5 Best Youth Guns for Christmas

It’s Christmas time, and no doubt many people are out there shopping with a vengeance, desperately trying to find that “perfect” gift for your kids. What better gift says “I love you” than a good, old-fashioned, tried-and-true FIREARM! Forget the video games this year. Just read this article and you’ll have the basic starting point for your children’s firearm shopping quest.

I’ve taken several factors into account, most notably:  safety, ease of use, and affordability. I’ve also taken the road less traveled by listing a few guns that normally wouldn’t be recommended. Hopefully, my list will have something for all kids and take them from young novice to seasoned champion!

So let’s get right to the meat of it!

Daisy Model 10 BB Gun

When I was a kid my very first gun was, of course, a Daisy BB gun. It’s safe, reliable, easy to shoot, and at $49.95 doesn’t cost an arm and a leg. This is an excellent rifle to teach your kids the basics of sight alignment, sight picture, trigger pull, breath control and follow through.

Important safety note:  BB guns are sometimes not construed by kids as “real” guns. They are real and many a window and eyeball has been shot out by the unsupervised youth. This starter gun will help you teach them the basics, but you have to be right there with them.

Find out more by going to http://daisy.com/shopping/customer/product.php?productid=16338&cat=249&page=1

Now that your kid has learned how to shoot a rifle, let’s move on to something with a little more kick to it!

Marlin Model 915Y

This .22 LR is a nice first rifle for a kid. It’s a bolt action, single-shot firearm that’s easy to load and shoot. It’s a little pricey at $219.30, but you can get it for much less if you shop around. And don’t overlook used guns as well. Just have them checked out and purchase them from a dealer you know and trust. This Marlin features a thumb safety and adjustable sights. The receiver is blued, drilled and tapped. You can’t go wrong with the Marlin 915Y Little Buckaroo Rifle. More specs can be found at http://www.marlinfirearms.com/firearms/BoltAction22/915y.asp.

H&R Pardner Compact

Now here’s a gun that’s been tested in field conditions for a long, long time. This is a very simple gun, easy to shoot, quick pointing, and available in .410, 20, and 28 gauge models. The Pardner Compact is nothing more than a scaled-down version of the full-size Pardner to accommodate the smaller-statured youth of America. This very basic model is 36 inches long, 5 pounds in weight and features a simple front bead sight. As a single shot, break-open action with side lever release, and automatic ejection, they don’t get much easier to shoot than this.

Okay, now we’re moving up in the gun world to the more advanced “kid-type” shooter. You’ve taught your child safety, the basics of marksmanship and stewardship, so now it’s time to bring down some big game! Take a look at this rifle!

Weatherby Vanguard Compact

This is one case where I went up in price, primarily because this is a rifle that will “grow” with your child on into adulthood. This is due to a free full-size injection-molded synthetic stock that comes with the standard compact stock for younger shooters. Get this chambered in .243 and you’re giving your child a great deer rifle to last for life. Unlike the smaller calibers typical in youth rifles, this will put down big game at longer ranges common to those western plains animals. Look around a bit and you can find this rifle for under $500.

Last, but certainly not least, I recommend every parent teach their child how to shoot a pistol for self defense before they fly from the nest. It’s a gift they can live with their whole lives and then pass on to their sons and daughters.

Smith & Wesson M&P 9mm

Okay, I hear what you’re saying. “Hey! That’s not a kid’s gun!” Well, not specifically a kid’s gun, but it certainly can be. My 14-year-old son shoots one all the time and maintains a 2-inch group at 20 feet. His hands are smaller than mine, but the M&P features 3 three replaceable grips in small, medium and large. The recoil is low and it’s easy to sight. For a large-frame pistol, this is one smooth-shooting firearm that your teenagers will love to shoot. You can pick this one up for under $500, and with the extra grips, it will grow with them into adulthood.

Note:  Some states may not allow the 17-round capacity magazines, so check your state and local firearms laws just to make sure before buying. This is a serious gun.

Okay, so those are my kid’s picks for Christmas gifts. While all of you may not agree with me in every case, they still can serve as an excellent starting place in your research and shopping quest for the ultimate kid’s firearms. Have fun and always remember to properly supervise and teach (spelled “hands-on) your children how to be safe and accurate. Give the gift of firearms to your kids and when the power goes out they’ll be well-prepared to survive as the other children sit helplessly on the couch, crying, desperately clutching their non-functioning game controllers. Merry Christmas!