Help with a purchase for my son

[UncleJak]

So, my 10 year old son is ready for a new handgun. He wants a revolver that he can shoot now and that will still be good for him as he gets older. I looked at the Heritage 22lr and Taurus lightweight 38. He can handle the Taurus weight, but I dont think the barrel is long enough to control the recoil for him. The Heritage barrel was plenty long, but it weighed the gun down making it uncomfortable for him to hold for more than a few seconds. Please help me with some suggestions of what we can try. I think he needs something mid range powerful with a medium barrel. What is available? Thanks for any suggestions!

[ls3_kid]

Ruger® SP101® Double-Action Revolver Models

Ruger SP101? S&W Model 18?

[R1100R]

Ruger Single Six in .22 and change the grip to a Hogue. you can get different length barrels.

[LagerHead]

Walther P22?

[jcj]

Walther P22?

+1 Very good option for a 22lr if you need small and lightweight. My son really handles the Walther P22 nicely. They even come in tacticool camo patterns..if that matters.

[tercel89]

Ruger SP101 . He can shoot .38 in it and .357mags too . HE WILL NEVER OUTGROW THAT THING AND IT WILL LAST HIM HIS LIFETIME

[hipower]

Ruger SP101 . He can shoot .38 in it and .357mags too . HE WILL NEVER OUTGROW THAT THING AND IT WILL LAST HIM HIS LIFETIME

We have a winner!

I have owned a hammerd and a DAO Sp101, both in 357. Heavy enough to tame the 357 recoil, and light enough to shoot comfortably with 38 loads. And as said above bu tercel89 they should last a lifetime. They seem dang near indestructible.

[Murgatroy]

Hell I am a full grown adult and I love shooting my Heritage Rough Riders. Being cheap on ammo they are a blast.

The thing that sticks out to me, if the gun is too heavy for him to hold for more than a few seconds, how is he going to handle any amount of recoil?

[gunrunner32]

Tell him it's time to man up and get him a Ruger Super Redhawk in the .454 Casull/.45 Colt combo...the .45 Colt is for those days he wants to just plink around...I'm kidding, I have one and it's a bear to shoot a lot, not to mention the cost and availability of .454 Casull.

I would go with the SP101 in the .38 it seems like it would fit the bill. although I'm pretty partial to Single Actions myself, and have you looked at any of the Heritage Big Bore SAA Revolvers or anything from Uberti?

[DaveTN]

I bought a S&W Model 617 because I wanted a .22 that was the same size and weight as a K or L frame .357Mag.

It’s great for cheap trigger time and would last him a lifetime.

[dats82]

The thing that sticks out to me, if the gun is too heavy for him to hold for more than a few seconds, how is he going to handle any amount of recoil?

This was my thought. Seems anything in a heavier caliber would have to be just as heavy if not heavier for him to be able to handle the recoil for more than a couple rounds at a time. If my memory serves, Taurus makes a UL revolver in a .22. If not, I think I would hold out for a while.

[R_Bert]

The thing that sticks out to me, if the gun is too heavy for him to hold for more than a few seconds, how is he going to handle any amount of recoil?

Shootin Stick, BogPod, or Bench Rest. Let the kid shoot anything he wants.

[quietguy]

I don't have any trigger time on them, but you might want to check out the Charter Pathfinders as well as the other suggestions. Not generally one to promote Charter products, but I do like the feel of the Pathfinder.

The SP101 is, as stated previously, a lifetime gun. May be little to much for him to handle now, but he will quickly grow into it.

[whiskey]

My daughter was shooting a Taurus 94 with a 4" barrel at 10. It is the same weight as most steel j-frame guns. She complained a bit about the weight the first outing, but she quickly grew accustom to it.

I took my step-mother and wife shooting last weekend and even using semi-wadcutters in the Taurus Ultra Light, they still complained about the recoil and hand slap. I think if you want to go with a j-frame, go with the steel and go with a 3 or 4 inch barrel.

You may also want to look at the .327 mag. Then he could shoot lightweight .32's to start with.

[UncleJak]

Thanks for the suggestions! We will be going out again this weekend to handle all of the above mentioned. I have a feeling he would grow accustomed to any weight, but don't want to make it too difficult. He has shot his mothers Walther sp22 and did great with it. I would just get him one of those, but he really wants a revolver. It seems that the revolvers are weighted differently than semi autos. If anyone else has other suggestions, please let me know. I plan on making a day of trying guns out so the more the merrier.

[tnhawk]

The Heritage Rough Rider or Ruger Single Six 0627 would be good choices.

[MacGyver]

At 10, I vote for something in .22LR. One of the things that has stuck with me from my time learning to shoot as a kid is that I had to buy my own ammo. It taught me trigger discipline when I was saving my allowance to buy the rounds I shot.

No one will ever outgrow a good .22LR revolver. Any of the quality ones should last a lifetime and then some. But, with the price of .22LR, he can reasonably shoot all he wants.

My vote would either be for an old S&W model 17 if you can find one or a new Model 617. I've got J-frame sized 351C in .22mag that I absolutely love. I think the equivalent .22LR is the 43C.

[whiskey]

Here is a good deal on a used S&W. Maybe you can find one to see how he likes it.

Smith & Wesson model 64 38Spl 4in stainless steel revolver, used, very good condition S&W

[10-Ring]

Unless you reload or have deep pockets get him a .22. He will spend the summers of his teenage years carrying it around and shooting all kinds of good stuff, all the while going through lots of ammo. I own a Rough Rider and can't say enough good things about it. A Ruger Single Six would be even better if the price isn't an issue, but the Heritage is a fine gun.

[greyofk]

My most accurate handgun is Dan Wesson revolver. The best trigger and least felt recoil. Might be the best handgun to learn marksmanship.

[Guest Nunya]

My boys have been shooting my .38 Smith with 4.5" barrel since they were 8. It's their favorite gun.