Building a little J.P.Beck for my daughter

[PKLeRay]

My daughter is 10 and I figured now is the time for her to give our great hobby (addiction) a try. So I am building her a little J.P. Beck with a small Siler lock, .45 cal 36" bbl and brass furniture. I do have a few questions for you fellas about the LOP. Would it be wise to make it a little long for future use? I do have a 4 yr old son who will use it when he's big enough as well.

[smallpatch]

Just my opinion.  It's easier to shoot a LOP that is too short, than one that is too long.
Build her a "big girl gun", when she's a big girl.

[okieboy]

 Just curious, what is a 10 year old's length of pull (as if they were all the same)?

[D. Taylor Sapergia]

A long time ago, I built three rifles for Powerful Pierre:  one for his lovely wife, and one each for his two boys.  The boys were already big teens so they got 13 1/2" LOP and Linda got 11" LOP.  A 10 yr old would be less than that, I'd think.

[tlallijr]

This rifle fits my 10 year old pretty good. 36 caliber 11" LOP and 30" overall.

[okieboy]

 I did some internet research and one way of measuring a young persons pull was to have them stretch their arm in front of them with the hand open flat, then measure from the shoulder joint to the tip of the trigger finger. that distance would be divided in half and maybe a half inch added. I think that I would take the half measurement and add a full inch at that age, figuring that they will learn to shoot on a bench and that by the time they graduated to offhand things would fit pretty well.

[PKLeRay]

  This is the stock and bbl I will be using.....

[ddoyle]

Just one Dad's opinion but keeping kids between 8-16 in fitting guns is real tough.
I have cut off and screwed back on many a hunk of stock wood.

If I was going to invest the time/money in a short term use custom kids gun I'd be tempted to go with a simple non inletted butt plate-- buy a blank with some extra wood at the end. Build the gun to fit her today and have   + 1 inch, +1.5 and +  2 inch butt extensions finished and fitted to match ready to screw on. i.e pieces that match the taper of the butt, shape and finish during the original build.  Make the gun serve her for years not months.
A 10 year old might just have real use for 1-3 inches of LOP inside of not many years. Shame to have all the familiarity and confidence built on one gun get out grown.

[David R. Pennington]

I built one for my son and he almost outgrew it before I got it finished.

[ddoyle]

Exactly, Their growth is a true blessing but it tests the gunsmith's patience. The real test comes when they get "opinions" about what guns, cals, accessories they "deserve".

[Cory Joe Stewart]

It is hard enough to buy them pants that they don't grow out of in less than a month.  I am running into the same thing with my niece, she is getting close to the age to start shooting. 

Coryjoe

[B.Habermehl]

How tall is her Mom, and what is her shoe size? These give a sort of decent idea of what to use for a length of pull compromise. When I built my daughters gun I settled in a 12 inch pull. Guessing her teen age and potentially adult size. It was just a bit long the first year, the next, and now, almost twenty yeas later perfect. It was built when She was eleven. Her sons are using it now. Now I need to build a left handler for my granddaughter who is right handed and left eye dominant. I got lucky mom was petite, daughter looked to be, and turned out to be. BJH

[PKLeRay]

Her mom is 5'3". So I'm thinkin of a 12" pull. May fit her in the long run

[B.Habermehl]

Sound like a reasonable length of pull. The reason I mentioned shoe size is if she is wearing a noticibly bigger size than mom at the same age it may be a hint that she might stretch out a bit. 12 inch pulls are standard on modern factory youth guns. BJH

[54ball]

 I would go by her mom's measurement unless her's is greater. Girls in general tend reach their adult size by 13, others by 17. Most seem to reach it by 13-14.
 I would build that rifle for 13-17...all the way up to 70 years of age. If you want an extreme shorty find an old CVA or Jukar or better yet a Daisy BB gun and cut that down. One of the Crickets may be good too but that's getting away from the scope of this forum.  That gives them something to practice safe handling.
 I think father's have a tendency to want to rush their children. Maybe part of growing up is being too small? Maybe it's like a turning green apple.....not quite ready and a little bittersweet?
 My son had a cut down rifle. It was in use for 2 years. He did learn to shoot it and he could have taken a deer with it. He did not want to. Honestly, I'm glad he did not take that deer when he was 10. I think it was an emotional burden he was not ready for. He had the rifle cocked and aimed and I asked if he was sure. No daddy I'm not. That's Ok, son lets just watch him. At 13 he killed hog with a full size Carolina Trade gun at 74 yards. This year he killed his first deer at 15. It was the nicest deer taken this year.
 Looking back that little rifle I cut down served it's purpose but in the end all I really accomplished was destroying a Springfield Hawken. It was clumsy and of course the lock is right there close. When he was little he could not shoot it unless off a rest (he could have done that with a full size rifle) So really he had only one season with it. It's so short it's really of no use now.
 A longrifle is special, especially one made by a father for their children. Maybe they need to be a little bigger and a little more mature to use it and understand what it is.

[Keithbatt]

54ball's post hit it on the head of the nail for me. I have little ones and have thought a bit about what's the right time. Well said.

Keith

[B.Habermehl]

I beg to differ, my daughter's rifle is serving the second generation. And still serves a petite lady. Hopefully a third generation too, Lord willing. BJH