John, the T/C Contender and Encore both have awfully tight releases on them. I sometimes have trouble with mine, becuase of short fingers. Just something to keep in mind for a youth gun.<br><br>The H&R-clones are accurate enough to be useful, and thier thumb break is lighter. Not quite as strong, but if your son has smallish hands, a lot easier to use. They are also a lot les expensive, just in case the learner gun is quickly outgrown, capability wise.