Youth .22

[luv2hunt]

I had Christmas all figured out for my 5 year old son. This was the year he was going to get a .22 and he'd start shooting. We all probably began at this age. He's got toy guns & he's been learning how to treat a gun, never point at people, etc...

NOW, here's the problem. I took him to the gun store yesterday and let him try out a youth 22. It was called a Davey Crickett. Small, fit him almost perfectly. When he put the gun up, he said "I can't see down the barrel. He is right handed & I 'assumed' he would shoot right handed. He is LEFT EYE DOMINANT. All that the Davey Crickett comes in is right handed. I found a Chipmunk, same small stock & barrel, and it comes in left handed, but they're on back order.

Long time to get to my question, but do I buy a right handed gun and let him shoot it left handed, it'll be a pain, but he'll learn. Do I buy a right handed gun & teach him to be right eye dominant? or do I wait and get the left handed version?

Sorry for the length, but I need HELP!!

Ted

[rp]

Start looking hard and you will find that gun somewhere. I will keep an eye out myself.

But doesn't someone make a breakaction 22 somewhere that will not matter for the eye dominance?

And for what it is worth. My kids have/will/do shoot a chipmunk but the rear peep is so large they are all over the target. A dovetail sight, I think, would be better. They have a blast with a pellet gun in the back yard with which the shoot silhourtte type targets.

[luv2hunt]

RP, thanks for the advice & offer to help in finding one. I thought that about the peep site too. I am thinking about putting a scope on it and going that route, maybe too early for him? I really want he & my daughter to start shooting.

[rp]

I think the chipmunk does have a scope option. But you are right, a scope does make it real easy. Think about how much you kearned about bullet trajectory with an open sight.

[CWPINST]

If you are sure he is left eye dominant, I would suggest teaching him to shoot left handed and get him left handed guns. I had the opposite problem with my oldest son (rt. eye dominant and left handed). He learned to shoot rt. handed and does pretty well. If you don't shoot according to your dominant eye, you will have a REAL tough time with a shotgun. You can close one eye with a rifle and get by, but moving targets with a shotgun will give you fits! JMO.

[BugBuster]

I have a youth single shot .22 for my seven year old girl and I think it is made by h&r.

[Simple Man]

The .22 that I won at the FF workday is a youth single shot - right handed. My 7yr. old daughter loves it. Maybe somebody can tell you where they got it and you can check w/that source on options for lefties... [img]graemlins/confused.gif[/img]

[luv2hunt]

Thanks guys. CWP, that's exactly what I was thinking, go with what is natural for him. I'm sure it'll be easier for him to learn without having to overcome something that doesn't have to be done. RP, I think you suggested the break-down style. The one that I saw at Dick's weighed a TON, there may be others. The Chipmunk is only 2.5 lbs and I think would work perfectly. SM, go figure, I should have known that it would not have been as easy, I ought to be used to facing curve balls by now!! Maybe we can hook up & get to the range with the kids one Sunday afternoon?