The Daisy Adult Red Ryder BB gun lets Dad and Mom get in on the fun and provides the perfect “show by example” solution for training youth shooters and hunters

by Larry Case

OK, just to get us started, I think it would impossible to talk about the Daisy Red Ryder BB gun without mentioning Ralphie Parker and all the adventures he got himself involved in with the classic 1983 movie A Christmas Story.

Unless you have been living under the proverbial rock, you have no doubt seen this story many times and know that it centers on a young boy and his quest to own a Daisy Red Ryder. The running joke through the entire film, as everyone discourages Ralphie about owning a BB gun, is that he will “shoot your eye out!” Ralphie, of course, finally gets his prize on Christmas morning and almost has the mishap he has been warned about as he is firing the gun, unsupervised, and a BB ricochets and knocks off his glasses.

I think now, after all these years, Daisy has come up with the answer that would have spared Ralphie his misfortune. Ralphie’s Dad should have been out there with him in the backyard while shooting the Red Ryder, and he would have more likely done so if he had had a Daisy Red Ryder of his own.

In a stroke of near genius, Daisy has introduced a Red Ryder BB gun with adult proportions—a longer and hefty stock to accommodate adult shooters. Now Dad or Mom can shoot right along-side the younger shooters, be in on the fun, and supervise to ensure safe shooting.

The Adult Red Ryder features all the same ballistics as the diminutive original—350 fps and 650 BB capacity, blade and ramp front sight with an adjustable rear sight, crossbolt trigger block, and stained solid wood stock and forearm. The Adult size features a stock that is several inches longer to fit bigger shooters.

This gun has been very well received.

Almost anyone who is a shooter and hunter will say they started on a Daisy BB gun—most of us with the Red Ryder model that made its debut in 1940 and was modeled after lever action rifles used by most cowboys in contemporary western flicks. The usual progression of guns in my neck of the woods was a Daisy BB gun first and, with this iconic firearms, young hunters began to hone their shooting skills with a multitude of targets, from soda cans to autumn leaves floating on the river. Often, we would graduate to a hunting mode with insect garden pests or maybe hornets and yellow jackets if we were brave enough. Some kids were allowed to carry the Daisy on the first hunts with Dad as he went after squirrels or rabbits.

One of my fondest hunting memories was watching my son Jesse do an incredible stalk on nice buck with his Daisy BB gun. We had been sitting quietly, listening for turkeys, when the buck appeared nearby. Jesse asked if he could try to get close to the deer and I said go ahead, thinking he wouldn’t get far. I watched fascinated as he crept closer and closer, the old buck seemingly unaware of his presence. When my son got within short bow range and shot his little Buck model Daisy, I am not sure who was more surprised, me or the deer. This is how hunters are made.

I don’t think I can over emphasize the importance of the Daisy Adult model as a safety training aid to teach all the basic rules of gun safety to your little hunters. Some of the most important are:

  1. Treat every gun as if it were loaded. (All guns are loaded, all the time.)
  2. Make sure of your target and what is beyond it.
  3. Never point the muzzle of the weapon at anything you don’t intend to shoot.
  4. Off target, off trigger. Your finger stays off the trigger until you are on target and ready to shoot.

There are, of course, several other fundamental rules of gun and hunting safety, but following these basic tenants would probably stop 90 percent of accidents with firearms in the woods and on the shooting range. The beauty of the Adult Red Ryder is that Dad and Mom or any adult teaching the youngsters can have the same air rifle in their hands and can quickly show the new shooter how the gun is to be safely handled. Even when the adults are not in teaching mode, it is no secret that young people are always watching us and will quickly emulate what we are doing. The wise teacher knows this and is on his guard to always be handling the gun safely. The Daisy Adult Red Ryder allows for the student to be watching the teacher with the same gun.

I can just about guarantee if Ralphie’s dad would have had an Adult Red Ryder, the little incident on Christmas morning wouldn’t have happened. He and his dad would have been out there shooting together and having a blast.

Got a young shooter or two at your house? The Adult Red Ryder Two Rifle shooting kit includes the standard size Red Ryder and the Adult model, the Rocket Shot Target Launcher, safety glasses, and BBs. The combo retails for $99.99, and there is not a better investment in the world for getting a young hunter and shooter started.

Go ahead, Dad and Mom, and watch those eyes light up on Christmas morning.

Larry Case hails from the mountain state of West Virginia, and has been a shooter, hunter, and outdoorsman his entire life. Larry served 36 years as a DNR Law Enforcement Officer, retiring with the rank of Captain. Although he leans toward shotguns, he enjoys all firearms and any kind of hunting. He owns too many dogs, not enough shotguns, and is forever looking for a new place to hunt. Larry loves to mentor new shooters and hunters. You can catch more Larry's entertaining perspectives at GunsandCornbread.com.

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