What's the best kids size 22lr rifle?

[bsa1917hunter]

So I took my 10 year old daughter to the range with me the other day and let her shoot my 10-22T off the bench. She loved it and now wants to go shooting again. The 10-22 is too big for her, so I'm thinking about getting a compact/youth rifle for her. How are the cricket rifles for small framed kids? I've heard they can be hard to cock for some kids. I want to teach her gun safety and think the single shot rifle will work better than a semi auto like the one she shot the other day. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks..

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[308]

My 7yr old grandson does well with the Cricket .22. He was hitting metal plates at 25yds no problem. The nice thing is it is single shot and he can shoot .22 shorts and cee-bees with no recoil.

The older grandson shoots the MP 15-22 very well. It's 5lbs very ergonomic and the collapsible stock can grow with him.

My problem with the 10/22 is they tend to get filthy pretty fast shooting crap ammo and the start having extraction issues...at least that is my experience.

10 yr old granddaughter shooting the MP 15-22

 

[PaulB47]

We have a Cricket from a while ago. Very cute, but has the worst trigger I've ever tried on any rifle. Took it to a gunsmith and he said with that design there was no way to improve it. I don't know if current Crickets are still saddled with this design but it is something to be aware of.

I bought my son a CZ 452. That is a very nice gun and it works better. Not as tiny as the Cricket but reasonably small.

 

[albin25]

Henry makes several models that could appeal to a kid, from 7" - 13" length of pull and 3 - 4 lbs. A member of this site has a 22 mare's leg (that kids can shoot like rifle) for sale at a good price. An AR-7 is something that can be a car/bugout/backpacker if they lose interest or move up. A levergun slows down their rate of fire, and will shoot the crappiest ammo. Their youth bolt gun also looks like a nice choice.
Henry lever guns have excellent triggers (haven't tried a minl-bolt though).

https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/lever-action-22-youth-rifle/

https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/mini-bolt-youth/

https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/mares-leg/

https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/u-s-survival-ar-7/

EDIT:
I'll add to this post because it was subsequently pointed out to me that shouldering a mare's leg could be a violation and thereby would make it an illegal SBR...I called Henry Firearms this morning and asked them about that concern.

...They confirmed that unless a Mare's leg pistol's grip (it's not a stock) is altered in some way to make it longer (even by adding recoil pad) or has been replaced with a rifle's stock, there is no legal concern with how it's held, cheek plant, hip plant or shoulder fired it's a still a pistol unless the original grip is altered/lengthened/changed to rifle stock.

 

[clearconscience]

What about a Remington 514 youth
Only weighs 4.25 lbs

Or a Marlin XT 22Y weighs 4lbs

 

[308]

A member of this site has a 22 mare's leg (that kids can shoot like rifle) for sale at a good price.
https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/mares-leg/

Correct me if I am wrong, but since we have to deal with the rules set forth by the BATFinks, shouldering a Mare's Leg at less than 26" OAL would be in violation of those ever so important rules about shouldering a pistol.

 

[etrain16]

So I took my 10 year old daughter to the range with me the other day and let her shoot my 10-22T off the bench. She loved it and now wants to go shooting again. The 10-22 is too big for her, so I'm thinking about getting a compact/youth rifle for her. How are the cricket rifles for small framed kids? I've heard they can be hard to cock for some kids. I want to teach her gun safety and think the single shot rifle will work better than a semi auto like the one she shot the other day. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks..

When you say it's 'too big' - is that too heavy? LOP too long? I'm guessing she's likely not shooting off hand at this stage or lugging it around in the woods?

Though it's not 'kid size', I would recommend the Ruger American Rimfire. I have one myself and it's a pretty darn compact and lightweight gun. The action is very good as is the trigger. Bonus is that it uses standard 10/22 magazines. It will shoot shorts, longs and long rifle. Has a fiber optic front sight, and it's very accurate out of the box. If you get a chance, maybe pick one up at a gun store and see how it feels. The nice thing is that she can grow into it, whereas the Cricket will eventually be too small. Just a thought.

Note: be sure to look at the "compact" models, they have a shorter LOP (12.5" for the compact, 13.75" for the standard). If you ever need to extend the LOP on the compact model, Ruger sells the longer LOP modules for the stock.

 

[Certaindeaf]

So I took my 10 year old daughter to the range with me the other day and let her shoot my 10-22T off the bench. She loved it and now wants to go shooting again. The 10-22 is too big for her, so I'm thinking about getting a compact/youth rifle for her. How are the cricket rifles for small framed kids? I've heard they can be hard to cock for some kids. I want to teach her gun safety and think the single shot rifle will work better than a semi auto like the one she shot the other day. Any help you can give would be greatly appreciated. Thanks..

Aside from being a semi-auto, why not just hack off whatever off (within legal limits) the stock of a 10-22? You can probably get a stock pretty much free every day of the week.

 

[Joe13]

Another vote for henerys.

My 22lr is very compact and feels tiny to me.


Take your youngun to the gun show or Sportsmans and try out a few in person and that will tell
You more then anyone on this forum can.

 

[elsie]

Get a replacement wood stock and cut slices off. As they grow, reattach a slice.


elsie

 

[Joe13]

Get a replacement wood stock and cut slices off. As they grow, reattach a slice.


elsie

That's a good idea.

LOP is the key issue, as long as it fits any rifle should be ok (barring the weight factor).

Marlin 60's are smaller guns then the 10/22 so I'd try one of those for fit and they are super accurate right out of the box with a pretty good trigger.





Went out shooting this last Saturday and we shot a carp load of clays. Both of the shotguns I brought fit me like a glove. Buddy just bought an older weatherby and new Rem super mag.

The super mag was just too short and gave me a bruise on the cheek. The weatherby was just a tad too long and made it much harder to correctly sight in the bead.

Moral of the story I guess is that if all I had to shoot were 2 guns not suited to my ideal LOP then I might not have had nearly as much fun as I did.

LOP is everything in a long gun.

 

[RicInOR]

Certain guns, like the Ruger 10/22, have a huge market in accessories.

Just upgrade the stock as they grow - and if you have more coming along ...

 

[BillM]

Put a Blackhawk Axiom stock on a 10-22. Light, pistol grip, adjustable buttstock,
under $70 if you shop around a bit.

 

[etrain16]

Certain guns, like the Ruger 10/22, have a huge market in accessories.

Just upgrade the stock as they grow - and if you have more coming along ...

Put a Blackhawk Axiom stock on a 10-22. Light, pistol grip, adjustable buttstock,
under $70 if you shop around a bit.

I like the idea of cutting the stock down on the 10/22 - but I think folks are missing what the OP said in his post - he's looking for recommendations for a single shot rather than a semi-auto.

 

[eightyeight mag]

Savage rascal with accu-trigger

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Aside from being a semi-auto, why not just hack off whatever off (within legal limits) the stock of a 10-22? You can probably get a stock pretty much free every day of the week.

Because it's my target gun. I use it for golf ball shoots and other rimfire competitions. The LOP is too long. She wanted to shoot it and I couldn't resist. She insisted we keep shooting "until the box of bullets was gone". We shot up a full bulk box of federal automatch. I think I created a monster, but also think she needs a rifle she can more easily shoot. I'd like to see her be able to actually hold the rifle up and take aim at something, but the barrel on the 10-22T is too heavy for her.



Thanks for the suggestions guys.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Because it's my target gun. I use it for golf ball shoots and other rimfire competitions. The LOP is too long. She wanted to shoot it and I couldn't resist. She insisted we keep shooting "until the box of bullets was gone". We shot up a full bulk box of federal automatch. I think I created a monster, but also think she needs a rifle she can more easily shoot. I'd like to see her be able to actually hold the rifle up and take aim at something, but the barrel on the 10-22T is too heavy for her.



Thanks for the suggestions guys.

Gotcha. I said a 10-22. They're like $200 brand new.

 

[coop44]

Grow bigger kids? But seriously, at her age she is going to grow into that 10/22 really fast. In the meantime green mountain barrels offers an aluminum steel sleeved barrel, and the cheap wood take off stocks are plentiful.

 

[bsa1917hunter]

Grow bigger kids? But seriously, at her age she is going to grow into that 10/22 really fast. In the meantime green mountain barrels offers an aluminum steel sleeved barrel, and the cheap wood take off stocks are plentiful.

My kids are all on the little side. Ha ha. Unlike me. I was using a sporterized m1917 when I was 11 years old. That rifle was 11 pounds with its bull barrel. I also rode a Honda XL 600 when I was 13... I'm glad my kids are small in stature and don't take after their big papa...

 

[Papercidal]

I second the recommendation for a 10/22 in a blackhawk axiom stock.I wasted money on a cricket for my girls but the 10/22 was far easier for them to shoot with the pistol grip. I have also heard good things about the 15-22s as they are light and have a adjustable length of pull.