youth 22 rifle

[Schnoz]

hey I figured this would be one of the best places to ask since so many of the members own guns and like them.

I took my wife and 3 year old out today to shoot my .22 (didn't want to start either too big on their first experience) anyways they both had similar problems with the gun being too big. They both loved it though. I had brought a pellet gun for my son Lane to start out on and figured he would get to shoot my .22 maybe once or twice. Lane probably unloaded 50-100 rounds into the target/field behind it.

What I am looking for is recommendations for a nice lightweight youth model .22 ( I guess a .17 would work too) rifle for my wife and sons( the 1 year old wont be shooting for a little bit.) Would you recommend starting with maybe a lever action, single action or a semi automatic ?

This is going to be a family gun that hopefully gets passed down to the grandkids and so forth. We had that tradition in my family with my great grand father all the way down to my brother with the oldest son getting it. but I happen to not be the oldest son so hopefully my brother will procreate.

 

[joe_peters]

hey I figured this would be one of the best places to ask since so many of the members own guns and like them.

I took my wife and 3 year old out today to shoot my .22 (didn't want to start either too big on their first experience) anyways they both had similar problems with the gun being too big. They both loved it though. I had brought a pellet gun for my son Lane to start out on and figured he would get to shoot my .22 maybe once or twice. Lane probably unloaded 50-100 rounds into the target/field behind it.

What I am looking for is recommendations for a nice lightweight youth model .22 ( I guess a .17 would work too) rifle for my wife and sons( the 1 year old wont be shooting for a little bit.) Would you recommend starting with maybe a lever action, single action or a semi automatic ?

This is going to be a family gun that hopefully gets passed down to the grandkids and so forth. We had that tradition in my family with my great grand father all the way down to my brother with the oldest son getting it. but I happen to not be the oldest son so hopefully my brother will procreate.

I really hate to tell you this, but you need to buy TWO new guns! :rattle:
For the kids, I highly recommend the Henry single shot bolt gun. No magazines to load or lose, and it really makes having a round in the rifle "by accident" nearly impossible. Neither opening or closing the bolt cocks the rifle, you have to pull on the knob at the rear of the bolt. Stainless steel, synthetic stock, even has florescent sight inserts. It is a starter rifle for all kids and the 3 year old can handle it with a little help.

http://www.ableammo.com/catalog/product_info.php?products_id=85834

(just for the photo, they can had a lot cheaper)

However, a bit too small for Wifey.

Is she proficient with guns? Would she be comfortable with an auto? If so I would recommend the Ruger 10/22. Easy to work, and more dependable than a John Deere tractor.

Buy her the gun and put this stock on it: http://cgi.ebay.com/WOMEN-PINK-6-PO...temQQimsxZ20091126?IMSfp=TL091126209006r31548



OR buy yourself a new CAR-15 with a .22 sub-caliber adapter!

 

[ECKSJAY]

Ruger 10/22 and buy a youth stock for it. When they're big enough you can swap it back to the full one. You can load rounds singly if you want. I can tell you from my experience that nothing kills joy for a kid more than a single shot or lever action.

 

[hondamnit]

ruger 10/22 is a good one, i dont know if you have a Dicks sporting goods store up your way but they sell a nice smallish 22 rifle in the stores.

 

[goodburbon]

10/22's are hard to beat as an overall gun. So many accessories it'll make your head spin.

or CAR 15 with Ciener .22 LR adapter. Took my nephew out last week and he enjoyed the heck out of it.

 

[joe_peters]

Ruger 10/22 and buy a youth stock for it. When they're big enough you can swap it back to the full one. You can load rounds singly if you want. I can tell you from my experience that nothing kills joy for a kid more than a single shot or lever action.

Strange, I always thought learning to shoot and hit what you are aiming at WAS the joy in shooting.

Of course, there is the "spray and pray" school of thought.

Seriously, single loading the 10/22 is a pain in the a**. Raise yourself a rifleman, one shot, one hit. Leave the "fun" of blowing off rounds for the sake of blowing off rounds for when they already have the true skills of shooting.

 

[MaxxXJ]

i would personally give your son a cricket .22, they are alot smaller and a good youth gun, for your wife the ruger .22 would be nice just for the options available for it, but im pretty sure for the amount of use shes going to put to it i wouldnt spend so much on a rifle. i bought my girl a mossberg .22 and its perfect for her.
http://personalsecurityzone.com/cgi.../PSZ/?Template=ProdDetail.htm&ProductID=26376

 

[hubs97xj]

I started off with a single shot called the Chipmunk. A tiny little rifle for tiny little people.

 

[MaxxXJ]

I started off with a single shot called the Chipmunk. A tiny little rifle for tiny little people.

thats kind of like the crickett, young children only need single shot rifles anyways, when their 3-4-5 years old... i'd say even as far as 8-10 years old, they need your undivided attention, and letting them loose with a 10rd clip isnt a wise choice IMO.

 

[ECKSJAY]

Strange, I always thought learning to shoot and hit what you are aiming at WAS the joy in shooting.

Of course, there is the "spray and pray" school of thought.

Seriously, single loading the 10/22 is a pain in the a**. Raise yourself a rifleman, one shot, one hit. Leave the "fun" of blowing off rounds for the sake of blowing off rounds for when they already have the true skills of shooting.

Macho asshat attitudes scare kids/people away from shooting, too.

 

[joe_peters]

Macho asshat attitudes scare kids/people away from shooting, too.

Agree! :cheers: <--those are root beers!

 

[RichP]

Got a few 10/22's, one with a pink stock that my daughter shoots. Started them both, son and daughter, with 22's. Heavy barrel mossberg that got stuck on the bench with a hoppes rest, too heavy for them to be moving quickly.
Started them both off though with cheap bb guns in the basement, I waited till they were 5 though.

 

[RedHeep]

Strange, I always thought learning to shoot and hit what you are aiming at WAS the joy in shooting.

Of course, there is the "spray and pray" school of thought.

Seriously, single loading the 10/22 is a pain in the a**. Raise yourself a rifleman, one shot, one hit. Leave the "fun" of blowing off rounds for the sake of blowing off rounds for when they already have the true skills of shooting.

I think that practicing shooting makes a good shooter. I'd rather put 10 rounds in the stock mag of my 10/22 and let my son take his time adjusting his position and pulling the trigger instead of sitting up every time one round goes off so we can load another. It's much easier to teach over a ten round magazine than it is resetting every shot.

If teaching good shooting technique was loading one round at a time, I think you'd need a whole lot of time to get it right. I think that's all he was saying. Let's not jump to some wacky conclusion that we're handing kids semi-autos and letting them bump fire them into the targets.

 

[Jeepm@n]

I just ordered some shooting glasses and hearing protection for my 8 year old daughter. St Nick is an NRA member:guitar:.

 

[RichP]

For those of you who are starting this I offer some suggestions, keep an eye open for lawn sale .22's, make a note of your kids friends who are single parent, usually no father, take those kids to the range too. A great target for kids is balloons, blow em up, staple them to the backboard and have at it, the kids get a real kick out of seeing them vanish. Pack soda, munchies, etc. Use a full gallon water bottle or six to demonstrate the dangers. Helps if there is a second adult present. After the kids are older they tend to police themselves.

 

[Jeepm@n]

Great ideas Rich. I use 2liter bottles of water and large paper animal targets. I have 5 guns. Two Ruger 10-22's and 3 BB guns. My brother-in law and I usually take my nephew and two of his friends out target practicing. Looking to eventually get them to start skeet shooting.

 

[MaxxXJ]

For those of you who are starting this I offer some suggestions, keep an eye open for lawn sale .22's, make a note of your kids friends who are single parent, usually no father, take those kids to the range too. A great target for kids is balloons, blow em up, staple them to the backboard and have at it, the kids get a real kick out of seeing them vanish. Pack soda, munchies, etc. Use a full gallon water bottle or six to demonstrate the dangers. Helps if there is a second adult present. After the kids are older they tend to police themselves.

road flares and half empty propane bottles are good too :twak:... ok so im j/k but kids do like to see a reaction for their action... punching paper thru a target gets old for kids after a while

 

[FlexdXJ]

thats kind of like the crickett, young children only need single shot rifles anyways, when their 3-4-5 years old... i'd say even as far as 8-10 years old, they need your undivided attention, and letting them loose with a 10rd clip isnt a wise choice IMO.

Oh my God, You can be inciteful? And here I was thinking you had no sense at all!

 

[ECKSJAY]

I think that practicing shooting makes a good shooter. I'd rather put 10 rounds in the stock mag of my 10/22 and let my son take his time adjusting his position and pulling the trigger instead of sitting up every time one round goes off so we can load another. It's much easier to teach over a ten round magazine than it is resetting every shot.

If teaching good shooting technique was loading one round at a time, I think you'd need a whole lot of time to get it right. I think that's all he was saying. Let's not jump to some wacky conclusion that we're handing kids semi-autos and letting them bump fire them into the targets.

That's dead-on what I was saying. Different kids are going to have different issues...and with 'impatient' (for lack of better term) kids, interest in kept in keeping them head down and on target rather than reloading. My daughter was rapidly losing interest with the lever action Daisy, especially when it wouldn't load a BB each time. She'd get all lined up, click *poof*...and nothing comes out. My buddy saved the day with his 10/22 and she went absolutely bonkers with it.

 

[MaxxXJ]

Oh my God, You can be inciteful? And here I was thinking you had no sense at all!

it was a bad few months for me... i was being an asshat for sure, for the most part i learned to not put myself in situations where i might have to take my foot out of my mouth later...