New on AllOutdoor: Selecting the right gun for teaching a new shooter

Posted on July 8, 2013 by Oleg Volk

The article focuses on selecting the right firearm for teaching guns safety and marksmanship to kids.

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11 Responses to New on AllOutdoor: Selecting the right gun for teaching a new shooter

  1. Rivrdog says:
    July 8, 2013 at 10:22 am

    Just one question, Oleg, and it is NOT a criticism:

    When teaching kids to shoot, it’s natural that they get pleasure from learning adult skills and being regarded enough as adults to do so. However, it’s also natural that they communicate this pleasure to their friends.

    Now we have conflict, since in this present society, the combination of guns and kids is a taboo, insists the Left, which controls schools and camps, and most places where children gather.

    It seems equally important to the teaching of firearms to imbue the child with a sense of “this has to be a hidden pleasure, between you and (Dad, Mom, Grand-dad, whoever). You can’t tell your friends about it.”

    Right there, that is an impossible thing to ask of a child of the age you portray, but if the child does NOT get that message, they will be scarred for life by the Left’s insane but draconian reaction when those authorities find out that the child is being taught to handle and operate firearms, especially an AK.

    We have a first-class dilemma here. For the salvation of our Constitution, it would pay us to teach as many of our children about and how to operate firearms, but we risk the misplaced wrath of present society when we do.

    I do not see this dilemma addressed very often, yet it seems to me that it ought to be on the tip of our tongues whenever we discuss guns or our Constitution.

    • Oleg Volk says:
      July 8, 2013 at 10:24 am

      I didn’t think to address that because I live in an area where this is mainstream. That’s an excellent topic for another, much more extensive article with parallels between USA and USSR.

    • Y. says:
      July 9, 2013 at 8:35 am

      That is not an AK..

      ..however, the guns look similar so you’re excused. Even some morons who once toted such weapons have been known to claim it’s an AK. That’s what conscription gets you: morons.

  2. Duray says:
    July 8, 2013 at 11:26 am

    Nice job. One correction though; the T/C is not a “falling block” action.

  3. David E says:
    July 8, 2013 at 11:35 am

    Nice picture – great czoice in rifle. 🙂 I have a picture of my son shooting the 5.56mm SA vz-58 – good rifle to teach with. He was aged 11 when we did that one. 😉

  4. BryanS (@Azzy_FOAC) says:
    July 8, 2013 at 11:55 am

    Im a fan of lever action rifles, starting at a 22. Simple, fun, reliable (fun sure is killed at the range when you have to fix a mag or ammo issue). A Henry is my go to gun for that teaching activity.

  5. Duray says:
    July 8, 2013 at 1:37 pm

    The hot shot is a break open, like the Encore and Contender. A falling block has a fixed barrel and a breech block that slides vertically within the frame to expose the chamber. A prime example is the Ruger #1.

  6. Y. says:
    July 9, 2013 at 8:47 am

    My 2 cents:

    Teaching basic shooting should be done exclusively on airguns.
    Little risk of killing anyone, cheap, no toxic fumes, quiet and so on.

    Most of the world, shooting gunpowder guns outside of ranges is prohibited, however, airguns, if legal can be shot anywhere provided no one complains..

    I’d never buy a .22 rifle, since shooting reloads from a .223 or 7.62×39 is only about 40% more expensive in these parts and you get roughly 10 times the bang. And you have to slog to the range with it, same as with the piddly .22 , and pay the same range fees and all that-

    Also: simplicity of operation? Anyone who can’t, with instruction, figure out how to operate a bolt-action or an AR has no business holding any gun..

  7. Scott says:
    July 11, 2013 at 11:39 am

    That’s actually why I like the AR platform for a kid’s first “real rifle”. You can start them on an air rifle or .22 rimfire, but at some point they’re going to want to shoot something bigger.

    With the telescoping buttstock and dang near zero recoil, the AR is great for kids or small-statured adults new to firearms.

    An AK (or clone) seems to kick a little harder, but the short Russian-style buttstock makes for a good fit on shorter shooters if you teach them the American style of shouldering the weapon.

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