More young hunters are sure to be heading to the woods this fall as new legislation awaiting Governor Snyder’s signature will remove the arbitrary minimum hunting age requirements. The concept will allow Michigan youngsters to hunt with adult mentors under a program administered by the state’s Natural Resources Commission. But, before putting youngsters behind a firearm, it is wise to consider which gun may fit them best. A good starting point is always a .22 rimfire.
Mossberg Model 152
The last thing an experienced mentor should do is “over-gun” youth. Firearms that are suited to adults are often too large and too abusive to youngsters, and therefore, careful consideration should be given to proper fit. With the surge in youth participation in shooting sports across the nation, many inexpensive youth model firearms are on the market that can help in the introductory process. And, there is no better choice than a .22 rimfire.
The .22 rimfire rifles are generally light and are quieter than other calibers, but because of the sensitive nature of young ears, good hearing protection is still a must. When coupled with the low recoil, rimfires offer the perfect platform for beginners. But just because rimfires don’t make a lot of noise and don’t belch fire and smoke, bullets can still travel surprisingly long distances – up to 1.5 miles. Rimfires are also more prone to richochets than more powerful guns, because bullets do not disintegrate upon contact with hard surfaces. So, it’s always important to make sure large, safe backstops are used during practice sessions.
When it comes to rimfire ammunition, choices as varied as colors on a paint chart. Typically, hyper-velocity rounds are to be avoided for beginning target shooters because they are not inherently accurate and they make a lot of noise. You may want to consider low-velocity ammo such as Remington CBees, which use only primer compound to propel the bullet. Other standard-velocity rounds will also work well for target shooting and will provide the same paper-punching feedback as their more powerful counterparts.
Once a gun is sighted in, shooting at reactive targets can be a plenty of fun. Inexpensive party balloons, clay pigeons, or throw-away bottles of water can add to the excitement. You might even want to strike up a little competition, but understand that a youngster’s eyesight and steady nerves might put you at a disadvantage.
Sighting systems can be as rudimentary as iron sights or as high tech as electronic components. While it may be good to introduce a youngster to the art of lining up targets with iron sights, it’s much more difficult to shoot accurately than most scopes. Inexpensive rimfire scopes can be purchased for less than $40 and can really aid in accuracy; just make sure the scope is actually designed for rimfires with a parallax setting to match shorter range shooting. Another good choice could be inexpensive red dot sights. They are easy to get behind and when the red dot is on the target and the gun has been sighted in, it’s a simple matter to hit the bull’s eye.
With a little forethought, rimfires can punch paper as accurately as anything and have the potential to put some tasty wild game on the table this fall without breaking the bank.
