Airgun recommendations for 9 year old

Many years ago, I started my kids with a Marksman break barrel. Easy to cock, muzzle velocity below 450fps in 177. That gun isn't made any more, but similar guns are available on the major vendor sites. Marksman does sell one at about $70, that fits this description. Ruger sells the explorer at around 500 fps, so it is a good paper puncher, but really can't do too much damage.

for a 9 year old, I might avoid a scope to start with. Teach him to shoot open sights. That way, you aren't fiddling with the scope because kids can be pretty rough on guns.

I'd avoid Co2 as it is a continuing expense and he'll always be bugging you for cartridges. Self contained is really the way to go.

I'd buy a nice enough gun to keep him happy for say 3 years, then plan on replacing as he grows out of it. That's what we did with the old Marksman, the kids grew out of it and we replaced the old pellet gun with powder burners initially, then I went back to air guns. Much more fun ('cause you don't have to clean every time you shoot!). Kids are still shooting powder burners 20 years later, but may be coming back around to my way of thinking.

I got started with a Benjamin 347 when I was 10 and I still have it. It's a .177 multipump with iron sights. The new models are a bit more than your $75 dollar mark though. I would definitely go with a synthetic or wood stock, and avoid the guns with plastic stocks.

I'd go with a crossman like bill suggests it's combo bb and pellet fairly accurate and pretty darn tough

Give the kid a Weihrauch HW30S, quality rifle that will last a lifetime. Hell, even his kids will be able to play with it. My 9 year old learned to shoot with it at the age of 7, and he loves it because of it's accuracy, low cocking effort and excellent trigger. Don't get one of those El-Cheapo garbage guns, he'll loose interest soon and you will ruin the experience.

Get him a Red Ryder. They are made for kids that age. Be careful he my shoot his eye out.

Get him a Red Ryder. They are made for kids that age. Be careful he my shoot his eye out. And if he still enjoys shooting in a few years, cut off the rear sight and toss a coffee can in the air and have him shoot it. Great practice for shotgun shooting.

Check out my ad in the classifieds for the Umarex Colt Peacemaker .177 BB pistol rig. I would have loved to have got this as a kid! I offered it to my son for my grandson, but he put the kybosh on it, killjoy that he is. I've had lots of fun plinkin' with it. It is a true replica, licensed by Colt. It rear loads with faux cartridges and you can actually fan-fire it! Includes leather cartridge belt and quick-draw holster.

Honestly,,,,,,,buy two crossman 760's,,,,one for him,,one for you! They are the best! He'll only be able to pump it 6 or 7 times,,,,,,so what by the time he's 16 he'll pump 20 times! Yup that gun will last that long! My 10 yr old is killing pigeons at 25 yards easy ,,,,you and him can fill them w/bb's and walk a tin can across the lawn. Put a red dot or what ever you won't be sorry JeffW 

The Crossman M4 .177 Multipump with Adjustable stock...
Shoots pellets or BBs, self-contained and he will need to learn to shoot with Irons... Aperture rear on that one... so good.

The limitation is FPS, this is probably not a hunting gun. Maybe with heavy pellets at very close range on vermin.
Here is the manual.
http://cdn.pyramydair.com/site/manuals/Crosman-M4-177-Multi-Pump-Air-Rifle_user-manual.pdf

That is brave buying an air gun for a 9 year old. 

Out of interest, would a person have any legal trouble if a child killed something (like the neighbor's dog) with an air gun you bought him?

when I think about all the mischief I got up to as a boy, there is no way I should have be allowed to own an airgun.

if you plan on letting him use it without supervision, I would look for something with very low power but that's just me. 

Is the boy going to be taught to hunt and all that goes along with it....safety and one shot/one kill, and the rest?

If the boy is not going to be hunting or competition target shooting with a local club, I would personally lean toward a higher end airsoft gun. Still quite accurate (I said higher end), teaches proper function, handling, maintenance, and safe shooting practices, all without quite (I said quite) as much risk liability on your shoulders. Also........you can justify to offended family and such that it's a "toy".

I will go back and read all the posts in case it's been mentioned..... but I would like to give a giant thumbs up to the crosman 760 pumpmaster(or whatever it might be called today) as a first rifle. To this day, I've spent more happy hours with that gun in my hands than any other I've ever owned in my adult life. Rock solid, time proven design, a kid can only pump it as many times as his physique will allow(more pumping resistance with every pump) which forces a kid to work or be stuck at 3 pumps, can't quite get 4. So many kids from my generation(b1978) have this same memory.........Did I mention it was CHEAP?! I will post a link shortly unless someone has one at the ready.

http://www.crosman.com/760-starter-pack

I could not get the agnation promo for 25% off to work......but i'm sure someone can fix that. Should come out around $52.50 plus shipping. Also, check sporting good store ads at this time of year......they pretty much give them away when it's on sale.

The Crosman 760 & M4177 use an identical barrel, except the M4177's barrel is rifled. They are a direct swap into the 760 to get more accuracy. At 8-10 pumps, I've killed rabbits down home in WV with my 66-70 model 760 Powermaster. But I'd definitely get him a gun with a bit more power, so he can learn shooting at targets, safety, etc. Then take him out & teach him hunting. Always teach range shooting at targets & basic safety first.

As was I, Sam. Growing up, we spent a lot of time down home in WV in very rural areas. I grew up around all that hunting, fishing, butchering, raising animals, ad infinitum. It was definitely a positive experience I even passed on to my wife. She now cuts her own bait & everything. trying to talk her into target shooting. Her family didn't believe in shooting " God's creatures".

I started out when I was 8 years old I got my first bb/pellet gun. I had got the Crosman 2100 Classic and it was a 10 pumper and I could kill squirrels and doves all day long with it but had to slip up on them in the woods or around the back yard. I have very good memories of this gun me and my dad had many many fun times going hunting him with his shot gun and me with my Crosman 2100 classic.I have been thinking of buying another one just to have the memories stay as long as they can! I found it new for sale at Pyramid air .com for 60 bucks can't beat that and the gun was accurate to boot!

and this crosman 2100 classic may shoot out a few windows but it will not kill the folks next doors dog or cat! and it is a pretty accurate gun.I just would stay away from the spring air guns they do have the power to kill the dog and cat! I'll tell ya when others come round (kids) they will find a way to get in trouble with these as did I,but good supervision and always be with him/her when he uses it is a darn sure good rule of thumb till they get a bit older and you know you can trust them with the air gun.

"unionrdr"As was I, Sam. Growing up, we spent a lot of time down home in WV in very rural areas. I grew up around all that hunting, fishing, butchering, raising animals, ad infinitum. It was definitely a positive experience I even passed on to my wife. She now cuts her own bait & everything. trying to talk her into target shooting. Her family didn't believe in shooting " God's creatures".

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You might remind her that fish are "God's creatures" also, but it could backfire. Next thing you know you are eating vegan. It is good to have a heart.

I grew up with the Crosman 1377 (or its equivalent for the day). It's a great gun. As a carbine it functions reasonably well as a shouldered rifle too. $75 on the dot. 

https://smile.amazon.com/Crosman-1322-Pistol-Premier-Shooters/dp/B0086PENTK/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1479613205&sr=8-7&keywords=Crosman+1377