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Thread: Should I let him shoot it?

  1. #1
    Senior Member Mark Ducati's Avatar

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    Should I let him shoot it?

    For Christmas, I just bought my son the 100th year Henry BoyScout Rifle (.22LR Lever Action)... man this thing is pretty.

    I'm debating whether or not to let him shoot it or to put it up... what do you think?


  2. #2
    Site Admin & **Team Gunsnet Silver 12/2012** Richard Simmons's Avatar

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    Thumbs up

    Put it up to give him later and buy a shooter grade for now. I'd have loved to have gotten something like that growing up but would have been too worried about messing it up to enjoy it
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  3. #3
    Senior Member Kadmos's Avatar

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    I call shenanigans!

    Seriously uncool to buy your son a gun and then tell him not to shoot it! lol

    Seems like it should be his decision, not yours..it being a gift and all.

    Great gift BTW, really is.

    If I had a son and gave him that, I expect I would be taking him to shoot it, but the choice would be his. You gave it to him to cherish the gift, not to worry about it's value, let him cherish it how he chooses.

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    Guns Network Lifetime Membership 01/2011 old Grump's Avatar

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    Designed to be shot and it would be a shame not to shoot it. Pretty enough to make the effort to take care of it worthwhile. Wall hangers are useless. Yeah, yeah, I'm a heathen.

    Roman Catholic, Life Member of American Legion, VFW, Wisconsin Libertarian party, Wi-FORCE, WGO, NRA, JPFO, GOA, SAF and CCRKBA


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  5. #5
    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    If it is to remain pretty and have any value beyond the typical model of Henry rifle you should not let him shoot or handle it frankly. Like others have said, get him a standard rifle and put that one in the vault for the future, keep the box too btw.

  6. #6
    Senior Member Mark Ducati's Avatar

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    Yeah,

    I'm thinking of "supervised" shooting... he needs to be supervised anyways at almost 7 years of age, but none the less, even when 16 I'd like for him to not only respect for firearms in general, but respect for the heritage that this rifle represents.

    This is my son's first year in the scouts (Tiger Scouts) 2010 and is also the same year for the centennial recognition of scouting...

    I just bought the Bushmaster 50 rifle with the fancy BORS/Leupold scope system and now this... In spite of my past posts, I hope this doesn't come across as bragadocious... I sold my NFA M16 last week for $10,000 which has funded my new purchases.

  7. #7
    Senior Member Mark Ducati's Avatar

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    The Scout Oath:


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    Forum Administrator Schuetzenman's Avatar

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    Only 10K, you let it go cheap.

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    Iron Pumping Bastard aliceinchains's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Richard Simmons View Post
    Put it up to give him later and buy a shooter grade for now. I'd have loved to have gotten something like that growing up but would have been too worried about messing it up to enjoy it


    My thoughts exactly. Put that pretty thing up and get him something that you won't be afraid of if it gets scratched .
    I am sitting in my angry chair!

  10. #10
    swampdragon
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    At 6 years old, there is NO WAY he would ever appreciate this gun for what it is.
    Buy him a beater to shoot.

  11. #11
    Senior Member Charliebravo's Avatar

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    I'm in the "put it up and buy him a beater" camp as well. That thing is too pretty, but won't shoot any better than a standard Henry.

  12. #12
    Senior Member TEN-32's Avatar

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    Mark thats an awesome gun for a son/scout. KUDOS to you Dad. I have to go with the majority here and recommend keeping that one in minty new unfired condition. .22s are pretty cheap and you can get him a plinker to teach him on.
    Face your fear, accept your war.

  13. #13
    Senior Member crapshoot's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by Mark Ducati View Post
    For Christmas, I just bought my son the 100th year Henry BoyScout Rifle (.22LR Lever Action)... man this thing is pretty.

    I'm debating whether or not to let him shoot it or to put it up... what do you think?

    Man, that would be a total dick move to buy the kid a present he can't touch or use. "Hey son, merry christmas, don't touch it."
    Attitudes change quick when dicks are involved and faces are pushed into pillows.

  14. #14
    swampdragon
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    Quote Originally Posted by crapshoot View Post
    Man, that would be a total dick move to buy the kid a present he can't touch or use. "Hey son, merry christmas, don't touch it."
    LOL.....

    Maybe he should buy another one.
    Keep one mint and let the kid shoot the other.
    Mark is all rich and stuff anyways.

  15. #15
    Senior Member crapshoot's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by swampdragon View Post
    LOL.....

    Maybe he should buy another one.
    Keep one mint and let the kid shoot the other.
    Mark is all rich and stuff anyways.

    Ballin yo!
    Attitudes change quick when dicks are involved and faces are pushed into pillows.

  16. #16
    Senior Member raxar's Avatar

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    Quote Originally Posted by crapshoot View Post
    Man, that would be a total dick move to buy the kid a present he can't touch or use. "Hey son, merry christmas, don't touch it."
    +1, but that sounds more like a gift for dad than for the kid. a 6 year old ain't gonna notice a difference between it and a $50 (or less) single shot from the used rack

  17. #17
    Senior Member Kadmos's Avatar

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    Geez didn't realize he was so young.


    Ok here's what I would do.

    Maybe take him to the range with it one time, make sure no buttons or zippers to scratch it up, then clean it up real good, and mount it to the wall abouve his bed or desk, not hang it, but mount it so it doesn't come off.

    Then play with the video game or whatever else you got him.

    That way he gets to grow up with "his" rifle that his dad gave him, it's not locked away to where it might as well not even be his, and it's not getting mucked up from handling or use.

    Nothing wrong with a young boy having a well mounted "wall hanger", but if it's a "safe queen" you might as well just not even tell him it's his and give it to him 10 years down the road.

  18. #18
    Team Gunsnet Platinum 06/2016 ltorlo64's Avatar

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    First, that is a beautiful rifle. Wow!

    Second, I agree with the majority that you should not let him fire this one but you should get him one he can fire. I still have the rifle I was given for Christmas almost 40 years ago when I was 8. A nice rifle Henry rifle that he can shoot I bet he will keep just as long (just as long as the government doesn't decide we are not to be trusted with them anyway!)
    "Nothing ever gets so bad that government "help" can't make it worse." Pat Garrett, March 22, 2014

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  19. #19
    Senior Member Infidelski's Avatar

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    Don't know if this will help but reminds me of way back... There were two men other than dad who each made equally great firearm impressions on me growing up. One bought all the special edition rifleand super neuvo stuff he could find and with his sons we shot the hell out of them all, his kids have them now and they shoot them with the grands. The other inspired me to put together a well balanced collection and said (paraphrasing) "bought all sorts of guns for each of my kids and they can have them and mine when I'm gone".

  20. #20
    Senior Member mriddick's Avatar

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    I'd either buy two of the above or a shooter grade rifle and give him that as the gift, this one isn't his it's yours, you'll just have to tell him it might be his at some point in the future but I wouldn't tell him it's his now. Truthfully I never gave any of my sons any firearms till they were of legal age, every gun was mine. They were told what they needed to do if they were to ever get them (and they all did) but I made it clear they were mine and I only allowed them to use them.

    I seriously doubt you can give him that at all and then not allow him to play with it, I don't think a child's idea of what's mine works that way. I also don't think you can just sub in another less ornate model and him not know the difference. If you want to put one back buy it and put it back, if you want him to have one, buy him one and give it to him. Think of it this way, if you own 2 and one gets used it only makes the other more valuable.

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