New Young Shooter.

[Bear Calhoun]

My son 11 and is wanting to get into cowboy action shooting. He was shot several different matches and has shot everything from .22-.38spl. I’m looking at getting him his own pair of pistols. Thinking of 38spl bird head grips with 3.5 barrels. Didn’t what brand I should consider. Even thought of .32 H&R but I feel like they are slowing getting higher higher in cost. All recommendations will be appreciated. 

[Eyesa Horg]

My recommendation would be to take him to a local match and try some firearms to see what he likes and can handle best. We have a young lady, 8 I think that's using a 12ga with very light loads, 32 pistols and currently a 22 rifle. You may also want to have a moderator move your thread to the wire. Not much traffic on the FAQ pages. Just click the dots at the top and report your thread.

And "Welcome aboard to your son"

 

Edited November 6, 2024 by Eyesa Horg
Added text,otto

[Captain Bill Burt]

Your son will age out of .22s fairly soon, less than two years. You may want consider guns he can continue to shoot with at that point.

 

I started my three youngest on Henry .22 rifles and transitioned to Uberti 1873’s in 38 special with 18 inch half round half octagon barrels.

 

They started with Ruger Single Sixes/Wranglers in .22 then the boys moved to Ruger Vaquero’s in .38 special and my daughter moved to Ruger Single Sixes in .32 H&R Magnum. 
 

Everyone started with and still shoots Fast Eddie SKBs in 12 gauge.

Edited November 6, 2024 by Captain Bill Burt

[Sheriff Dill]

My son then 13 started with .22 Heritage rough riders. Borrowed 12ga(97) and .22 rifle for first hald of his first year. Then moved to Uberti running irons .38 special  with a 97 and a 73. And just got a set of stainless NM Vaqueros. The Vaqueros are little pricey but well worth the investment. 

[watab kid]

i dont agree with the short barrels - the longer sight radius of the longer barrels is a good thing , but he is young and has great eyes and reflexes so he can make the short ones work , but let him select his own , 

 

i did have the shorter 31/2s at one point they are long gone , i also had 43/4s for a long time most of them are gone , im shooting 51/.2s for a good number of years now , if i was shooting BP id be shooting 8s for what thats worth , do as you please but dsont handicap the young man , 

[Griff]

My son was also 8 when he started.  At the time there was no Buckaroo category and for almost 2 years he wasn't allowed to shoot anything but monthly matches.  He started sharing guns with my wife, a SAA clone in 38 Spl with 4-¾" barrel, a Rossi 92 in .38 Spl & a Rossi 20 SxS, then about age 10 I got him his own 1892 Rossi and a Stoeger 12 ga w/26" barrels when he showed continued enthusiasm.  The Rossi 20 ga was cut to fit my wife, who @ 5'2" was only slightly taller than my son.  The Stoeger was cut to fit him and when he was about 16 I put a replacement stock on it and passed along the cut down version to another Dad who needed it for his son.  I hope it's still being paid forward.  

[Chickamauga Charlie, SASS #47963]

Taylors and sons offers the stallions with 4 3/4 barrels. Its the .38 smaller frame w/ the birdshead grips. They have some in the dings and dents . Theyre going to get dinged and dented, you might as well save a few hundred dollars 

[Black Hills Barb]

Our grandson is 11 and shoots a pair of Ruger Wranglers, a Henry .22, and a 12 ga 97 with loaded down ammo.  (He is too small to shoulder it but shoots it under his arm extremely well.)  Our son wants to begin transitioning him to .38s. 
The only issue we have seen with other Buckaroos is that many are really hesitant to move on to .38s because they've gotten used to and are pretty good with the .22s.  That's why our son is going to have our grandson begin now with using both at some point this season.

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

My daughter started with a pair of slicked up (by me) Heritage Rough Rider .22s, a Henry .22 rifle and a single shot .410.

Check this out: https://www.cimarron-firearms.com/young-guns-stats-comments-2014

Raindrop Renegade now shoots a pair of beautiful .38 revolvers she received from Cimarron's Young Guns program; she loves them!

[Abilene, SASS # 27489]

1 hour ago, The Rainmaker, SASS #11631 said:

My daughter started with a pair of slicked up (by me) Heritage Rough Rider .22s, a Henry .22 rifle and a single shot .410.

Check this out: https://www.cimarron-firearms.com/young-guns-stats-comments-2014

Raindrop Renegade now shoots a pair of beautiful .38 revolvers she received from Cimarron's Young Guns program; she loves them!

A lot of young folks got a pair of pistols from this program, but I haven't heard of any lately, and the application looks like they haven't done it since 2000.

[The Rainmaker, SASS #11631]

I know we already have the SASS Scholarship program for education, but I'd love to see something like this (Cimarron Young Guns program) for youth getting started in CAS. I'm aware of all the requirements for transferring firearms and especially with regard to youth and handguns, but I think this would be a great way to help bring young shooters into the fold. Yes, I will volunteer to assist. Listening SASS???

[Kirk James]

I started Cody James at 9.  He shot one match with 22lr pistols.  Someone at the range let him shoot their Ruger Vaquero's and he still shoots them today.  They are 5 1/2 inch.  SASS Kicker started with 32's at 12 but changed to 38's two years later.  She liked and shot them better.  Both started shooting short stroked .357 Uberti rifles by Palo Verde and SKB's by Johnny Meadows.  You never know how long they will stay with it.  Never lost any money with good firearms. 

 

[Modoc]

Dustmaker started with a pair of Flat Top Single sixes, his mom’s Rossi ‘92 that was cut down and her Spare shotgun using Winchester feather lights.  That lasted all of three matches and he wanted his own set of 357s. 
 

He’s still using the pair of 3 Screw blackhawks when he shoots with us.