Advice on youth .22

[jndturner]

Over the last few weeks my daughters 12 & 9, have become addicted to reruns of Top Shot and finally interested in shooting. That is one of the good things to come out of the current situation. I have tried to get them interested for a while with no success. With their limited upper body strength I think a .22 rifle would be best to start them on. I am have looked on line at various manufacturers including Savage, Marlin, Ruger and Henry. I am seeking advice on what everyone has used and what seems to be a good compromise between affordability, and quality. I don’t currently have a .22 rifle so that is why I am having questions.
Thanks
Jim

 

[IsThatLegal?]

My 11 year old has faired well with an m&p15-22. It has a fair bit of poly/composite to keep the weight down. Also, Browning makes a 1911-22 that is slightly downsized, which works better for small hands, if you are considering a pistol.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

A good fitting rifle is the ticket.

When my youngest daughter started seriously shooting rifles, I found that the Ruger 10/22 Compact fit her like a glove. Added a sling and a scope, attended a few Appleseed (now Revere's Riders) basic rifle classes and she earned her rifleman status. We did have to build up the comb with pipe insulation and vet wrap to get her a proper cheek weld and alignment with the scope.

If you go with a scope, get something decent and mount it to the rifle with a solid base and rings. We used a Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 Rimfire V-Plex scope, EGW base and Warne rings.

But the sighing system isn't the issue with kids and their great eye sight. It's all about the stock fit. I've witnessed too many youth trying to cope with an adult sized stock and it always ends up as a lesson in frustration management.

As an aside, I'd stay away from the tiny single shot rifles. Those stocks become too small too fast.

 

[jndturner]

My oldest is already 5’3” and the youngest isn’t too far behind her so I’m not looking at the Cricket types.

 

[DRob]

The Ruger 10/22 youth/compact model is a good starter if you want a semi-auto. The great thing about them is that full size stocks are readily available when the kids outgrow the smaller version. Last time I looked, gunbroker had 19 pages of 10/22 stocks for sale.

 

[shootersix]

My oldest is already 5’3” and the youngest isn’t too far behind her so I’m not looking at the Cricket types.

The Ruger 10/22 youth/compact model is a good starter if you want a semi-auto. The great thing about them is that full size stocks are readily available when the kids outgrow the smaller version. Last time I looked, gunbroker had 19 pages of 10/22 stocks for sale.

when I worked in a gun shop I vary rarely recommended the cricket/rascal type rifles unless they had a very young child, even then they outgrow them very quickly!

my gun of choice to recommend was the 10/22, either a youth model, or one with a ar15 type collapsible style stock, or in a pinch, the basic 10/22 and a saw! (to cut the stock down), and when you kids get bigger you can replace the stock with a full size "adult" stock, its easy to adapt, customize and grow with your child's size, skills and dedication to the shooting sports, and if they don't stay interested, its something you could make yours.

I always said the 10/22 was the "Barbie doll" of guns (till the ar15 accessory market surpassed it), with the massive amount of aftermarket parts i'll say there are no 2 10/22's alike!, stocks, triggers, receivers, sights its endless what you can do to them!, you can make a tack driver, a speed gun, and if you want, ive seen Thompson, mg42, m1 carbine, and fnp90 kits. and to quote geico "it's so easy a caveman can do it!", the first time I did a complete strip and clean (I mean every part was taken apart and cleaned) I did it without reading any book, website, or watching any video!

so my opinion, buy a 10/22!

 

[bcannon]

I started with a Marlin model 10, cheap single shot bolt action. Then moved to a Marlin model 25, cheap mag fed bolt action. Then moved to a 10/22. After a while with that I put a scope on the 10/22. After that I moved to a AR 223 platform. Now both my kids now can run pretty much anything safely and hit what theyre aiming at.

 

[bwframe]

Buy a good bolt gun and a set of binoculars. Teach those girls to shoot and spot for the other.

Too often we want to teach our kids how to just make noise with a semi-auto. Marksmanship first, fast later.

 

[Glock1230]

Im going to start my son out on a MP 15-22 because the stock is adjustable and because it will make his transition to an AR easier in a few years.

 

[Thor]

Buy a good bolt gun and a set of binoculars. Teach those girls to shoot and spot for the other.

Too often we want to teach our kids how to just make noise with a semi-auto. Marksmanship first, fast later.

I started both my kids with a New England Arms break action single shot, moved to bolt action and after control and responsibility were established they got semi-auto experience. If you start with a semi-auto then only allow 1 round per mag load till they get experience under their belts.

 

[Hawkeye7br]

x2 on rifle stock fit. Here's what I've learned working with the 4H shooting sports and kids of all sizes who shoot in cool weather with jackets and hot weather in tank tops.

The Ruger American Youth is a great starter. Bolt action, uses standard 10/22 mags, decent trigger. The stock is modular, the youth buttstock end is held on with the rear sling stud. To go full size, you just unscrew the sling stud, remove the short stock and slide in the longer adult stock. 5 minutes total. Optic friendly, teaches accuracy without being (boring) single shot. Synthetic stock lends itself to "customizing" for home project with spray paint and decals. Accepts budget friendly Caldwell front bipods.

Ruger 10/22 stainless. BX trigger. More directed toward action shooting. Synthetic stock can be replaced with AR style collapsible stock for better fit. Throw on a cheap TruGlo optic with multi reticle for about $70 and you're ready to rock.

The 9 year old will have trouble with almost any handgun simply because of small hands and generally weak hands/wrist. That age group has trouble holding a semi auto firmly enough to allow it to function. We bought a Ruger .22 compact and the trigger pull is such that almost none of the under 14 kids can use it. (with 4H, we are limited in making mods that affect potential liability)

Use youth ear plugs for rifle shooting instead of muffs. They are harder to find and expensive when you find them, but muffs interfere with proper stock fit in youth with their smaller features. Very hard for them to line up sights or optics if their face can't contact stock.

In every option, shoot paper to get on target and then reactive targets like swingers for better fun factor.

 

[Hookeye]

I had a Chipmunk for the little ones, and an Anschtuz 141 for the bigger ones.
Took the Chipmunk hunting one day, it loved CCI Stingers.
Groundhog stood up 50 yards. Pop and he was dead. Right in the neck, proly 13# chuck too (must have hit spine).
Admiring my prize I looked down the fence, and there stood another, 50 yards out. Pop.........same thing.

Same size too.

I decided to go home after that, it was just too perfect.
BTW, had to cant my head to use the peep on that little rifle, meant for shorter cheek to eye heads LOL.

 

[Hookeye]

My kids hated the Ruger MK and High Standard stuff.
One loved the Walther P22, the others Grandpas Colt Woodsman Match Target.
The kid that liked the P22 REALLY loves shooting Gramp's Anschutz Exemplar .22 lr.
I dunno why, but that thing she just pings steel and grins ear to ear.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

I put one of those Thompson machine suppressors on a Sig 229 classic in .22, and a Ruger 10/22 in a spiffy choate stock that I got from Goodcat many moons ago. The girls love being able to shoot and talk at the same time, without needing ear protection.

As low budget in high budget paint as the Sig Mosquito is, I can't say enough good about the Sig classics. They're a "real" Sig, and after break in they just run. Plus, you can put a caliber exchange kit on and run .40, 9mm, and .357 Sig. Even though my old school 226 is my "zombie pistol", if I know I'm going to be passing through Indian country I'll usually grab my 229 with a .40 slide.

The others have expounded on the 10/22 quite well enough, and I agree. I do, however, have a cousin whose opinion on many things I quite respect, and he likes the CZ bolties.. For the money, apparently,. they punch way above their price point. You might look at those, too.

 

[jndturner]

Thank you everyone for the input! I’m torn between the 10/22 and the Ruger American. I’m going to wait for a few days to make sure they are truly interested and not just making Dad feel good. Both of them are in 4H but full of projects already. Adding another one may get me booted out of the house. I know the instructor for Hamilton county fairly well and will see what we can work out.

 

[Leadeye]

I started with a Nylon 66 over 50 years ago, still have it and would still recommend one.

 

[Hookeye]

I put one of those Thompson machine suppressors on a Sig 229 classic in .22, and a Ruger 10/22 in a spiffy choate stock that I got from Goodcat many moons ago. The girls love being able to shoot and talk at the same time, without needing ear protection.

As low budget in high budget paint as the Sig Mosquito is, I can't say enough good about the Sig classics. They're a "real" Sig, and after break in they just run. Plus, you can put a caliber exchange kit on and run .40, 9mm, and .357 Sig. Even though my old school 226 is my "zombie pistol", if I know I'm going to be passing through Indian country I'll usually grab my 229 with a .40 slide.

The others have expounded on the 10/22 quite well enough, and I agree. I do, however, have a cousin whose opinion on many things I quite respect, and he likes the CZ bolties.. For the money, apparently,. they punch way above their price point. You might look at those, too.

LOL, the only .22 rifles I have now, are a CZ455 and a beater fingergroove 10/22.
My kids have................NUTHIN!

They're all in their 20's and dad doesn't exist LOL

 

[Cameramonkey]

I vote for the 10/22. For kids this stock is AMAZEBALLS. It lightens the gun tremendously, and it is adjustable LOP. Both my kids started with this instead of a cricket.
https://www.brownells.com/rifle-par...22-axiom-r-f-stock-lightweight-prod55621.aspx

I also replaced the horrid sights with Tech Sights. Night and day performance.

https://www.tech-sights.com/ruger-products/

And I recommend the 10/22 because its the Ford Mustang of rifles. EVERYBODY makes aftermarket mods for it.

Two other highly recommended mods.
One of these two mag releases
https://www.crossfiregear.com/crossfire-ruger-10-22-magazine-release-lever/
https://volquartsen.com/inventory_configurations/226


And this bolt catch lever. The stock one is hard to manipulate since you have to pull the bolt and manipulate the catch a certain way. This makes it release just by pulling the bolt back.
https://www.brownells.com/rifle-par...tches/ruger-10-22-bolt-release-prod13870.aspx
Or you can mod it yourself.

https://www.instructables.com/id/Ruger-1022-DIY-Auto-Bolt-Release/

 

[Gabriel]

Buy a good bolt gun and a set of binoculars. Teach those girls to shoot and spot for the other.

Too often we want to teach our kids how to just make noise with a semi-auto. Marksmanship first, fast later.

This.

 

[Bigtanker]

Thank you everyone for the input! I’m torn between the 10/22 and the Ruger American. I’m going to wait for a few days to make sure they are truly interested and not just making Dad feel good. Both of them are in 4H but full of projects already. Adding another one may get me booted out of the house. I know the instructor for Hamilton county fairly well and will see what we can work out.

Bud's Guns has the standard 22" Ruger American for $190.

https://www.budsgunshop.com/mobile/product/90217/ruger+8301+american+rimfire+22+lr++22"

I just picked one up. Hard to pass up on that price.