Good youth bolt action/first rifle.

[Cameramonkey]

Well, until today, I had my son's first rifle, a Rascal which was gifted to me last year by a friend during a tumultuous time. ("PFFFF! You can have it. My kids wont need it any more.") Well, things are better and long story short they forgot it was gifted and asked for it back. Rather than cause strife I went along and gave it back. Only slightly annoying since I struggled to find that box of shorts and now have nothing to use it in. Oh well, if thats the worst thing that happens this week, it was a good week. Also, the peep sight on the rascal is absolute CRAP and the only scope mount available for it is a full size, not rimfire. Not about to put a 1" high powered rifle scope on a kids rifle that needs a 1/2" rimfire/air rifle scope at best. (ALL Savage bolt rifles apparently use the same universal mount kit. Really Savage? ) So since it wasnt my first choice, I'm choosing to see this as an opportunity to get what I WANT, not what I was handed.

So what are my options? I think I like the cricket, but dont recall how the sights are on it. (they have to be better than a rascal). I'm also not locked into a single shot. I would prefer bolt to start, and most importantly would like it to be able to eat shorts as well as LR.

This is for an 8yo, so it needs to be youth sized. I dont care if it gets outgrown. I have another behind him that will need a first rifle in about 4 years, so he will eventually graduate into a 10/22 and hand this one down.

So sage members... suggestions?

 

[indyjohn]

We've had good luck with the CZ line of bolt action guns for our kids starting out. They've changed models since we've bought our last one but it was a 452 Trainer and is still being used today with a Rimfire scope. Sorry, never shot shorts through it.

Good luck monkey..

 

[actaeon277]

I think if he's 8, why worry about the sights. It's his first gun. He's gonna think it's great.

Give him time to learn the basics of safety and aim.

And I'm not knocking your post. I just think for an 8 year old..... let him grow into the better stuff. As you mentioned, the 10/22 can be modified every which way.
In fact, it may not be too long if you look at a light barrel.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I think if he's 8, why worry about the sights. It's his first gun. He's gonna think it's great.

Give him time to learn the basics of safety and aim.

And I'm not knocking your post. I just think for an 8 year old..... let him grow into the better stuff. As you mentioned, the 10/22 can be modified every which way.
In fact, it may not be too long if you look at a light barrel.

He's tried my 10/22, and its too heavy. As for sights, I know him... If he cant hit the broad side of a barn because of crap sights, he will get turned off and decide (incorrectly) that its no fun and not his thing. Just like if I always smoked him in chess because I played to my full potential without pulling punches he would learn to hate the game and never want to play again.

He does extremely well with his Daisy BB gun. Just looking to move up to bigger and better things.

 

[Leo]

A several generations of boys got their start with Marlin bolt actions. They are inexpensive, reliable, and usually fairly accurate. All but the very old ones have the receiver grooved for universal rimfire scope mounts that you can get pretty easily. Williams also makes a clamp on peep sight. If your boy is on the small side, they also have a smaller youth model.

I mistakenly started my son with a Marlin model 60 Semi auto. It took a lot of work to get him to aim and make each shot count once he learned that he could rapid fire 12 shoots. I had to feed him ammo one bullet at a time, like Barney Fife. A bolt action might have slowed him down enough to concentrate on marksmanship.

 

[indykid]

Savage MK II is a really good bolt action whether beginner or further on. Mine is a tack driver and I still use it as a garbage disposal since it seems to have no problem firing rounds that my more expensive semi-autos don't like.

 

[vedearduff]

How about the Ruger American Rimfire. Get the short (16.5 inch, I think) barrel version and put the short butt stock insert on it for him. Then if (when) you want to take it out by your self, swich out for the longer stock.


Edited to add: I'm not sure how well it would handle .22 shorts. The rifle could be loaded as a single shot, if nothing else, with the shorts.

 

[snapping turtle]

The classic kids gun is the Winchester 67. Single shot bolt action and a youth stock. Many older rifles were made with short length of pull like the savage/Stevens bolts and marlins. The cz trainers/youth would be worth it as you can get the regular stock as he grows and you get a adult length of pull. I would look for an old youth model the new stuff is not as good. Most were never shot enough to wear anything before they were to big armed to use it.

A scope oped is not needed but it is easier to learn as you have to put the x on the dot and squeeze.

 

[spaniel]

I'm not sure what you thought was bad about the Rascal sights; they, and every other aspect of the rifle, are superior to a Cricket. It is just a better build gun all around. I shot some nice groups sighting my daughter's in prior to giving it to her. As she had issues with open sights (she was only 6 at the time) I found it pretty straightforward to cut down a Savage Picatinny mount and put a cheap holographic sight on it for her.

Aside from the Rascal the next step up would be a CZ youth rifle, but they are probably too heavy.

I'm not sure what a young kid needs in sights that is special. I learned on a cheap Daisy BB gun and the basic buckhorn sights were just fine...and they were far inferior to the peep on a Rascal.

 

[throttletony]

How about the Ruger American Rimfire. Get the short (16.5 inch, I think) barrel version and put the short butt stock insert on it for him. Then if (when) you want to take it out by your self, swich out for the longer stock.


Edited to add: I'm not sure how well it would handle .22 shorts. The rifle could be loaded as a single shot, if nothing else, with the shorts.

This

 

[nater30/30]

CZ 513 Basic.

 

[Cameramonkey]

I'm not sure what you thought was bad about the Rascal sights; they, and every other aspect of the rifle, are superior to a Cricket. It is just a better build gun all around. I shot some nice groups sighting my daughter's in prior to giving it to her. As she had issues with open sights (she was only 6 at the time) I found it pretty straightforward to cut down a Savage Picatinny mount and put a cheap holographic sight on it for her.

Aside from the Rascal the next step up would be a CZ youth rifle, but they are probably too heavy.

I'm not sure what a young kid needs in sights that is special. I learned on a cheap Daisy BB gun and the basic buckhorn sights were just fine...and they were far inferior to the peep on a Rascal.

Thats the beauty of opinions. What you say is superior, I think sucks. Aint it great? I have run peep sights before, and in my opinion this is the worst peep I have ever looked through. I know my boy does well with traditional 3 post sights, so I want to stick with what works.

Thanks to all for the recommendations. I'll check them out.

 

[BehindBlueI's]

Did your 8 y/o ever shoot the loaner Rascal? My son came within one shot of winning "Battle Sea" with his crap sighted Savage Rascal yesterday. At 7 yards he can consistently hit the 1x1 squares on the game board. 15y he hits a pop can 8/10 times free hand. He's been shooting with it for about 2 years now. When I got his rifle, I looked at the Cricket, and deemed in inferior in every way to the Rascal.

The Ruger American rimfire is a fine gun, but is still heavier than an actual youth rifle. LOP is only one factor, and weight matters much more for these kids then it does for us, where a pound or two doesn't make any difference in how we hold it. An 8 y/o trying to shoot without a rest is probably going to struggle with holding a Ruger American properly and holding it steady. The weight is going to introduce more issues than peep sights.

I have no experience with the CZ, but would again ask about the weight and have the child in question handle one to see if they can hold it correctly before purchasing.

There will inevitably be some trade off, no gun will be perfect, but consider all the trade offs including weight and trigger feel. If at all possible, have the youngster hold the various rifles in a firing stance and see what they think.

 

[churchmouse]

I have a set of Crickets. I know they are not the best thing going but I hope the kids move up quickly. The Pink one I gave the G-daughter for Christmas is Barbie Doll cute and pink is her color so it got her involved. The go "Pop" every time you squeeze the trigger so it keeps them in the game.

 

[philbert001]

I too have the cricket for my kids. If you/your boy don't care for peep sights, the cricket may turn you off too. The cricket scope mount is a dovetail rimfire mount. I was taken aback by it's price though! I believe I paid almost $50 for the mount. Doesn't sound like a lot until you consider that the rifle only cost twice that! My boy shot that rifle for 2 seasons before I'd let him have a scope on it. (Must master irons first in my house!)
For the money, it's a great first rifle! My boy can hit a golfball with it pretty regularly at 50 yards offhand. Savor the time with .22! All mine wants to shoot now are my .223 and .308 rifles!

 

[Txlur]

CZ basic, or CZ trainer 452, upgrade to tech sights, done. Or a 452 American scoped. You can't go wrong with CZ

 

[Hoosier45]

I still have a Marlin 15Y that was my first gun 32 years ago. I just recently passed it on to my 8 year old son. We were shooting it at my father-in-laws a couple of weeks ago. We propped a pop can against a dirt backstop and backed up 15 yards. He hit it 8 out of the first 10 shots, then turned to me and said "It's a bad day to be a pop can!" I don't know where he got that from, but I it was a proud dad moment.

 

[ilikeguns]

I bought my boys the Henry mini-bolt. Its a little more expensive than some of the others (still under $300] but the quality blows the crickets and such out of the water. Solid, accurate little gun. I sometimes "steal" it when coon hunting because its length and weight make it great for packing around but is much easier to hit those high up trees than with a pistol.

 

[Lefty64]

If can find one, the old mossberg model 152 carbines are very accurate and small enough to be easy to handle.