My son turns 9 at the end of July. He said he wants a .22 for his b-day. That in itself made me happy, that he didn't ask for a toy that he wouldn't like after a month or a playstation 2 game. I need some advice on which kind to get him. First he is a lefty. Should I buy him a left handed gun. Most places probably won't have one in stock. I really want to give it to him on his b-day. He has a 20 gauge given to himby his grandpa.(my sonshot it once, a little intimidating for him) Anyways the 20 gauge is a right handed gun, but his grandpa switched the safety to a left hander because he himself was left handed. My friend and his brother are both left handed but always buy right handed guns. Thats just the way they learned. I figure why not start buying my sonleft handed guns and start him how he should be. For example, not reaching around the trigger guard on a Reminton to find the safety. Or having the bolt on the wrong side. Also, I'm thinking of a semi-auto. I think he would outgrow a single shot rather quickly. I don't want to break the bank, but any suggestions of model and advice on the other things I've mentioned would be great. One other thing, what do you guys think of putting a scope on it from the start? In 3 years when he starts to deer hunt, he most likely will be using a scope. Thanks for your advice!

Model Golden 39A
The incomparable Marlin Golden 39A represents the oldest shoulder firearm design still being made anywhere in the world. In fact, the 39's great grandfather, the Model 1891, was the first repeating rifle to be chambered for the 22 Long Rifle cartridge. And over the years, Marlin 22's have become legendary among people who know rifles. The fact is, the Model 39 is still the standard by which all other 22 sporting rifles are judged. Understandable when you consider the clean, flat, solid top receiver, and an action machined from solid steel forgings, which are then heat-treated for greater strength. The Model 39A also features a rebounding hammer, a hammer block safety, and it disassembles in seconds with only a coin. And the stock is crafted from genuine American black walnut and features fine cut-checkering. Thanks to Micro-Groove® rifling, a special process that produces less bullet distortion and a better gas seal, the 39A gives you the kind of accuracy most other 22's can't touch.





Caliber
22 Short, Long or Long Rifle

make sure the LOP is small enough. i have a heck of a time tryin ta get my stepkids and even my tinylittle wife behind my 22's...

early

I have to agree with Rebelhog you can't go wrong with the Marlin. I'm left handed and I started out shooting right handedand now I can shoot either hand though I need to shoot left handed now becauseof a wrist injury. If he is just starting out you can see which eye is dominant and then teach him to shoot with that hand. My nephews were on the 4h shooting club and their coach was the Texas A&M shooting coach and that is what he recommended. He would take each kid and see which eye dominant they were and teach them to shoot with that hand. He said they would be more accurate shooting with their dominant eye.

Never thought of the dominant eye. Is there an easy way to find out his dominant eye?

For a first gun I would get him a youth model break action, like a rossy or NEF/H&R or even a small bolt action like one of the crickets. The break opens should work pretty well no matter what hand he shoots with, and the bolt will be a single shot as well so it really wouldn't matter either.

I would check his eye dominance first. One way is to hold your finger in front of your face while looking at something far away. With both eyes open your finger should be transparent and you should be able to see the target thru it. When you close or cover one eye it will either shift to the side, or block the target. What ever eye it blocks the target with is your dominant eye.

Another way to do it is to place your hands together (overlap them making a very small triangle or hole to look thru) . Hold them out infront of you and look at something far a way thru the hole, then slowly move your hands toward your face. The hole should go to the dominant eye automatically.

For now I would get a single shot or a bolt action and teach him to use open sights. I feel open sights are easier to learn on when starting out because you don't notice how much you move. With a scope you can see how much you shake and move a round. It makes it much harder to get on the target and get a shot off when you can't hold still very well. This leads to target panic and jerking the trigger, which you don't want to teach him right off the bat.

When he gets a little bigger and more comfortable with shooting get him a marlin Model 60 or a Ruger 10/22 with a low powered scope if you want. Either of those should last him for decades if he takes care of them. A marlin lever action would be nice too. I had a Henry that was pretty nice as well for about half the price the marlins are. The marlin is a nicer gun as far as fit and finish goes however. That is actually the gun I learned to shoot on. My dad still has it and it shoots great even now.

I am also left handed, but I am right eye dominant. I do pretty much everything right handed as far as sports go. I shoot firearms and archery right handed and throw right handed. I can actually do everything but archery with both, but prefer right handed shooting. If you can get him to shoot right handed it will be much easeir in the long run, not a must though.

Paul

Exactly! Top ejection, for right handed or left handed shooters.

Determining your Dominant Eye

I just checked the boy he is right eye dominant. So, even though he is left handed, and what little shooting he has done, should I push him toward a right handed gun?

I would, if he starts shooting right handed it will feel natural for him and he won't have to get a specail left handed gun. Also when he getsolder it will be easy for him to learn to shoot left handed as well.