New rifle for young kids

[markwitt]

I am looking for a new rifle, a .22 rimfire,  for my young boys, ages 8 and 10.  What we have found for them to use at our local gun club has been a bit too big for their small arms to get around, and naturally they are having problems with accuracy.  We need something with a short stock, short barrel, not too much weight, a reasonable degree of accuracy, and a price tag that won't break the budget since 1) you never know if they'll stick with it and 2) even if they do stick with it, they will eventually outgrow it.  Since I'm new at this myself, I've been reading about several Youth models from several different mfgs., and the CZ Scout seems to be getting some good comments.  Does anyone know if the size of the Scout would be appropriate for children as young as mine?  Any other recommendations?  Thanks for any thoughts on this.

[Sixgun]

I got my youngsters a Cricket rifle form Wally World for $100.  It is a cute little bolt action single shot that resembles the Chipmonk rifle but is about half the price.

My wife, who dosen't shoot unless I pay her too, thinks it is cute and likes to shoot it.  My youngest son got his Rifle Shooting Merit Badge for Boy Scouts, with it.  My 10 year old daughter comes with me every time I shoot Smallbore Cowboy Silhouettes an even though it isn't legal, she shoots some pretty impressive scores with it.

It is a scaled down version of a bolt action rifle, not just a full sized rifle with a youth stock.  That means it is really light, about 3 pounds, and easy for a little person to handle.  It has a receiver mounted peep sight which makes it pretty easy for a beginner to hit the target before they give up and quit.  And I even llike to shoot it.  It dosen't fit me real good but it is accurate and fun to shoot.  

You can't go wrong with this rifle for children.

Sixgun

[SBF]

Check out the Henry Mini-Bolt and the Savage Cub (I think that's what it's called).  My buddies daughter (6 years old) shoots a kid sized Savage and really like it.

[Hound_Dog55]

Check out a Chipmonk. Any decent gunshop should have one. Small, bolt action, single shot and under $100.

[longgun]

I always thought that the chipmonk was a neat kids rifle and wanted one for myself for that reason.   My kids were grown so I never purchased one.   I live in the country where we can just go out in the backyard and do all the shooting we want to.  A friend gave me the rifle that he taught his daughter to shoot with,  it was a cutdown and shortened version of a remington 513 or 514.  My grown son and I like to play with it but it is much to small for either of us.   My grand son tried to shoot it but he could never really figure out how to use the scope as he was always wanting to put his eye up much too close.  The front site has been removed when the barrel was shortened.    Early this year I saw a CZ Scout at a gunshow in Houston, and decided  that was what I wanted to buy.   Later I bought a CZ 452 American and also a 452 Scout which is the kids version.  The scout comes with a clip like adapter for shooting single shot or it can be replaced with a 5 shot clip and be shot as a repeater.  It cost more than the chipmont or crickett ( less than $ 200) but is more gun than either of the  crickett or chipmonk.   The grandson would be more confortable with the American since he is now a 12 Y.O. and big for his age.   But my granddaughter is about the right size to start shooting and it will be perfect for her.  

So far it is setting in the gunsafe and has been unfired.  I'm thinking that I will do a trigger job on it shortly and see how it will shoot.  I have a silhouette range in the back yard.   The kids don't know that I have it so I will probably just  bring it out around Christmas and see if they want to do some shooting.   My grandson will probably want to shoot the American.  But the scout is just the right size for the girl......... I have lots of ammo that just needs to be shot up.
Don

[hillbill]

hey mark! you might check out the stevens favorite single shot. it is a replica of the old stevens crackshot and made by savage now. it is very short, light and handy for my young son. it is a falling block type action. the thing i like about it is that it has a hammer so it is very easy to tell when it is ready to fire. also when you load it. the action does not cock the hammer, you must do this as a seperate action. this seems to me to be a pretty safe type gun to start a kid on. i think they are running about 175 to 200 bucks now. happy huntin!

[daddywpb]

My advise would be to stay away from single shots - they will outgrow it to quickly. I bought my daughter a Ruger 10/22 and a youth sized stock for it from Cabelas when she was eight. If you want to, you can load just one in the magazine. Then when your boys get a little older you can load up the mag and not have to buy another rifle. My daughter is twelve now, and we put the factory stock back on it, and a Bushnell scope. She uses it to hunt rabbits.