BB gun - break model or pump

[tomatolord]

I want to get the boys a bb gun for xmas (6 and 8)years old and do some plinking<br /><br />I used to have crosman's as a kid but I have been doing some research and these break guns seam pretty cool.<br /><br />I also like the idea that my boys cant use it without me to "break it".<br /><br />I dont want to do the co2 models<br /><br />The only downside is the break models are 1000fps vs 680 for the pumps - which means the bb will go further - I am in a heavily wooded area but I still have neighbors.<br /><br />Thnx<br /><br />tomatolord

 

[18rabbit]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

At that age, pump. The Crossman Rde Rider is a good one for kids that age. And congrats on teaching your kids gun safety.<br /><br />The break gun like Beeman aren't cheap, are heavy for a pellet gun, but are extremely accurate. Your kids will enjoy something like that in 4 or 5 more years, but you would enjoy it now. Fwiw, a Beeman pellet gun is effective for pest control of vermin the size of, oh, say something the size of a cat.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

TL, if you want to teach them marksmanship I would definitely go with the 'break' model pellet gun. Pellets are infinitely more accurate than BB's plus they do not tend to richocette like steel BB's do.<br /><br />I haven't looked in a while but I think you can get relatively inexpensive El Gamo rifles that do not have such high velocity. Also, do not let them 'dry' fire a single break piston air rifle.

 

[Terry Olson]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

At 6 and 8 years old you might want to think about starting them out with the old lever action "Red Ryder". It shoots the BBs by spring pressure and they move much slower than an air gun (which is what I think you're talking about - we used to call them 10-pumps). <br /><br />It probably doesn't matter much because you're going to supervise them when they shoot, but you'll have fewer worries about stray rounds and their potential travel distance and damage to the things they "inadvertently" hit. You know that sooner or later they'll "accidentally" shoot the shed, a bird, or anything else that looks more interesting to shoot at than their usual target. <br /><br />On the downside, they're not nearly as accurate, but right now as beginning shooters they're plenty close to learn basic shooting skills.<br /><br />Maybe start them out on the red ryder so they learn to shoot properly with open sights, then move up to a good air rifle with a scope when they have the first one mastered? <br /><br />Food for thought anyway.

 

[18rabbit]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

Oh, I forgot to mention, break guns can have a bit of a kick (recoil) to them. At 6 and 8 years old they may be a little young for that.

 

[Boomyal]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

Another option, still pellet, is the old Sheridan type pump rifle. Although they can develop considerable velocity, the kids would not be able to pump them up that high. They will still have the better attributes of pellets and as 18R notes, they won't have the recoil of the break guns.<br /><br />The rifles will last a long time as well.

 

[one more cast]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

I was at my cousins house and his 8 year old son was shooting a crossman pump and he was following all the rules of gun safety and hitting those 2 inch round disc's at about 50 feet. I think the accuracy of the pump gun helped his confidence. I bought him some targets , 6000 BB's, and safety glasses for Christmas.

 

[JB]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

I'm with Terry.<br /><br />All of my grandsons started with Daisy lever guns and graduated to more accurate, more powerful air rifles AFTER they learned how to be safe and responsible.<br /><br />Just MNHO.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

I still have my son's red ryder in my cabinet with the hopes of a grandson some day Great starter IMO

 

[KRS]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

Daisy Buck, it's a lever action, $18.88 at WalMart. 1000 fps is too much for a kid at that age.<br /><br />The Buck's max velocity..... 350 fps. It has a fiber optic sight, wooden stock (painting my girl's pink for her b-day next week), and it holds a couple hundred bb's.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

I got my daughter a Buck when she was 6. She stills uses it. I use it more than her to scare off stray dogs. Its powerful enough that it hurts but will not do any damage unless it hits soft tissue ie an eye. I would reccomend it anyday.

 

[jimr]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

i have a 6 and 9 year old boys and the 6yo has a daisy buck and the 9 yo has a crossman 66. me I have a daisy/winchester 1000 fps pellet gun. no way can kids shoot them SAFELY. the 1000fps guns do have a kick to them and after shooting a couple hundred times will leave your shoulder knowing it. my 6yo wanted to shoot mine and the scope popped him....he doesnt want to shoot my gun any more. also when plinking cans mine will blast right through them and I have to grab the buck to knock them over.

 

[CalicoKid]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

I found through experimentation this year that a 1000fps air rifle can be very inaccurate unless a heavy pellet is used. I would not hand my Gamo (break action) rifle over to a kid unless he was quite experienced shooting. Mine with the super magnum pellets will shoot through the wall of a vinyl sided house, no exaggeration. A kid has no need for that kind of power. I would start out with a little plinker too and step into a pump up type when the time comes. If you must have a break action type keep the velocity at 600 fps or less.<br /><br />Here's a thread on my Gamo experience http://www.iboats.com/cgi-bin/ubb/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic;f=37;t=001762#000000

 

[BoatBuoy]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

I vote for Daisy also. When they learn accuracy with that, they'll be excellent marksmen with anything else.

 

[AJ168]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

Gamo makes a great gun, very powerful and accurate. I don't know anything about that light pellet thing, from the bench at 30 yards my gun groups under an inch with any kind of pellet, under half an inch with the pellets the gun likes. And I can assume that most of that is just me. Gamo also makes a smaller model, the Delta. Smaller, ligter, easier to ****. Muzzle velocity is something like 500 fps. They also come with a lifetime warranty. I have the Hunter 220, but the one I bought had a problem with it, sent it back to the factory, and within 2 weeks had a brand new gun/scope. (I never returned the origional scope as the gun came as a combo so I now have two scopes) My friend has the youth model, and is every bit as accurate as mine. <br />Here's the link http://www.gamo-airguns.com/air-rifle-delta.htm <br />The Gamo will last them the rest of their lives and in my opinion is definatley worth the extra money.<br /><br />I have a Daisy Red Rider, and although I absolutely love it, the whole joke about shooting your eye out is a reality, as I would've done it had I not been wearing shooting glasses. The pump guns are good, but cheaply made. They're all plastic. Very accurate though, but they've already dropped a couple feet by the time you get 30 yards out.

 

[Copespitter]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

I have a Chinese 1 pump (break style) .22 caliber pellet rifle.<br />Supposedly this gun is a training gun for the Chinese youth military.<br />They only cost $20-$30. <br />This gun is accurate and hits hard. The sights are pretty nice as well. Its alot better then a Daisy or Crossman. Its comparable to the $200 name brand break style air rifles but not quite as pretty.<br />I shoot rats all the time with it. I killed the grand pubah rat wtih it the other night. I thought I wiped out the population a few weeks back but since big boy showed up and paid the ultimate price I don't think there's an end to these boogers.<br /><br />These guns do have some kick but nothing a child couldn't handle as long as its pressed against their shoulder. <br />Awhile back there was a rat hiding behind a peg board that was mounted on the wall of the garage.<br />Since there wasn't much space between the peg board and the wall I had to press my head against the wall and hold the gun straight out from my face so I could look through the sites. I wasn't thinking and the butt of the gun was about a 1/2" from my mouth and I pulled the trigger. The gun kicked back and hit me in the lip and front tooth. It drew blood and my lip was swole for a couple days.<br />The gun is pretty heavy since its wood and steel. The barrel is rifled so it shoots accurate.<br />It would work well if you had a table with a rest. You could load the gun set it on the table and they could handle the rest.<br />I had some kids (about your kids ages) shooting it awhile back. There wasn't a problem except for their lack of gun safety so I had to put it away.<br />I think you can order these guns online. Just do a search.

 

[rodbolt]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

the crossman 660 and 670 are hard to beat, decent accuracy, bb or .177 pellet. and you can mount a 4X scope on it. the daisy powerline series pumps are nice but can develop some serious power in the .22cal one.<br /><br /> but nothing beats the taste of bb's when mouth feeding the old red ryder or daisy cub . my first one I had to lay the stock on my thigh to **** the crazy thing. spent many an hour shooting minnows for bait.

 

[one more cast]

Re: BB gun - break model or pump

Have any of you guys seen the new Red Ryders.... J U N K<br /><br /> By the way... when I was kid I wasn't allowed to have a BB gun because my older sister shot all the windows out of the barn. I started out with a 22 and a 16 gauge single shot at about age 10. I never allowed my girls to PLAY with toy guns and they had a crossman pump at an early age and they can both shoot and handle guns well as adults.