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I'm sure this topic was brought up before me and my friend are going to buy our oldest kids first rifle for Christmas we have a difference in opinion on what .22 to get them we wanted to get them the same rifle my daughter is pretty strong and tall for her age I said we should do ruger 10/22s he is saying the cricket I know the cricket is cheaper but they won't out grow the ruger what did every one else purchase for their kids
When I was a kid I had a single shot, bolt action 22. Pretty sure mine was a Sears model. I loved that thing. It wasn't tiny like one of those cricket rifles though.
As far as which rifle for your kid, I would say it depends on the kid. If you think they can safely handle and be responsible with a semi-auto then go for it. If you know your kid isn't going to be very good at loading/unloading etc. then I might lean a different direction.
What age are we talking?
Teens and adults both like shooting the crickets in my family. 10/22 isn't a bad choice though, can easily grow into it with many goodies to add to it. (stocks, scopes etc).
Some of the marlins or mossbergs would be good too. Not a lot to go wrong with most any .22 rifle choice for beginners IMO.
I really like the Henry youth model. The sights are opposite colors so it is very easy to explain proper sight picture to a new shooter.
I also like the CZ youth model. The single shot ramp can be replaced with a magazine once they are ready. They are a very nice rifle.
If you reload, consider a center-fire carbine that shoots a 38/357. Won't cost much more to shoot then a 22LR at todays prices.
You can get lots of good use out of a quality revolver after the training is over.
I picked up a nice stainless cricket for when the grandkids get older. Seems like a good starter rifle. I think Savage has a similar model that I have heard good things about. Of course a lot depends on how old the kids are, but any age can shoot these guns.
If your kid actually wants a .22, then it doesn't matter what you get them. If it's just you and your buddy having this discussion, then more than likely you're just debating over which gun you guus want to buy yourselves next.
My daughter is 8 and his son is 9
My first rifle was a Remington bolt action 22 not sure what model it was I got it from my grandpa it was his dad's so it was roughly 50 years old when I got it so it had rust where the model was marked and he didn't have it cleaned I've been meaning to take it to get re blued and safety checked to make sure it is still ok to fire I considered giving her that one as well
My vote goes to the single shot bolt action rifle.
Depending on the experience and responsibility of the child.
She has been shooting my mossberg 715t with assistance for a few years she can safely handle it on her own now I am considering the bolt action single shot mainly because I want to take her hunting when she is old enough so gets used to shot placement I'm not going to lie my main motivation for the ruger is I want to get her a magpul hunter stock so it matches my Remington 700
My daughter has a Savage Cub slingle shot bolt action with with a Boyds thumb hole stock. Pretty accurate and fits her great. But she is also very small for her age.
I wouldn't get it just for that, what if you change the stock and she doesn't like the feel of the rifle and can't shoot it worth a shit? Then you're stuck with a daughter with a gun she doesn't like and can't shoot but you 2 will match like Paris Hilton and a rat-dog. Don't use your daughter to accessorize, get her a rifle that will be good for her, take her to a range and rent a few different ones and see what she likes and what she shoots best.Quote:
Originally Posted by archangel
I don't know if they're still making them but I bought a Daisy Legacy for my son's first rifle. Single shot bolt action with an adjustable stock for growth. Lasted him for several years.
I have a Remington 514, single shot, bolt action. It is easily one of the simplest and most fun guns to shoot that I own. I will never outgrow the rifle and it makes for a great rifle to teach new shooters.
You can get an adult stock for a crickett rifle. Plenty of adults enjoy shooting them too.
I started with a 10/22... many moons ago.. I still have it. Pretty sure I've never cleaned it. It still shoots just fine.
That being said when I took the gf's kid out shooting for the first time... he shot the 15/22 and was grinning ear to ear. Of course he also shot the .300 sbr suppressed and had the same reaction... I don't advise getting them into the NFA game yet... Unless.. you want one.. or twenty.
I ended up going with the chipmunk for now seen a deal at gander mountain online and cabelas matched the price it was just under 100$ after fees and taxes I'm still getting her the ruger 10/22 I got the hunter stock from a guy I work with he got it and decided he didn't like it and couldn't take it back so he gave it to my daughter
I picked up a Savage Rascal for my boy for his birthday this summer. It's an excellent little rifle with the Savage accu-trigger. It's been accurate and I appreciate the single shot bolt action forcing him to slow down between shots. He's definitely a fan of it but it's still a little big for him at 5 years old.
I'd look at the Ruger American myself.
The first rifle I ever fired was a Winchester model 62. Rossi makes (or made) a copy that my little brother has. Read Taurus might also. Great little backpack rifle. Solid takedown. Accurate. Small. Fires 22lr, 22l, and 22s.
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I don't like kids and semi auto. I don't like a lot of adults with semi autos. 10/22 is a great gun, no doubt, but I went with a CZ 455 for my 9 year old son to learn on.
She hasn't seen it yet but my niece has the same rifle she likes it but told me she doesn't want a pink gun
My first firearm was a single shot, lever action .22, I think my parents got it from a TG&Y dept. store. I shot the heck out of it, and loved every shot. It taught me to go slow & make every shot count.
Back then, westerns were prime time TV on all three channels !
Single shot lever action? Seems contradictoryQuote:
Originally Posted by SideShow Bob
I actually saw a used one a few months ago. Think it was at the Firing Line.Quote:
Originally Posted by NoahSki
I grew up with a .22 Ithaca single shot lever gun. I hate the thing. The extractor was broken so after shooting I would use a butter knife to dig out the case. It did teach me to make the first shot count.Quote:
Originally Posted by SideShow Bob
All this talk about every ones first .22s made me take my .22 in to get cleaned inspected and refinished had me missing my grandpa so thankful he passed his love of guns on to me and got me into this sport
i never shot a lever action .22 but I love my lever action Marlin 336 that rifle is so damn accurate some of my best groups were from that rifle with the exception of my Remington 700Quote:
Originally Posted by SideShow Bob
My sons first rifles were both Savage. A Mark II f, and a 64. Both inexpensive, durable and accurate. Wouldn't hesitate to buy more based on the experience I've had with these two rifles.
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i keep hearing good things about savage on here I always dismissed them they seemed like a cheap version of Remington when I first seen them my only experience with them was a shot gun and I wasn't too impressed I may have to find a range that has a savage .22 that I can rent and see how good it is first handQuote:
Originally Posted by 3beansalad
My grandpa gave me my first .22lr when I was Only 29. I still have it today.
The Savage Mark II is a great .22 in my experience.
Blast from the past.Quote:
Originally Posted by SideShow Bob
Trivia bit:
TG&Y = Toys, Games & Yo-yos
Thanks for a little bit of nostalgia SSB.
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I got a Cricket for my boy when he was 7 or so, still have it but he grew out of it Fast. I really don't know what the answer is for that.
My biggest gripe is I wish I'd have researched further and bought a youth bolt rifle that was magazine or tube fed. That single shot stuff is a pain and I think a bolt is safe enough.
Like many, my first was an old single shot bolt no name rifle. I bought my son a Marlin tube fed bolt action synthetic stock and for the first few times we shot with it I made him hand load each round like we did as kids. Once he showed full respect I started letting him fill the tube (17 LR) and he just sits and plinks through them. He loves it and prefers it to my marlin 60. It's Accurate, reliable little shooter and it shoots long, LR and shorts when I can find them. forgot to mention he was 8 when I got it for him and he had been shooting a wood stock Gamo springer pellet rifle for a while prior so the marlin is actually lighter.
My first was a marlin 60 semi auto. I loved that gun so much that I recently bought one.
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CZ Scout has been an excellent rifle. Quality built rifle with great accuracy. The rifle comes with a single shot magazine but can later be swapped with the 5 or 10 shot 452 mags.
Used Model 41 S&W, he will never out grow it or really need to upgrade.