Starter rifle

D

davis21b

New member
I have convinced my wife to let me get my son (who will be turning 6 a few months after I get home) a rifle. I need some good thoughts on some good starter rifles for him. I'm so excited.
 
Despite knowing nothing about rifles I will chime in with my guess on which advice will be given:

.22 LR bolt action, from CZ or Savage, or the like. Iron sights.

Am I right?

(I know I want one!!)
 
yep.. .22lr with iron sights would be my recommendation. I certainly don't disagree with it being bolt, but for me it isn't that big of a deal because you as the parent will be there.. you can make sure he is taking time from shot to shot. And then whe he is a little older, he can still have fun with it being semi-auto. My first .22 was a Marlin 60, still have it and its still going great!

I only have a 3 yr old daughter.. wish I had a son to teach! But on the other hand, as long as I buy a pink .22 she'll like it! :) Who knows, maybe she'll love to shoot - only time will tell.
 
Pond, reread the post. The lad is 6 years old. Niether of the rifle you suggest work for a lad of that age.

I suggest you look at a Cricket. A small youth model single shot 22 LR with bolt action. About 100 bucks.

Also buy a 10/22 now. When he is 10 or 11 give it to him. It will be Dads gun until then and one he will cherish, when he gets it, for a long time to come.
 
Yeah I planned on starting him out with 22lr iron sights. I have just been debating on which rifle to start him with I have heard good things about the cricket. The cricket really does seem probably the best way to go. I have a marlin model 60 that my dad gave me. I'm going to hand it down to him when he gets older. I get to go home for r&r in less than 2 weeks I'm thinking about going a head and getting it for him and letting him shoot every chance we get. I miss him so much I can't wait to see him. He is basically a mini me lol he looks just like me and acts like me too so I'm hoping he loves to shoot as much as I do. Sorry, for the whole lil rant there yall I guess really miss my family right now guess I'm a little home sick I actually have some tears in my eyes. Sorry, again I gotta go to the gym or something clear my mind. Thanks for the advice and listening to me go on about my son.
 
I'm sure he will love the cricket, and later when he gets that Marlin, it will mean all the more because it was yours first.
 
Is the cricket a single shot only or can you find them with a magazine of some sort?
Click to expand...
I have never seen one that was not a single shot. I guess they just figure is is better for the little ones to learn slowly... I agree with them.
 
Try to find an Ithaca M49. Nice single shot lever action. My brother carried one even as a teenager. He still treasures it. A cricket is smallish and probably gets outgrown. Not many of us have totally outgrown cowboy and lever actions.
 
I started my son with a cz youth model. Nice rifle, maybe an inch longer than a cricket, comes with a blank magazine for loading single shot, and a 5 round magazing can be purchased seperately. Here's the rub. My son was smallish at age 6, and really did not fit the rifle untill a few months after he turned 7. By age 10 he had completely outgrown the rifle. On the other hand, the bb gun was used a ton at age six, and still gets used at age 17
 
Look in the used market. There are lots of "youth" sized .22s in the used gun racks. A single shot bolt action would be my suggestion. But it could be a rolling block such as a Stevens favorite or any other configuration.

Simplicity is important, it helps a kid to understand how the gun works and makes for relatively easy clean up.
 
crickett

I started bamaboy with a Crickett at that age. One of the issues is that young arms and muscles cannot balance and support adult rifles.

So...little rifle for little guy.

We shot the REd Ryder for a while, to understand safety and handling.

Consider this, when we moved to .22 and real ammo, I bought a couple of hundred .22 LONG CB caps, made by CCI. The long case was easier for little hands to manage, and the report was so mild we did not need muffs, which lent itself to coaching.

The youngster needs to understand, this is a real gun and ALL that means.
 
Since others have named the Cricket, I'll throw in the Savage Cub.

Bolt action, single shot with the accu-trigger and the reason I got one...aperture rear sight!

Also, I agree with others that it is best to start with a youth stock that fits.
 
I picked up an older Marlin 15YN for my oldest boy which is a nice little rifle. Single shot, bolt action made from Wood and blued steel. Only thing I've done to it is refinish the stock.
Stu

Marlin_15YN_3.jpg

Marlin_15YN_2.jpg
 
My vote is for the CZ Scout. It's not as small as the Cricket, but it is youth sized. Comes with a single shot adapter, but takes 5 or 10 round magazines as well. Nice open sights, grooved for scope mounts.

I love mine, it's every bit as accurate as a full size CZ.
 
I always recommend and "adult" rifle with a stock shortened and perhaps sliimed for a younger shooter. It gets younger shooters in the habit of engaging the safety and of course they will grow into the full sized stock.
 
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