testar77
Member
My son is 9yrs old, and the LOP on the 10/22 is a bit long to teach him proper offhand mechanics. So I am looking for recomendations on a small, inexpensive .22 to get for him. Any thoughts?
Thanks, Toby
Thanks, Toby
Recommendations on a Youth .22
- Thread starter testar77
- Start date
- Status
WardenWolf
member
Savage/Stevens model 315 Youth
Note that I have an older Stevens I'm refurbishing right now, although that project is going to take a while because the remainder of the stock's finish is resisting sanding and the action is a royal mess from someone shooting .22 Shorts through it.
If he's a lefty, be sure to emphasize proper right hand placement. His fingers will thank you for it when he starts shooting semi-autos.
Note that I have an older Stevens I'm refurbishing right now, although that project is going to take a while because the remainder of the stock's finish is resisting sanding and the action is a royal mess from someone shooting .22 Shorts through it.
If he's a lefty, be sure to emphasize proper right hand placement. His fingers will thank you for it when he starts shooting semi-autos.
testar77
Member
Has anyone had any experience with the crickett's? They weigh half as much as the Savage/Stevens model.
I've been thinking about this also and the two options that I am considering are:
1) The Walmart $107 youth bolt 22lr.
2) Ruger 10/22 (already have one myself or additional one) for $193 and cutting the wook stock to youth size. There are plenty of aftermarket stocks to go do as they grow, or just buy a takeoff wood stock for $20 or so. Swaping a stock on a 10/22 is a 3 minute job.
I'm leaning to option 2. Rossi also makes a youth combo 22lr/410shotgun, barrells interchange, they are ~$160 new but I have seen used one for $100. That would probably be fun for them to have also.
1) The Walmart $107 youth bolt 22lr.
2) Ruger 10/22 (already have one myself or additional one) for $193 and cutting the wook stock to youth size. There are plenty of aftermarket stocks to go do as they grow, or just buy a takeoff wood stock for $20 or so. Swaping a stock on a 10/22 is a 3 minute job.
I'm leaning to option 2. Rossi also makes a youth combo 22lr/410shotgun, barrells interchange, they are ~$160 new but I have seen used one for $100. That would probably be fun for them to have also.
testar77
Member
What is model name of the rifle, apparently they took their gun prices off the internet, so I can't look for the $107 one
Thanks, Toby
oldrevolverguy
Member
- Joined
- Oct 19, 2007
- Messages
- 147
22 for a child
I bought an H&R single shot youth 22 for his 7th birthday. I put a nice scope on it and it fits him perfectly. I also purchased an adult buttstock so that when he outgrows the youth stock it will take 10 minutes to upgrade it. The single shot teaches and re-enforces the need to make each shot count. The safety procedures are simple and easy to supervise. He is 9 now and just participated in an extensive ammunition test with me and a buddy of mine. My son and his little H&R held it's own at the 50 yard line off sandbags by printing sub-1 inch groups with ammo it liked.
He will end up with a semi-suto at some point but he will always have a soft spot for the H&R.
I bought an H&R single shot youth 22 for his 7th birthday. I put a nice scope on it and it fits him perfectly. I also purchased an adult buttstock so that when he outgrows the youth stock it will take 10 minutes to upgrade it. The single shot teaches and re-enforces the need to make each shot count. The safety procedures are simple and easy to supervise. He is 9 now and just participated in an extensive ammunition test with me and a buddy of mine. My son and his little H&R held it's own at the 50 yard line off sandbags by printing sub-1 inch groups with ammo it liked.
He will end up with a semi-suto at some point but he will always have a soft spot for the H&R.
CZ 452 Scout.
A 12" LOP, 16" barrel, and an overall weight of 5 lbs. Built on the fantastic CZ 452 action. Comes with a single shot mag, but will accept 5 and 10-round mags when the time is right. I've seen them locally for $250-$275, I recall.
I bought one of these for my wife (about 5' 1"). She likes it, but truth be told, after I installed a Brooks trigger kit, I like it even more. Accurate and very handy. It's really a rifle that a youth can shoot, but will never outlive it's usefulness, either. The only downside I see is it doesn't come with sling studs.
http://cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=5
A 12" LOP, 16" barrel, and an overall weight of 5 lbs. Built on the fantastic CZ 452 action. Comes with a single shot mag, but will accept 5 and 10-round mags when the time is right. I've seen them locally for $250-$275, I recall.
I bought one of these for my wife (about 5' 1"). She likes it, but truth be told, after I installed a Brooks trigger kit, I like it even more. Accurate and very handy. It's really a rifle that a youth can shoot, but will never outlive it's usefulness, either. The only downside I see is it doesn't come with sling studs.
http://cz-usa.com/product_detail.php?id=5
im going to the gun store to day to pick up a Henry 22 youth lever action. and this is Y when my 7 year old out grows it she will have a gun worth enough money to trade in on something bigger to hunt with. i have a 7 year old little girl. that cant wait till shes old enough to make her own dead zoo in the basement of our home. thank you LORD thank you. being a girl i had my doughts. but no more.
czarjl
Member
I like the idea of a bolt gun or break action single shoot for learning, because they are fairly simple and you have to do something other than pull the trigger before the next round fires (bit of added safety). Also helps to focuses on shoot technique and not the next shoot.
I learned on my Grandfather’s Glenfeild (Marlin) 25, It was a bolt action with a 7 round magazine and iron sights (not a expensive or fancy gun but, possibly the most valuable to me in my collection).
Cutting down a wooden 10/22 stock is also a good possibility. The stocks are cheap and easy to replace. That way when he gets bigger you just have to put a full size stock on and he can still shoot his first rifle with out any problem.
I learned on my Grandfather’s Glenfeild (Marlin) 25, It was a bolt action with a 7 round magazine and iron sights (not a expensive or fancy gun but, possibly the most valuable to me in my collection).
Cutting down a wooden 10/22 stock is also a good possibility. The stocks are cheap and easy to replace. That way when he gets bigger you just have to put a full size stock on and he can still shoot his first rifle with out any problem.
Bill B
Member
I bought the cricket at wallyworld for my boy.I have to say it is perfect for a new shooter.It has a great little peep sight,built in lock on the reciever,it might be smaller than the red rider and is very accurate .In my opinion the bolt action is the way to learn.My 7 year old is hitting shotgun shells at 15 yards.
testar77
Member
That's good to hear Bill, I am kind of leaning towards a Crickett mainly for the size and weight of it, to teach proper offhand shooting technique. Also the single shot Bolt action is a big plus in my opinion to keep the pace slow. I wouldn't have started him out on an auto any way (other than letting him plink with my 10/22 until I get him one of his own). but I didn't want to go with a break open though either. I was just worried about them being a piece of crap or something. Hearing someone that had a good experience with them is great. It should serve him well until he needs something bigger, then it can get handed down to his little brother.
Toby
Toby
Ruger came out with a 10/22 compact stock, but only an inch or so shorter. Bought my Son a Savage MKII GY, bolt action youth model, very nice trigger
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdSpecsView?model=1168
http://www.ruger-firearms.com/Firearms/FAProdSpecsView?model=1168
Strongbad
Member
I bought the aforementioned CZ 452-scout for my niece when the time came. Good little gun. Perfect fit (she was 11 at the time). I still like shooting it myself. Unfortunately they've gone up in price, but it's still an excellent value.
Runningman
Member
A couple years ago I bought a Marlin 915Y for the grand kids to use. It is a single shot bolt action. It not a bad little gun. I think I paid $149 for mine. Not sure what the latest prices are. Lately I've been putting a thick slip on recoil pad to increase the length of the stock a little if I feel like shooting it myself.
I got a Crickett for my son when he was 5 or so from Walmart. He loves it, fits him much better than anything else. I scoped it after he was comfortable with open sights. He is 9 now and has been shooting full sized LOP rifles now off a bench or rest. To shoot offhand, he still needs the Crickett due to the weight of other rifles.
Hoxviii
Member
I've shot one of the crickets and they are darn handy little rifles. I've considered even buying one for myself as a truck/hiking rifle. Off the bench it's horribly awkward shooting something that short, but off hand they don't weigh anything and point wonderfully.
The other advantage of a single shot is you can control the flow of ammo during a shooting session. The way my dad beat safe gun handling in my head was he'd hold up a bullet and ask me the 4 rules of gun safety.
After I repeated them back to him, he'd give me the round and I'd shoot it. Next round, same thing. Or he'd ask me what "BRAS" means, or what correct sight picture is, stuff along those lines.
It was always a little quiz to get me to know all of the fundamentals.
It also helped as we started working on longer ranges. He'd have me get a sight picture and tell hm where I was going to aim- then he'd give me the round and I'd take the shot.
Sometimes he'd also ask me to call my shot after I took it, and as a pair he knew where i was aiming and where i was hitting and could coach me on to target.
The other advantage of a single shot is you can control the flow of ammo during a shooting session. The way my dad beat safe gun handling in my head was he'd hold up a bullet and ask me the 4 rules of gun safety.
After I repeated them back to him, he'd give me the round and I'd shoot it. Next round, same thing. Or he'd ask me what "BRAS" means, or what correct sight picture is, stuff along those lines.
It was always a little quiz to get me to know all of the fundamentals.
It also helped as we started working on longer ranges. He'd have me get a sight picture and tell hm where I was going to aim- then he'd give me the round and I'd take the shot.
Sometimes he'd also ask me to call my shot after I took it, and as a pair he knew where i was aiming and where i was hitting and could coach me on to target.
22-rimfire
Member
Browning BL-22. Saw a nice used one for $300 the other day. Tubular magazine that you can load singles in no problem.
I was tempted with a CZ 452 Trainer the other day. I "almost" bought the little rifle. Changed my mind and they can shoot my new 39A from the bench.
I was tempted with a CZ 452 Trainer the other day. I "almost" bought the little rifle. Changed my mind and they can shoot my new 39A from the bench.
I'm not 100% sure on the Walmart $107 one (comes in black or pink), but I think its a Savage Mark II youth. The youth savage is on their site for $150-160 (they don't list prices but you can find the range) with acutrigger which are special order, I think the cheap on is the one that is not listed on site but without accutrigger. I know that is the case with the adult savage. They have $107, $110, $117 models here and I get them mixed up. I haven't looked resently but the savages without accutriggers are made just for walmart I think.
Rmac58
Member
Many good suggestions, and I'll add another. If there is a used gun store nearby, look for military surplus trainers, some are single shot.
rangerruck
Member
marlin savage or henry, youth models. You could do a cricket, but I do not like the plastic parts on the back of the bolt. Also cz does one. if you do a marlin or a cz, when they grow up, you can get full size stocks for them.
saltydog452
Member
- Joined
- Aug 1, 2004
- Messages
- 1,707
I don't know what is available these days.
My kiddos learned safety and shooting with a Rossi .22rf pump.
Single action, external hammer, no mechanical safety.
It worked for the kids and seems to doing just dandy for a second set of grand-kiddos.
salty
My kiddos learned safety and shooting with a Rossi .22rf pump.
Single action, external hammer, no mechanical safety.
It worked for the kids and seems to doing just dandy for a second set of grand-kiddos.
salty
My first gun was a youth model Marlin single shot bolt action. It is a very safe gun because it only holds one round. Having to reload after each shot teaches a bit more care and focus to make each one count. If the child already has semi auto experience they may not want to go back to a single shot bolt. My own tastes lean towards lever guns, but I am not up on what is available in youth models. I would avoid scopes as IMO shooting with irons should come first. I think that semi auto should come after a manual action of some sort for safety reasons. Good luck and happy shooting to you and your family.
rcmodel
Member in memoriam
I bought a Cricket when they first came out for my two sons.
(Well actually, I bought it for myself because it looked like a minature Model 70!)
Anyway, it was so small they outgrew it in a couple of years.
And the only way I could ever shoot it was by holding it out in front of me like a handgun.
If I were going to buy a rifle for a growing child now, I would get one of the "youth models" based on a full size rifle.
Then put a normal stock on it at a later date when they get older.
rc
(Well actually, I bought it for myself because it looked like a minature Model 70!)
Anyway, it was so small they outgrew it in a couple of years.
And the only way I could ever shoot it was by holding it out in front of me like a handgun.
If I were going to buy a rifle for a growing child now, I would get one of the "youth models" based on a full size rifle.
Then put a normal stock on it at a later date when they get older.
rc
therealdoublel
Member
back when i got my first .22 i got a winchester model 62A carbine, thought it was a pretty sweet rifle, then when cleaning out a relative's house i found a remington model 24 semi auto, that was another pretty sweet .22
The Crickett is a good rifle. My daughter has put many thousands of rounds of bulk .22 ammo through hers in the last 3 years.
They will quickly become pored with the accuracy afford by the peep sight that comes on it, but if you buy the scope mount, put a cheap 4X scope on it, you'll find that the little rifle will outshoot most of whats in your gun safe
They will quickly become pored with the accuracy afford by the peep sight that comes on it, but if you buy the scope mount, put a cheap 4X scope on it, you'll find that the little rifle will outshoot most of whats in your gun safe
- Status
