Inexpensive single-shot .22 rifles for kids

[cluttonfred]

Here are a few off the top of my head and in no particular order. I am sure there are many more.

• Rogue Chipmunk
• Keystone Crickett
• Savage Cub (w/ AccuTrigger)
• Stevens Cadet (w/o AccuTrigger)
• Henry Mini Bolt
• Marlin 915Y
• Mossberg Half-Pint Plinkster
• Remington Model Five Youth
• CZ 453 Scout
• H&R Sportster Compact

All are bolt actions except the H&R. All are single-shot, but the Mossberg, Remington and CZ use adapter plugs that can be replaced by a magazine later. I believe that all are made in the USA except the Mossberg and, of course, the CZ. The Remington may also be made overseas.

Does anyone have any strong feelings or experiences to share on which is the best first rifle for a child? Most reliable and/or most accurate out of the box?

 

[Sam1911]

I looked at this same question a year ago. Having held and checked out most of them I liked the Savage Cub (T) the best of all.

The Henry and Marlin are very nice, too. I didn't get to try the CZ in person, but I'm sure they are nice.

Avoid the bottom end guns. The Crickett especially. You aren't buying a toy so there's no excuse for getting such a poor quality gun. Compare a Crickett and one of the higher end guns side-by-side and you'll see what I'm saying.

The Crickett's mainspring isn't even covered. And cocking the striker is separate from opening/closing the bolt. They'll try to say that's a safety feature, but it's really a poor manufacturing shortcut that serves no purpose other than frustrating and annoying the shooter who's mind should be focused on safety and technique...not extra steps in the firing cycle.

Another point against the Crickett is the lack of a feed ramp. You'll have to physically place each round into the chamber, not just into the action/floorplate. That's pretty difficult to do, especially with adult-sized hands in that tiny action. With the Cub, and most of the better rifles, the floor of the action is sculpted to allow push-feeding of the round as you close the bolt.

I bought the Cub for my kids when they were 7 and 4 (as they got big enough to transition away from only shooting handguns) but have shot it myself a lot more than they have. It's just such a fun gun, and the AccuTrigger is awesome!

The aperture sights are pretty nice on the Cub, but they sit SO low that it was a little bit of a hassle for me to scrunch down far enough to see through them. (Great for the kids, though.) I bought a very cheap rimfire scope and can shoot 1.5" groups at 100 yds with decent ammo. As funny as it seems, that tiny Cub is now my go-to rifle for groundhogs in the yard!

-Sam

 

[Schleprok62]

Have a look at the Remington Model Five Youth and add it to you list. MSRP $237 (this price is always higher than actual).

It's a very nice rifle and is quite accurate out of the box. I have a full-sized Model Five in European Walnut and love it... very accurate, all metal construction (including the trigger guard) comes with both a 5-shot detachable magazine and single shot adapter, fully adjustable rifle sights, etc...

Cheers...

 

[cluttonfred]

Thanks, Schleprok62 (had to copy and past that one), that Model Five looks quite nice. I assume it is Russian made like the Spartan bargain line from Remington. I have added the Remington to the list in my initial post.

Thanks, Sam1911, for the feedback on the Savage Cub and the downside of the Crickett (and the Chipmunk, I imagine).

Personally, I'm a Marlin guy. I have a nice old Marlin target rifle that was my Dad's, another that my grandfather gave me, and a Papoose. So my first thought was to get the 915Y or 915YS, or maybe one of each. My sons are 10 and 6 years old with a 4 year old baby sister nipping at their heels. From her concentration on things like jigsaw puzzles, I expect her to be the sharpshooter of the family.

 

[bpl]

I have in my safe a Henry Mini-bolt, a youth Marlin single shot bolt action and a CZ 452 Scout. The CZ is by far the nicest and most accurate. The Henry mini-bolt is stainless/synthetic, which is nice and is best for the smaller child as the LOP is like 10" or so and its very light, like 3.5lbs, I believe. It does have the manual cocker and lacks a feed ramp, as noted above for the cricket, and these features are annoying. The marlin is a little nicer with regard to the feed mechanism, it has a feed ramp and cycling the bolt cocks the firing mechanism. With the wood stock, its heavier than the Henry. Its a nice youth single shot, but not as nice as the CZ. The CZ and Marlin are bigger and heavier and have a longer LOP than the Henry mini-bolt, Cricket/chipmunk and therefore are better suited for a bit larger, older youth 10-12 and of maybe 80lbs+.

 

[hardluk1]

Keystone bought Kouge so one company now ,they also bought the company that made there stocks and the fancy ruger heavy barrel laminated stocks. You can now get the chipmunk pistol from keystone if thats a choise.

 

[Temp430]

I recently purchased a Savage-Stevens Cadet made in Canada. It's the same rifle as the Savage Cub but without the AccuTrigger. The small stock fits my 7 year old's frame and the rifle with the peep sights is quite accurate. No complaints so far whatsoever.

 

[cluttonfred]

I recently purchased a Savage-Stevens Cadet made in Canada. It's the same rifle as the Savage Cub but without the AccuTrigger. The small stock fits my 7 year old's frame and the rifle with the peep sights is quite accurate. No complaints so far whatsoever.

That's interesting, as I did think the Accu-Trigger was a little over the top in this application. That's one more for the list in the OP!

 

[diesel83]

Schleprok62, I appreciate the post on the Remington. Ironically, I rarely see any youth single shots for sale anywhere. Anyone have luck finding the Remington or Savage Cub?

 

[Sam1911]

Gander Mountain has Savage Cubs on the rack every time I'm in one. I got ours there on a red tag sale for only about $170.

And I think the AccuTrigger is a GREAT addition to that rifle! What is it about young, small shooters that makes them better off having to manipulate a heavier, less crisp trigger? If the shooter's fingers aren't as strong as mine and he/she has less experience with proper trigger control, why not give them a light, crisp, and still very safe trigger?

I know some folks would have the knee-jerk reaction that a heavier trigger is less likely to be pulled accidentally, but we're still talking about a several-lb. pull -- not a crazy 3 oz. benchrest trigger.

Nope, give me (and my kids) the AccuTrigger any day!

-Sam

 

[oneounceload]

I have the Marlin 915Y, aka "Lil Buckaroo" - it shoots as accurate as the 39A I had and the model 60 and 10/22 I do have. Taught both my boys to shoot with that when they were 6. Got a grandson I hope to meet soon, and he'll get taught gun safety and how to shoot with it too.........great gun

 

[SwampWolf]

I'd attend a good gun show and look for a nice Winchester Model 67 single shot-the quintessential boy's starter rifle from yesteryear but will always hold its value and charm.

 

[hub]

My step dad bought my son a keystone cricket for his second Christmas last year. We took it out this spring to test fire. I will agree with Sam1911 the lack of a feed ramp was a PITA but other that that I thought the rifle was good enough for it's purpose. It was surprisingly accurate, after I got the sights dialed I could hit walnuts all day long at 30 yards. I don't have much info on the others except that my stepbrother on the other side of the family has a chipmunk that he got as a kid. That was also about twenty years ago. It was pretty good quality and accurate too.

I don't see anything wrong with the plunger type striker on a kid's rifle just one more step for them to learn and maybe a little bit safer. But as sam1911 said the quality just isn't there when your comparing them to some of the more expensive models. The synthetic stock is OK and they offer a wood stocked models too. What I don't like about the cricket is the lack of a feed ramp, and the factory sights. The sights work fine but the rear is a stamped metal adjustable peep and the front a plastic triangle in a metal mount. It does come pre drilled and tapped for a scope and the mount is $15 I think. Their scope is around $50 bucks too and to me that puts it in the same ballpark price as some of the better models. I do have a small factory take off scope from a marlin 60 that I will put on after he learns how to use irons.

The problem for me is that I think most of the kid sized rifles are a little overpriced for what they are. Sure it looks nice but to me it is just a learning tool for my son that he will ding up and quickly out grow. I could understand if several kids may grow up using it but for me I only have one for now and we will never wear out that cheap cricket rifle.

When I was ten years old my dad gave me a Remington 581 that I still have and use today, twenty one years later. It's always been my favorite rifle, the one I learned how to shoot with and the one I've shot the most.

My step brothers chipmunk on the other hand sets in the closet, the same place it's been for the last sixteen years waiting for his unborn kids to come around to use for few years until they out grow it too.

Well my son is only two and a half now and I may change my mind in the future when he is kinda of in the middle of the age gap 6-10 but my plan now is keeping the cricket for training and beating around then getting him an adult sized .22 when he is ready. I would like to get him a really nice .22lr of his own to maybe start his firearm collection. Supervised by me for a few years of course.

 

[cluttonfred]

I have the Marlin 915Y, aka "Lil Buckaroo" - it shoots as accurate as the 39A I had and the model 60 and 10/22 I do have. Taught both my boys to shoot with that when they were 6. Got a grandson I hope to meet soon, and he'll get taught gun safety and how to shoot with it too.........great gun

Congrats but are you sure it's a grandson? ;-)

 

[Redhat]

I got the Savage Cub (T) with the peep sight for my boys. IMO the peep is easier to lear on.

 

[CZguy]

I had a Marlin 915Y that I taught my children to shoot with. It was a nice rifle, but I sold it and bought a CZ Scout to train Grandchildren with. It's very versatile in that I can use the single shot magazine or a five or ten shot which the older children prefer. It's amazing how many adults can shoot it well too. It has the same excellent accuracy as their full sized rifles.