Educate me on youth .22 rifles

[Fanky]

I've been kicking around an idea for a little while, and would like a little extra input on it. My boss knows that I'm a big fan of going out to the range and hunting, and we talk a lot about it on the long drives to job sites. He owns a few guns himself and has two fine young boys, but he's lacking something rimfire that his boys can use. He's the breadwinner in his household, his wife stays home to take care of the boys and keep the place in order. They don't live an extravagant lifestyle and don't live outside their means. He's done a lot for me over the last few years and has become a really good friend, and I'd like to return the favor in a sense. I'd like some opinions and input on what I should be looking for in a pair of .22 youth rifles. I'd prefer something single shot, bolt action, and able to be swapped out with a full length stock as the boys grow up. I'm not too hung up on the price, but about $150 apiece maximum is around what I'm looking for, but I'm not against spending a little bit more for something better quality.

 

[nosmr2]

You might want to check out the Davey Crickett models. They are single shot & bolt action. There are different sized stocks that can be added down the road as the boys grow older.
However, I bought one for my daughter a few years ago and recently sold it to help finance a nice 10/22 for her. She grew bored/tired of loading so frequently. The 10/22's will run $199 and up depending on features. There are also adjustable stocks for the 10/22s that can grow with the kids.

 

[Fanky]

I was thinking about the 10/22, I have one myself, and it was my first .22. I would like to introduce them into shooting the right way though, and making sure your shots count every time.

 

[nosmr2]

No complaints with the Davey Cricketts.

 

[theautobahn]

The price is a little higher than what you're looking for, but I'm leaning toward the CZ 452 Scout for my son's first. It comes with a single shot plug in place, but you can buy regular 452 magazines (5 or 10 shot) once they've mastered the basics (of course you can put the plug back in if they're burning through too much ammo ). I believe you can switch out the "Scout" youth stock for a full sized, but I haven't been able to verify that yet.

 

[TonyAngel]

How old are his boys? The little Crickets and such are fine beginner rifles, but I've found that they out grow them pretty quickly, depending on how old they are when they start.

I started my youngest when he was ten and got him a Cricket type of rifle. That lasted all of a month. Then it was a Henry lever action. In any case, I'd try to find some sort of repeater. They'll get more long term use out of it.

I'd hit a few pawn shops and see what's out there. I've seen some good deals on quality bolts guns by Marlin and Savage at very good prices. Cut the stocks, if need be, they get a new stock when the get bigger.

 

[Lovesbeer99]

I don't know if you should swap the stocks out later, just sell the guns and get new ones.

Almost every company will have a you size gun and some will have 2 or 3 models.

Davey Cricket
Mossberg
Stevens
Henry
Marlin
Ruger
CZ
Savage

I have a few Davey Crickets and a Henry Youth lever and like them both.

 

[Curator]

Savage has an excellent .22 target rifle with target (peep) sights. Savage Mk1 or MkII. http://savagearms.com/firearms/model/MARKIFVT
Getting young people interested in shooting requires some element of success almost right away. Guns with lousy sights will not allow them to be accurate. Get the best you can afford. You might even consider something with a 4X scope or red dot sight for a total beginner. I run a Boy Scout Camp rifle range and we have "serious" target rifles (Marlin 2000) which we start our beginner shooters from the benchrest. Kids take home their first targets with several "bulls eyes." Success in the beginning makes them want to come back and do it again.

 

[Rembrandt]

I bought 10/22's for both my boys.......big mistake. Just like adults the kids liked to hose off rounds as fast as they could pull the trigger. I remember one weekend they went through a case of 22's (5000 rds) and wanted more.

Later got a couple Browning model 52 sporters (bolt action/5 round mags).....it slowed down the ammo consumption and taught them to make each shot count.

 

[IdahoSkies]

My girls (Five of them) loved their cricket. I got it for $109. It has a peep sight. Is built for their frame and I'm a fair shot with it my self. The bolt action helps them be judicious with their shots as well as I can easily see when its clear.

I don't think there is a better first .22. I'm not too bad with it my self.

 

[DeadFlies]

I just recently received the Chipmunk that my dad bought for me when I was bout 7 years old. It's been passed around to most of the new shooters in my family and it's still going strong. Wonderful little thing. Great, safe little shooter.

 

[Pat M]

I learned on a couple of oddball .22 single shots, an Ithaca 49 lever and a Marlin 101 bolt. Both great for teaching kids.

 

[nipprdog]

My choice;



Savage MK II F

 

[manithree]

My daughter has a Crickett, and she loves it. But she does get frustrated with the lack of feed ramp. If they're really young (maybe, under 12), the new Savage Rascal looks just about perfect. It won't grow with them, but it's a single shot bolt with a feed ramp from Savage. And it should be pretty inexpensive (MSRP $174).

Unless the Rascal turn out to be complete garbage, I would never buy another crickett.

 

[zenner22]

For my boy's 8th birthday I'd decided to surprise him with his own 22 rifle. I'd settled on the Crickett. Then I went to the gun shop and they showed me one. That is one TINY rifle. He had already physically outgrown it. It might have been fine when he was 5 or 6.

I asked the owner for a recommendation and he suggested the CZ 452 Scout rifle. This is a youth sized gun which fit him pretty good. I purchased a 5 shot mag and we were using that pretty quickly. Again, glad I didn't get a single shot.

For his 9th birthday I put a scope on it for him. A downside of the CZ - $50 scope rings! Holy smokes!! I definitely wanted to stay away from a semi, the idea to teach controlled fire first. The scope has really assisted him in his accuracy. The CZ is a nice rifle.

 

[Fanky]

His boys are 5 and 7, and they're pretty decent sized for their age. That Savage Rascal looks like a fine choice, but I'll poke around in the used racks and see if I can find a pair of nice .22's as well.

 

[claiborne]

CZ Scout

CZ scout X 2

 

[tech30528]

10 22 stainless carbine, bought at a gun show for $175. Blackhawk Axiom stock, about $50.
Collapsed:


Extended:


Still my favorite carry around in the woods rifle. Under 5 pounds without the scope, and yes, the peep sights are still there. The paper is my son's group at 100 yards. Not bad for 10 years old. When he first got it he'd shoot with the stock completely collapsed, now he's out to the first stop. Adjustable is better than a youth stock because it grows with them.

 

[El Tejon]

Tio Tejon here. The controlling factors are LOP and weight.

As the uncle of five who has purchased many guns for kids, my recommendations would include:

1. CZ 452 Scout (best option)

2. Savage Cub (great trigger and weight)

3. Marlin 15Y, 15YN (great sights)

 

[El Tejon]

I was thinking about the 10/22, I have one myself, and it was my first .22.

The compact 10/22 is a fine choice but I believe that the first rifle should be a bolt action.

Here is why:

1. The bolt is more readily removed from the weapon allowing for safer storage and for the weapon to be inactive while you go down range to check targets.

2. A manually operated repeater or single shot imposes a self-regulation upon the shooter from wasting ammo.

Get a CZ452 Scout, install sling posts and get some kid-sized eye and ear protection.

 

[Virg461]

In the price range you mentioned, you might want to look at the Marlin 795. It's a very well made little autoloader, and it's as small or smaller than a 10/22 so it would fit a young man well. it's not so small that he couldn't use it as a teen or adult, though. I've seen them as low as $120 at Dick's and other places. You can almost always get one for less than $150. I don't know of a decent bolt action for less than $150 unless you do some digging. I bought my son a CZ ZKM 468 while back from Alan's Armory. They were sold originally as "garden guns" so they single shot, bolt action, and fairly small. Can be hard to find but they're walnut and steel and very accurate. I cleaned the stock on his up and refinished it and it looks great. I think I paid around $130.

Can't go wrong with that little Marlin.

 

[Virg461]

The Savage Cub is a nice little rifle, too.

 

[Fanky]

Looks like I've got a few options to check out. I appreciate the help, guys. I'm usually pretty rifle literate, but youth rifles are something I've never delved into.