Recommendations on youth rifle for 7 yo girl

[lonehoosier]

This is my daughter shooting her youth model 10/22 when she was 7.



Ruger 10/22 $150.00


Tech Sight Rail $69.00


Tech Sight Tool $5.00


G.I. Sling M14 $14.00


QD Swivel sling loops $9.99


Dovetail Rail $9.58


Shipping $7.50


We added a Red Dot last year. $49

 

[sportsman223]

Both mine started with Thompson Center G2, rimfire, centerfire, .45cal muzzleloader they have shot thousands of 38 specials though there Max tubes

 

[Sniper 79]

Well, I guess I've never heard that argument against .22LR for beginning shooters.



In response,

1) It's SUPPOSED to be slower and one-at-a-time. That would be one of the very best ways to train a new shooter to value ONE round at a time: the one in the chamber.

2) That's false. Don't confuse the .17 HMR with something like a .17 Remington or a .17 Mach IV. The cartridge is NOT fast enough to cause consistent fragmentation of the bullets when they hit the ground beyond your target. Do some? Sure they do.

Anybody: don't be forming the opinion that ANY rimfire round is safer than another because it probably fragments when it hits the dirt.

3) I argue that brand-new shooters have no need need to be concerned with things past 100 yards. Really, not past about 25.



My opinion is that the very best thing for a brand-new shooter is to get them really excited and engaged in shooting, and to do that by letting them shoot a lot. That's not the same as saying let them 'spray and pray', but it IS saying that shooting nearly every day they want to shoot--and then letting them run through a box or more if they want--is a good way to start generating a shooter that might someday be really good with a rifle.

BB's are the best first start because they are lead-free, extremely affordable, and the guns that shoot them have NO recoil, and almost NO blast. Are they "cool", or "flashy"..well, they are as neat as much as you make them to your 7 year old. Try not to let your adult biases bleed all over their fun and practice, because the wrong bias at the wrong time can cripple a new shooter.

Make no mistake, it goes against every evolutionary influence for hundreds of thousands of years for a human to "get used to" an explosion right in front of their face. When a shooter can "take" the recoil and blast of a rifle---even a "Twenty Two"---and still control a rifle within +/- 0.010" and repeat, they have done something truly amazing, in the sense of the history of our species.

You don't have to stay on BB's for all that long. It may only be a year, maybe less...depends on the kid. When they are doing well with the BB gun, have some strength in their arms for a heavier rifle, and have eaten several hundred or a couple thousand BB's, maybe it's time to start moving. The biggest thing would be to make sure they are asking to shoot the "big rifle", or the "twenty two".

When you make that transition, it's for a lifetime, but watch very closely for them to begin developing a flinch. Even a .22 can cause this, so keep their ear protection and eye protection on, and go back and forth to the BB gun if you need to...tell them it's "to let the .22 rest", or just tell them the truth about why...whichever's your style.

Now, I am specifically skipping over pellets. The BB gun can, for the time being, teach them nearly everything they need before going to a rimfire, and it does so with no exposure to lead. The .22 Rimfire, then, allows them to handle the round either 1) by the brass, (2) by wax coating, and/or (3) by a copper-washed bullet. ALL of those options help to limit the lead exposure of your child, where nearly none are available to the accurate pellet rifle. And they still need to then go scrub their hands with soap and water before doing anything else.

At some point in their future, perhaps beyond the age of 12-13, a really accurate pellet rifle will be the hone they need to bring their shooting ability to the next level. Just not for a little kid.


On the next piece, a .22 rimfire rifle: you can't ever stop learning with one. It is the single best training device for firearms that was ever designed because it has the best combination of:
--low recoil
--moderate noise level
--accuracy (enough)
--economy
--poor ballistics
--supply & bullet choice.

Those are ALL things you need in a training rifle.

.17 HMR fails on noise level, economy, and arguably ballistics (at least at the short ranges where new shooters should be shooting). It can also be in short supply, and certainly has limited bullet choices.

That's not much of a passing grade when the .22 LR passes ALL of the above.


-Nate

I disagree on all of the above responses.

Noise is a non issue for us...if it is screw a suppressor on

I can generally find it on sale. During the panic it was all that was left next to shot shells on store shelves again on sale. Buy cheap and fill cans. Most 22 ammo is fit for the garbage. You will spend about the same for a quality 22 round.

One at a time is how we roll but the cricket was painfully slow often required a pocket knife to assist in loading/unloading. Kids lost interest and ran off while I was stuck hammering a squib or digging a spent shell out.

Bullet on a 17 absolutely frags and turns to sand. The 22 bounces around and flys of sideways. It's nuts! I almost got hit opening day squirrel season. Same with steel bb's unless shooting cardboard pretty unsafe.

Benefit of the frag on the 17 besides being safer is target reaction. Watch a kids face when they hit a full pop can, hedge apple, tomato or whatever. Put a 22 and a 17 on the table 22 will stay in its case.

I could go on and on. Long story short the 22 rimfart is dead. Pick up a 17 HM2, HMR, or WSM and you'll quickly understand. Then again have fun with your ricochet shooter and leave those 17's on the shelf for me.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Selection of youth .22s (age 9)=> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IKo351YwRoQ&t=194s

 

[TangoFoxtrot]

Looking for suggestions/recommendations...

So apparently, I have set a precedent for purchasing first firearm for my kids at age 7... My 6 yo daughter has been reminding me of this and that her birthday is at the end of December . I bought a Rossi 410/22 lr combo for my oldest boy and the Savage Arms Rascal Synthetic for my second boy, and am trying to figure out what to do for my daughter. She is petite, but crazy strong... I'm not necessarily worried about weight, but I do want to make sure the stock and grip/trigger combo are sized for her. She loves pink, but isn't afraid to play in the mud/pick up toads & snakes in her Sunday dress... I'd like to find something in pink, but it's not a deal breaker. I don't have a problem with purchasing a duplicate firearm (i.e. another Rossi or Savage), but I'm curious what my INGO peeps have to offer!

Thank you in advance to your suggestions!

Good old Henry lever action 22

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