Should I do this?

[Wild Billy Potts]

My son is approaching 13 y/o, has been shooting since he was 8, is very safe around firearms even though he is a touch hyper. To his credit he always asks me before he ever attempts to look at my guns. Right now he has been begging me for a '61 Colt Navy clone. He has the money saved, but I am not sure I am willing to let him drop it on this particular firearm. Nothing against the C&B revolvers as I've always had at least one around since I was 15, I am just afraid he'll loose interest in it and wish he had saved the money for something more substantial. On the other hand, I suppose I could buy it from him for a fair price if he ever does loose interest.

What do y'all think?

[Mad_Dog]

My son ... is very safe around firearms ... Right now he has been begging me for a '61 Colt Navy clone. He has the money saved... What do y'all think?

If the question isn't "should I let him buy a firearm" but rather "I'm going to let him buy a firearm, but should I let him buy a C&B revolver"... I'm no CAS expert (Nor gun expert... I own 2 longarms from my grand-dad) but I'd let him get it.  He's earned the money, and this is what he wants.  Of course, I'm biased since I also want a C&B revolver (I prefer the looks of the Remington NMA myself) .

If, on the other hand, the question is "should I let him buy a firearm" then I'm afraid I have no advice at all.

-Mad Dog (who hasn't yet saved the money... doh!)

[Doc Sunrise]

I think you should let him.  Too many times we adults try to steer our children to areas we like, and instead of inspiring an interest which may just be a stepping stone for our children, we end up restricting that interest all together.

[Wild Billy Potts]

Thanks guys, for some reason I was balking over the gun type. I figure that pre-teens/teens are always changing in taste, and I was just a little hesitant. Just ordered the Navy for him.

[Holden A. Grudge]

I think you did the right thing.  I know even now my tastes and choices change dramaticly.  But how do you learn without trying.  His tastes may change and he may want something different but this is something he saved for.  It will mean a lot more to him in the long run than something that he bought because everyone told him he should. 

I got a lot of advice when I started and everybody told me what I should buy.  I went out and got what I wanted.  I love my pistols.  They aren't the most competetive but they are mine and there is pride in ownership.

You can't replace that pride and feeling of accomplishment with working towards and getting something that is distinctly yours. 

[TomBullweed]

I was 21 when I did a forestry internship in Michigan's UP.  The .22 revolver that I had borrowed from my dad quickly got boring.  I bought a Navy Arms .44 C&B and went head over heels with shooting old-style guns and loading my own (as is done with a C&B).  More than 25 years later, I still get excited when getting ready for the next CAS match based on that long-ago foundation.

I recommend several books by Sam Fadala, Mike Venturino and RL Wilson for your son to learn the history and correct manner of using these guns.  It is fun to watch western and war movies to see if they use C&B pistols correctly.  Sabin River, Josey Wales and Lonesome Dove are a few (very few) of the movies that do a good job of this.