Rifle for my daughter....

Status
Not open for further replies.
mokin

mokin

Member
Joined
Jan 13, 2007
Messages
2,478
Location
Western Colorado
My seven year old daughter and I have been shopping for a .22 for the last year or so with the idea that if I ever came across some ammunition we could buy a youth sized rifle. I picked up some ammunition. Not as much as I would have liked, but I think enough. Now back to the rifle questions. We have sort of picked out two.

The one she likes is a Cricket. She likes it because it is the lightest she's handled and she likes the peep sight. I like it for the price, availability, and that an adult size stock is available.

The one I like is the Marlin XT 22YR. I like the trigger and I think that with the magazine feed it will hold her interest a little longer. Plus, it feels like a much more solid rifle.

The questions I have about the Marlin are: Is an adult stock available for it? And what are the chances of finding a peep sight for it? I checked out Williams and other places on the interwebz and the consensus is that the 336 (or something like that) may work. I need to go look at that rifle ad see if the receiver will accommodate such a sight. Would it be better to just buy the Cricket and then another rifle when we outgrow it?
 
The one she likes is a Cricket. She likes it because it is the lightest she's handled and she likes the peep sight. I like it for the price, availability, and that an adult size stock is available.
Click to expand...

Answered.
 
The Marlin can be later upgraded to a factory or aftermarket stock such as a Boyds. I remember seeing peep sights available but check out TechSights for aperture sights that will install in minutes.

With the Cricket what you see is what you get. The pull to cock it might be difficult for her also. The Marlin will cock on bolt closure.

To add a wild card there is also the Savage Rascal which has an adjustable trigger and cocks like the Marlin but has peep sights like a Cricket.

One more thing I think you can get an adapter to run the XT in single shot easier so the round can just be set in and the bolt closed.

Good luck!
 
I am with medwheeler, pick the one she likes. My two year old really likes my first "rifle", a .22 cal Benjamin.

Her interest in shooting doesn't last long enough for my arm to get tired before she wants to play in the dirt again.

IMG_20140329_145554_298_zps60605f82.jpg

Keep it safe, then fun and let them decide on when the fun starts and stops.
 
IMHO, the cricket (or chipmunk) is a great starting rifle for little ones. The weight and size makes it easy for small framed kids to shoot off hand. When they outgrow it it's time for an AR. :)
 
I'll second the idea that the Cricket is a pretty sub-par little rifle, for several reasons, and there are much better options available. (Check out the Savage Rascals. If they're anywhere near as good as the slightly older Cub-T my kids use, they're really very nice.)

But the Cricket can be made to work if finances dictate.
 
Here's something else to consider. Several years back I was shopping for a 22 rifle for my young nephew and niece to shoot when they came to our place in the country. (They were 7 and 8). Of course, I have other 22 rifles, but they're adult sized and the kids couldn't shoot them well. I looked at the Cricket, but ended up going with a CZ 452 Scout. The CZ is more expensive than the Cricket, but I went with the CZ for several reasons. I knew that it wouldn't be that long till the kids grew out of the Cricket, and I didn't see that I would have any use for it afterwards. The CZ comes with a solid plastic magazine for loading one round at a time while kids are learning. You can also buy 5 & 10 round magazines for it for your own use. My CZ came with an outstanding trigger, nice & crisp. Like most CZs, the Scout is very accurate.
The kids are grown now and off to college. But, the CZ makes for a nice, compact little bolt action rifle for pack or truck. Its a real pleasure to carry & shoot. The extra cost over the Cricket came to about $10 per year, but I have a little rifle that I still enjoy using today.

http://cz-usa.com/product/cz-452-scout-22-lr/

P.S. - looking over your original post again, I noticed you mentioned magazines and holding your daughters interest longer. That reminded me of my first .22 rifle that I got as a kid, a single shot bolt action. I later got rid of it - never liked that it was a single shot when I was hunting small game.
 
Last edited:
I really like my CZ452 Varmint, so the youth-configured CZ452 Scout (c/w irons) would seem a very worthy candidate. I would assume it could be re-stocked when the "youth" cohort in your family has advanced... One of the features I really like in the CZ452 is that bolt handle setup is very similar to a centrefire bolt gun unlike a lot of other .22LR rifles. That gives better cross-training when it's time to advance to a centrefire bolt gun.

http://cz-usa.com/product/cz-452-scout-22-lr/
 
The Crickett is perfectly adequate,,,

I have friends with young children,,,
I purchased a Crickett just so they could shoot.

There is no doubt that the CZ-Scout,,,
Or even the Savage Rascal,,,
Are higher in quality.

But hey people,,,
We're talking about kids here,,,
My Crickett will hold a 1/2" group at 25 yards.

Isn't that good enough for a starter rifle for a young-un?

It's all personal choice,,,
Some folk always want the "best",,,
I can't rag on them at all for that desire,,,
Just know that you don't need to spend that much.

Aarond

.
 
@rodregier - I'm also a CZ 452 fan. If I recall correctly, some guys have restocked their Scouts with a CZ synthetic stock to give them a longer length of pull. I have several 452s in both 22LR and 22 magnum and just kept the Scout as is. It makes for a very compact, lightweight little rifle that shoots extremely well. Handier than many pellet rifles.
 
@aarondhgraham - no arguments there, it comes down to what works best for each person & their circumstances.

My reason for getting the CZ wasn't so much to get 'the best', as that I saw that the kids were growing like weeds. I knew it wouldn't be long till they grew out of the Cricket. I thought it unlikely that I would ever use that rifle once they did that. So, that influenced my purchase decision. And, I still use the CZ Scout today.

On the other hand, another guy might have his own adult 22 rifle covered. It doesn't matter what happens after the kids outgrow the Crickett, because he's going to use his own .22 anyway & isn't particularly interested in compact/light pack or truck 22. He might get a Cricket for his kid to use for a few years and later look at something else if they are still interested (hopefully) in shooting.

P.S. - something else to consider, (unfortunately), is pricing and availability of guns today. I bought my CZ rifles pre buying panic. I don't know how available or expensive those guns are in today's market. And, of course, 22 ammo is a lot tougher to find and more costly than before. Having to spend more on ammo, may mean having less for buying the rifle.
 
Last edited:
My denigration of the Cricket/Chipmunk rifles is based on the level of features delivered.

I do not care for a "pull-to-cock" striker. I'd like the bolt to cock on closing or opening as a "real" rifle does. The manufacturer tries to sell that as a "safety feature" but it really isn't at all. Just an inconvenience, especially as the kids get older and can handle manipulating the rifle on their own.

I also don't like the absence of a loading ramp or floor-plate which makes getting a round into the chamber considerably more difficult than it needs to be.

Trigger... well, I sure love the Accu-Trigger on our Cub.

Yes, you can graduate up from that, but there's no question that's what you're doing. Graduating to a "real" rifle from something not much above a child's toy.
 
I picked up a Remington 510 at an estate sale for $35 that would make a great little first rifle with a chop of the barrel and stock, just can't bring myself to do it.
 
My daughter loves her Cricket. It's just the right size for a 6-9 year old. I put an inexpensive red dot on it, looks a bit silly but she likes it.

The trigger isn't great. It's real hard for her to cock it, but I'm always right with her when we're shooting so that's a "daddy job" anyway, and it ensures that she can't use it solo yet. It's accurate enough to keep her interested.

The important part here isn't so much the gun as having the young' un enjoy shooting it. When she gets a little bigger she can pick out her own gun that's more accurate and higher quality. Right now having a small light gun that she is comfortable and safe using is most important.
 
I'm with Sam1911, the Savage line up of youth models stand head and shoulders above the rest. I have 3 youth model rimfires in the safe at present for my youngsters, ages 5, 7 & 10. Among the rifles, the Savage Cub T is my favorite followed closely by the Rascal. Scoping a Rascal makes cheek weld difficult but with the peep sight it is an excellent set-up.

Also don't like the idea of cocking a rifle before firing. Think two little hands with rifle clamped between the knees and muzzle aimed at feet. A hard trigger pull is no fun either, doubly so for youngsters.

On a personal note, I've already decided to lay claim to the Cub once my oldest grows in to his 10/22TD. My daughter will be gifted my 452 Trainer (an amazing rifle for the price) when she's ready and I'll give my youngest his pick from the rest of my collection. At 6' 2" I don't find the diminutive stature of the Cub the least bit problematic and I can say with confidence it's one rifle I have plans to own till the end.
 
Take a hard look at the Savage Rascal. It is $50-75 more than a Cricket, but it is a much better rifle. It comes with peep sights and the Savage Accu-Trigger. Mounts for scope rings are less than $10. All around it is the best "starter" rifle for children I have found.


PS Years ago I bought a Marlin 15YN for my children. It had a 15+ lb. trigger pull. I spend more getting the trigger pull down to 5 lbs than I did on the rifle.
 
@Schutzen - that Savage Rascal sounds interesting. I have several Savage rifles, most of them centerfires, and like their accuracy and the Accu-Trigger.


Not that I need another .22 rifle, and not that I can find ammo anywhere locally! :rolleyes:





P.S. - I just checked out the Savage website and looked over the Rascal. Its a single shot, but has the AccuTrigger and sure is priced right. All the kids, including the youngest ones in the extended family, are older now. Hmmmmm . . . . who could I 'justify' getting this for as a trainer ?
 
Last edited:
Maybe a picture will spice things up a bit. Here's my daughter's Rascal, yes the pink one, and my son's Cub. The pink Savage came first which prompted me to seek out the Cub. I spent numerous range sessions, er, fine tuning and ammo testing which gave more than a few club members a healthy laugh seeing a big fat man with a little pink rifle. Then the laughing stopped when we checked targets.

FN8etHml.jpg

Still proud of her when she shot this at age 6 with just a folding camp stool for support:

JVpMK1al.jpg

The Savage Rascal also comes in green, yellow, black, blue and red as well as wood.
 
Hey, don't knock it! "The kids'" Cub is MY go-to rifle for groundhogs in the yard. I love it, and I'm over 6' tall. It's a REAL rifle, just small.
 
I like the bright colored Rascals. Very low key, look like 'toys' . . . but actually a real rifle. That could be fun to play with.

Do you guys who have them actually try to shoulder them (shooting offhand), or place the stock against your cheek? I saw one YouTube vid and the guy just place the stock against the side of his cheek but then he didn't show the target afterwards. I wonder if you'd be able to get a consistent cheek weld that way.

Here's off a rest with the irons. (My eyes wouldn't be able to do that - probably could with a scope since I shoot small targets with a scoped pellet rifle out at 100 yards):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=srIVRFDpXwo
 
Last edited:
I have no problem at all shouldering ours. I use a scope, though. I didn't have a prayer of getting down low enough to see through the rear aperture.
 
@Sam1911 - - - That makes sense. Thanks

Yeah, I'd scope it too. Likely with a Hawke 4x32mm AO Mil-dot air gun scope. Good scope and good price.
 
Yep. The caveat with the Cub is a too low rear peep (at least for adult use) but not so with the Rascal. That rifle was without a scope through Jr. CMP and I had no trouble shooting it offhand. The Cub after being scoped is just awesome. Compact, lightweight and as comfortable as can be.

Before I tried these little wonders I spent considerable money modifying or custom ordering stocks for a longer than standard LOP because conventional thinking told me I had to. People often mistake my Marlin for a centerfire when they see its recoil pad (which can snag clothing when shouldering) but the pad's sole purpose was to make the rifle "fit". I simply didn't know what I didn't know.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

I
  • Locked
Starter rifle for 7 year old daughter.
2
Replies
27
Views
2K
tactikel
T
T
  • Locked
Bolt action single shot .22 rifle for my daughter
Replies
11
Views
2K
MT GUNNY
M
C
  • Locked
My daughter shooting
Replies
6
Views
417
ChopperKen
C
Airgead
  • Locked
Youth Rifle for Daughter
2
Replies
28
Views
2K
pikepole20
P
O
  • Locked
Daughter's rifle
Replies
8
Views
711
oldsoldier
O
Back
Top