First Rifle

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rbeckey

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My son is going to be 9 in the spring. There is a DCM smallbore program here and I am going to inrole him soon. I will probably get him a .22 rifle in the spring if he shows the interest I think he will.
I need opinions about a good first rifle for a kid his age and participating in DCM Sporter programs. He is big for a 9 year old already. I do not have $4-500+ to spend on an target rifle. I prefer stainless and synthetic stocks myself, but will consider blue/wood. A bolt action is better for a first rifle, in my opinion, but the Ruger 10-22 could be accurized inexpensively. The CZ 452 was brought to my attention. Any other ideas?
 
Wally World and K-Mart's that have a sporting good section carries some .22 rifles that are under $200. I like the magazine load ones better then the tube type, less tendency to jam. Getting a scope may also be a good idea ;)
 
I think the Ruger is available from the factory in a heavy-barrel version (I could be wrong).

For my kids, I bought a couple 10/22's to start with, to wait and see how seriously they might get interested. I was lucky, and made a good call for once. They do like to shoot, they don't like to practice, at least not seriously. A couple of $500 rifles would have been wasted.
 
I agree, the 10/22 is a nice rifle.
Ruger is good quality and shoots fairly well right out of the box.
The rotary clip works well and mine has never jammed, even after
many rounds (dirty).
Being a 22, it's very inexpensive to shoot and it doesn't beat you to death. Since there is about 40 million out there in numerous stock/barrell combinations your search should be short.
Have fun.:D
 
I don't know if they even make any anymore, but I always thought a single shot bolt action was a good starter rifle for a kid. Slows the fire rate down, makes them think about each shot. Still, there is something to be said for occasionally emptying a clip as fast as you can...
 
Marlin makes a good bolt action .22. They have either wood and synthetic stocks.
They have bolt action with a magazine (tube or 7 shot) and single shot.
I don't have any recent prices, but they are priced pretty good. The Marlin 880 .22 bolt action was my first rifle. Still have it.

https://www.marlinfirearms.com/index.php

Hope it helps.

Weekends
 
My first rifle was a Marlin 25 bolt action with a 4x scope. I believe it or an equivalent model is still in production. I will add it to my research list. I want him to learn iron sights first, though. A peep sight would be good, but probably hard to find outside a pure target rifle.
I may end up with a 10-22 based on price, but I still prefer the bolt action for a first gun.
 
I'd recommend a .223 if that will work for your sport comp.

Browning, Ruger, and Savage make it in the stainless/synthetic combo with a bolt action. He could then later use it for deer hunting if your shooting smallish white tail at less than 100 yards.
 
The first gun I got (I was 8) was a Crossman air rifle. They don't make the model anymore but is a .22 cal capable of 1000fps. I did a lot of target and plinking with it and I could buy my own ammo. I graduated from that to a Remington Nylon .22. (I have 2 now)I like the whole airgun idea as a first gun because of the practical side.
 
I'll put a vote in for the 10/22. I'd perfer a bolt myself, but a quality bolt tends to be a bit pricier than a 10/22.
 
I have a Daisy "Red Rider"

I've killed my share of squirrels...actually I wound them pretty good and my Jack Russel Terrier finishes them off.

I sure hope I don't "put my eye out!".

sandman
 
The 10-22 would be hard to beat. As you seem to already know there are many aftermarket kits for accurazing that particular gun & if you find you realkly want to get into the target stuff big time you can always sell a 10-22 quickly.
I know you used to be able to pick up old Remington & the like target .22s at garage sales & 2nd hand stores & pawn shops pretty cheap. To heavy for most folks to pack around.
The best shooting .22 I ever had was a Reminton target picked up at a gun shop for next to nothing.
Oh, & I also like a bolt or lever for learning, but you can always pick up another magazine for the 10-22(you'll want at least one spare anyway) & just load one round in the spare mag while he shoots the one in the other mag, effectively making it a singleshot for both safety reasons, & to teach him to take his time.
Vance in AK.
 
I taught my son to shoot with a bolt-action .22, the Savage Mark 2. If I could go back in time, I'd have bought the youth model, as the full sized model was too long a reach for him, even as a bigger-than-average lanky 10 year old. But, the Savage Mk 2 is a fine little rifle, frequently available at WM for only $99, and shoots pretty nice groups. I may buy the youth model anyway to teach my daughter when she's ready.
 
Originally posted by sandman
I have a Daisy "Red Rider"

I've killed my share of squirrels...actually I wound them pretty good and my Jack Russel Terrier finishes them off.

I sure hope I don't "put my eye out!".

sandman

I love that movie!!

Scott
 
The rules allow bolt actions or semi-autos, so the 10/22 would be usable, and it is light enough for a kid to handle. The rules generally require that the rifle be single-loaded in the slow fire stages, and that's not too easy with a 10/22, so you might want to try one out before you buy. If it seems too dificult, a bolt action would be the way to go. Marlin makes a few bolt actions that are clip-fed. Don't get a tube-feed gun, as it would be too slow to reload in the rapid fire stages.

The rules may be found here:

https://www.odcmp.com/NM/Rimfire.htm
 
Another vote for the 10/22, excellent little rifle, accurized or not...

If you leave an empty mag in the rifle, the bolt will lock open, is it not then possible to drop in a single round, and release the bolt, would this suffice for the "single loaded" aspect..??
 
The 10/22 bolt doesn't stay open on its own. There's a little veebulfetzer at the front of the trigger guard that you have to mess with to hold the bolt open. Right hand holds the bolt handle and left works bolt holder opener. With your left hand wrapped against the forend by the sling, you only have the right hand available.
 
Originally posted by rbeckey
My son is going to be 9 in the spring. There is a DCM smallbore program here and I am going to inrole him soon. I will probably get him a .22 rifle in the spring if he shows the interest I think he will.
I need opinions about a good first rifle for a kid his age and participating in DCM Sporter programs. He is big for a 9 year old already. I do not have $4-500+ to spend on an target rifle. I prefer stainless and synthetic stocks myself, but will consider blue/wood. A bolt action is better for a first rifle, in my opinion, but the Ruger 10-22 could be accurized inexpensively. The CZ 452 was brought to my attention. Any other ideas?

Marlin makes a bolt action 22 in stainless with a laminated stock.

You might want to check with the DCM and see what they actually allow in rifles.

Look for a used Savage MK10 or 12 bolt gun. Nice target gun based on a Anshutz action. Sometimes can be found for reasonable prices.


Al
 
Last night I took the boys to a CMP youth meeting at a local range. The guy in charge is a certified coach and has won medals at Camp Perry. He seems to be really good with kids.
The program was well organized and safety was emphasized. There was one other new kid there besides mine, and they watched a couple of safety videos first, followed by some hands on instruction in a classroom. The bigger kids used Anshutz target rifles with peep sights, and there was a little vintage bolt action with a 4x scope for my six year old. They all fired prone from sandbags. The oldest said he only wanted to shoot ten rounds, but when they were gone, he had a big grin on his face and asked if he could have more.
They each fired about fifty rounds. It was a very good first experience. When we got home the six year old asked if he could see one of my shotguns. I got out an ancient Savage 12 ga. double that is bigger than he is, and he asked me when he could shoot it. I told him it would be a good idea if he could hold it up first. :p
 
I did research and finally purchased a rifle for my son. He will receive it on his birthday in April.
It is a CZ 452 ZKM 2E Special .22 LR. It is blued with a hardwood stock. It has unique stock and an adjustable rear sight. Unlike many American rifles, the only plastic part is the butt cap. The Marlin I bought 25 years ago had a plastic trigger guard, and this one is all metal. Makes me wonder what the new Marlins are like. The price was slightly more than $200.00. The rifle is a very good value for the price, and is being phased out by the manufacturer. If you think you'd be interested, get one now.
 
Can you tell us who is selling them?
Do you have a website, or company name/address?
 
edit- I didn't read you already found one. So, this post is a little moot now..
Hello-
I suggest a marlin model 25 bolt action. They're like 100 bucks, simple and accurate. The have a stock horrible trigger pull, but the the feel and discipline of a single shot bolt action will teach him lessons (with your help), that will stick with him his whole life, shooting and otherwise.

I got one 16 years ago and it still works fine, I can shoot at 100 yards (albiet not greatly) without the need for new fangleded gadgets like lasers, aimpoints, and scopes. Not because of a Ruger 10/22 with a Hart barrell, but because I did the single shot bolt action time.

Dosen't have to be a marlin. It may be a little heavy for a 9 year old. You can still get old Remmington rolling block single shots for kids at gun shows. Rolling blocks with no mag teach patience, and discipline. The 5 shot mag on the Marlin is fun when your a kid though.

If you really want to get him a repeater, Rossi made little lever actions in various calibers. He could have rapid fire (when he was good enough) with out a finicky, dirty, semi-auto action. Marlin made a nice .22 carbine also, but you'de probally have to have the stock cut. Food for thought-Justin
 
I see I'm too late to recommend a rifle for you. I'm still going to post my choice for an "all around" beginner rifle that will never be outgrown just in case someone else happens on this thread.

I'm going to be different from all the other posters. My son started out with a Chipmunk bolt action because his Grandpa got him one for Christmas. I was very dissapointed with it. It has an awful trigger. The cocking mechanism is hard for small kids to operate unless it is squeaky clean. After shooting a handful of cartridges, the grit builds up and a small kid will end up doing dangerous things to try to cock it. The rear peep sight is way too big making it hard to shoot accurately, especially with the short sight radius. It is such a small gun, it will be outgrown very, very quickly. I would not recommend a Chipmunk as anybody's first rifle.

My recommendation is actually something between a bolt action and a semi-auto. It's the HENRY LEVER ACTION. I would make a different recommendation for CMP competition, but since you've already made your choice to take care of that, and nobody else has recommended this particular rifle, I'll go ahead and talk about it a little because it deserves some attention.


Just FYI, I have a Ruger 10/22 like many that have posted here, but I'm not fond of the trigger, nor did I want my son handling a semi-auto at a young an age. At the same time, I wanted a rifle he could grow into, and that would be as useful and fun in twenty years as it is now. The Henry Lever Action fits the bill. The Henry's price runs about $150-160 locally, which is less than what a 10/22 costs in this area. There is a youth version of the Henry also, but there isn't enough difference in weight and trigger reach to fool with it. The regular Henry is a fine choice. Here are the reasons why I chose it.

1. It has a sweeeeeeeeeet trigger. It makes the 10/22 trigger feel like the worst cap gun ever to hit a toy store. No need for fancy Voltsquartsen trigger assemblies.

2. It is very accurate. I like rubbing it in on my son by shooting the numbers out of his targets.

3. Safety. It isn't semi-auto, yet it can be cycled faster than a regular bolt action by most people if needed (a bunch faster for us left handed folks). Some people like to argue that a kid will be less safe with a bolt or lever because he loses his muzzle awareness while chambering a new round. I think an autoloader is less safe for a kid, especially if he/she becomes excited about the last shot he just made. He may lose muzzle awareness and forget to put the rifle on safe...which isn't good with a live round in the chamber. Bolts and Levers are the way to go with young kids as far as I'm concerned.

4. It has a tube fed mag that holds 15 rounds instead of a max of 10 rounds in a removable mag. I actually like the tube mag better for normal shooting. 10/22 rotary mags are good, but they occasionally need to be cleaned when using dirty bulk ammo....which leads to number 5.

5. It never fails to cycle and go bang...Ever...For any reason. No light primer strikes. No jams. No failure to feed. If it doesn't go bang, you're out of ammo or your ammo is defective!

6. Ergonomics for kids and grownups. The stock is a little shorter than most bolt stocks and it isn't heavy. It's great for young shooters, yet the stock isn't so short to be uncomfortable for an adult. I'm 6'2" and have no trouble shooting the little Henry.

7. Lever actions are different than what you usually see in the woods or the range, and they are fun to shoot. :)

8. Did I mention the little bugger is accurate? It is deadly accurate even with the cheap bulk Federal ammo I normally use. That goes back to why number 5 is important. You can shoot the cheapest, nastiest ammo you like, even shorts and specialty ammo along with the high dollar stuff. It eats it all and never burps.

9. Grownups love shooting it too. I haven't shot my 10/22 a single time since he got his rifle...I'm afraid one of these days he won't want me using his any more and I'll have to buy one for myself. Maybe that's actually a disadvantage...you don't want to have to fight with your kid on who gets to shoot the Henry. ;)

10. You get to spread the wealth around. Everybody thinks Ruger, Marlin, and Remington, Savage, and Winchester when it comes to .22's, and usually in that order. Give the little guys at Henry some of your hard earned cash and keep as many firearms manufacturers in business as possible. If your Henry shoots as well as my son's, you won't be dissapointed.

11. Wally World carries them if you don't have a local mom and pop gun shop. (My local shop matched Wally World's price, but don't count on that happening with most guns. He was even nice enough to tell me he couldn't compete with WW on Marlin rifles and that I should go there for the best prices if I wanted a Marlin...he's a good guy.) Support your mom and pop shop if possible!

12. The wood is very nice looking American Walnut. It has a real stock buttplate instead of the cheap plastic strip modern 10/22's have. It works hard while looking good!

13. If you've ever cycled a Ruger lever action, you will note that it is clunky and almost toyish. The Henry's action is baby's butt smooth. It feels solid, and gives confidence.

14. The front post sight is hooded for protection. It won't get knocked around like a naked sight. It also helps give it that wild, wild west look.

15. Grooved receiver for a scope...if you really want a scope. I like to take the little Henry to the range with open sights and outshoot guys with scoped 10/22's. It is inherently more accurate than a stock 10/22 and its trigger is so much better that it lets me shoot better than the 10/22 guys (remember I have a 10/22 and I like it, but the Henry trigger is that much better). When I hear a 10/22 guy talk about his Volquartsen trigger and bull barrel, I start grinning and have myself some fun. I don't always beat them, but I always make them sweat until we start shooting at the longer range stuff. My eyes are still very good, but it's hard to beat any scoped rifle when your target is far enough away to be completely covered by the bead. ;)

16. Price. They are as cheap or cheaper than a 10/22 according to where you live and if there's any competiton to keep prices reasonable. I dare you to find a rifle in that price range that's more accurate, I dare you! ;)

Now for the disadvantages.

1. It has a blued barrel which means it needs to be wiped down after handling. That's not necessarily a bad thing as it teaches kids to be responsible for their property and you can teach them safe firearms handling and mechanical aspects of firearms during the short and quick cleaning sessions.

2. The receiver is painted, not blued so it doesn't perfectly match the blued barrel. It still looks nice, but as with any painted surface, it will eventually scratch or chip.

3. No classic safety. This isn't really a disadvantage unless the parent/teacher isn't familiar with oppen hammer firearms. If you are unfamiliar, teach yourself the ins and outs of the Henry before presenting it to your child, or have someone who is experienced give father and son instruction.

4. Loading single rounds directly in the chamber is a bit of a pain, but no worse than any semi-auto.

5. If you like accessories and making your rifle look like it belongs on a battlefield, get a 10/22. You won't find aftermarket doo-dads for the Henry. Then again, you don't need any. It's a straight shooter out of the box, it has a great trigger, and it's supposed to look like a classic lever action, not an M-14!

This is obviously my opinion and YMMV...have fun!

https://www.henryrepeating.com/leveraction.cfm

tim
 
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