Youth .22 rifle suggestions

[balline36m3]

Looking to buy my son a youth sized .22. Any recommendations or anything to look out for? Thanks in advance

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[PDXSparky]

Looking to buy my son a youth sized .22. Any recommendations or anything to look out for? Thanks in advance

Age and size of your son?

For a beginner of almost any age, I would start them out with a bolt action rifle.

 

[tackleberry]

My boys started on a Roger 10/22. I see a lot of parents buy the cricket single shot .22 but I figured my kids would get bored with 1 round shooting. my 13 year old daughter shoots a browning buckmark at tri county gunclub competing in speed steel

 

[Mbeef61]

I started like 25 years ago with a chipmunk bolt action .22. Made in Portland. Still have it too. I think they are called crickets now.

 

[etrain16]

My brother and I started on an old bolt action (don't know what model, it was gone a long time ago). We graduated fairly quickly to a pair of Marlin Model 60's. If you want to do semi auto, the Marlin 60 or the Ruger 10/22 would be great choices that will last a long time. I've still got that Model 60 35-years later.

But if they're just starting out, the bolt action may be the way to go. Several makers of youth sized bolt action such as Marlin, Mossberg and Savage would be high on my list. I don't think there's anything wrong with the Cricket, but I'd prefer the others first. Savage has a series called the Rascal that are like the Cricket. I would move up for another $30 or so to a model 60702 or 60703 instead.

 

[WashCoDad]

5 round magazine bolt action or a tube fed model would be what i would look at.
10 22s go thru ammo too dang fast!

 

[balline36m3]

Age and size of your son?

For a beginner of almost any age, I would start them out with a bolt action rifle.

He is 4 going on 5 in November. I took him out Saturday to shoot the 10/22 and it was too big for him. He had a blast though and I want to get him something his size to build proper form when shooting. Thanks everyone.

 

[etrain16]

When I learned to shoot, it was on a larger bolt-action .22, but it was on a bench rest so I didn't have to try and manage the weight myself. For your boy only being 4 or 5, the Cricket or the Rascal would probably be better choices due to their small size. He can always move up later.

 

[Martini_Up]

Ithaca M49... well, it's what I learned on.

 

[jluck]

Savage Rascal, None of that load it then pull back firing pin BS like the cricket.

Then I'd think about the Ruger American, A natural progression to the 10/22.

 

[2506]

I started my son out on a Cricket when he was about 7--you'll appreciate the single shot. Teaches them patience and gets them focused on the hows and whys of sight picture, grip, breathing, etc. They have the rest of their lives to burn through ammo.

 

[MountainBear]

If he is big enough to shoot it, start him with the Ruger American Rimfire compact version. As he grows, you can add adult length stock pieces to keep the gun useful. The cricket is useful for a year or two, but then its too small and relegated to the back of the safe or closet.

 

[Papercidal]

I bought a cricket for my daughter when she was about your sons age and she has put perhaps 100 rd through it. The shape of the stock just didn't work well for small hands, I put a $80 Blackhawk axiom stock and a cheap bipod on a 10/22 and she mastered it in one trip to the range.

 

[FiveSeven]

S&W m&p ar15-22

It's short enough and can grow with them

 

[balline36m3]

Well I started asking around at work and a coworker gave me a legacy 2202. Made by daisy. Still has the original box. I'll post pictures later. Anyone know much about these?

 

[Peteralexander78]

That young I would go savage rascal. It is light and small enough for a 5 year old. Plus will help him go slow so he can work on safety and proper shooter position. If he just wants to blast away at a target, go airsoft.

 

[aGunAndHisBoy]

Jumping on this thread late, but I bought a savage rascal for my kids and it's perfect for little ones. Great size, feel, balance, and sights for learning. It even has an awesome trigger. I bought the poly stock, but wish I got the wood stock to increase the hand-me-down value.

 

[MarlinNut]

When he gets bigger, a Henry lever action is a butter smooth rifle that he will never outgrow. Buy one now, take a picture of him with it, he will never remember not having it. Also, Henry rifles are made in the greatest country in the world, the United States of America.

 

[boarder4life81]

Started my girls out on a Marlin XT22yr (http://www.galleryofguns.com/genie/...+Bolt+Action&cal=22LR&fin=&sit=&zipcode=97402) They liked it and made teaching safety real easy.

 

[dball152]

Savage Rascal, you wont regret it. Was my son's first rifle at 5 years old. the size is better than most others. Perfect rifle to learn the basics and gun safety.