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My 14 year son asked for a rifle this fall (he wants to shoot like a sniper). I got him a Marlin XT-22R that was on sale for his birthday. After the first 4-5 times, he doesn't like to shoot it that much. In fact his older sister (15) likes to go with me and shoot more.
I know some of it is that he is not very self-disciplined and gets frustrated. He either does something very well early on or grows to dislikes it. His trumpet is an example of a love-hate relationship he has - practice is either a good day or very frustrating day.
We were shooting at the Barnwood indoor range (15 yards max), but the tables there are short and only allow for a small bag and no chairs. I can shoot standing with my butt against the range wall for stability, but he complains after shooting a few rounds that way that it is too heavy. We stopped going after 3 times, and just stick to BLM.
I got a rifle bench rest which makes it rather easy to be consistent with the targets (spinning metal ones). Still using iron sights at about 20 yards.
I can plink through all 7 targets in a single 7-round magazine, and my daughter can do it sometimes, but usually has a miss or two with the quarter-sized targets. My son may hit half the rounds in the magazine trying to get all the targets.
I know a lot of this is just going slower and being more disciplined (very glad I got a bolt action for him). But, he does complain about then iron sights as well.
So, I told him he should buy a scope. I won't buy it for him as I want him to value and take care of it.
He has some birthday and Christmas money (about $125). I think he'd like a bipod as well. I am really a novice to all of this and just not sure how the scope or bipod mounting works.
Local Walmart has this:
Bushnell Riflescope, 4x32, ".22 Rim Fire" with rings for $29.97.
I am sure this is toward the low end, but is it an ok starting place for him?
How do the rings actually mount on the Marlin XT-22R ? Will there be more hardware he needs?
Suggestions for a bipod and how it mounts as well would be nice.
I know some of it is that he is not very self-disciplined and gets frustrated. He either does something very well early on or grows to dislikes it. His trumpet is an example of a love-hate relationship he has - practice is either a good day or very frustrating day.
We were shooting at the Barnwood indoor range (15 yards max), but the tables there are short and only allow for a small bag and no chairs. I can shoot standing with my butt against the range wall for stability, but he complains after shooting a few rounds that way that it is too heavy. We stopped going after 3 times, and just stick to BLM.
I got a rifle bench rest which makes it rather easy to be consistent with the targets (spinning metal ones). Still using iron sights at about 20 yards.
I can plink through all 7 targets in a single 7-round magazine, and my daughter can do it sometimes, but usually has a miss or two with the quarter-sized targets. My son may hit half the rounds in the magazine trying to get all the targets.
I know a lot of this is just going slower and being more disciplined (very glad I got a bolt action for him). But, he does complain about then iron sights as well.
So, I told him he should buy a scope. I won't buy it for him as I want him to value and take care of it.
He has some birthday and Christmas money (about $125). I think he'd like a bipod as well. I am really a novice to all of this and just not sure how the scope or bipod mounting works.
Local Walmart has this:
Bushnell Riflescope, 4x32, ".22 Rim Fire" with rings for $29.97.
I am sure this is toward the low end, but is it an ok starting place for him?
How do the rings actually mount on the Marlin XT-22R ? Will there be more hardware he needs?
Suggestions for a bipod and how it mounts as well would be nice.
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