Thoughts on a first .22 rifle

[Rykdean]

I'm looking to pick up a .22 for my 9 year old daughter. She learned to shoot this spring using a borrowed Marlin single shot (not sure which model it was) and she really enjoyed it. I want to keep that fire going if I can. I've been doing some research online and I'm leaning toward one of these youth/compact rifles:

Marlin XT-22 YR ~ approx. $175
CZ 452 Scout ~ approx $300
Ruger American compact ~ approx $270
Savage MK II GY ~ approx $200

I'm wanting a bolt action rifle, one that she can load one at a time for now but have the option to use the magazine at some point. I want to keep her concentrating on the fundamentals of each shot and not just blast away.

Looking for thoughts on things like:
Is the CZ or Ruger worth the extra money?

Does a synthetic stock matter? They feel kind of cheap to me.

Are there accuracy differences of any significance between these?

Any thoughts or input would be appreciated.

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[MountainBear]

The Ruger is worth the extra money due to the versatility. As she grows up or transitions from iron sights to scope, the stock can be modified to her needs. Plus it used 10/22 mags which are a dime a dozen. Definitely a solid choice as a starter!

 

[boogerhook]

The CZ is definitely worth the extra money. I would also take a look at Henry AccuBolt. They make them in .22 and .22mag.

 

[that guy]

I have a CZ455 I really like. One nice feature is the available single shot magazine adapter that can help you keep track of her rounds.

 

[Ura-Ki]

+1 on the Ruger! I also like the Marlin and Savage MK-II Bolt guns, all can be used as the child grows and improves thus giving a life time of shooting! Stay away from the cricket, JUNK

 

[edslhead]

Boyd's makes some nice stocks if you want to spruce up the Ruger down the road.

 

[F2CMaDMaXX]

Don't forget synthetic stocks are typically lighter.

I agree on the single shot, but I wouldn't worry about wanting it to upgrade.
Get one that appears fully setup as the iron sight single shot it is, and keep it that way

 

[Goosebrown]

I started my kid on a savage but the first time he touched a 10/22 he was hooked. Now he shoots speed steel with me.

 

[Sgt Nambu]

My compliments on your deciding for a magazine fed, bolt action! Single shots are useless a year down the road! IMHO!
Remember, all detachable magazine rifles are single shots! Just load one round in the magazine!
By that standard, a Ruger, 10/22 becomes a bolt action rifle!
Safety and marksmanship is totally up to dad, at first, anyway!

 

[The Heretic]

I just walked in from shooting my XT-22

The reason I bought it was I grew up with a Marlin very much like it, and because mine is the tube feed mag that will work with shorts, longs and long rifle (not sure if the others will, pretty sure the Ruger will not). I think this is a good thing because shorts can be pretty quiet from a rifle barrel.

Downsides.

The barrel is 22" long and moderately thick for a .22 rimfire, so it is barrel heavy. Other rifles are often not so barrel heavy, especially the ones with thin short barrels, or the Ruger if you go with an aftermarket barrel.

The stock is synthetic and light. Good in that it is hard to damage, not easy to change the length of pull?

The trigger is nice and light (not super light, but not gritty or heavy). If your daughter is small in stature you may want to consider the Cricket or the Chipmunk rifles.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I really like any Bolt .22 that has the tube mag. Simple to use, and reliable as they come, plus, no mags to loose and have a hard time finding replacements for!

 

[Rykdean]

Thanks everyone, for all the thoughts/opinions! Helps to hear the experiences folks have with the different rifles. Since the ones I am looking at are the short barrel versions, anyone know if there is there much difference in quality from the full sized counterparts?

 

[The Heretic]

Thanks everyone, for all the thoughts/opinions! Helps to hear the experiences folks have with the different rifles. Since the ones I am looking at are the short barrel versions, anyone know if there is there much difference in quality from the full sized counterparts?

If it is the same model but with a shorter barrel, the only real difference will be noise and velocity. Std. Vel. ammo will be about the same but HV may be a little faster in the longer barrel. Noise will be the most significant difference in my experience and I prefer a quieter firearm, but I also prefer shorter barrels and lighter firearms.

To address another poster's comment about single shots not being useful after the first year, I totally disagree. I am 62 years old, I have been using single shots for 50 years and I have never grown tired of them - I still have four of them, mostly .22 RF or a combo .22 RF.

I am going to buy one of the Chipmunk/Crickett rifles and convert it to this:

I already have this:



But the Crickett/Chipmunk is a bolt action and is easier to load. I don't need a fast reloading rifle most of the time, but the original Pack Rifle is a bit annoying to reload.

I like semi-autos - I have three 10/22 Rugers - but they won't feed anything except LR, and it isn't easy to load them singly.

 

[Goosebrown]

I stood where you all stand now. Bolt action. Iron sights. Single shot. The way my dad did it only for me it was my brother.

I gotta say I was wrong. A 10/22 has iron sights. And the rest? It just gets in the way of them loving to shoot. They love more what they do more. More bullets down range, the faster they learn and the faster they fall in love with it.

IMO start with the 10/22 but most important be out there with them teaching them about guns.

 

[OutlawHoss]

+ 1 on a bolt gun, specifically the Marlin XT-22TR. I bought one and immediately put a Boyds stock on it. I shoot a ragged hole at 80 yards, with Remington Thunderbolts, no less. I did some in-letting work on the stock going for a true 2 dollar bill's thickness of float (two 1 dollar bills, that is); not sure that it's needed though as it's a tube mag. I think barrel break-in did more for accuracy than anything else.
[For some reason I can't post my picture of it.]***Picture Problem Fixed, See photo below****
Anyway, a real good shooting set up, with Simmons scope and Cantwell bipod. I think learning to shoot with a bolt gun offers more technique and skill to be acquired, and inspires a mindset of 'making each shot count', both in accuracy and in responsibility. Not as slow paced as a single shot, but she can learn to shoot faster and faster by mastering the technique, and not before. A semi-auto you can shoot as fast as you want, and (potentially) never master the skill of making each shot count. And you don't have the tendency towards a semi-auto balking at some brands of ammo over others. The bolt gun shoots just about anything with a higher baseline of performance than an auto, in my experience.

 

[Joe13]

Hard to go wrong with any of them is sounds like.

I like tube fed guns because they take time to load and there is only one so you can't just keep feeding her mags.

@Rykdean

I'll be the first to toss out one not on your list or have seen mentioned yet....


A Henery Lever Action .22 s/l/lr...

Takes time to load.

Takes time to cycle the lever (and as her skill lever gets better she will naturally get faster).

Shoots s/l/lr 's so ammo is a bit easier to find.

Has a scope rail and comes with iron sights that are pretty good.

Short overall length.

Wood stock so it could be cut down with ease and then add a limb safer later to add LOP as she gets older (if you even would need to cut it down).


Insanely easier to clean then any simi auto IMO.

Lots of other merits too like it is very very accurate.


Just my experience. Saw one at Bi-mart a few days ago, new for $229.

 

[The Heretic]

I stood where you all stand now. Bolt action. Iron sights. Single shot. The way my dad did it only for me it was my brother.

I gotta say I was wrong. A 10/22 has iron sights. And the rest? It just gets in the way of them loving to shoot. They love more what they do more. More bullets down range, the faster they learn and the faster they fall in love with it.

IMO start with the 10/22 but most important be out there with them teaching them about guns.

There is no law that says you can't have both - or more.

I have three 10/22s, a Marlin bolt action, an M6 Scout, a Pack Rifle, and three semi-auto pistols - all in .22 rimfire. I intend to get a Browning BLR to have a lever action .22 RF. I also intend to get a Crickett/Chipmunk and I wouldn't mind getting a Sharps style rifle in .22 RF

One can never have too many rimfire firearms

 

[Joe13]

There is no law that says you can't have both - or more.

I have three 10/22s, a Marlin bolt action, an M6 Scout, a Pack Rifle, and three semi-auto pistols - all in .22 rimfire. I intend to get a Browning BLR to have a lever action .22 RF. I also intend to get a Crickett/Chipmunk and I wouldn't mind getting a Sharps style rifle in .22 RF

One can never have too many rimfire firearms

^^Truth there.

 

[The Heretic]

FWIW - on another forum (AdvRider) there is a rimfire thread, and everybody in that thread raves about the CZ rifles too.

 

[Larrytpdx]

10/22. You will never have any regrets.