I would like to introduce my son to shooting with an air rifle.

I am looking for suggestions for an easy to operate, accurate, and child size air rifle.

Thanks.

jt--You can buy him a cheap gun that lasts a little while or put just a little more with it and with proper care will last him possibly his lifetime. My grandson liked my Sheridan Streaks and best I can recall he could pump them when he was ten. One draw back would be that they are 5mm-.20 cal and pellets are a little higher than .22 or .177's. Youngsters can go through the pellets. BB's are cheaper.

With a young novice shooter keep it fun and simple, C02. Pumping gets old in a hurry. Springers tend to be to large and heavy to cock for a youngster. A CO2 rifle like a QB-78 or Crosman 2250 works just like a single shot rimfire, bolt action, load, safety ect. Easy to teach safe handling and easy to apply to a rimfire later. Accuracy shooting pellets will be enough to keep them interested and 20-30yd shots at tin cans are fun long range targets. Oh yea reactive targets are the way to go, forget paper with a kid.

Years ago my cousin had a c02 and I didn't like it as each shot got weaker. Maybe they have fixed that by now?

No, if your using CO2 carts the last few shots still get weaker, some rifles better then others, and you could play with the hammer spring.

The expense of the c02 would be a factor with a kid's appetite for shooting. Yes, by all means reactive targets--kids like stuff to happen. Ice cubes, charcoal briquettes, something that will give action. I have purple martin houses thus unwanted sparrows, starlings and grackels--they are really great targets.

Thinking about the daisy 840B. It would allow him use pellets and BBs. While CO2 guns are easy on his end, I do want to instill a sense of "every round counts". Thanks for the replies so far.

I do have a Daisy Powerline 880. Very cheap gun but the darn thing is accurate and I've had it for years. But I don't put nearly the bb's through it as what a kid would do. But it is nowhere near the gun that a Sheridan Streak is.

I realize this is an old post and likely you have already found a rifle for your son but I'd suggest a Benjamin Discovery and use bulk CO2. Very easy to shoot, economical with A LOT of shots per fill especially in .177. When you get the urge to hunt, you can drain the CO2 and pump up with High-pressure air. I shoot a .22 and it will drive 15gr pellets through a 3/4" board fence at 20 yards (Don't ask how I know ;^) - very accurately - I'm talking consistent head shots on tree rats at 30 yards..

I got the daisy. He is able to cock it without difficulty. It functions well and hits charcoal bricquets at 10 yard repeatedly. It is also well sized for him. As he grows we will step up.

Thanks for everybody's input.