Daisy Model 1938 Red Ryder BB Gun

You don’t have to be a kid again to enjoy a Red Ryder BB gun – the standard to which all others are compared.

This kit includes everything you need to get a young person (or yourself) started in the hobby of air rifles. In addition to the gun, it comes with safety glasses, a container of BBs, and some targets. Throw in some aluminum cans and you’ll be ready to teach the next generation how to shoot safely and have fun doing it.

Not much has changed from the original, as the name of this rifle implies. I was impressed by the quality of the stained wood stock. It has a great feel to it and balances the weight of the rest of the gun nicely.

I was a little disappointed to see that the lever is made from polymer (plastic) instead of metal in keeping with the design of the original that I had when I was young. It feels solid, but it’s one of those pieces on a gun that really shouldn’t be made of plastic. I did learn that Daisy sells a metal replacement for about $5 that is easy to swap out.

The Model 1938 has a maximum velocity of 350-feet per second which is standard for a lever-action gun. I was impressed with its accuracy out of the box and the rear sight is adjustable.

This is the ideal first air gun for teaching the fundamentals to children who are around age 10. I recommend the shorter Red Ryder Buck 105 lever-action for younger shooters. A lever-action rifle is better for teaching new shooters in my opinion, as it provides a good opportunity to teach them about muzzle awareness as they load the next round. A lever is also easier for younger children to operate by themselves (with your supervision until they’re ready, of course) than a pump.