Want to buy 22lr rifle for son.
- Thread starter dts686
- Start date
Those Marlin XT-22's are very accurate. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one. What is the purpose of the rifle? Is it to punch holes in paper getting the smallest groups possible? Is it to punch holes (or cans) just having fun? Is it to kill squirrels? Getting him the right rifle means finding out what he is trying to do with it.
chris in va
New member
I second the Henry. Heck, I'm 44 and it's still one of my most fun guns to shoot.
Also have a look at a CZ Basic, or a Farmer if you can still find one.
Also have a look at a CZ Basic, or a Farmer if you can still find one.
How old is your son?
Mine is 8, and I got him a Ruger American Rimfire Compact for Christmas. The idea is that the stock inserts are interchangeable, and as he grows, the length of pull can b be changed simply by adding the stock insert from the standard (non-compact) stock insert.
I wanted a bolt action, to make him focus on one shot at a time rather than just hosing away with a semi-auto.
Mine is 8, and I got him a Ruger American Rimfire Compact for Christmas. The idea is that the stock inserts are interchangeable, and as he grows, the length of pull can b be changed simply by adding the stock insert from the standard (non-compact) stock insert.
I wanted a bolt action, to make him focus on one shot at a time rather than just hosing away with a semi-auto.
Another vote for the Ruger American, awesome rifle for the same amount of money.
My first 22LR was a Winchester 190 and looking back a semi-auto was a bad choice for a 11 year old kid. So I say stay with a bolt gun and you can't go wrong.
With the Ruger American you can take the magazine out and just have him single shot it until he gets used to a gun and how to handle it safely and responsibly.
My first 22LR was a Winchester 190 and looking back a semi-auto was a bad choice for a 11 year old kid. So I say stay with a bolt gun and you can't go wrong.
With the Ruger American you can take the magazine out and just have him single shot it until he gets used to a gun and how to handle it safely and responsibly.
1st Rifle
I think Marlin bolts are good 22s, bot not sure of new ones made under Rem.
Saying that I'm going to have to go with the Ruger American, I don't own one
but have shot several. I do have 10-22 and 77-22 both are quality made and
accurate rifles. There use to be many choices for boys rifles but since most
semi-autos can be made cheaper than a bolt gun our choices are limited.
I think Marlin bolts are good 22s, bot not sure of new ones made under Rem.
Saying that I'm going to have to go with the Ruger American, I don't own one
but have shot several. I do have 10-22 and 77-22 both are quality made and
accurate rifles. There use to be many choices for boys rifles but since most
semi-autos can be made cheaper than a bolt gun our choices are limited.
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Oldshooter60
Inactive
A stainless rifle will still look good 20 years from now, even with a kid not taking care of it.
Kid's hands often have lots of acids that can rust a gun pretty fast, if not taken care of. If you don't buy a stainless gun, coat the metal parts with a good automobile wax or synthetic protectant like Turtlewax R21.
A rifle with a good tubular magazine feed is easier for kids to load and they hold more ammo. Some box magazines have very stiff springs and lower capacity. It's also harder to lose the tube than a box magazine.
Lever actions are good, but Henrys have a sleeved action that doesn't seem be amenable to scope use. I don't know if they do well with receiver sights either. Still, they're a very nice starter rifle for kids. Marlin 39s are quite heavy for kids to hold offhand and mine has had more than it's share of factory defects.
Kid's hands often have lots of acids that can rust a gun pretty fast, if not taken care of. If you don't buy a stainless gun, coat the metal parts with a good automobile wax or synthetic protectant like Turtlewax R21.
A rifle with a good tubular magazine feed is easier for kids to load and they hold more ammo. Some box magazines have very stiff springs and lower capacity. It's also harder to lose the tube than a box magazine.
Lever actions are good, but Henrys have a sleeved action that doesn't seem be amenable to scope use. I don't know if they do well with receiver sights either. Still, they're a very nice starter rifle for kids. Marlin 39s are quite heavy for kids to hold offhand and mine has had more than it's share of factory defects.
FiveInADime
New member
The Marlin XT-22 is the same bolt-action .22 that Marlin made for years, just with a better (very, very good) trigger. The action is a steel pipe and racking the bolt may make you think of sand at the beach but I like the Marlin magazines and the very accurate micro-groove barrels.
I've had a 25n since I was ten and it shoots so well I can't imagine laying out for a CZ unless you just have to have some refinement. The Ruger American seems like a rip-off to me. What can it do that a wood stocked Marlin can't for $100 less (I got by fine without adjustable LOP but I was a big kid).
I've had a 25n since I was ten and it shoots so well I can't imagine laying out for a CZ unless you just have to have some refinement. The Ruger American seems like a rip-off to me. What can it do that a wood stocked Marlin can't for $100 less (I got by fine without adjustable LOP but I was a big kid).
I just pick up a CZ 455 Trainer and am amazed at the quality on this rifle that cost me $345. I had shot my Dad's 452 Trainer, it's scoped and will do dime sized groups with good ammo.
Beautiful stock, cold hammer forged barrel, Mauser style tangent sights, adjustable trigger, and you can swap the barrel out with an allen wrench. For around $130-150 CZ sells 17 hmr and 22 mag barrel/magazine sets.
For the time being I'm using the tangent sights, makes it more challenging...but at some point I'll either scope it or put diopter sights on it. The quality is amazing, stupidly accurate, and the adjustable trigger is good, a 10oz-2.5lbs Rifle Basix may be installed someday, but after using the factory trigger I'm in no rush to replace it like I thought I'd be.
Beautiful stock, cold hammer forged barrel, Mauser style tangent sights, adjustable trigger, and you can swap the barrel out with an allen wrench. For around $130-150 CZ sells 17 hmr and 22 mag barrel/magazine sets.
For the time being I'm using the tangent sights, makes it more challenging...but at some point I'll either scope it or put diopter sights on it. The quality is amazing, stupidly accurate, and the adjustable trigger is good, a 10oz-2.5lbs Rifle Basix may be installed someday, but after using the factory trigger I'm in no rush to replace it like I thought I'd be.