Building a gun for my daughter

[toddrod]

My 11 yr old daughter is showing interest in shooting pistols, so I want to start her off right and get her comfortable with recoil from the start. So far, I have bought her an WE Hicappa pellet pistol. She shoots it great out to 10 yards but has problems gettin a good grip because her hands are small. I took her to the range yesterday and let her shoot my Ruger MII 22 cal 6 inch bull barrel with a BSA red dot mounted on top. She was doing good with that gun to 15 yards hitting 6 inch round steel plates until her arms got tired after 50 rounds.

So, here is what I am planning to do to help her out. I would like to take the MII upper and replace with a Tactical Solution upper 6 inch fluted model with the compensator. I would also like to change the BSA sight to a Burris Fastfire sight. I believe this would be the lightest I would be able to make the gun and still retain its accuracy.

What do you all think about this combination? Any other suggestion?

She also shot my XD 40 with 168 PF loads, but again had trouble getting a good grip because of her small hands. Also, she was able to shoot a H&K USC with laser sight. She really liked that gun as noticed by the smile from ear to ear.

Once she gets used to the 22 cal I will let her start on my Springfield 9mm 1911 with red dot sight and some powder puff loads I have worked up for it.

Anyway, any suggestion would be helpful and it look like I have another shooter in the house.

[scooterj]

MII upper and replace with a Tactical Solution upper 6 inch fluted model with the compensator. I would also like to change the BSA sight to a Burris Fastfire sight.

Go for it, Todd

[srf]

My girls haven't expressed an interest in handguns yet - but I was thinking a good starter would be an aluminum compact frame 1911 single stack frame (Caspian, Kimber, Colt, whatever) and a Ceiner Commander 22 conversion. I know that the Tac Solutons is introducing a new 22 conversion that is great (I shot one - very cool), but the Ceiner's are aluminum and light. Put a short trigger in and some thin grip panels and you'd be good to go. Light weight + small hands friendly + lots of low (no) recoil 22's = fun. I like the idea of starting her with a 1911; They ergonomics are still the best - and caliber progression (22, IDPA 9, hot/carry/factory 9, down loaded 40, IPSC major 40) growing in to fullsize frames makes a lot of sense to me.

[bountyhunter]

She also shot my XD 40 with 168 PF loads, but again had trouble getting a good grip because of her small hands.

Browning HI Power is the one gun that is tailored to small hands. It has a narrow grip and a short trigger reach. Some PD's allow their femals to carry it because it fits small hands better.

Another possibility is a .22 revolver since most revos have narrow grips and short triggers, and if cocked first the trigger pull is easy.

Edited January 9, 2008 by bountyhunter

[SA Friday]

I bet you have to wrestle the 1911 9mm back from her after she shoots it . Out of the 9 women I have taught to shoot, 8 of them have bought 1911 45 ACP's afterward. The single stack grip properly griped just works. Give it a try before you spend a lot of money on the .22, IMO.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: I am doing the same with my son. His hands fit the Browning Buckmark and he shoots it well. I also tied a Kimber 22 conversion but he did not shoot that very well. He is a little older now so I am going to try a Glock 17 with downloaded reloads. Others have suggested the M&P. Hope this helps. Thanks, Eric

[open17]

Have her try a Beretta NEOS 22. My wife has tiny hands, and it fits her. Integral rail

for optic sights (the grooves are too shallow for some mounts). Nice accurate

fairly light gun, and not very spendy.

[jhgtyre]

The CZ75 SA (Single Action) fits my daughters hand well and you can get a .22lr conversion for it to boot. That gives you a limited minor gun for USPSA matches and without switching any of her gear around a .22lr for matches that allow them or just for practice. Angus at ghostholster.com has slim grips, good sights and magwells along with all the other stuff you would need.

I also have a MKII with a Tactical Solutions 6" upper on it and I like it a lot. I haven't put a dot on it yet but it is really light and I have often thought that I could have gotten the 8" model and been just as happy with it. A dot may weigh it down enough to help keep that muzzle down. You can get it with a threaded barrel which would be kind of useful if you wanted to comp the gun.

-ld

[Bob Hostetter]

My daughter started shooting when she was about 10 years old using a Ruger 22. After a while she switched to a Glock 17. After we started making parts for the XD's which move the trigger face rearward she switched to the XD's and has stayed with them. She has tried 1911's but at least so far she has preferred the XD. She is now 18 and pretty much only shoots the XD's because of the short trigger reach.

Edited January 10, 2008 by Bob Hostetter

[John Heiter]

You may just really want to build something semi-custom, but I'll put in my usual plug for the Walther P22. I've seen some 8-9 year olds doing pretty well with it.

[stockton]

Here's what she needs...

Kimber 22 lr top end.

Double Star stripped lower.

SV Tri Glide trigger group, sear, hammer

Ed Brown safeties, guide rod, pins, etc.

Brazos Micro dot front sight

Thin grips

S&A magwell

Ciener mags (added bumpers)

I built this for my now 14 year old when she was 10. She thought it was cool while we were building it, but never got interested in shooting. My 6 year old daughter likes to shoot it and now my 4 year old son can't wait to shoot it.

Most fun gun to shoot I have!

[toddrod]

Stockton - How much did that build cost?

John - I completely forgot about the Walther as an option. I will have to make a trip to academy.

CZ - I have a CZ 85 already. I will see how it fits her hands in the morning when I get off work.

[Aircooled6racer]

Hello: If you go to Academy they sell a Browning Buckmark with a bull barrel that works great for new shooters. It is the heavy steel bull barrel about 4" long. The balance is great. You will love the price as well. I have one for my son that I installed a C-More on to shoot steel. Now we just have to shoot a steel match together. Thanks, Eric

[toddrod]

Well, I just picked up a MK II reciever and I will put a TS top end on it. Thanks for all the replies.

[stockton]

Stockton - How much did that build cost?

Frame was $125 at gun show

Kimber conversion and 2 extras mags were $300 at gun show.

Rest of parts were right at $250 from Brownell's (at dealer prices)

Total ~ $675.

[toddrod]

I wish we had good gun shows in Louisiana that had parts and accesories like that. All our gun shows are the same vendors with all the same guns (glocks, XD, Hi Point, a few 1911). The vendors also have alot of junk and trinkets to sell. The last one I went to had one vendor selling pots and pans.