Snowman, let me throw a monkey wrench, into your plans, if your son, is big for his age, then why not splurge, and get him, a 10/22, you can single load the mag., and except, for working the bolt, you have a single shot, and he can keep, and use it, all his life, and hand it down, to future generations ..... JMHO
Honestly the only reason I stay away from rugers anymore is it seems they have become entirely too proud of their work in the price tag department. When you can get a myriad of same quality rifles for a third of the price there is something wrong. I am not into the whole tacticool scene, if I buy a savage, marlin, or a rossi it is pretty much going to stay how it is out of the box and cost anywhere from half to a third of what most people's asking price is on a 10/22. Don't get me wrong I have a bearcat, had a mkII that I still regret selling but if I hadn't I never would have gotten my sig. That being said most people in the used market are also very proud of their rifle even if it is just a plain jane 10/22 I have seem them listed way above retail so I am staying far far away form the 10/22s