Gun safety starts with helping young shooters know the ins and outs of how to handle a gun properly, and airguns are a great way to get them jump-started. They are much safer to use for teaching first-time shooters how to understand muzzle control, trigger control, target acquisition, and shot placement. Additionally, because they are quiet and affordable to operate, they offer much greater opportunities to get invaluable trigger time. Fortunately, there are many youth airguns designed specifically for younger shooters. Let’s take a look at some of our favorites.
Umarex Fusion 2
The Umarex Fusion 2 is our first choice out of the gate. The Fusion 2 is a bolt-action, multi-shot CO2 rifle that uses 2 CO2 cartridges from a removable cylinder. The cylinder can be removed and stored out of the rifle, which is a great feature. Some of the other features include an integrated moderator, bundled optics, single-stage trigger, M-LOK slots in the forearm for adding accessories, and a great look and feel. It fires affordable .177 lead pellets up to 700 FPS with great accuracy. It’s a great choice for a younger shooter who wants to learn how to use a scope.
Crosman 760 Pumpmaster Kit
Having the ability to shoot BBs as well as pellets, gives young shooters more options. The Crosman 760 Pumpmaster features a multi-pump air rifle capable of shooting steel BBs over 700 FPS. It features open sights, bolt action cocking, easy pumping, and reliable operation. The Pumpmaster Kit comes with a youth-inspired scope, eye protection, and targets. The rifle holds up to 1000 BBs in the action, which are loaded into the integrated 18-shot shooting channel. That’s a whole lot of trigger time!
Crosman M4-177 Tactical Multi-Pump
If you want to acclimate your youngster to the basic shape and handling of an AR, then consider the Crosman M4-177 Tactical Multi-Pump. Like the Pumpmaster mentioned above, the M4-177 can shoot both BBs and pellets. The rifle will operate with as few as 3 pumps and can take a total of 10. The number of pumps determines the amount of energy for each shot. It’s a great way to learn about basic ballistics, velocity, and how various ammo will behave at different power levels. It has a 350-round on-board BB reservoir and uses 4 shot “clips” for shooting pellets. The M4-177 also features removable open AR-style sights.
Browning Buck Mark URX Pellet Pistol
Learning how to handle a pistol can be a real challenge. You’ll need to decide when it’s the right time for your youngster to move from rifle to pistol, as pistols require more attention to muzzle control and safety. The Browning Buck Mark URX Pellet Pistol is a great entry-level option that doesn’t need CO2 or high-pressure air to work because it’s a break-action spring-piston-powered airgun. To cock the pistol, you “break” the barrel forward until you’ve fully compressed the spring, which also engages the automatic safety, and you hear the sear engage with a distinct “click.” Next, simply load your pellet into the breach, close the barrel, take aim, release the safety, and squeeze the trigger. As long as you have pellets on hand, you can keep shooting. Because it’s a single-shot spring pistol, it helps new shooters take their time and make every shot count.
John Wayne Lil Duke BB Rifle
If you think the John Wayne Lil Duke BB Rifle looks like a Daisy Red Ryder with a big cocking loop, then you’d not be far off at all. This spring-piston underlever shoots BBs from its 550-shot reservoir at up to 350 FPS. It has a fixed front sight and a rear sight that’s adjustable for elevation. It’s very lightweight and easy to operate, with an overall length of just 34”. It’s a great airgun for brand-new shooters.
Umarex Legends MP40 Ultimate Combo
For our last suggestion, we wanted to talk about something that would really put a smile on a young shooter’s face. We probably wouldn’t recommend this for their first airgun, but when they are ready, the Umarex Legends MP40 Ultimate Combo would certainly be a treat. The ultimate combo features the select-fire (shoots semi-automatic or fully automatic with the flip of a switch) MP40, along with two spare magazines, 2 bottles of Hornaday BBs, and some Crosman Pellgunoil to help keep things running smoothly. Each magazine uses two 12-gram CO2 cartridges to blast through 52 rounds. It’s a full metal replica featuring a fixed front sight with a rear sight adjustable for elevation, folding stock, manual safety, and realistic blowback.
That’s a Wrap!
For those who would like to see more of what we have to offer for youth-appropriate airguns, please visit our Young Shooters section on our website. And if you have questions, you know you can always reach out with a phone call or email. We are always here to help.
