First .22 rifle

[zdc1775]

Ok so the wife and I have decided it’s time to buy her little brother his first rifle. He is four and about 3’6” or so and 45#’s. he has been shooting BB guns with me, so he has been taught safety with guns and doesn’t go near them without me or my wife there (not even with his dad). We were thinking a single shot bolt action 22. The problem with that is the only ones I know of are adult target rifles or the Cricket. I’m not ruling it out but I would like to have more options. Budget is about $150. I only want current production or easy to find rifles that are youth/child size. We won’t rule out other actions but want to keep it single shot for now.

We were thinking it would be a great Christmas present for him and would like to get it as soon as possible, hence the easy to find/order.

ETA: He's a lefty

 

[pikid89]

http://www.savagearms.com/firearms/model/CUB

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=252485044

youth Savage 22 single shot, looks like it has better irons than the Crickets sheet metal peep (not a bad thing either, shot a 8 shot one holes at 20 with my brothers)

they also have the awesome accu trigger...something sadly overlooked on todays youth market

I may be mistaken, but i would assume that once he outgrows this stock, he could drop the barreled action straight into an adult size stock with no difficulty

I might also suggest the Thompson Center Hot Shot...basically a shrunken Contender in .22 LR...heck I want one
http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/youth_hot_shot.php
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_440/products_id/61461

then again, you can't really go wrong with the cricket either

 

[bigfatdave]

single shot bolt action 22
current production or easy to find rifles
youth/child size

To all of those ... Check

Budget is about $150.

On that one ... ... maybe, Henry guns retail WELL below MSRP, and there is always used to consider (hey, kids outgrow guns, a used kids' gun isn't a festering pile of Dremeled Bubba parts, it just got outgrown)

http://henryrepeating.com/rifle-minibolt.cfm
Model Number
H005 - Black Stock
H005S - Orange Stock
Action Type Bolt Action
Caliber .22 LR/.22 Short
Capacity 1 round
Length 30.25"
Barrel Length 16.25"
Weight 3.25 lbs.
Stock One piece fiberglass synthetic stock
Length of pull 11.5"
Sights Williams Fire Sights
Finish Stainless steel receiver and barrel

 

[zdc1775]

Should have added this in post but he is left handed

 

[pikid89]

Of the listed guns i think that makes the T/C the clear winner

Bud's Gunshop has it for 185 with free shipping

 

[bigfatdave]

in that case the Hot Shot or a lever-gun will be more ambidextrous. Rossi makes inexpensive single-shot break guns, also ... many of them will come with a shotgun barrel and rifle barrel, there are even triplet combinations with rimfire rifle, centerfire rifle, shotgun ... they're fairly well put together, I've shot a youth model a friend bought for his daughter.

There's a whole left-handed section over on rimfirecentral, all I know about left-handed guns is that they're hard to find.
Savage seems to make ONE boltgun in youth and lefty, the Mark II GLY - I'm not a boltgun guy so I don't know where else to look.
The left-handed are delighted whenever I hand over my Henry leverguns though, everything is centered, so right/left doesn't matter, except for ejection, and it isn't like a semiauto that spews gasses and grit at you, all that is done by the time human reflexes can open up the action on a levergun.

 

[zdc1775]

Ok thanks for all the replies, but I ended up buying a Marlin Model 15Y. Its an 83 model that I would say is in about 80% condition with a cheap bushnell fixed 4X15 scope on it. Paid 117 for it. Is this a good rifle? It was an impulse buy because it would fit him and I needed a 22 that would handle S, L, and LR for vermin around the house that keep eating the insulation.

 

[BinhThuyUSN]

zdc1775, sounds like you are pleased with the purchase and if you and your wife's little brother are happy; then you made the right choice. Enroll him in youth weapons safety program and learn how to handle a weapon safely and responsibly. Down the road he will look at this rifle and he can always that this was his first. You are going to have years of enjoyment in watching him shoot the rifle.