This was a kid-oriented range trip. All firearms were .22LR; both handguns are scaled-down models of their full-sized brethren: The Mosquito is a 90% sized copy of the SIG SAUER P226, and the New Frontier is a 7/8 scale version of the venerable Colt Single Action Army. The Remington 511 bolt action rifle, being the only bolt-action rimfire I possess, was a little difficult for the kids to operate so it didn't see a lot of use - although they did really dig seeing the target up close through the 3-9X scope (set on low power since we were only at 25 feet). The 10/22 was a huge hit, although I did discover that it does NOT like CCI Mini-mags and tends to mash them something awful...
TheBoy still loved it:
ZOMG! A 10 year old with an assault weapon!
He really liked the red dot sight, and was delighted to discover that it could be either red OR green. He refers to it now as the "30-round gun", as I have a couple 30 rounders I picked up at a local gun shop for it as well as the flush-fit 10 rounders. He got to see first hand how much easier it was to shoot a rifle accurately vs. a pistol, but did notice that the rifles were a lot heavier...
His favorite gun, though? The wheelgun:
10 Years to CAS...
I don't know why he liked the New Frontier best out of the guns he's shot. I would have thought, given sheer number of rounds fired, that the 10/22 would have achieved "favorite" status (he emptied both 30 rounders and several 10 rounders with it), but at the end of the day he liked the revolver best. That's my boy.
And, of course, Miss Z got to shoot the Mosquito:
Gonna Cost Dad $$$
Y'know, I hope every time I post a picture of young girl with a firearm, Sarah Brady cries.
She seemed to like it just fine - Daniel commented that she was making noises about getting one of her own (!!!) - and I think moving to the indoor range helped that decision along. It's cozy, no doubt about that, but it was also heated and out of the snow - when we finally got ready to leave and came upstairs (the indoor range is in the club basement), we realized that it was snowing hard outside! I think all parties had a grand time, and I'm happy to repeat any time.
And I had the best feedback EVER from my son the very next day: "Dad, when can we go to the range again?"
That is all.
11 comments:
Great job, Jay, on starting them off right.
AAHH! Like father, like son. The world ain't never gonna be the same. Good job, Dad.
Is that a stainless folding stock on a blued 10/22?
For shame sir, for shame. Didn't your mother ever teach you to wear matching socks? Might as well duracoat the whole thing some plaid, pink design!
Haha!
Hat tip to you and Daniel, not just for taking the kids shooting but for making sure they had fun in the process. Nothing turns off a kid's interest faster than "sit down and watch me shoot."
I can understand the lad's preference for the wheel gun. Semi-autos are efficient and boring; with the revolver you're closer to the action. Or think about it another way: why do you ride a motorcycle when a nice sedan with automatic and seat belts is so much easier and safer?
When are you taking TheBoy for a spin with the mod 17? Everyone really likes that one.
W.V. 'sable'
TheBoy was 'sable' to shoot much better than minute-of-berm.
- Brad
Thanks George and SHARON!
Mr. Stith,
Heh. While I agree that a stainless barrel 10/22 would look better, you run what ya brung... Here in MA we're still subject to the execrable Assault Weapons Ban, so I have to make do with my pre-ban blued 10/22... ;)
Dave H.,
Thanks. I learned my lesson the hard way with Mrs. G. about not paying attention to my new shooter and making sure they were having a good time when I took her to the range for her first and only time in the early 1990s.
Hence why the tailored firearms and such for the kids...
And good point on the wheelgun...
Brad,
The 17's up for the next outing. I wanted to make sure he was comfortable with the weight of the (slightly) smaller Colt before going with the uber-Smith...
I figure the model 17, the 422 (with red dot!), and the Remington 572 Fieldmaster pump-action should make a good next outing.
With the Smith & Wesson model 19 running light 38s as a possible centerfire starter... ;)
I don't know why he liked the New Frontier best out of the guns he's shot.
My guess would be this:
the New Frontier is a 7/8 scale version of the venerable Colt Single Action Army
since the Colt SAA is better known as "the cowboy's gun" and may be the first firearm that every kid learns to recognize, with the second being either the Luger 9mm or the M1911.
Jay,
My bud w/ the Browning auto 5 thinks he's figured out the cycling. Look up the stuff on the friction rings used to control recoil speed. His gun was setup 3 inch magnum loads . . . we were running light 2 3/4 target loads.
- Brad
Jay,
One more thing . . . any time you think TheBoy's ready to try Miss Cherry (aka MY Ruger) . . . say the word. Might as well get him started on the road to 1911's.
- Brad
Wonderful!
Thanks again, Jay! (My stepdaughter Miss Z had the same reaction: she wants to do it again soon. And my offer stands -- next time let's finish up with pizza.)
My apologies for moving us indoors out of the cold, thereby never getting to the shooting clays or the iron target. (I really did want to try those. Not your fault; you did tell us to bundle up.)
For the benefit of anyone here who hasn't shot with Jay yet, I have to say that he's a first-class guide for new shooters. He walked us through everything, step by step, with patience and good humor, and made sure everyone got a turn. He didn't even take the bait when I asked him a wimpy question ("Jay, is the indoor range heated?")... he was probably behaving himself in front of Miss Z.
Jay, if you continue to treat your guests the way you treated us, you'll have Mrs. G shooting before you know it!
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