MtnBiker6510
Sharpshooter
I have been looking since last summer for the perfect 1st .22 for my 5yr olds 1st trip to the range. Until a week ago, I thought my options for reasonably priced youth .22's were the:
I was searching for the best price for the Henry when I went into Dicks on Coliseum in Ft Wayne and saw the Remington 514 listed for $129. I handled it and was impressed. I had heard Remington had bought Marlin, and immediately recognized the Marlin rimfire action that I love in my 883SS, 981T and 983S.
It was heavier than the Henry and the Chipmunk, , but length of pull was the same. The synthetic stock was a miniature version of the basic stock on my Marlin 981T. The trigger was grittier and didn't break a swell as my other Marlins, but it would work fine. The sights weren't adjustable for windage, only rear adjustable for elevation, but it did feature drilled and tapped mounts for a scope and the receiver was cut to accept most rimfire scope rings. Once home I found out that I can get Tech-Sights for it as well. I was immediately impressed and decided this was the rifle for my boy.
Today I took my 5yr old with me to let him heft the weight to see if the difference was too much. He recited to me the 5 rules of gun safety that I have started teaching him last year, and I handed him the rifle. He kept his finger off the trigger and lifted the rifle to his little shoulders. He ifted it and held it steady for long enough I was convinced he could shoulder it for standing fire for at least a couple of shots between rests and the weight wouldn't be an issue when prone or from a bench. I had found my boy the perfect value priced .22 singleshot rifle to learn on.
I decided not to purchase it right away, and had to go to Gander Mountain for a bulk pack Federal 525 .22lr they had on sale for 14.99, and low and behold they had the same rifle for $10 less. I took it as a sign and after making sure they had an unopened/unhandled version in stock, bought one then and there.
Once home I inspected it thoroughly and was even more impressed when I compared it to my Marlin 981T side by side, and could hardly believe the value. For $10-$20 more than the lowly Chipmunk I had found a rifle that far surpassed it. I can't wait to take it to the range to shoot it.
If anyone else out there has a siilar predicament finding a youth .22, I'd recommend checking out the new Remington 514.
- Chipmunk
- Marlin XT22Y
- Henry Mini-Bolt
- Thompson Center Hot Shot
- CZ Youth bolt gun
I was searching for the best price for the Henry when I went into Dicks on Coliseum in Ft Wayne and saw the Remington 514 listed for $129. I handled it and was impressed. I had heard Remington had bought Marlin, and immediately recognized the Marlin rimfire action that I love in my 883SS, 981T and 983S.
It was heavier than the Henry and the Chipmunk, , but length of pull was the same. The synthetic stock was a miniature version of the basic stock on my Marlin 981T. The trigger was grittier and didn't break a swell as my other Marlins, but it would work fine. The sights weren't adjustable for windage, only rear adjustable for elevation, but it did feature drilled and tapped mounts for a scope and the receiver was cut to accept most rimfire scope rings. Once home I found out that I can get Tech-Sights for it as well. I was immediately impressed and decided this was the rifle for my boy.
Today I took my 5yr old with me to let him heft the weight to see if the difference was too much. He recited to me the 5 rules of gun safety that I have started teaching him last year, and I handed him the rifle. He kept his finger off the trigger and lifted the rifle to his little shoulders. He ifted it and held it steady for long enough I was convinced he could shoulder it for standing fire for at least a couple of shots between rests and the weight wouldn't be an issue when prone or from a bench. I had found my boy the perfect value priced .22 singleshot rifle to learn on.
I decided not to purchase it right away, and had to go to Gander Mountain for a bulk pack Federal 525 .22lr they had on sale for 14.99, and low and behold they had the same rifle for $10 less. I took it as a sign and after making sure they had an unopened/unhandled version in stock, bought one then and there.
Once home I inspected it thoroughly and was even more impressed when I compared it to my Marlin 981T side by side, and could hardly believe the value. For $10-$20 more than the lowly Chipmunk I had found a rifle that far surpassed it. I can't wait to take it to the range to shoot it.
If anyone else out there has a siilar predicament finding a youth .22, I'd recommend checking out the new Remington 514.
