AusVarmint

My twelve year old boy asked me the other day if he could buy an air rifle if he saved up, though not having had a lot to do with air rifles in the last little while what would you recomend (i had a BSA meteor)? An idea of dollars would be good for what you recomend if possible. Most likely will have a budget of about $350.00 or so.

Paz

350 puts u in the budget for a Baikal IZH-61 which is great fun for boys OR a Beeman R7 if you have a little more $$$.

i got a little gamo delta fox on the way for my 8 yr old the r7 is too heavy for him and i cringe every time he bumps the lovely stock....

anyway will pick it up in a couple of days, i'll let you know how it goes

Might just be worthwhile having a chat with Lewis about this. He may just have something in his Alladin's Cave that will do the job and will be reliable and accurate enough to keep the young fellow interested in shooting. There is nothing worse than a gun that shoots all over the place for turning a youngster away from shooting.
Well, that's my thoughts but I could easilly be wrong (again).
Have a happy and safe new year.
Dennis.

Thanks for the replies.
I guess i/he doesnt really need something that is going to be to delicate for him to use, though i dont want something that is going to throw him off either as has been suggested(didn't think of that).
Problem i do have is i have been thinking i should maybe get him a second hand .22 instead, will do him for a few more years until old enough and sensible enough to go to a centrefire, though in the back of my head it is better to be an air rifle due to not quiet as dangerous(though never to be handled any less) if you get what i mean.

Paz

Every boy should have an air rifle!

An airgun teaches proper hold, follow through, trigger control, the importance of proper range estimation and so on - practice is sooo cheap, no chance of hearing damage and no need to go far to do it (if you need to go anywhere at all... )

A small / mid sized break barrel would be the way to go, and the right one will last for years too.

Second-hand R7 or R9 would be my first and second choices, and they involve emailing Lewis - now!

Good luck - Chris

Good advice Chris, the average 12yo boy (or girl for that matter) would have no trouble with an R7. Best to start a shooting career with quality rather than rubbish.

I think a 12 year old would find a R9 quite heavy...i even find it to be heavy after a while...

Cheers

I had exactly this issue, and chose the Gamo Expo 26 for (5 yrs ago) $250.

It is a nice-looking break barrel but it has a plastic barrel shroud and foresight, that looks like a normal springer barrel. As a result the weight is light and the balance point is a short distance in front of the trigger guard instead of toward the front of the stock like many quality springers. This is miles better balance for young kids.

The rifle will group OK for kids 10m match at the Police & Citizen's Youth Club; but I think it best on tin cans at 5-15m.

Maybe one of the smaller Diana guns, like the 28 or 240 Classic might suit..

I think an R9 would be too big for a 12 y.o. An R7 would be more like it.

BSA still make the Meteor I believe, and (dare I say it....) Gamo make a few youth models as do Norica and Cometa.

just got my sons gamo delta fox today....gee it was a surparise to see how well it shoots....even with the crap trigger it has

nearly all plastic nice a light for my boy and he should be able to cock it himself after a couple of 100 shots.....

wont even comapre to the r7 other than to say they are worlds a part.....

well the boy finally got to shoot the gamo today and he loves it. he can cock it (with some effort) and is fairly accurate out to 15 m. we will practice on paper tomorrow to see which pellets it likes best

btw lewis have you still got rusty tins of .177 pellets, i may need a few now that there are 2 shooters with a third on the way......

Lewis will see you right and then you get his world class warantee back up- ease of mind for all thing air gun
P