Looking at getting my 7 year old a BB or pellet gun and start the leaning process. Did some reading on the Google and it seems like the Daisy 499 and 880, crossman 760 have good reviews and are good for the kids small frame.

Also thought about the red rider but read that accuracy and heavy trigger are turnoff for young kids. I also see that Gamo has some youth options.

Anyone with experience with any of these or others I need to consider?

I have access to a gun range that has an air rifle area with silhouettes so hope to get out there once we have the basics and respect covered.

Umarex guns have been accurate and durable for kids.

Single and mult-stroke pneumatics don't have the vibration and recoil of spring-piston rifles such as a 499, so for a lot of people they are easier and more accurate to shoot. Also, most cheaper springers only shoot BB's, but most pneumatics shoot both BB's and pellets, so they offer a bit more flexibility. At the cheaper end is the single-stroke pneumatic from Barra that I believe is called the Junior Rifle. Multi-strokes however give you the ability to increase/vary the power. The Daisy 880 has a longer pump lever than others such as the Crosman 760, so better leverage for pumping. Pump a couple of times for indoor target practice, and more pumps for longer range outdoor shooting and hunting.

CO2 guns are the easiest to shoot, since no need for pump/cocking lever. Good choice if shooting indoors, but not good for outdoors when the temps are really low or really high. The Crosman 1077 is an old stand-by that seems to have a following. It is a semi-auto that uses a 10-shot magazine. Personally though, I would go with a single-shot such as a QB78 for a first gun.

I wouldn't recommend a break-barrel spring-piston rifle or pistol as a first gun, since there are more potential safety issues as compared to pneumatics or CO2, or the non-break barrels such as the 499 you mentioned. The 499 certainly wouldn't be a bad choice, but know that it works best with the BB's that are specifically designed for it, and they will be a bit more expensive than the BB's at your local Walmart. Just keep in mind that BB's have a much higher potential to bounce back towards the shooter than does pellets.

C

A lot of people don't realize that a red rider is dang near a full size gun and is fairly stiff to cock. What my kids used was the daisy Buck model 105. It is much smaller and easier to cock. I wouldn't call it the most accurate gun ever but it is just fine for plinking cans in the back yard and teaching fun safety.

I dunno, the fully automatic CO2 BB guns are hella-fun.

I should also mention that if you are concerned about a higher level of accuracy and power, then you might look into the cheaper pre-charged pneumatics such as the Crosman 3622. Hard to believe for me, but you can not get these things for under $200. These will have rifled barrels, and since no vibration or recoil, are more accurate for most people. Downside is that you also have to buy some way to fill the air tank. This is actually not that hard to do. Electric compressors are available of course, but they also make manual pumps that look like bicycle tire pumps, and that can pump to over 3500 psi. You will have to do the pumping until your kid(s) get large enough to do it themselves, but a rifle such as this can serve him years, if not decades.

C

zooguy96 said:

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I dunno, the fully automatic CO2 BB guns are hella-fun.

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My kids have "out grown theirs". So of course I still shoot it off the porch at the ranch. Cue Mike Gundy