Daisy Red Ryder Review

Overall Rating

American classic, great fun, affordable.

None if you consider the intended purpose for this humble BB repeater.

I got my Red Ryder when I was about 10 or 12 years old, so I've had it for 15+ years now. It ranks as the single best Xmas present I ever got. I spent hours and hours shooting it as a child, teen, and young adult. I still shoot it every time I go back home to visit my parents. I keep it in my dad's garage, just like I did when I was young. Although I live far away from my parents now, and could easily store my Red Ryder at my current home, there's something special about stepping out into my old back yard, getting out the Red Ryder, and making a pop can dance!

My Red Ryder has been nothing but 100% reliable. It's scratched and dinged up, the leather strap is missing, and the medallion in the stock has tarnished somewhat, but it just keeps going and going. I've only oiled it twice that I can remember, and probably only tightened the screws that many times as well. I have shot a ridiculous number of BBs through it. I would guess 15,000+. Most of those were at pop cans, many at trees, a few at cardboard, some at some pencils set up at about 15 feet (you can hit them reliably if you do your part), one at the bird feeder (which I broke), and one or two at a bird (which I never hit, although that did cause my mom to take it away for several months!) Oh yes, I did what probably not a lot of other people did-- I held it behind myself and shot a BB at my own butt to see how bad it would hurt. It stung (even through jeans) way worse than I ever expected. I don't recommend it!

The velocity is low, about 285 fps. It's enough to go through one side of a pop can, or through a couple layers of cardboard. It can't shoot through the bottom of a pop can. I doubt it would have killed the bird I aimed it at. In fact, the only things I ever killed were pop cans and a couple bumble bees. You can see every shot as it goes down range, but that's part of the fun. I'm to the point that I don't aim at all with it. In fact, I never really used the sights at all. You could just walk the BBs to your target by sight. Now it's instinctive for me to shoulder the gun, look at my target, and hit it reliably (pop cans at 15-20 yards are entirely possible). It won't win any target shooting contests, though, won't kill animals, and can't give the wow-power of springer pellet guns. However, it can give you years of enjoyment and memories, and I value those more.

Members' Comments onlepmik's Review

• bobt on 17th Oct 2008

  I found this review helpful because...it does a great job of reminding one of the real reason to buy a Red Ryder...it just is so much fun.

• Shakker on 5th Aug 2009

  I honestly love this gun, mine has sedimental (spelling) value to me. I got it on my 10th birthday. Mine breaks through bottoms of cans easily, and Im either going blind or mine is a bit better because I dont see the bbs go down range.