Kids, 22LR's and organized shooting?

So the outdoor range that I work at PT has started talking about organizing and beginning a 22 RF rifle league for the summer and also breaking it into two categories. Adult and youth. They are still debating the age cut-off between the groups but I am certain they can get tat sorted out.

I think this is a great idea and completely support this and will most likely will join in myself but have also have the thought about including and bringing my grandchildren. 4 of them, ages 13 to 7. My biggest hold-up is I only own one 22LR rifle and their parents are not really in the position to go buy a couple.

So I thought about hitting up a few of the local shops and see what I can find used, cheap. For one just to see if they will become interested w/o investing a ton of money that I don't really have either.

I have already a Savage MarkII so what else should I look for and what should I stay away from?

 

I have donated .22LR ammunition to the local Boy Scout camp for their shooting range pre-pandemic so I applaud your and their efforts. I won't recommend a particular brand or model of rifle but I would encourage using bolt action or slide action rifles. I think the semi-auto models tend to allow an individual to shoot too quickly and therefore not really concentrating on or learning proper basic shooting techniques.

 

Awesome !
Depends on if they're going for optics or iron sights . I've got plenty of 22s if you'd like to borrow a couple to see what you like it's all good. Only thing is, none of mine are semi auto, I don't roll like that.
My actual 22 target rifle is a concerted martini cadet , my regular 22 plonker is a cheapo winchester lever gun I traded 100 rounds of ammo for (it is extremely accurate ) and my favorite is a little old adage 72 that I gave $100 for. Not sure they're still out there like that but I've bought a lot of them over the years for next to nothing.

 

That too is my feeling. My thought process is to use this to teach not just shooting but also sportsmanship and communication skills.

 

Was just on a shop site down your way and they have a good number of old 22 rifles listed. Anywhere from $100.00 and up. I do believe they are going to allow optics.

 

A decent single shot bolt gun with open sights will teach them to make every shot count especially if they have to buy their own ammo from working odd jobs. Back in the day I had a single shot .22 and I bought my own ammo with money I earned by cutting grass and a paper route. It didn't take me long at all to learn how to shoot and I never wasted ammo.

 

I agree with using bolt actions. It is way to easy for a new shooter to just empty the mag as fast as they can with a semi-auto.

For younger/smaller shooters, the Cricket, Chipmunk, and Savage Rascal single shot bolt actions are great. I have taught many kids to shoot using my old single shot bolt action Savage/Springfield Model 120

 

I think its a great idea. We need to get out youth involved and give them something to do besides their playstation.

 

We had a cure for that in 4-H. (I was a 4-H Rifle leader for 10 years) They could only load one at a time. 90% of the semis were 10/22's. The smart parents brought 2-5 mags with and loaded each with one round for their kids. (We shot 5 round strings.) We allowed them plenty of time for the ones that only had one mag.

Our club rifles were Marlin 15Y's.

 

So it sounds like this is going to be about a 6 week competition with the Adult division being very much competitive. For the kids I just want to see them show interest and learn a little respect for guns and of course Sportsmanship and that you don't need to always be the winner to have fun.

 

Emphasize safety first, fun second, improvement third. Remind the kids that the best win is beating your last score.

 

One of the finest points to me will be actually seeing parents interact with their children. Maybe time for some adults to relearn Patience. Works to build character in both young and old.

 

I couldn't agree more with both statements. It's all about being safe and having fun while spending time with your children.

 

From being a Range Officer at this place for 3 years now I know all the other RO's and I seriously doubt that range safety and etiquette will be an issue. From a biased perspective I believe we have some of the finest RO's in the business. So they are there to reinforce overall range safety, to assist with problems and to try and educate w/o being distracted from our normal duties.

Not certain of the formalities yet but I do believe there will also be a dedicated RO present to help assist with the kids. I know from hearing discussions that one reason for this event is to also encourage, promote and build youth interest in the shooting sports.

 

If competition isn't going to be too fierce (i.e. olympic level rifles), the Savage Rascal is a great little bolt action with a rear aperture and post front sight. It is a little light for actual target shooting, but it is a great size and weight for learning the core skills. The triggers on my kids' rifles are pretty good, too.

 

Nothing like that here. The rimfire chicken shooters do welcome kids with open arms though.

 

Ruger sells special single round magazines for the 10/22. The BX-1.

 

https://www.youthshootingsa.com/product/project-appleseed-oklahoma/


Hope it gets going, but more than 2 Divisions will be needed. Age (adult / youth) will not be as much a factor as experience /skill, iron sight/scope, or equipment. Otherwise, you will have a $$$ competition. Who can spend the most money.

Set it more like a bowling league and self improvement.

We have a guy that has spent close to $3k on a Ruger 10-22 and over $3k on a scope, to make it shoot competitive against the guy with the Anchutz Olympian.

Kids (a lot of adults) aren't going to be interested, if it isn't FUN.

ETA: Cowboy Action determines Adult and Youth is 16 years old. The main difference is: adult MUST use centerfire cartridge. Youth MAY use rimfire, but not required.

 

When I shot for scores as a 12 year old, I used a Marlin 80DL, a bolt action .22 with an adjustable peep sight and hooded front sight, and did well.

I think something like that is the minimum if your grandkids are to be competitive.

 

I am not involved with getting this set up so the only input I have are purely suggestions. How many Divisions will there be? Don't know. Should it be more than 2? I think so.

 

I like CZs but for the price I would get a Savage. CMP used to sell them.
I would like to see a price limit and limits on equipment. For kids anyway.
Years ago I was an instructor also.I had a rifle with an adjustable stock for training.

 

My club did that every summer before COVID. We got by with loaner .22 rifles from club members. Then a local FFL donated a few. We had mostly bolt actions -- I think there was one 10/22 for the older kids.

 

When my sons started (1984), #1 rule was common, standard rifle; no target, competition type. My youngest son, 7yo shot a $38 Daisy Model B and was consistently top 10. Rule #2, no scopes in youth.
We were teaching shooting. Scores were tabulated and posted. More emphasis on personal improvement, BUT, scores listed top to bottom, by age group. 9 and under, 10-12, 13-15, 16-18, Adult.
For smaller group, 12 and under; 13 - 18, adult.

Expect lots of suggestions, lots of arguing and not everybody happy. Like EVERY youth sport, the trouble is PARENTS.

 

Despite being popular belief, it’s false as an actual training and educational paradigm.

Slower shooting, manual actions do not stop kids from wasting shots or rushing on target.

Discipline (which includes consequences), training, and clear expectations stop kids from rushing shots downrange, regardless of action type.

I wasted tons of money years ago on single shot 22’s because I bought into this crap and another instructor partner and I bought a fleet of them. Now I teach kids predominantly on semiauto 22’s - and progress is faster than before? Why? Because the instructing paradigm I’ve adopted is improved over the old which I used to use.

 

Using your Savage Mark II as a benchmark, I wouldn’t want to slip down from there.

I generally consider the Marlin, Ruger, and Savage bolt guns to be in the 3rd performance tier for typical precision potential, with the only outlier above this tier with a similarly affordable price point being the CZ’s. The second tier, typically more accurate than the 3rd, is made up of the Bergara’s, Tikka’s, and CZ’s - with the CZ’s being most affordable here. The pinnacle of precision will be the competition built rifles from Vudoo, Bighorn RimX, or Annie’s, throwing in the more obscure models like old Win 52’s, Baikal Urals, etc. and I assume we’re walking past these price tags and cringing in this case.

I wouldn’t touch a Savage Rascal or Crickett again if they were offered to me for free.

Ruger 10/22 and Marlin 60’s will typically fall into a 4th tier for accuracy below the big brand bolt guns, but for many folks, the satisfaction of semi-auto fire is too alluring, so they ignore the slight - and often only VERY slight precision pitfall. Some match rules disallow tube fed models like the Marlin 60, as most insurance agents feel the rifles cannot be safely loaded in the context of their insured locations. Waxed lead bullet ammo can cause hell for semiauto rifles, and of course, most match ammo is such, so be mindful there.

Were it my money, I’d go find a couple of CZ’s, and failing that, I’d pick up another couple Savage Mark II’s. I wouldn’t dip below that tier, being mindful that “shooting will be fun for the kids,” but also acknowledging that “performing well, and progressively improving” will also enhance their enjoyment substantially.

Ammo. Get quality ammo. CCI Standard Velocity is the bottom tier of “22LR ammo I would trust to go where it’s told.” Eley Club and Black are never wasted money.