Crickett? Chipmunk? First G-daughter's rifle help.

[Tallbald]

From a family of shooters, this small 7 year old has tasted the fine wine of .22 shooting under the tutelage of her Dad. My wife and I have permission to gift her a first .22 rifle. Wanting simplicity and safety, we will be choosing a bolt action single shot as I myself learned to shoot with. Times have changed and there are several youth model bolt guns out there.
Are Crickett and Chipmunk the same manufacturer by chance? Not sure if they are different lines form one maker. Are both lines pretty much the same? We'd like aperture sights I should say. How difficult are these guns to cock? How are the triggers on each please?
Help in choosing would be appreciated. I am certainly not new to guns, but have quite honestly never even held one of these little rifles and am not one of those men who unwisely refuses to ask advise from informed sources.
Don

 

[denton]

IMO, the Savage Cub is better than either of those.

It does not require a separate action to cock, and it has an Accutrigger. Also, a peep sight is stock.

 

[woerm]

Cricket

I have used a .22 cricket to teach my son and several scouts and nieces/nephews how to shoot safely. The cock after loading is a safety plus.

BTW the one I have is one of the most accurate in my inventory. It is a really well put together piece of ordnance.

woerm

 

[I6turbo]

You should also consider a CZ 452 Scout. They are a little more money, but they offer excellent quality and accuracy.



The Scout is an enjoyable gun to shoot, even for an adult, but if you want, you can move the metal to a full sized CZ stock and have a nice carbine, like this.

 

[Tallbald]

Thanks all, but hold the phone.... Went to our favorite local pusher this morning and after consideration, came home with the Savage Rascal. Accutrigger and cock on opening, it should be just right. Our Grand daughter is seven but small for her age. She weighs in at about 50 pounds, and would not be able to pull back on the cocking knob for a few years. The Rascal is also drilled and tapped for scope bases, and as she's already our son-in-laws deer and duck hunting companion almost weekly (he's a manager on a large horse farm with lots game) this should make a nice little squirrel gun too.
Again thanks everyone. Don

 

[PJSprog]

Outstanding, Don! I own two Savage rimfires, and love them. For the money, I think you can't go wrong. Hope your little rascal enjoys her new rifle.

 

[denton]

You're doing a great thing. Good for you.

 

[taliv]

very cool

 

[jpwilly]

I picked up a Savage Rascal (pink stock) 22lr for my Daughter who is now 8 years old. It shoots great, very accurate and has a very easy to use safety unlike the cricket. $159 at a local shop.

 

[RPRNY]

My 12 yo daughter also has the Savage Rascal. She shoots competitively, albeit not necessarily winningly, and prefers her pink Rascal to the $2500 Anschutz models available at the club. She says they're "too heavy". The Rascal is remarkably accurate once you dial in the peep sight - no, it's not competitive with the Anschutz - and I'm so overjoyed that she wants to shoot that I'm not pushing her.

 

[ICE1210]

You guys DO realize you are giving Sara Brady and Diane Finestien serious heart burn. YOU GAVE THEM GUNS!!! Corrupting those little girls, the very idea, teaching them to respect firearms and handle them safely. Oh the HORROR! You are spending quality outdoor time with them when they could be playing video games in a dark basement somewhere. I implore you gentlemen, be cautious, lest these children begin to get the strange idea that you love them and care what happens in their lives.

My kids have a Chipmunk, I liked the fit and finish better than the Crickett.

 

[fpgt72]

That is great they are having fun....poking holes in paper is fun, but if you can have access to a sight where you can put a swinging target, or pop cans...that just adds more to it.

I tried with my son, but he had zero interest in it.

 

[SwissArmyDad]

Just ordered a savage rascal for my 3 daughters to share but for my oldest to use exclusively for the next year or two.

Let me tell you, they're happy as clams. She shot the Cricket as a rental, but i, too, like all the features one gets with the Rascal.

 

[I6turbo]

My 5 year old with the Scout.

 

[rodinal220]

Chipmunk rifles came first and started in the early 1980s with the Oregon Rifle company,they moved several times and changed the name to Rogue Rifle Co. Inc. Rogue was eventually purchased by Keystone Arms who made the similar "Crickett" rifles.

Chipmunks typically have all metal parts on them,like cocking knobs,front sight bases. Keystone Arms has tried to keep costs down with plastic parts and offering stock options.The older Chipmunk rifles from Oregon,Idaho were a bit more refined.


Both are good shooters and the Keystone Crickett can be had new for a C-note from big box stores in its basic form(plastic stock).

Keystone Arms purchased the Rogue Rifle Company in 2007. Haven't seen the new Chipmunks in person so I do not know what the differences are.

I own two Cricketts and one older Chipmunk. I use my Cricketts for survival/back county guns. For a hundred bucks and some survival gear shoved in the plastic stock they can put a few squirrels/bunnies in the pot.

The CZ452,Savage Cub and Rascal are all great choices too.

 

[rugerman]

I bought a Chipmunk for my kids around 1985, good size for them and they had a ball shooting it. After they outgrew it I loanded it to several friends kids as their first gun, now its back in my gun safe looking for a new generation to learn how to shoot. Fun times!!!!

 

[Sam1911]

IMO, the Savage Cub is better than either of those.

It does not require a separate action to cock, and it has an Accutrigger. Also, a peep sight is stock.

Absolutely agreed!

I hear the new Rascal is pretty nice, too.

When, or if, they're a little bigger, the CZs are nice also, but for the really little folks the Cub or Rascal is just the much more fitting way to go.