try this out

[new snake owner]

I have a 10yo son and was hunting for a rifle for him to move up from the 15yn he has had for a year and a half.  I found as I looked at the new rifles in youthsize I had to stop and think a minute.  $500 seemed like alot for a rifle he will trade in a year or two (we live in elk contry).  I think I found a economical solution you guys might be interested in, :-D  a savage 340.
I have seen lots of these around for under $150, I bought one for $125 in 30-30. I took it to my gunsmith told him what I wanted it for and he said no problem. Chopped the stock 2.5 inches added a recoil pad and cleaned it up for me $45.  I found a reciver sight $20 (his 22 has a scope and I wanted him to try somthing different) and a sling I had in my box of goodies.  I reload so I started him out with 100 grain plinkers and have in the last couple of months moved him up to 125 grain spitzers(this is a bolt so no problem with pointies). For a couple of hundred bucks I have him set up for his first deer and I kept the stock piece so if he wants he can keep it when he gets older.

[Jeff Vicars]

Sounds like you've put together a nice rig for your son. How's he doing with those peep sights?

[new snake owner]

Once I explained it to him and he got comfortable, he is doing great.  I still have the original sights, but I like the peeps and with those young eyes...  I must admit that I learned on open sights and peeps and never really learned to shoot as well as I would like with a scope until the last few years.  Thats why I got him started with the 15yn with a scope, a sling, basicly a little version of a standard deer rifle.  Now that he is proficent with that setup I thought I would throw him a little curve, and it seems to be working.  Just to keep him from getting board I also picked up a heritage 22 single action with a 3.5 barrel and am getting him to enjoy handgunning as well.