Need suggestions

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WayBeau

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for a starter rifle for my son. I was thinking a 22, but wasn't sure of which one of the many that are out there. Budget isn't really a factor, but I'm not dropping a ton of money either. Mid-Upper level is about where I'd like to end up.

Thanks.
 
How old/big is your son?

When I went looking for my kids' first rifle I looked at all the options in the "Micro" category.

I narrowed it down to the Savage Cub-T and the Henry Micro-Bolt, over several other lesser options. (Like the Cricket line, for example.)

The Savage really won hands-down. It's a REAL rifle, just miniturized.

When you step up a bit in size there's a very nice CZ I'd look at for a bigger kid, but the field of good choices really opens up.
 
Yes! The 452, that's the CZ I meant. Really good rifle as a "second step" or for a kid getting a bit of a late start. :)

It looks like Savage has come out with a new micro-youth rifle, the "Rascal" which appears to use the same action as the Cub which appears to be discontinued, sadly. It's nearly 2.5 lbs. lighter than the CZ452.
 
How old/big is your son?

He is 4 1/2 but he's the size of a 6yr old. I looked at the Rascal and wasn't too impressed. It looked too much like a toy, which is what I'm really trying to avoid for the obvious safe handling/safety issues.
 
Well, I have to admit I don't care for the new looks either. The older Cubs should still be around -- check GunBroker, etc. That would be my preference.

061911003.jpg
 
I like the Henry lever action youth model .22. It's small, light and easy to handle. When my son got older, I ordered a full size stock for it.
 
Air rifle is the way to go with kids. imho, best way to learn the skills of target shooting.
If they like to plink, multi-shot airrifle: Evanix has full auto rifles, delivering up to 80 joules.
Otherwise, you can't go wrong with the CZ or (strange nobody mention this sofar) a good Marlin 39a. (They will hand this down to your grandchildren)

So find out what they want to do, then let them try several rifles.

my 12 year old daughter in competition, 10 meters offhand (pictures from different matches). She shoots this rifle supported since she was ten and she is realy small.
 

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Thanks for all of the suggestions. Now to start looking around the local shops and websites to see what I can find a good deal on.
 
You can never go wrong with a .22 cal. Most any manufacture of rifles has /makes one that is suitable. Bolt,lever,single shot. Your call.
Type of action/looks certainly come into play here.
Guns shows are a good place to have a "look-see" and handle weapons.
If you have any locally of course. J s/n.
 
any single shot .22 will do, rossi break-down breach rifles are cheap and come with a shotgun barrel as a second gun ;)
bolt rifles are great too, I just don't like an auto loader for young kids
 
any single shot .22 will do, rossi break-down breach rifles are cheap and come with a shotgun barrel as a second gun
bolt rifles are great too, I just don't like an auto loader for young kids

No autoloaders. I was thinking a bolt rifle so that he can get the feel of using one.
 
+1 on the Savage Mark 2 - bolt action.

I just bought one for my daughter. The factory blade sight is OK, but sights are pretty close together so I fitted it with a Tech Sights peep (7-3/4" longer sight spacing). Now it's a real nice package, and she loves it. What I like best is that she's left eye dominant (although right-handed), and it is available as a left-handed bolt. The rifle is a bolt action with a 10 rd. magazine, but for a young shooter it can be loaded single round at a time. MSRP is $240, but it can be had at a discount. The wood is decent, bluing and finish are good, and it shoots nice, tight groups. The gun comes with the Savage Accu-trigger.

The Tech Sight goes another $75, and takes about 1/2 hour to install - it's a military type sight with front post/ears, and the rear is elevation and windage adjustable. The rear sight mounts on the pre-drilled and tapped factory scope mount holes.
 
Just remember guys, this little shooter is 4-1/2 (though a bit big for his age). Some of these guns do make a great first gun for a shooter who's starting out in their early teens, but a real youngster is going to have a tough time really handling the length and weight of some of these suggestions.

The micro-sized starter rifles like Henry's Micro-Bolt, the Savage Cub/Rascal, and even the Cricket rifles are noticably smaller and lighter than 10/22s, Marlin 39a or 60s, Savage Mark IIs, etc.

I know most of us started shooting these bigger carbines, because smaller options just weren't available way back then. But that feeling of being a monkey trying to hold up a phone pole isn't conducive to great success. A small gun that really FITS a youngster is a great thing!
 
I loved lever guns as a kid and have no doubt your son would love one too, but you can't be sure what he will be drawn to. Unless it is intended to be a surprise, you might want to encourage a shopping trip. Let him know the limitations and guide him. He'll remember the shopping as much as he'll love the gun.
 
The trouble with every Cricket I have seen is the trigger is so stiff that a small child has trouble pulling it and shooting well.
 
Unless it is intended to be a surprise, you might want to encourage a shopping trip. Let him know the limitations and guide him. He'll remember the shopping as much as he'll love the gun.

This is what I'm thinking. Better chance of finding the best 'fit'.
 
The trouble with every Cricket I have seen is the trigger is so stiff that a small child has trouble pulling it and shooting well.

That's just one of the shortcomings of the Cricket rifles. They are the right size and weight, and the cost is very low, but they have several problems and I don't ever recommend them if cost is not absolutely the most important concern.

The Cub/Rascal line come with the excellent Savage Accu-Trigger which will help the kid concentrate on the shot, not struggle to pull a heavy nasty trigger.
 
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