Youth 22 first rifle??

[1911crazy]

First as my sons were born i purchased hunting rifles for them right away(now there 30yo).  Of course new big bore rifles back then were only $150 to $175.

History repeats itself;

I had my very first grandson 3 weeks ago and i'm looking for his first 22 rifle now.  I'm thinking of a single shot or a clip fed 22 that takes shorts, longs and long rifle 22's.  Whats an affordable 22 rifle so he can shoot as soon as he can?

[tacklebury]

Keystone/Cricket rifles are very nice and relatively inexpensive at about $120 here.  They are fairly accurate.  A nice mid size rifle is the Marlin 915Y "Little Buckaroo".  I have one for my daughter and it's a well made single shot that has a nice heavier barrel once they have the strength.  A few of my buddies have bought the starter size Rossi .22-.410 combo and those are only about $150 also. 

[hummer58]

CZ-scout rifle. Can be shot as a single shot or with a 5 or 10 round clip. Best rifle for a young one to start out with plus they are very accurate.

[1911crazy]

I think with a little guy the bolt action is a great first rifle.  This way he has time to work the action between shots and a choice of a single shot or mag fed is it too.

[CajunBass]

You'll have to hunt a bit to find one, and they may not be quite right for a really little fellow, but when I was a kid I wanted one of these so bad I could taste it.  I stared at the picture in the Sears-Roebuck "wish book" for hours.  Why if I'd had one of these, there wouldn't have been a rustler dare show his face, in Hanover County, Virginia in the mid 60's (1960's that is).



Ithaca M-49 Single Shot.  The magazine tube you see there is fake.  It's a falling block single shot that is more fun than you can shake a stick at.  And a good shooter too.

When I was a kid, my mother was afraid of rifles.  She just knew if you shot one into the ground at your feet, you'd kill someone in China.  Shotguns were Ok, but no rifles.  

So I didn't get one until I saw this one last year.  It's quickly becoming my favorite 22 rifle, even if the sights are kinda blurry these days.  

They show up on Gunbroker regularly.   I believe they did make a "youth" model of the same gun.

[Glanceblamm]

I think with a little guy the bolt action is a great first rifle.  This way he has time to work the action between shots and a choice of a single shot or mag fed is it too.

And also learns to put the bullets where they count instead of just cranking away on the trigger of a semi-auto.

While your ideals are old school, they are refreshing as it really was not that long ago that a Father or Grandfather gave his trained Son a couple of the .22 shells and told him that they better return with two Rabbits\Squirrels, or those two shell's!

My own upbringing was not quite that strict but a cardboard box of the 50 count federal ammo that could be had for 33 cents locally was still kind of dear to me.

[BUGEYE]

I started my daughter on a cricket. of course it was too slow. so I upgraded her to a 10/22 and then a walther p-22.  now the cricket is my favorite rifle for woods roaming.

[Rex in OTZ]

Mine was a Glenfield model 10 manual single shot boltaction

My #1 kid was a Ithica 49 manual single shot tipping block

Kid #2 was a Stevens 73Y single shot bolt action

Kid #3 Jimney Cricket Blue/synthetic stock manual boltaction single shot

Kid #3 Jimney Cricket Stainless/Synthetic manual boltaction single shot

(Manual means you have to cock the striker to fire)