My boys are 6 and 8 and just started going shooting with me, today was day one.

If you like hearing about first days shooting with sons...

They got the talk about gun safety many times and know the four rules. They see me often cleaning, building and tinkering but have been scared to shoot, thinking it will be really noisy. I made them go today because they want to play shooting video games and understanding gun safety and gun seriousness was my requirement. I also really wanted them to have fun so they will go again, so we spent $20 at the dollar store on soda, tostada's, aluminum pans and canned food to shoot up. I started them off today on a Ruger 10/22 and Ruger Standard of 1960s vintage. They like them but both were really digging my T/C R22 and Buckmark with red dots. The Browning is a 5.5 Field with a Bushnell TRS-25. It is heavy and the red dot sucks, it has a false second dot that shows up if you aim way high and right. After blasting full cans of food from the dollar store with .22s my eight year old wanted to try my BCM AR truck rifle. He shot through two mags of ammo and said that next time I need to bring more 5.56 ammo, he likes that rifle best. Also found out my 8 year old is left eye dominant and right handed.

Both boys walked away today and said it was super fun and they want to do it again. They also demonstrated they get guns are not toys.

The question...

They like pistol shooting but want something that is not as heavy and dig red dots. My dad was cheap and not the best, he started me off at 9 with a full size .270 that took years to learn to not flinch and made me dislike range trips. I want to invest in what makes it fun for my boys. What is the lightest .22 that can mount an RDS? I am thinking a 22/45 Lite. What would you recommend?

Just here to recommend 22/45 lite, great pistol.

Looks like you are already considering.

ETA

Built a 10/22 with a Kidd ultralight barrel and stock was a PWS, everything else OEM Ruger, night and day difference in weight from a 10/22, something to think about.

22/45 Lite is a great choice and is also awesome as a suppressor host.

ETA: A Ruger Charger with a pistol brace is also a very fun option.

22/45 Lite.

No brainer.

  Tac Sol or Beyer barrel with Blackhawk stock and tru glo red dot ....not sure of weight but VERY light!  I've done one with each barrel maker's products and both weigh about the same!

sorry, guess I'm photo challenged tonight

" /> Here's one of them with a big scope!

My boy was 4 when I took an old Steven's single shot bolt action, cut the barrel to 16", and stock pull to 11".
I didn't even turn the barrel down....

Glock 44 with a Nelson Precision Manufacturing 44X slide or BoogeyMan Customs 44X Voodoo slide.  An OEM Glock 44 with a loaded 10-round magazine weighs 16.40 oz.  The 44X Voodoo slide is expected to add 0.6 oz.  Of course, a Trijicon type 2 RMR weighs 1.2 oz.  Train the boys to eventually handle a Glock 19.  Same MRDS.  Same RMR cut.  Same holster.  Same weapon light.  Same suppressor-height sights.  Nearly identical trigger.  I advocate ProMag 18-round magazines loaded with 15 rounds (i.e., same round-count as a Glock 19).

Those of us who pre-ordered 44X slides on Labor Day should receive them in the next week or two.  You'll start getting initial reports in terms of how they run shortly thereafter.

Hard to beat the Ruger MKIV Lite. I’m obsessed with the platform and they make great suppressed RDS pistols.

This!  The lite is a solid pistol.  I have the mk3 variant but the mk4 is great too.  You could also get a Smith and Wesson m&p22 compact and add a dovetail red dot mount as well but my sons have no problems with the Ruger.

You could put a Tactical Solutions barrel on your Buckmark.
Mine feels crazy light without the suppressor.

Attached File

Is that a Buckmark 5.5 Field?  I really miss the one I had.

I believe it's a 5.5 target. I bought it lightly used about 25 years ago.
It had little hoods over the sights that I removed right after I got it.
It has been a great pistol, very accurate and reliable.

When I bought a 22 caliber suppressor I found a used 4" Buckmark
and put a T/S barrel on it.  It has been an excellent pistol and it goes
to the range every trip.