For my kids, should I buy a youth 22LR rifle or just a regular 22LR rifle?

[9mm guy]

As a beginner to rifles (and firearms), I am preparing to get my kids to share my newly discovered passion for shooting. And so there is so much I don't know but have been learning thanks in large part from websites like this. Should I buy a youth 22LR rifle to start my kids off with such as the Savage Rascal 22LR rifles or just a compact barrel (18") regular adult rifle such as the Ruger American 22LR or the Savage Mark II 22LR rifle? My daughter and son are still too young (3 & 1 years old) but I've started thinking about this since they grow up so fast. I don't see hunting in my future also so this will strictly be for plinking/target shooting.

Another question I have is whether I should buy two youth 22LR rifles (one for each, maybe a pink one for my daughter) or just the one adult one and let them share? Any thoughts and your experience would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your answers in advance.

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[Gator Monroe]

Google WASR 22 or AKT-98 or RPK 22

 

[Gator Monroe]

The Sig 522 or Walther UZI 22 or HK mp5 22

 

[Capn Jack]

A Red Ryder B-B Gun. Then, teach them safety and marksmanship in your garage.
If they enjoy the sport, you can always go bigger and better. If not, you're not stuck with a bunch of expensive equipment.

 

[JCORD]

For kids, I would start with a very simple bolt action youth rifle. Get one and as the oldest starts to grow out of it the younger one will be growing into it. Make the follow up gun purchase to fit their personality (pink, camo, black or wood). The first one should be all about learning the fundamentals so safety and marksmanship. The ruger all American or m77 would be a great platform to move into.

 

[Beta1759]

+1 on the ruger all-american.

 

[coupeowner]

The youth rifles are really light which is key for the little ones. If they can't hold it steady to aim it they will not like it. I also like the BB gun idea as a tool to learning safety and etiquette (and even lighter).

I also bought each kid their own gun. Not to spoil them. But I think that the maintenance and "taking care of things" is really part of gun ownership. I found that my kiddos took a lot of pride in having their own gun, learning to clean it (eventually), and prepping it to go back in the safe.

And I really suggest to all parents of little ones to get some of the age-appropriate Eddie Eagle stuff from the NRA and drill the "Don't Touch, Leave the Room, Tell an Adult" message. It is a great program with videos, booklets, trinkets, etc. that is not pro-gun at all. In fact nothing says NRA on it and there isn't even a picture of a gun in the materials for the little ones. It's just about safety.

And great job for exposing your kiddos to the responsibility and fun of firearms!

 

[SigSnob]

Youth guns are great, but my recommendation is to get a wood stocked adult gun. One that you can cut down, but later readily find a replacement easily.

Most people don't want to go semi auto, but the list of accessories on the 10/22 and having a collapsible stock avoids all fit issues and can grow with them.

 

[Velillen]

A bb gun is great to start but nothing beats a 22. With youth rifles being pretty cheap (saw a savage for 120 or so) I'd pick up one youth rifle. As the older grows out of it the next will be growing into it. Plus by then you can buy a adult rifle to fit each kid...ie pink or a camo or whatever.

Bb guns are pretty cheap too so having one you can use in the backyard for practice would be cool. I had a pump bb gun growing up and it was fun to try to shoot golf balls from a cross the yard.

 

[Joshg]

I recommend a marlin 795. It's small and lightweight, cheap, and very good quality. I think I got mine for $130. Same as the model 60 action but mag fed.

 

[BlindedByScience]

I taught my boys to shoot on a Ruger 10-22. Maybe a bolt would have been better, but this was a reasonably priced firearm that got the job done. Still in the safe, though it's been 'modified' somewhat.....

 

[Callidus98]

There are a lot of good responses here. I would add that besides the weight, the length of pull is really the difference between the adult and youth models. Length of pull is the measurement from trigger to butt. If it is too long, you can't mount the rifle right. So getting a BB gun, youth model, or cutting down an adult sized rifle are all ways to get proper fit.
I think the BB gun is a great idea for starters. Then the bolt action, then graduate up to a semi-auto as safety and proficiency are learned.

 

[Capn Jack]

My original suggestion of a B-B gun as a learning tool still stands.

I don't know where the Op lives, but here in the PAC/NW you can almost count the number of decent range days since last summer on both hands. It's either too wet, or muddy and indoor ranges are expensive. I have a nice quiet indoor range set up in my garage. It's 35 ft., shooting from the kitchen table. My wife and I practice regularly with pellet rifles and pistols. It cost virtually nothing and it's made out of plywood and a couple of heavy duty cardboard boxes. Save the .22's for later.

 

[Dreams of Steel]

+1 on a BB or pellet gun to start. It will help teach respect for all types of guns in general and is a great way to train inexpensively. If you are set on an actual firearm for their first (or yours) I highly recommend a Ruger 10/22. There are youth stocks available among many other aftermarket products. They are also relatively inexpensive and easy to find, the ammo on the other hand is another story. I ditched most of my .22 guns a while back due to the ammo costs vs re-loadable calibers, but I still have my 10/22 "FrankenRuger" with an Archangel Target Deluxe adjustable stock, scope, bi pod, and it still makes ragged holes in targets at 100 yds. Also, at least here in South Washington County, there is a really nice indoor range that has multiple nights per week to shoot rim fire rifles and pistols only for $10 per visit, or that's what it used to be. If you are interested and in the Sherwood / Newberg area, check out www.nrpc.net They are a non-profit that does a great job with putting safety first and teaching the basics as well as providing an affordable, indoor range.

 

[Papercidal]

I wasted money on a youth .22 and my daughter could shoot the 10-22 with a adjustable stock before she could manage the little youth rifle.

 

[Goosebrown]

Kids rifles are the way to go. I got my son a Savage Mark II and even with the stock cut down, which you WILL have to do, it is too heavy for him to fire standing. The kids guns look gooney, but they are right for them to start out. My kid is 8 and big for his age and he probably should have had a Cricket or equivalent.

If you don't want bolt action, then 10/22 with a kid stock is without a doubt the way to go.

 

[Liberty97045]

I taught my twin daughters on a Ruger 10-22 when they were 9. Two Kids with guns is a lot for One dad to oversee at once.

 

[PBinWA]

I went with a Savage Rascal for my girls. They can at least shoulder it and attempt good form. Otherwise, they could only shoot prone with the other guns.

It's a cool little gun and I don't mind having it around as a spare. Can't have enough .22's.

 

[Gator Monroe]

Takedown 10/22 ,it can be passed down to their kids

 

[asiparks]

my kid s (6 & almost 9), started with a low powered Daisy pump BB gun and empty milk jugs in the back yard. Once they started getting consistent hits on the milk jugs ( kept moving them further away ), they started really enjoying shooting.
Next step for the older one is my a suppressed Sig 522 to get him used to a bit more recoil. It's fairly light and with the stock at it's shortest setting, fits him ok