Best .22 rifle for teaching 10-year-old to shoot?

D

DougB

New member
I'm thinking of getting a rifle for my son (who will turn 10 this summer). He has already shot my semi-auto .22 rifles and pistols some, but I'd like to get something better for him really learn to shoot with and consider his own. Of course, until he is older and proves to be responsible, he will only be allowed to handle or shoot ANY guns under very close adult supervision. I've been following a string of comments on a Marlin and Chipmunk rifles. It seems like I saw a nice youth-sized CZ bolt action .22 advertised. I'm thinking that a bolt action would be best. I'd like it to have open sights (peep would be nice), along with the ability to accept a scope (which I might add later - I've noticed that kids seem to really like scopes, and I want him to enjoy shooting. Anyway, any recommendations or cautions regarding these or other rifles? By the way, my son is big for his age, and will probably use this for a few years, so I don't want too small a rifle.

Doug
 
Sounds as though you've decided the Marlin 15YN and Chipmunk are too small. If so, why don't you take him right to the classic Ruger 10/22? Scopes easily, good for a lifetime, all kinds of accessories and parts so he can learn about working on it and making it into what he needs at the time. And, it is a rifle for an adult or young person, which can be left to the next generation with pride and confidence. Easily found in the used market as well.

Good luck with your decision.

Regards from AZ
 
1. BOLT action -promotes accuracy control and patients instead of hearing things go bang.... thats what firecrackers are for (until he gets older anyway....)

2. I suggest Marlin.... simply because thats what I got first... and it's never failed me and shoots precise AND accurate. beautiful walnut stocks... great guns IMO

the habits your son aquires these years will carry through with him into hunting for years to come.... a "first gun" is an important step

good luck and happy shooting

BTW... mine is an 880
 
I strongly second you bolt action decision. Even the single shot style.

Since you kid is as you say "large for his age," go ahead and get a full sized single-shot .22 bolt-action. Then you will have tow options. Cut the stock to fit the boy, or buy a youth sized stock to fit both rifle and boy.

I think cutting the stock would be easiest. Cut it in several stages rather than in one cut. Save the pieces and as your son grows, add them back to the stock. When he reaches full growth, buy a new stock.

As for brand, I'd look for a good Marlin or Winchester if I were doing the looking.

I envy you Doug. You and your son are about to have a lot of fun together.

Doc Hudson
 
Thanks for the suggestions (please continue - I'd particularly be interested in hearing about the CZ and other rifles in this category). I didn't mean to imply that I wanted a full-size rifle, just that I don't want an overly small one. My son is now 4' 10" and 105 pounds. That idea of buying a full-sized, cutting down the stock, and then adding pieces back as he grows is interesting - I'd never thought of that. I don't think I'd want a long barrel (too heavy) - I'm thinking maybe something with a 16" or so barrel. Maybe I should get a bolt-action carbine, then cut the stock down. It would be nice to have a magazine fed rifle, especially if it could be used as a single-shot without the magazine.

Doug
 
I have a Marlin 25N. That gun surprisesd more people with it's accuracy than any other .22LR rifle that I have seen. The price is great too. Mine is the 7 round magazine bolt action it was $150. They have other versions that you can get for less than that as well. Check out their line at http://www.marlinfirearms.com
 
Doug,

If a 20" or 24" barrel is to much for the youngster to handle, any gunsmith worth the title can cut a recrown the barrel down as short as needed.

Gryphon's suggestion of the Marlin M-25N is a good one. A good thing about detachable box magazines is that a dummy can be made up so the rifle can be used as a single shot without having a hole in the bottom of the reciever.

I am a firm believer in using single-shots and manual repeaters as trainers for beginners.

Doc Hudson
 
How about a ruger 77/22 its what i learned to shoot with, its accurate, reliable,and fun, but a little more expensive then the above listed.
 
The Romanian .22 meets your criteria. Bolt action, 5 shot detachable clip, good iron sights (not peep), scope rails, very accurate. Typical eastern-Europe engineering--rugged and simple and functional. I bought one for my son who is turning 12, but he's small for his age. Its small enough for him, but big enough that I enjoy shooting it. See my post elsewhere on this forum.

You may want something new and nicer as a first rifle. But if you are budget-challeged, as I was, it'll do fine.

If you can't find one locally you can order (through an FFL) from http://www.gunsnsmmo.com. With shipping it'll run about $55. $65 for hand-picked. $95 or so "like new".
 
My daughter is almost 10 and she has been doing very well with my Remington 581 sportster.
It's fitted with a scope and she is doing quite well. (I would avoid a semi auto for teaching a young child untill they get very familiar with firearms.) She has shot my AR-15 after having plenty of time to get used to the basics of firearm safety :D
 
There's still time to start the boy off with a gun that will serve for a lifetime, but is still perfect for a beginner. Buy a Thompson/Center single shot Contender frame...pistol or carbine, it doesn't matter. It's a modular gun, with grips, butt stocks, and barrels interchangeable on any frame, and the trigger is finely adjustable. Get an accessory carbine barrel in .22 (match chamber for preference) and 'scope it with the T/C Duo mount and a nice RF 'scope, for your training gun. Later, you can buy other pistol and rifle barrels of many, many calibers for the same frame, and build an 'all-occasion' battery.
T/C recently discontinued the original Contender, but there are lots of them around, new and used. You can get youth butt stocks for use with the carbine barrels; and T/C's subsidiary, Fox Ridge Outfitters, has tons of custom barrels available. With one frame and a bunch of barrels, you are pretty well set for any shooting sport except REALLY big dangerous stuff.
You can put together a pistol or a rifle on the same frame, but don't use barrels less than 16.5" with the rifle butt stock, as this is a Federal crime (shrug)
These are very precise and well-made firearms, and T/C has one of the best customer service policies in the business.
 
I started my sons (all three of them) on an Ithaca model 49 saddlegun, single shot lever action (martini style). They are accurate, easy to handle, cheap at gun shows and dealers, the single shot makes them think before shooting and the lever action looks "cool as hell" to a kid...all three still have their 49s and they are 23, 21, & 19 today. I myself have one in 22 and one in 22mag......
 
My daughter started off with a `Davey Cricket' and has since graduated to a Charles Daly `Youth' model. (Though if I had my `druthers' now I would have gotten her a CZ `Scout' model since the `open' sights are *much* better than those on the Charles Daly `Youth' model.) Her bother is `inheriting?' the `Davey Cricket' in about another year. (And will *definitely' `graduate' up to the CZ when the time comes to do so.) The only `problems?' I've discovered with the `Davey Cricket' is the trigger pull is awfully heavy and the manual cocking can sometimes be a PITA for youngsters with smaller hands. The `sort of' peep sight seems to encourage fairly good `sight picture' learning in the begining. But switching from it to more `conventional' `open sights' sometimes can be a `bear' for *some* youngsters. I would *definitely* keep away from both scopes and things like `red dots' until they get good with `open sights' however having the ability to accept either one, scope or `red dot', is nice.
 
DougB, I really like Slabside's idea. Although most of us started with bolt actions or semi-automatics, the Encore carbine sounds like a better idea. I am not opposed to technology and new products opening new doors. Buying an Encore with a .22 LR barrel now, and adding more barrels later forhis interests, is an easy and classy way to go about this...and just think, your son, when he's 30 or older, may still be using the same rifle that his dad bought him 20 or more years before. I only wish I had such a claim. Sure, I could get the .22 Winchester bolt down and shoot it, but I certainly don't use it like I would an Encore. I think this applies to many folks.


All that sounded good 'till I looked at the T/C page. It doesn't look like they make a setup for a .22 LR. Figures, as it's a rimfire, and the breechblock is I'm sure built for centerfire.

[Edited by Steve Smith on 05-14-2001 at 12:36 AM]
 
Thanks again for the comments. The TC Encore idea is interesting - I'll have to look at those. I did get a chance to handle a Chipmunk .22 today. I was amazed at how truly tiny it is. I think it would be way too small for my son already. It's really a miniature rifle - much smaller than I expected (remindes me of the NAA mini-revolvers). Kind of interesting, but too small to be of much practical interest to me. I also read a little about the CZ Scout rifle - it sounds interesting. Apparently it comes with some device that replaces the magazine so you can use it as a single-shot until ready to use the regular 5 or 10-round magazines.

Doug
 
DougB and Steve Smith (and everyone else)

PLEASE read my post above again!!! I did not recommend the Encore! The ENCORE by Thompson Center is a completely different model from the one I recommended. It is built heavily, with a much larger, stronger frame designed to accomodate full-length and magnum-type rifle rounds.

The CONTENDER is the original T/C pistol/carbine, and the one I recommended. Any gunshop of reasonable size will have guns, frames, stocks and grips, barrels and accessories to fit these for a long time to come, both new and used. And there IS a .22 long rifle barrel available, in both regular and match chambered configuration. Also, T/C's custom shop, Fox Ridge Outfitters, will be able to supply accessory barrels in dozens of calibers both standard and wildcat, sights, etc for the indefinite future.

CONTENDER, gentlemen!

I understand there will be a 'new' Contender, redesigned, without many of the nice features of the original, available soon. I wouldn't recommend that one. Or the Encore, which was designed by lawyers (no adjustment on trigger.)

Life is sure confusin', ain't it?
 
You might also consider the NEF. They make a youth size .22 that shoots shorts, long, and long rifle. It is a single shot break open, like the shotguns. You can also add a .22WMR barrel in the future when he get's older. These NEF's sell for $107 at Walmart. They don't stock them so you have to ask. The additional .22 barrels are $55. The only drawback might be that they don't have open sights, scope mount only. An inexpensive red dot sight would make shooting easy.

I will be in your situation soon. My daughter is 16 months old. When I (and Mom) think she is ready, she will be starting on the NEF with .22 shorts.

Good luck
 
See if he likes a Turk Mauser, they are pretty cheap and the ammo is very cheap. He will get used to the sights and the bolt action will teach them to take thier time between each shot. I have 2 sons and they are 9 and 10 years old as well and i bought each of them a Turk Mauser and they love it. They love the grunt of the rifle and the power that it withholds. I showed them a .22 and they tought it was way to underpowered for them and small. I showed them the 8mm round and they loved it. They shoot with me every sunday and they love thier mauser.
 
Erfan35,

I've had a tough time deciding if you are serious. I have a couple of Turkish 8mm Mausers, along with several other Mausers and other old bolt-guns, and around 2,000 rounds of ammo. I enjoy them, but can hardly imagine a worse choice for teaching a kid to shoot. Lets see...longer than he is tall, heavy, lots of recoil and muzzle blast, poor sights, unusual safety, no easy way to mount a scope, heavy trigger, etc. To be honest, I have taken teenagers shooting, and some of them do enjoy the old Mausers (one even bought one - his first gun - after shooting mine), but these kids are a few years older. I don't see my 9-year-old son enjoying them much. Do your kids hit anything, or just close their eyes, clench their teeth, and yank the trigger? I guess whatever works for you is fine, but I think I'll stick with the .22 for a year or two.

Doug
 
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