I'm thinking about buying a .22 pistol for Ocho for Christmas. He has been hounding me about having one to call his own.

I know its an inexpensive model, but has anyone ever shot one?

IMO, I have a hard time seeing a use/need for a pocket sized .22 auto.

Found these reviews on YouTube:

He loves to shoot my fathers 380 and my 9mm, but that can get expensive.

He has been wanting a pistol to call his own for a while now. I figure this will give him what he wants and wont kill me with the cost of ammo.

This is nothing more that to shoot at cans and coke bottles.

If anything, it will make him a better shot with a pistol. Truth is, I could use some practice also.

Buy him a Ruger auto

Should be able to find a used one for around 150 to 200

sage advice !

It will still be worth getting the Mark 1 or 2 o 3 as this fire arm is set up to teach the fundamentals of shooting, but I just did a search on this and the price has gone up as like with everything else.

Ocho is still young and maybe it would be a task for him to help earn a Ruger over the next several months.

I do come across these now and then for under 200.These prices will go down if your patient.

Mattie, you can contact me anytime to help you out if you want. Get my # from FGM

Consider a revolver for him also.

http://www.foxnews.com/us/2013/12/10/bb-gun-control-in-new-jersey-kids-rite-passage-could-mean-felony/ 

"As recently as October, a man was arrested in New Jersey for shooting an airsoft gun at a rubber duck for target practice, in his own yard. Idyriss Thomas, 22, was arrested in Glassboro, N.J., after police responded to multiple 911 calls from neighbors who reported seeing a man with a gun. Once police determined the gun was unlicensed, Thomas was taken to jail and charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. His family posted a $2,500 bond.

"I didn't realize that what I had in my hand would cause the events that happened today,” Thomas told Philadelphia's WPVI. “I had the airsoft gun in my hand, playing with it, taking shots at a rubber ducky - not harming anybody.""

Of course the first rule when hiking in the wilderness is to use the "Buddy System". This it means you NEVER hike alone, you bring a friend, companion, or family because if something happens there is someone to go get help.

I remember one time while hiking with my girlfriend in northern Alberta out of nowhere came this huge brown bear charging us and was she mad. We must have been near one of her cubs. Anyway, if I had not had my little Jetfire I would not be here today.

Just one shot to my girlfriend’s knee cap and I was able to escape by just walking at a brisk pace. That's one of the best pistols in my collection...

(my favorite story when people say .22's won't do the job) None of its true of course but funny, yes!

I bought my son, now 25, a Ruger MK2 I believe, love that pistol, fun as all get out to shoot. Handles well, feels good and shoots true.

Damn Yankees

I agree with you about the Ruger Pistols. They are great shooting guns. I bought the wife a LC9 recently and she loves it.

380 ammo is almost impossible to find around here. I have several bricks of .22 ammo and the Phoenix pistols take the .22 lr ammo, so I have plenty for him to shoot.

Once he gets a bit older, I'll buy him a nice 9mm. I just think he's a bit young now for something like that.

Not sure if I said it, but all of his shooting with supervised. He wont be hanging out with buddies and have the option to carry a pistol. It will stay locked up until he and I go to the land.

Funny story about him and BB guns.......

There are some woods close to our house and he and some buds wanted to go shoot birds. As they walk through the neighborhood, an old lady calls the cops on them. The law shows up and tells the boys, "Y'all be careful, there may be snakes out". Gotta love living in the South!