Looking for a good youth .22 rifle

[Pb]

Looking for a good youth .22 rifle for my kids... for ages 7-12.  No semi-automatics, it will be used with low-powered ammo that probably won't cycle.

I was looking at the Henry youth lever action and single shot rifles, but have no experience with either.





Any ideas / thoughts? 

[charby]

If you get a single shot bolt action, you should be able to shoot .22LR and .22Short.

[Pb]

If you get a single shot bolt action, you should be able to shoot .22LR and .22Short.

Yeah, .22 short would be good too.  Both Henry rifles can use .22 short, I just checked.

[charby]

Yeah, .22 short would be good too.  Both Henry rifles can use .22 short, I just checked.

I'm just not a fan of the Henry rifles, just don't think their fit and finish are worth the money they want for them. I've never shot one, just handled them and went meh.

If I had kids I'd probably be looking for an old Marlin or Stevens single shot bolt action.

[slingshot]

The Henry would be very good as kids love a lever action (adults too).  The CZ 455 Scout would also be a great choice.  Last I looked at them it was a 452 Scout, so I assume the model numbers kept up with their regular 22 offerings.

Savage makes a good economy 22 rifle also.  I would not get a single shot myself.

[Hawkmoon]

I'm just not a fan of the Henry rifles, just don't think their fit and finish are worth the money they want for them. I've never shot one, just handled them and went meh.

If I had kids I'd probably be looking for an old Marlin or Stevens single shot bolt action.

I own a Henry H001 -- mine is the adult size. I think for a youth gun it's an excellent choice.

That said ... much depends on the youth. I learned riflery at summer camp. The rifles were bolt action. They had removable magazines, but we weren't allowed to use them. All shooting was conducted as single shot, load and fire by the numbers, on command. I think thata's a good way to enforce discipline. Otherwise, it's too easy, especially for a kid, to get caught up in the excitement of shooting and start rushing shots just to get to the next one.

[T.O.M.]

Mossberg makes a nice trainer...

http://www.mossberg.com/category/series/mossberg-international-801-half-pint-rifle/

It's a smaller sized rifle, and gives the "coach" the option of using a plug in the mag well, making it a single shot rifle, or the "coach" can use the standard Mossberg magazine. 

[cordex]

I have the pictured Henry Mini Bolt I bought for my daughter. 

When I bought it it had a burr in the chamber.  I sent it back to Henry (on their dime) and they fixed it.  Shoots fine.  I bought it because side-by-side with the Cricket it was much nicer.

Anything in particular you want to know about it?

[RoadKingLarry]

I don't have the Henry rifles pictured but I do have two Henrys. A Lever gun in .45-70 and a .22rf. The .22 is their big loop carbine. I find the fit and finish to be just fine and both are very accurate rifles. I would not hesitate to buy another Henry.
The .22rf shoots Short, long and long rifle.

[Andiron]

I can vouch for the 452 Scout,  bought one  on a lark because the price was right.  Handy little rifle.

[lee n. field]

If you get a single shot bolt action, you should be able to shoot .22LR and .22Short.

Likewise with a lever action.

[AJ Dual]

http://www.keystonesportingarmsllc.com/product/crickett-precision-rifle/

[slingshot]

I can vouch for the 452 Scout,  bought one  on a lark because the price was right.  Handy little rifle.

I almost bought one myself and although smallish, an adult can still shoot it reasonably comfortably.  My thought at the time was compact "survival rifle".  Then I figured.... why do I need another 22 rifle when I have a pile and what am I going to survive anyway.  For info, 22 mag is my chosen "survival rifle" caliber.  The CZ is a premium 22 rifle for young shooters and one they probably won't grow tired of.

Added:  To this day, I still wonder why my Dad allowed me to get a semi-auto 22 rifle when I was 14.  It just sort of goes against the grain a bit.  But it worked out.  Sure, I and my brothers did some fast plinking and playing around.  But the majority of the shooting was very controlled.  Dad did not make a mistake.

I agree that a 7 year old should probably not have a semi-auto 22, but kids grow up and unless you want to be buying another and another 22 rifle, you choose something that will stand the test of time.

[Andiron]

I almost bought one myself and although smallish, an adult can still shoot it reasonably comfortably.  My thought at the time was compact "survival rifle".  Then I figured.... why do I need another 22 rifle when I have a pile and what am I going to survive anyway.  For info, 22 mag is my chosen "survival rifle" caliber.  The CZ is a premium 22 rifle for young shooters and one they probably won't grow tired of.

I had similar thoughts,  it's not unusable for an adult.  Then I planned to get it threaded and have it for a kid rifle that made very little noise.  That didn't pan out as my gunsmith got divorced and went out of business, so it went on long term loan to my cousin and his 3 boys (all under 10).  They seem to be getting a lot of millage out of it, and I'm happy it's encouraging the next gen of shooters.

[slingshot]

I added a foot note to my post as nobody had posted.  Then... surprise, I save and I see a new post after mine.

[French G.]

7 year old I would be happy as heck with a Crickett/Rascal or whatever Savage is calling it. I got one for my kid and if she doesn't want it then it is a car gun. Plenty accurate, I have been shooting it at 100 yards. At ten years old the rifle still fits well but I want to go on to the next step and get a competition gun. The rascal I have came with the accutrigger which is decent and also about the only peep sights you can get on a consumer grade .22. As a single shot we have used anything that goes bang. I used to have bricks of colibris. No longer.

[Scout26]

The only problem with the Henry's are the drop at comb.  They do not help kids with cheek-to-stock weld.

Any bolt action .22 will be a good choice as a starter gun.

Also there are break-action .22's that also slow them down.

My kids started off with an old Savage .22 bolt gun  (I can't remember it there's a model# on it.  I know it doesn't have a serial #, it's that old.  But accurate as hell.)

They've got this:  http://www.rossiusa.com/product-details.cfm?id=29752&category=3&toggle=&breadcrumbseries=  (Which was great for learning shotgun with handloaded powderpuff loads.)

Then a Marlin model 60A (Tube-fed semi).

Now he's got a S&W M&P 15-22.

And if he keeps burning through ammo like his does with that S&W when shooting steel, his ass will be permanently assigned the old Savage or the Rossi again..

[lee n. field]

Stevens Crack Shot.  A "boys first gun" from a century ago.  Worth considering if you see on in your shopping.

I had custody of one for a bit, while I was helping someone figure out what they had from their Dad's estate.  Absolute hoot to shoot.

[Scout26]

Stevens Crack Shot.  A "boys first gun" from a century ago.  Worth considering if you see on in your shopping.

I had custody of one for a bit, while I was helping someone figure out what they had from their Dad's estate.  Absolute hoot to shoot.

http://www.gunbroker.com/All/BI.aspx?Keywords=Stevens+crackshot

[slingshot]

The CZ 455 Scout (formerly 452 Scout) is modular now and you can fit a larger stock to it at a later date if you want to.  It also comes with a single shot adapter and it takes the normal CZ 5 shot 22 LR magazine.  I have to say it is one of the best youth rifles around which is why I was looking at buying one.