A cricket or what?

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Bravo11

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I took my son out squirrel hunting with Marlin 60 that I cut the stock down on last weekend and he had trouble shooting it because of the weight.
We take it to the range all the time and it's no problem there because he's shooting from a bench.
I was thinking about getting him a Cricket but I was wondering what else is out there that would be a better solution to the size/weight problem.
I've also looked at a Henry Mini-Bolt. One of the draw backs of these rifles is the single shot. Is there anything available in a bolt repeater or semi-auto that is "kid sized"
 
I bought my granddaughter a Savage Cub. Of course, since she's not quite 6 months old, even that's a little heavy for her . . .:D I checked the Cub and the Cricket side by side. My take is the Cricket is a novelty; the Cub is s good small rifle.

I learned to shoot using a single shot bolt action (Remington 514), so don't worry about a repeater, yet.
 
I'd probably look for a good airgun. Something like a Benjamin 392. But if you're set on a rimfire, I had a chance to shoot a chipmunk a while back and I was impressed by it.
 
Savage Cub- a youth rifle that isn't built like a toy. I bought one for my five year old a month of so ago- its still a little long for him but he has a great time shooting it.:cool:
 
i bought my daughter and my nephew both crickets when they were 5 yrs old. neither had any problem shooting them, accurately even. mostly, targets were spent shotgun shells stood on end about 25 yrds away, and coke cans a little further out.

after a year or two, they were both ready for something bigger. i got my nephew an evil black rifle (walther G22... bullpup so very comfortable for youth and the laser has major gee-whiz factor) and my daughter got a volquartsen target rifle. both of those should last a lifetime.

edit: i like the cricket because of the single-shot pull-to-cock action. it's safer than handing a 5yo a semi-auto, and it's just annoying enough, that they will take their time aiming each shot. WARNING: if you give a kid a semi-auto, you will spend all your range time loading magazines for them, and never get time to shoot your own guns!

edit again: that may only apply to daughters :)
 
cz scout, savage or marlin youth single shots. Don't give that kid a semi auto if you want him to become a good shot. A single shot will make him make each round count.
 
If your child is small enough to need a mini rifle there is no reason to have a repeater. It's your choice of course and for all I know your child is advanced, but until you'll son/daughter can pick up a 10/22, I'd suggest keeping it a single shot.
 
you like those papooses? papoosi? papoose?
i had a chance to buy one with an integrally suppressed barrel. i thought the takedown was cool. but when i shot it... it couldn't make it through a mag w/o malfunction, no matter what ammo i tried. i'm hoping this one was an anomaly as it is a cool concept
 
I would suggest the cz. I bought a cricket for my daughter and the trigger is atrocious. Even after stoning the sear and shimming the trigger to eliminate some side to side play it is quite possibly the worst trigger I have ever used. Its a novelty but not the best.

-Tsi
 
My daughter loves her pink cricket. I don't much care for the peep sight on it but it is not my gun and she likes shooting her spinning target all day.
 
The Papoose is nice and light, just have to make sure if they grasp the stock and not the barrel.

jm
 
I just bought my boy a Crickett for his 5th birthday. I ordered it through my local shop and got one with a traditional walnut stock. It's a nie little .22 that fits the boy well. About the only negitive comment I have about it is that they use a plastic front sight. I think that this is destined to get buggered up with use and it really cheapens the looks of an otherwise decent little gun. I certainly would have payed another $30 for better sights.

Hank
 
I'd say either the Henry, or if you want something with the ability to have follow-up shots, go with the youth CZ .22lr. Couldn't go wrong with either.
Of course, I've also been really curious about that papoose Marlin. Cool concept. Like it better than the AR-7 design.

edit to add:
Hrm...turns out my post wasn't really helpful so much as a little blurb of confusing nonsense. My bad
 
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One nice thing about a single shot rifle is that the child can learn to clean it without the hassles that he would hit with a semi.
 
DON't get the "Crickett" !!!

I have a problem with the way these little rifles function.

You take your child out to the range and load a bullet into the chamber, then you get ready to fire and you "cock" the rifle. In order to cock the rifle you pull back on the plunger to compress the firing spring, simple enough...

Now lets say, something is downrange and you want to make the gun safe... you have to "un-cock" the gun. The only way to un-cock these guns is to PULL THE TRIGGER while holding on to the plunger and slowly letting the spring decompress (and the firing pin fall) on a LIVE round!!. It can be done by an adult, but having a kid do it, IMO, is not a good idea. The only reason I know about this was we had these "Crickett" rifles at our Boy Scout camp and had an AD (nobody got hurt, the rifle was pointed downrange), needless to say we don't have them anymore. Try cocking and uncocking one of these in the store, you'll be amazed that they market these rifles towards kids...

There are plenty of other single shot and/or bolt action rifles available that are MUCH safer IMO....
 
also check out the mossberg. Since it's action is almost a dead ringer for the mod 60, it has a shorter stock, plus a Scnabel for end, and is synthetic. So it is light, and the smaller forend will let him get his hands around it.
 
Great recommendations, CZ, Savage, Marlin.
I really like the CZ. I've been in the market for a CZ 452 and I might just get
both.
 
+1 on the CZ 452 Scout

I got one for the kids and I will get an adult version for myself. What a great shooter!
 
I like both the Savage Cub & the Cricket. My only criticsm of the Cub is that it might be tough to shoot if the child is a lefty. The Cub also seems like it might have more growning room in it and that accutrigger on that little thing is nice too, while the Cricket seems like it's for really young shooters & might be easily out grown. I would let your son try both & get the one he liked best.
 
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