[varoadking]

How about some suggestions gang.

I saw a few at the gun show yesterday. There was a Rossi single shot in .17HMR, I believe, that looked pretty nice - and cheap. I don't believe in cheap pistols, but I LOVE cheap rifles...

Not interested in a lever action - she's a little gal - but a bolt action with magazine, or the Rossi style breech loading single shot might be the ticket. Anyone have any ideas. .22lr, 22mag, .17 - all could work, but it needs to be kid sized.

This is for the same 13 year old kid that was puttin' .45's in the 9 ring at 10 yards with my Springfield 1911...

Tim - you out there - what do you think?

[Art Eatman]

Take her to a larger gunstore or to a gunshow. Let her feel, fit and fondle various rifles until "Mr. Right" shows up.

:), Art

[AZTOY]

Ruger and Henry make kid size rifles. Maybe a cheap trainer and cut it to fit.

[swingset]

I just bought my kiddo a Savage Cub. Very nice '93 style bolt-action. It ran $125.00

It has peep sights, which is a nice feature on a kid's rifle, and it's very accurate.

Also, a good suggestion for a cheap kid's rifle is to get one of those Romanian 1969 trainers and cut down the stock. They're only $50 or $60 most places and they're very accurate, reliable little guns. I have one but didn't want to sacrifice it! :D

[TraditionsCSR]

My daughter, Hannah, has been very happy with the Crickett .22 I gave her for her tenth birthday. The gun is completely scaled down in all respects -- it's really stubby, with a short barrel and (red-white-and-blue laminated) stock. It weighs all of about three pounds.

I fixed her up with a tiny Tasco red-dot sight and a CW sling, and she absolutely loves the gun. She bangs 2.5" steel swinging targets at 25 yards with ease (and not just off the bench, either), and pings tennis balls at 50 yards pretty reliably. The rifle comes with a pretty good peep sight, but Hannah loves the dot sight. You need to buy the base directly from the manufacturer, Keystone Sporting Arms.

The only really flaw with the rifle, if you can call it that, is the trigger. The poundage is reasonably light, but the travel is long and somewhat spongy. It took Hannah a little while to adapt to the long travel, but now she hits very well with it. I think the manufacturer looks at this as a safety feature.

Mike

[Selfdfenz]

My son has one of the Rossi's you discribe.
It came with a 22 LR barrel and a 410 tube also. Ithink I gave less than 100$ for the set just after they started showing up.
It's great plinker and with the reddot quite a confidence builder. Can't imagine the Colibres he put down range with it.

He also now has a CZ Scout with a 4X12 on it that he shoot at 100 yards surprisingly well off the bags.

All this with a very high level of adult supervision. Based on my experience with my son, who is younger than your daughter, either should fit you her but if it was me I would go for the Scout at about 150$. It's upgradable in way the Rossi is not and comes with better iron sights.
Also, the CZ comes with a 1 shot insert but the 5 and 10 round mags will fit no problem.
S-

[MolonLabe416]

Log another vote for the CZ scout in 22 lr.

[TIMC]

If it fit's her well she should do ok. Some have complained about problems locating .17HMR ammo, .22mag you can find everywhere. NEF also makes some nice inexpensive single shots in several calibers. Hit a few gunshops and see what fits her best.