Author Topic: youth sportster for son's first gun? (Read 1005 times)

thelaw · « **on:** July 16, 2004, 06:06:01 PM »

any input on this rifle. thinking of the .22lr for my soon to be 6 year old son's starter gun. can accuracy be had out of the rimfire the same as the centerfire version. also, do you think a scope would be appropriate or a some sort of reddot sight?

MSP Ret · « **Reply #1 on:** July 17, 2004, 01:50:02 AM »

thelaw, A sportster Youth model or a "VersaPak", which is both a .22LR barrel and a .410 shotgun barrel that fit the same frame with a youth stock, a nice black carry/storage soft sided and padded case is a great starter gun or combo. The VersaPak comes with iron sights which is how I personally think all shooters should be started. Others feel a scope is the way to go. I think a Red Dot might be a option but it must be turned off and on every time and batteries do run out. All .22 barrels are drilled and tapped for a scope so if you get him the VersaPak (I think they are about $130.00-140.00 at Wal Mart) you could always put an adult buttstock and/or a scope on it later and he could use it into Adulthood and then give it to his son again with the youth stock. Do not hamper a young shooter with a cheap scope. Get a good scope even on a .22. If an adult who knows how to shoot cannot shoot well with a cheap scope it is the same for a youth learning to shoot and just frustrates them. Start with .22 shorts and work up to LR's. These guns can shoot. You could use the Sportster or VersaPak at 100 yards for woodchucks if you are capable, the gun is!!! Congratulations on wanting to teach your son to shoot. If he doesn't like it, get an adult buttstock for it and you will have a GREAT truck gun, both .22 and .410 in one package!!!....<><.... :grin: (P.S. - some feel it is better to get both a .22LR Youth Sportster ($103.62 plus tax at Wal-Mart) and later buy at Youth Pardner .410 for about $89.00(?). That way you get 2 guns for not much more money, just a thought....)

mitchell · « **Reply #2 on:** July 17, 2004, 04:01:36 AM »

that would be a great gun for a starter or maybe the versapack like msp said but i have one disagreement , get the kid a scope (buy a bb gun for iron sights) its best to be taught with the best quality of equipment a gun that goes bang and where its told every time. a used 3-9X40 bushnell can be had for about 35 bucks.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #3 on:** July 17, 2004, 06:50:33 AM »

I guess we all have opinions Mitchell. My problem with scopes for beginners is new shooters must learn the basics of shooting. First safety and ethics, then they must cultivate the ability to hit what they are aiming at and know what a bullet does when fired and what something as simple as trajectory is. I have seen to many hunters or shooters (both in my classes and at hunting camp as well as at the range) who cannot shoot accurately and blame the gun and equipment when in reality they have no idea of how to shoot and what proper sight alignment looks like. Begin with the basics and build upon a good foundation, thats the way to bring up a good, competent rifleman. To many now think they can buy accuracy by spending a lot of money on rifles and scopes when they would be better served by learning the basics and learning HOW to shoot. In a way isn't that way most of us here love these little inexpensive single shots?....<><.... :grin:

mitchell · « **Reply #4 on:** July 17, 2004, 09:20:43 AM »

i take back what i said listen to the old men they know what they talking about . But as soon as he's got all that stuff down get him a scope.

MSP : thank GOd finally an adult that is mature enough to agree to disagree, on most of these forums if some one has a different opinion they try to change their minds i'm glad we got people like you.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #5 on:** July 17, 2004, 11:57:06 AM »

Thanks Mitchell, I can see you are mature beyond your years. You seem like a guy myself and most here would be happy to share a campfire or a foxhole with anytime...Carry on!!!....<><.... :grin:

mitchell · « **Reply #6 on:** July 17, 2004, 12:43:14 PM »

although foxholes keep showing up in my future i like groundhogholes a lot better but either way your welcome to share any of them with me any day

tallyho · « **Reply #7 on:** July 17, 2004, 10:30:05 PM »

thelaw:

I have a couple of Sportsters in 22LR for my kids to shoot. One with a youth stock for my 9 yr old. It has a 4x scope on it. And he loves it. When he shoots it he says he wants to be a sniper (my daughter 12 said the same thing after shooting it too!) When he shoots the Henry lever gun he wants to be a cowboy!

Though I tend to agree with MSP re iron sights in general, the Sportster has to be drilled and tapped for them so I chose scope them. The kids get plenty of chance to use irons on the Henry anyway! And they each have airguns (including a pistol) with irons, which they use quite a bit. So I'm not too concerned.

In my opinion it is a great litle gun to start kids off with (though truthfully both my kids started shooting before the Sportster entered our lives.. and they started with iron sights!)

The Youth Sportster fits my 9 yr old very well, is not too heavy, and has a slicked up trigger that I was worried about at first (see thread about "trigger too light") but have now come to see as a positive. We have one with a 2.5 lb trigger and one with a 4 lb trigger. Everybody prefers the 2.5!

We have so far only shot at a friend's property using the Colibri ammo at about 20-30yds, targets being Pepsi cans, but it is quite accurate enough for that. This weekend we will be taking two of them (and an NEF in .22 Hornet) to a 'real' range and sighting them all in properly with actual paper targets.

So, in my own experience I think the Sportster is a great little item to start a kid on. I wish I had had one years ago to use myself! I don't think anybody can go wrong with one for kids.

Cheers
Kerry

MSP Ret · « **Reply #8 on:** July 18, 2004, 03:26:45 AM »

Great info tallyho, you are doing a wonderful thing for your children in teaching them the proper and safe handling of firearms. By the way, The .22 barrel on the VersaPak comes through with iron sights and it is drilled and tapped for a scope rail also. That was one of my reasons for mentioning it. The buttstock can always be replaced with an longer or adult buttstock as the need arised and it can be fitted with a scope later if and when desired. (Makes a great partridge or barn gun!!! .410 or .22!!)....<><.... :grin:

tallyho · « **Reply #9 on:** July 18, 2004, 06:49:49 AM »

MSP
Yeh, I do like that about the VersaPak and if I could have afforded the difference at the time I would have gotten a couple of them for the kids, but all I could manage was one Sportster, then a couple of months later another.

I have actually been considering selling one of the Sportsters and putting the money toward a VersaPak... but then there's the SB2 frame with .22 Hornet that wants a 30/30 barrel... and a shotgun (or barrel) for turkey hunting...

Anyway, as I mentioned they get plenty of exposure to iron sights with the Henry .22 and their airguns

BTW any idea how the VeraPak handles the two barrels? One being rimfire one centerfire? Is the .22 barrel offset? And come to think about it, Rossi offers the same kind of set up with rimfire and shotgun barrels...

Cheers
Kerry

MSP Ret · « **Reply #10 on:** July 18, 2004, 07:30:35 AM »

tallyho, one of the barrels would have to have the bore offset by at least .11+, not sure which is offset at the moment....<><.... :grin: