Help me choose a .22lr rifle. Crickett?

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jamesbeat

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I don't yet own a .22lr rifle, and it is a silly hole to have in my collection, so I'm going to correct it.

I want a small knockaround gun for general plinking and perhaps for camping etc.
I'm in NY (State not City) and don't yet have a pistol permit, so it must be a rifle.

My initial idea was to get a small light single shot bolt action.
I saw the Keystone Crickett, and it looks ideal. I don't know what to think about the stock however. They do an adult version, but the junior version would be great for a small knockaround gun, providing I could actually shoulder the thing and use it.

Anyone got any experience with the Crickett with the junior stock?
I'm 5'11" so I'm wondering if I could make it work.

While in my LGS yesterday, the guy had no bolt action .22s whatsoever, but he did show me a Remington 597.
After reading about the reliability issues and especially the weak receiver, I'm put off buying a 597, but did get turned on to the idea of buying a semiauto instead of a manually operated rifle.

I'm going to a different gun store tomorrow or Tuesday, and I believe this one has a much larger inventory. From looking at their website, it looks like they will have Cricketts, but they don't have any 10/22's, which is the semiauto I would buy if I decided to go that route.
It is possible though that they might have inventory in the store that is not on the website, so maybe I'll see a 10/22 there when I visit.

So, I guess what I'm asking is, if I see a 10/22 for sale in my price range when I get there, should I buy it or go for the Crickett?
 
We have a .22 that's very similar in size -- the Savage Cub. (A far better rifle, by the way. The Cricket is very cheaply made and has some features most would not want in a firearm.)

I can use that tiny .22 just fine -- love it, in fact! The only concession I've had to make for my stature is to mount a scope. The iron sights are so low to the bore that I found it literally impossible to sight through them.

While our Cub is the kids' rifle, it is my go-to gun for groundhogs here in the yard! :)

Now if you can find a 10/22 or a Marlin 60, you'll have a fine .22 rifle that's a lot more "grown-up" sized.
 
Right, the Rascal is the new descendant of the older Cub. If it's 75% as good, it's still a great little rifle.
 
DO NOT BUY A CHILD'S SIZE GUN FOR YOURSELF!

You'll only regret it....find a 10/22 or Marlin 60, or Marlin 795, or Savage Mark II, or something else for plinking. You'll enjoy an adult-sized gun much more and the difference between a Marlin 795 with a 10 round magazine and a single-shot Crickett is night and day for ease of use, accuracy, and fun.

Cricketts are niche market guns to introduce kids to shooting.
 
If you want a great youth-sized gun that is a top quality .22 bolt action, go for a CZ 452 Scout. It's a gun that you'll continue to use even if you buy other "adult sized" rifles later. The Scout is a high quality gun that you will really appreciate once you have it. Beware that you will very likely start buying more CZs afterwards, though!
CZ452Scoutright_1_zps35220919.jpg
 
Bought the savage cricket for my 7 year old and the chipmunk for the 6 year old and they love them and they are very accurate ,I can shoot both just fine.
But if i had my choice i still like my 10/22
 
Hmm, some good suggestions so far.
That CZ is gorgeous!

What's the going rate for a 10/22 nowadays?
Is the panic buying driving the prices up?
A lot of online sellers seem to have reasonable prices but none in stock...

I won't be buying online though, with the ffl transfer fee and shipping, it's just not worth it.
Maybe this gun store will have something interesting.
 
CZ Scout. Also... the Scout barreled action will fit in at least one of the stocks that are sized for adult (it might be the CZ Trainer stock).

If you are ok with used, I have had good luck when buying .22's from pawn shops. Especially bolt action rifles, they are simple and if something is wrong with it, generally cheap to fix.
 
If you can get your hands on a Ruger 10/22 Takedown they are a very cool little rifle, about 4.5 pounds and can have a small or large magazine. They are selling at Sportsman's in Colorado for about $330.

Of course at this panicked time I have seen them on the auction boards for obscene prices that I would not consider.

You might tool around the pawn shops in your area. Some pawn shops have enough turn over that you might stumble onto a reasonable deal and most pawn shops are into moving product as opposed to collecting it.

You might also want to start picking up ammo here and there as you find it. The stuff comes and goes on the same morning at Wal Mart. But if you are persistent you can find it now and then.
 
What's wrong with the AR-7, for a knock around rifle that is very accurate. When I was heavy into 4 wheeling I never left home without it. I believe Charter Arms is making them again. BTW the rifle will float if you ever decide to take it canoeing.:)
 
Another vote for the savage cub / scout.

My little guy shoots one, and I shoot it too. Great little rifle, very accurate as well. Open a box of shells, and have at it.

In full size rifles, A ruger 10/22 is another very good option, Ruger makes a take down, but it is expensive for a .22. In my opinion, nearly any major manufacturer (Remington, Ruger, Mossberg, Savage, etc.) all have very good .22 rimfire rifles.
 
I compared hand-in-hand both the Cricket and the Rascal youth guns yesterday. The Rascal was marked $20 less, though both were overpriced at this particular store (159 and 179.) Though I would not be able to shoulder-fire either of these (would be fun maybe to shoot as pistols), I liked the feel of the Savage a little more..

Kickin' round the idea of picking one up for my four-year old to learn with soon..
 
Cricket shoots well, but savage is nicer. Marlin Model 60 or 10/22 are both great. My granddaughter's Cricket has a weak extractor or something, so I have to keep a pocket knife handy for getting spent shells out.
 
You'll have a difficult time shooting the Cricket well due to its size. It can be done but I'm not real big and it makes me a contortionist to shoot it well.

I bought a Pink Cricket for a 5 YO and it fits her well and shoots well. You should look at a Ruger 10/22 in my opinion.
 
If a semi-auto is attracting you then the 10/22 is hard to beat for reliability and price. That CZ shown in the earlier post by 16turbo is a much better gun IMO.
 
High quality, bolt action, single shot rifles have been around for decades from just about any American manufacturer you can name, that will out shoot any off the shelf 10/22. Shop used and I'm sure you'll find a treasure. Not that I don't like 10/22's, I own a couple, I've just never been impressed by their stock accuracy. My 1959 vintage Remington nylon 66 will out-shoot them any day of the week.
 
What about splitting the difference between a bolt action and the semi auto and go for a regular or youth sized Henry lever rifle?

You get the ability to cycle the action rapidly while not taking the rifle down from the ready to fire point on your shoulder. And they pack up nice and flat for transport and carry well.

And the lever action style is just plain old good fun.

If you were to go for a youth size Henry and found that the LOP was a trifle short you can easily length it by adding a recoil pad to the butt in place of the steel butt plate.
 
I would love a lever action, but I'm afraid I won't find one within my price range.
I'm looking to get something for a maximum of about $200-$250.
I might just scarpe a used 10/22, but I doubt I'd get a lever gun for that.
There's definitely one in my future though

I guess I'll visit the store and see what they have. There's no point speculating too much, because it remains to be seen what they have in stock. Apparently they have over 4,000 guns in inventory though, so I have high hopes.

I'll definitely be looking at some of the older bolt action repeaters and the semiautos, I've got some good info to go on now.
 
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