paul788 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Petite 11 yr. old is ready to add USPSA to Steel Challenge. She uses a Ruger 22/45 for Steel. For those who have a Junior shooter with small hands; what do they shoot? My Para and Witness large frame are too large for her hands. K-frame trigger reach is more than she can manage. Thanks Paul and Jennifer Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larry273 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My 11-year old daughter is still working with a walther P22 until I feel a little more comfortable with her skills. Her hands are very small and I do not want to rush her into a centerfire too soon. That being said, I have a single-stack open 9mm steel gun that I intend to start her with. That should be the smallest grip, with the softest and flattest shooting caliber I can offer her to begin. I built the gun from an old single stack 38 super open gun that has been put the way of the dodo bird. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
open17 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Browning Hi-Power, CZ have fairly small grip frames. A single stack 1911 with Thin Grips, flat mainspring housing and a short trigger is what my wife is shooting now and she shops for gloves in the kiddy section. Smallest hands I have ever seen on an adult. I also installed a right side mag release so she can dump the mag with her trigger finger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newopen GM Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I shot a Kimber Stainless Target II in 9mm. It is a small frame gun that fits kids hands. I shot it for 2 years and they never jam and they are very accurate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CJDOUBLETAP Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I would try a Glock 34 with a vanek trigger job. I think the parts that he uses in his triggers reduces the length of pull. Hi-cap mags. Small frame. Low recoil. Cheap. Can convert to an open gun. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nemo Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 At 11 Francisco was shooting a G17 because the M&P wasn't around. I'd vote for a M&P with small grip insert. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 I have a nice little Beretta 9mm PX4 with interchangeable grips for sale. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shooterready Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Started my boy out with a P22 as well. He was 6. Started him on a G19 when he turned 8. He's now 9 and his skills are growing rapidly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SA Friday Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Ya, I'm thinking the M&P with the small grip insert is probably the best one out there. My 5'2" wife really loved the smaller grip on the M&P over my Glocks. The stock trigger unfortunately on the M&P are not that great, but a trip to Dan Burwell and it's just as good as any Glock aftermarket out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stockton Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My 5 year old shoots a custom .22 "open" gun I built for him... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JThompson Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My 5 year old shoots a custom .22 "open" gun I built for him... Pretty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Lord Gomer Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Paul, She's welcome to try the M&P9 that Tommy shoots with the small backstrap. I'm still not sold on moving the mag release to the right side, though, as it results in a mag dropping out at least 2-3 times per match for him. If you want, I'll even throw together some less-than-minor loads for her to try with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul788 Posted January 21, 2009 Author Share Posted January 21, 2009 Thanks, Mike. How about Sunday? Mark and I are still trying to get the 1100 to run. Paul Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
High Lord Gomer Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 Sunday morning is fine. If you want it before then, I can drop it off so you can familarize her with it at home before we go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 My 5 year old shoots a custom .22 "open" gun I built for him... Now THAT'S a fascinating concept! And a beautiful gun. Man, if I could get my hands on something like that I'd write an article on it. Seriously. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SharonAnne9x23 Posted January 21, 2009 Share Posted January 21, 2009 If your daughter is shooting the Ruger 22/45 then I suggest a 1911 single stack in one of the .355 cartridges. Preferably a comp gun. One of the old single stack race guns with a scope. From just before the wide bodies came on the scene. Load it to minor and continue to encourage her progress. If she really gets into shooting a center fire pistol, specifically a race gun, then I would suggest her trying a Caspian wide body. It is the most narrow of the 'wide' bodies that can shoot major without trying to overload a 9mmP case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I wouldn't go for a compgun to start. Everyone thinks that compguns "damp recoil". They don't. They damp muzzle flip at the cost of heavier recoil. Because the front of the gun is held down, recoil energy tends to come straight to the rear instead of dissipating through muzzle flip. Also, the comp, pushing down on the front of the barrel, locks the action closed at the moment of ignition so you get hit with much more recoil. (It's kind like the difference between firing a pump shotgun and a semiauto; all else being equal the pump will kick more because the action is locked together into a unit when the gun fires, whereas the semiauto mechanism "gives" a bit with recoil.) This is why compguns, all else being equal, run much lighter recoil springs that non-compguns: the action doesn't unlock, and the slide begin to move to the rear, until a significant amount of recoil energy has already bled off. Where does it "bleed off" to? Primarily into the shooter's hands, arms and shoulders. Not the best approach for a child newbie, I think. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jim Norman Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 For handgun, I have a Beretta T87 but my daughter is not comfortable shooting a pistol yet. She equates pistol with competition I think and right now she just wants to have fun. So, tonight she shot a Remington 521 Jr target rifle in Jr smallbore. Her birthday is in two weeks and she will have an Anschutz target rifle then. Jim Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MichiganShootist Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I'd suggest a single stack 9 mm 1911. If you can find a Springer they are light on recoil and have a thin grip that can be made even thinner with the right replacement grips. I started my daughter on one of those and then moved her to a G-17 for home defense.... but she still likes (and shoots) the Springer best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan Sierpina Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 A small frame Tanfoglio, or CZ with a single action trigger, should be just about right. Duane is right about a comp gun reducing muzzle flip but not straight back recoil. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
newopen GM Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 A small frame Tanfoglio, or CZ with a single action trigger, should be just about right. Duane is right about a comp gun reducing muzzle flip but not straight back recoil. I may just be a Tanfo fanboy, but I vote for a Tanfoglio. They are the best. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tpcdvc Posted January 23, 2009 Share Posted January 23, 2009 I'm in the same boat........I'm trying to decide what to do for my 9 year old who really wants to compete. I emailed Max M. about this and he suggested an open gun for a bunch of reasons. I have not made a decision yet though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chirpy Posted January 24, 2009 Share Posted January 24, 2009 At one time Marvel had a conversion unit with a comp in .22 and put it on a SS...you might go that way for now and then move to a SS in minor 9mm. Richard Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FredlyFX Posted January 25, 2009 Share Posted January 25, 2009 Many years ago I was an every other weekend dad and took my daughter to matches with me whenever it was our weekend. When she was about 7 she started shooting my Taurus PT99. At first we loaded it one round at a time and I held my hands loosly around the gun. We did this until I was sure she could hold it ok. within a month or so she was burning through whole mags with no problem. It didn't take too long before she wanted to shoot my race gun. When she was about 8 or 9 she started shooting my single stack 38 super with minor loads. She actually liked it better because of the reduced muzzle flip. She's now 25 and still talks fondly about those days at the range so many years ago. She told me recently she wants me to take her two daughters out shooting when they get to that age. Fortunatly, I now own a couple .22 pistols to get them started with, and can't wait till the time comes. FredlyFX http://fredlyfx.com Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duane Thomas Posted January 26, 2009 Share Posted January 26, 2009 That's really sweet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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