suburbanite.
Did not give a hoot about AR15s after leaving the service until I figured the AR15 in 6.5Grendel could get my wimminfolk and kiddos in the field with a light in bulk & weight--but effective--rifle.
Yep, all of that, the last few years, has been my focus.
Yes, the Ruger 10/22 with a scope is a Godsend, as are the Ruger MKIV 22/45 pistols.
But before all those, the .22LR single shot Crickett rifle at 2.5lbs is the bee's knees. I even bought another stock to cut down for my daughter at first. The cheap 4x32 mil-dot scope on the web site is perfect for it. (build up hte stock with pipe insulation & conforming tape to get eyeball in line with scope). I found that if you zero with hi-vel .22LR at 25 yards, you can shoot Aguila super-colibri and hit the same spot if you use the 3rd mil-dot down. Super Colibris in the Crickett are less loud than an air rifle and kill squirrels out to 25 yards with no need for earpro. Just ask my son & daughter and FIL.
Took wife & kiddos to an Appleseed shoot after getting some of the basics down. No, they were not going to make Rifleman with Cricket Rifles, but they got a lot of shooting in and got a lot of instruction in a short time. Good stuff.
Other solutions discovered after hard trial & error...
Ruger MKIV 22/45 and 10/22.
Beretta A400 28ga shotgun: light weight, light recoil, potent enough for pheasant. Kinda spendy, but gets my wife daughter into the field after pheasant.
5" bbl all steel 1911...chambered in 9x19mm, flat MSH, short trigger, slim grip panels fits almost anyone, big or small, and recoil is minimal.
S&W K-frame & L-frame with a great trigger job shooting 148gr Federal Target Wadcutters. J-frames not as easy to shoot due to trigger limitations.
12-13YO boy can handle a Rem 870 12ga firing reduced recoil target loads until your wallet squeals. Buy that ammo in bulk. Get the inexpensive but effective Youth or body armor stock and spacers from Choate to get proper fit. And the non-LEO forearm to reduce the distance folk must reach to operate pump. Switch to Fiocci full power Golden Pheasant loads in the field and he won't know hte difference.
Old-School Patrol slings to carry rifle/shotgun weight at the ready is a big help in the field.
PAST (or whomever bought them) Recoil Shield turns a painful outing into a fun outing.
Lightweight AR15 in 6.5G beats Ruger American Compact Rifle in .243Win due mainly to reduced recoil and no need for PAST. And hte collapsible stock helps all in hte family get on the rifle.
Find an IDPA or similar club that encourages you to bring kiddos. The closest club was standoffish. The second club said bring them on down and were happy to make it work. They thanked me for bringing them after the shoot. Worth every minute of the extra half hour needed to get there.
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Good luck with the kiddos.
Did not give a hoot about AR15s after leaving the service until I figured the AR15 in 6.5Grendel could get my wimminfolk and kiddos in the field with a light in bulk & weight--but effective--rifle.
Quote:This whole topic has taken on renewed interest and retrospect for me as I'm in the process of introducing the shooting discipline to my younger children.
Anyway, I'm forced to reconsider how I make all my purchases lately because there is the emphasis on making shooting as fun and safe for the kids as possible.
Now I have to figure out who will be shooting what and when as they get more mature.
Yep, all of that, the last few years, has been my focus.
Yes, the Ruger 10/22 with a scope is a Godsend, as are the Ruger MKIV 22/45 pistols.
But before all those, the .22LR single shot Crickett rifle at 2.5lbs is the bee's knees. I even bought another stock to cut down for my daughter at first. The cheap 4x32 mil-dot scope on the web site is perfect for it. (build up hte stock with pipe insulation & conforming tape to get eyeball in line with scope). I found that if you zero with hi-vel .22LR at 25 yards, you can shoot Aguila super-colibri and hit the same spot if you use the 3rd mil-dot down. Super Colibris in the Crickett are less loud than an air rifle and kill squirrels out to 25 yards with no need for earpro. Just ask my son & daughter and FIL.
Took wife & kiddos to an Appleseed shoot after getting some of the basics down. No, they were not going to make Rifleman with Cricket Rifles, but they got a lot of shooting in and got a lot of instruction in a short time. Good stuff.
Other solutions discovered after hard trial & error...
Ruger MKIV 22/45 and 10/22.
Beretta A400 28ga shotgun: light weight, light recoil, potent enough for pheasant. Kinda spendy, but gets my wife daughter into the field after pheasant.
5" bbl all steel 1911...chambered in 9x19mm, flat MSH, short trigger, slim grip panels fits almost anyone, big or small, and recoil is minimal.
S&W K-frame & L-frame with a great trigger job shooting 148gr Federal Target Wadcutters. J-frames not as easy to shoot due to trigger limitations.
12-13YO boy can handle a Rem 870 12ga firing reduced recoil target loads until your wallet squeals. Buy that ammo in bulk. Get the inexpensive but effective Youth or body armor stock and spacers from Choate to get proper fit. And the non-LEO forearm to reduce the distance folk must reach to operate pump. Switch to Fiocci full power Golden Pheasant loads in the field and he won't know hte difference.
Old-School Patrol slings to carry rifle/shotgun weight at the ready is a big help in the field.
PAST (or whomever bought them) Recoil Shield turns a painful outing into a fun outing.
Lightweight AR15 in 6.5G beats Ruger American Compact Rifle in .243Win due mainly to reduced recoil and no need for PAST. And hte collapsible stock helps all in hte family get on the rifle.
Find an IDPA or similar club that encourages you to bring kiddos. The closest club was standoffish. The second club said bring them on down and were happy to make it work. They thanked me for bringing them after the shoot. Worth every minute of the extra half hour needed to get there.
===============
Good luck with the kiddos.
Regards,
roo_ster
"Drive Nature out with a pitchfork, she'll come right back, Victorious over your ignorant confident scorn."
----Horace
roo_ster
"Drive Nature out with a pitchfork, she'll come right back, Victorious over your ignorant confident scorn."
----Horace