[gd357]

Catfish,

Not sure of how much you're looking to spend, but I have several suggestions.

Crosman makes some decent air rifles for beginners. I started out with a model 66 Powermaster (currently under the 664 model designation). That particular gun shoots BBs better than pellets (in my experience). The 2100 classic is a larger heavier air rifle that usually does better with pellets. For smaller youngsters the model 760 is easier to handle (less weight, shorter length of pull, etc). Also within the same company the Benjamin & Sheridan air rifles are very durable and come with wood stocks as opposed to plastic with the Crosman line of air rifles. Sights on the Crosman air rifles lately include a fiber-optic front blade for better visibility. I usually mount a scope - some of the models come standard with a fixed 4X scope. Cheap but effective. These pneumatic air rifles have varying power capability depending on the number of times you pump the rifle, so it would be ideal for plinking with young shooters.

I've had several poor experiences with Daisy air rifles, but a lot of people use them as well. The Red Ryder lever-action has been a first air gun for many youngsters. Very limited velocity, and trajectory is fairly anemic. Easy to use, and holds a ton of BBs for a lot of shooting. Very fun, but if you're looking for consistency use a pneumatic.

I've had minimal experience with break-barrel air guns, and CO2 type actions so I can't comment on them.

Just my 2 cents...

gd