Youth rifle

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C-grunt

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Im looking to buy my 10 year old daughter a 22 rifle. She enjoys shooting but my 22 rifles are just to big for her as you can see in the picture below. Im not a fan of the Cricket and the Savage kids rifle. I'd like to get her something like a Ruger 10/22 or a name brand bolt action 22 but am looking for something with a shorter stock and preferably a shorter barrel too. Advice? Suggestions?

48823708126_6ffe00b6a4_o.jpg 20190928_102302 by Chase Ditwiler, on Flickr
 
I'll throw in another thought, but NOTHING wrong with VT's suggestion, I've looked at the ruger precision rim fire for the kids too, we have a cricket and I used to sneer at them a bit, but have come to love it, they are available in MANY configurations including more precision style shooting, if that's truly a no go, then either the 10/22 or rpr would be up.
 
Marlin 915y (not sure if they're still made) but for a low price, single shot bolt action they are great.
Or if you can find one a savage little scout is awesome, i shoot mine from time to time. In 100+ years it has lost nothing.
 
I went down this road recently as well. Came to a couple conclusions.

Marlin xt22, rascal, and cricket are the inky modern 22 rifles small enough for my 7 year old from the factory.

10/22 take off birch stock can be had for $30-$40 and that rifle will be with them forever. There are also a couple of companies that make collapsible stocks that go short enough for small children but then reach from the grip to trigger may be too much.

Marlin xt-22 model used to come in a youth configuration with a very short lop. I found a stock on gunbroker for $40 and put it on a xt22 I already had.

Savage rascal is great for a year or 2 and then you have something they've outgrown.

Same witch Cricket except there are full size stocks available. And apparently Keystone is pretty well respected in the rimfire world for their accuracy. I still don't care for the rifle.

Most youth models have nearly a 12" lop which is just too much for most kids under 10. My rar compact module is still too long.

I scoured my area and found only 2 rascals, 3-4 crickets and that was it. One guy told me had never even had a youth 22 on his racks and he's been there for 10 years.

But.....my 7 year old (now 8) absolutely fell in love with a friend's crickett that had a thumb hole stock. He was shooting near 1 hole groups at 20 yards and it really boosted his confidence behind the trigger.

It also gave him the idea that he was one of the big guys with a super special rifle and not just a small black plastic noise maker.

That's my really long way of saying if I were doing it all over again I would find whatever 22 rifle format I wanted and then invest in a good stock, cut it down if necessary, and call it a day.
 
IMHO 10 is on the cusp of the "age of change".....from you are going to be buying pants and shoes every 4 weeks because they are growing like a weed, to they are right there at the point where their bodies turn into "adult" bodies....if you catch my drift.

Interests are going to come and go, and you are not quite sure what is going to stick and what is just going to be a flash in the pan.....you are also about to become an idiot.....nothing on you but it seems to be a truth that after about the age of 13 in your child you become more and more stupid....this will continue until they hit about 22 then you will start to get smart again.

Now all that said, if she is interested in it I am firm in the camp of get her the best thing you can get her for the task at hand. If she is trap shooting don't hand her your shot gun....it will not fit, it will knock the hell out of her and totally turn her off....hell it would turn anyone off. In that case find a nice (I like gas operated less recoil in my book) 20 that FITS HER and do that. For a rifle the same deal....find one sized for her. I really like the ability for it go grow with the kid.

As much as it pains me, if you want an automatic 10-22 is really a no brainer.
 
The CZ kids rifle with regular magazine. It used to be a shortened M452 and I figure that has been updated to the current model line. Current model is the 457 Scout. I have honestly considered buying one of these just to have around. Really nice rifle and they have the CZ reputation for accuracy. You can shoot them as an adult too, especially plinking or light target shooting.

Marlin M60 is always a good choice if you want semi-auto. They tend to be a little more accurate than a stock 10/22, but I would have been very happy with a 10/22 as a kid.
 
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Henry H001y. Awesome little plinker that shoots shorts, longs, long rifle, and shotshells without a hiccup.
 
S&W m&P 15/22. has an adjustable ar style stock, will fit almost anyone. It very light weight easy to shoot comes with flip up iron sights and a full rail to mount any optic. as accurate as any off the rack 22 I have seen. Mine will eat anything you want to feed it. Or get a 10/22 and add a knight tech stock, it adjustable like a ar carbine stock.
 
I started my oldest with a Savage Cub T thumbhole and scoped it (peep was too low for even him). Still have it for his younger brother who can appreciate the sub-4 lb weight on squirrel hunts. My daughter got a Rascal, again weight was ideal for a small stature child as was LOP.

Now, if I were doing things over I’d have bought that Cub for me thanks to the handy size and accuracy, and I’d have bought each kid a Browning SA-22. My mother has owned hers for decades and it never occurred to me to have the kids try it. Beautiful design, lightweight, accurate, and dependable.

Now that I have 6 kids I’ve more or less opened up my collection of rimfires to them and allowed them to pick what suits them after trying a few. 3 have gone with the 10-22 as has the wife.

Rascal and Cub T
4A69D1DF-B681-44BE-AF65-BD68AC8E4134.jpeg

Cub T
BFDCA6F4-7583-4EBC-8246-D1E415AA5A02.jpeg
 
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