Best youth rifles, .22lr. Also, any good gun magazines for youngsters?

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DustyGmt

DustyGmt

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So I was running the sound board at church this morning and the pastors son, about 8 years old comes over to me and says "Mr. Dusty, what's a good youth rifle for me to get and how much will it cost?" Says he has been mowing some lawns and gonna save up and get himself a rifle one day soon and he wants to know all about the different kinds, etc...:D like you guys I'm sure, I was tickled, what a great foray into the shooting life, 8 years old and mowing lawns and saving up birthday money.....

Anyway, I didn't have much time to talk with him but I told him he would probably want to save up a couple hundred bucks give or take and start eyeballing different rifles that might appeal to him and since he isn't one of these kids with a smartphone at 8 years old, praise god, I was thinking maybe I'd get him a magazine subscription so he could read about guns and maybe set his sights on something he comes across in there.

I used to get all my uncles Gun mags when he was done with em and spent countless hours going through thousands of them, but I wondered if there was a youth-centric publication out there that might cover things more specifically in his range, being that he's a lil guy right now?

Also, if you wouldn't mind throwing out a few opinions of a good youth rifle, probably .22lr be best for a young man, I would appreciate any input. I immediate thought "10/22" but there may be better options I'm just not aware of and keep in mind he is probably earning modestly, mowing lawns and such so probably right around $200-$300.
 
Savage MK2 and Ruger American Rimfire immediately spring to mind for current production.

Not a fan of the 10/22 for new shooters. Both my kids had trouble manipulating the mag catch and bolt hold-open and got frustrated and discouraged by it. They also found loading the standard 10-round magazine difficult and painful.

Also not crazy about the Marlin M60 since tube feed can be awkward to keep the bore pointed in a safe dierection on a bench while loading. Also a bit of a chore to unload safely in a hurry when the RSO calls cease fire.

I DO like the Marlin M70/ Papoose for kids because its mag-fed, light, accurate, reliable and handy.
 
I declared it .22 day at our weekly shoot yesterday-thought it would be nice to not have to pick up brass for a change. Mrs has a Henry youth model that I believe any kid would have a ball shooting’. Not sure what she paid for it but it’s smooth as butter & we have a lot of fun knocking down steel critters with 22 shorts. There’s so many great old used 22’s in your price range but there’s something about a lever action that just makes ‘em more fun for me than a semi-auto or bolt rifle.
 
I bought a RIA m14y for my girls. Threaded barrel, wood stock, parkerized, 10 shot detachable magazine. It’s a lot of gun for the money. Only downside I have come across is some parts are plastic and likely won’t last forever, like the magazine catch, but it’s a simple part and could be easily swapped or repaired in 20 years when it needs to be.

For a price of $120 it’s hard to beat. I have considered buying 3 more. 1 for me and one for each kid when they are older.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Ruger American Rimfire
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Another vote here for a Ruger American Rimfire. That's what I bought for my wife for her birthday last year - not because she's a youth (I'm 73 and she's not that far behind), and not because she's inexperienced (she's been into guns and shooting since she married me 50 years ago). However, my wife is only 5'1", and she has short arms to match. Except for that Ruger American Rimfire I bought for her birthday last year, the stocks on every one of my wife's rifles and shotguns have been shortened to fit her. But I simply ordered the components from Ruger to shorten the stock and adjust the comb height of the Ruger American Rimfire when I bought the gun. It only took a few minutes to make that rifle fit my wife perfectly.:thumbup:
Anyway, what I'm saying is, if the 8 year-old youth got a Ruger American Rimfire with a component stock, they could change the components to make the gun fit them now, and change them again as they grew. My first gun, my "youth" rifle is a Model 55 Winchester single-shot, semi-auto that my folks gave me for my 10th birthday. I still have it, and I still love it. But I started loving it more once I grew into it - when I was about 14.;)
Edited to add: My wife's American Rimfire uses the same magazines as my 10-22.
 
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IMO 10/22's are more like starter kits then fully developed rifles. They are great guns but require modifications such as, bolt release plate, bolt buffer pin, and extended magazine release, to name a few, to see their full potential realized. I have all three on my 10/22 and am considering a trigger job as well, but the price of the trigger can be anywhere from 40% to 50% of the 10/22's original price. The ability to modify/customize the rifle can be viewed as either a pro, if the kid is mechanically inclined, or a con, if hes not quite so mechanically inclined.

I have a B-22 FV-SR Overwatch that I'm in love with but is around 400$ after taxes.
I take a look at the basic Savage B-22s and A-22s. They come in at a little over 300$ but the extra price is worth it. Both come with the accutrigger but neither of these rifles have iron sights.
https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=47200 - A-2
https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=70200 - B-22

If iron sights or a lower price is desired, the Savage 64 has iron sights and is semi auto. It doesn't have the Accutrigger but they come in between 159$(with nothing) and 269$(with scope, iron sights, threaded barrel). I don't have a one, but I've heard only good things about them.
https://www.savagearms.com/content?p=firearms&a=product_summary&s=40203
 
beagler said:
All of my kids have Crickets. They are safe and accurate. I would definitely look into them.
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My only complaint with the Crickett I bought is that it’s too small. They grow out of it very quickly. They sell stock extensions which helps but still, it’s a gun for an elementary age kid at best. My 4th grader is very small for her age and even still she has outgrown the gun. Realistically that gun worked for my kids from age 6 to 8 and we have kinda made do til age 9. The m14y I mentioned earlier is larger and has been a really nice next step up in size.
 
I started my son at 11 on a .22 Henry Youth lever rifle.

Like any repeater, one round can be loaded to make it a single shot so it’s not limited. The grooved receiver means it could mount a scope easily if one is wanted. (I put a Skinner peep set on his.) Now that he’s familiar with gun safety rules and a decent shooter-in-training, he can fill the magazine and have fun shooting a series of targets rather than just one at a time.

I really like that for roughly 60 bucks I bought an extra full size butt stock for it. As he grows I’ll swap it and turn it into a handy 16” carbine.:)

They’re a bit pricier than the traditional single-shot “kids” bolt guns, but I think it’s one that’ll follow him as he ages and makes his own way out there.

Stay safe.
 
Riomouse911 said:
I started my son at 11 on a .22 Henry Youth lever rifle.

Like any repeater, one round can be loaded to make it a single shot so it’s not limited. The grooved receiver means it could mount a scope easily if one is wanted. (I put a Skinner peep set on his.) Now that he’s familiar with gun safety rules and a decent shooter-in-training, he can fill the magazine and have fun shooting a series of targets rather than just one at a time.

I really like that for roughly 60 bucks I bought an extra full size butt stock for it. As he grows I’ll swap it and turn it into a handy 16” carbine.:)

They’re a bit pricier than the traditional single-shot “kids” bolt guns, but I think it’s one that’ll follow him as he ages and makes his own way out there.

Stay safe.
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The one thing I really dont like about the Henry .22s is the zinc receivers.....after having all my old toy trains crumble into dust, Im just turned off on it for gun parts. Ya, I know Zamack is different from pot metal....but still, ugh. Do they make any rimfires with actual real brass or steel? If so, I could get on board with Henry.
 
Savage 24. I start kids on a 24. Everything happens after a deliberate action by the shooter. Break it open, load a cartridge, close the action, cock the hammer, put sights on target, finger on trigger, fire... Nothing is done for the shooter. It's pretty accurate and with the shotgun barrel lends itself to a great small game arm.

Single-Six for handguns.
 
I echo the Savage 24. And for the same reasons as "Pudge" gave. Though I believe they have a new model number for the same old workhorse. Grew up with one of them. Wish I had not sold it. Took an unknown number of squirrels with it.
 
I've bought my grandson and grandaughter each a Cricket, knowing they are going to outgrow it. When they do and are ready to save up their own money and buy a rifle, I will probably pitch in and match whatever they save and steer them towards a Henry lever or Rossi pump. But they've already shot my Marlin 60 and various 10/22's, so I won't discourage that if their heart is set. I will remind them that they will probably end up with mine one day, so they may want to think about something different.
 
NIGHTLORD40K said:
The one thing I really dont like about the Henry .22s is the zinc receivers.....after having all my old toy trains crumble into dust, Im just turned off on it for gun parts. Ya, I know Zamack is different from pot metal....but still, ugh. Do they make any rimfires with actual real brass or steel? If so, I could get on board with Henry.
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Since they’re covers rather than a solid piece, I guess if one ever cracked or crumbled it could be taken off and replaced in a few minutes. I had mine blow off a table from a freak gust of wind and get scratched when it hit the gravel, but the metal itself was just fine.

Encoreman said:
Yep it is called a Marlin model 39. Henry's only plus for me is it is U.S.made, but I think an inferior gun. Guns are tools, save up your $$ and buy once cry once.
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I cut my teeth on a 1960’s (pre- cross bolt safety) Marlin 39A Golden Mountie so they hold a soft spot in my heart… but a) since Marlin never made a “spike horn” 39A and newer Remlin ones had 24” barrels, they can be a bit unwieldy for youngsters. And b) since Marlin as we knew it is no more, and older guns may not be serviced by Ruger, who knows what the future holds for sales and service. I hope all stays the same, but we all know $$ will truly dictate Rugers future plans for Marlin.

Not a blind fanboy, I have three Marlins and three Henry levers in the safe, along with four Winchesters and two Rossi’s, too. I hate the Henry plastic barrel band and wish they were all steel receivers as well. They’re not, so I live with them.

All my levers have pluses and minuses to them, for my 11 year old I thought the Henry Youth fit the bill pretty well. YMMV :)

Stay safe.
 
Not a gun magazine, but PA Game News is something for a new shooter/hunter. Short articles and nothing you'd be ashamed to have provided to a kid.
 
Hard to go wrong here:
NIGHTLORD40K said:
Ruger American Rimfire
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.308 Norma said:
Another vote here for a Ruger American Rimfire.
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But the CZ Scout would be my choice. An excellent shooter with very good sights and many options for upgrading...even other calibers.
rabid wombat said:
Try CZ…the real advantage, grow out of the stock, put on an adult stock (little goofy looking)…sound rifle…

https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-457-scout/
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Bwana John said:
CZ 452 Scout.
View attachment 1023411
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CZ455 Scout Day at the Range 210807 136.jpg
 
My 12 year old daughter so much enjoyed my Mini 14 except for the fact it was a little too heavy for her that i put together a replica based on the 10/22.
She loves it and shoots it very well.
It is light and very easy for her to manipulate.
20210310_121202_Burst01.jpg
 
I've never SEEN one, but knew they were available. Until a kid proves he is capable it might not be a bad idea. Of course with close adult supervision any of the mags can be single loaded. I'd be hesitant to give an inexperienced shooter a semi with multiple rounds in the mag. A bolt, lever, or pump requires them to do something to chamber the next round.
 
DustyGmt said:
get him a magazine subscription
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Print isn't dead, but in reality, most print magazines are long on glossy pictures and short of information. We used to be enthusiastic about getting the monthly magazine, but the new generation can get more information in 30 minutes on a tablet.

You might do better to find the best books than magazines.

As to .22lr, the field if pretty narrow for a good new .22lr rifle for under $500 these days. The Marlin 60, Ruger 10.22 and American .22lr, the Savage Mk II all are below $500. OTOH, there are numerous used .22lr bolt guns out there for under $300 that with a good bore make for great guns to learn on.
 
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