Beginners .22

[Kerplow]

My lil sister is turning 11 this year and i'm thinking about asking her parents if (when she turns 12 next year) they mind if she learns firearm safety and basic marksmanship (or in her case, marksgirlyship). i think its something all children should be taught about and may actually prove helpful if she ever found herself in a potentially unsafe situation regarding firearms. I remember once when i was about 15 i was at a friends house when her parents were out of town and she reached behind a picture and pulled out a cocked and locked .45 and tried to hand it to me luckily at that age i had the presence of mind to politely refuse. i want my sister to have the same respect for guns but also not to fear them irrationally. so anyway i want to take her to a professional firearm safety course and then learn her how to shoot! (provided dad and stepmom let me!)

anyway, my question is.......... what 22lr rifle would you guys suggest??? im thinking an autoloader, but im not completely opposed to a bolt-gun. i've shot a few autoloaders in my day which i think were Rugers, but i dont really remember. i've never been a huge fan of the 22lr, but i must admit they were tons of fun when i was a kid. I think shes a little lighter than most her age, so size may be a factor.

i really know 2 things about the 22 rifle market and one of them is Jack, so please school me.

[Low-Pressure]

You should post this in the rimfire section, there you will get more response.
look into these ones and see which will be just right.
a. cricket.... bolt action
b. model 60
c. 795
d. 10/22

[heyroe]

I bought my 10 year old son a savage cub..single shot bolt, ajustable accutrigger, peep sights, youth sized...all for around $200 bucks. He loves it, very accurate..also very easy to clean after a long day at the range.

[Kerplow]

You should post this in the rimfire section, there you will get more response.
look into these ones and see which will be just right.
a. cricket.... bolt action
b. model 60
c. 795
d. 10/22

man total brainfart. I've never posted in the rimfire area and completely forgot it exists.

OOPSIES!!!

hrmm, i cant delete thread on my own... wheres a mod when you need one?

[ledman]

Marlin 60 or a Marlin 795 both good starters. Perfect for anyone to shoot, and to learn how to shoot.

[iSaiga]

I took my 8 years old daughter to the range for the first time and let her shoot a Marlin 795. She loves it.

[johnlee]

Another vote for the Crickett:

This is a really fun gun to shoot and its size and weight are commensurate with young shooters. The gun without sling weighs only 2.5 lbs. and the adjustable aperture sights and trigger action are excellent.

I love this gun.

[pennys dad]

Marlin bolt action. Was my first, went from bolt to lever to semi auto. Basically Marlin to Winchester to Ruger.

[Kerplow]

the crickett looks like a good deal.

they even have a pink one!

[RimfireJim]

I may catch some flak for this, but I'd recommend against an autoloader for a first gun. My personal preference is a bolt action, but a lever gun, a single shot, or even a pump (would have to be used, I believe - no current production pump .22LR rifles that I know of) would be fine. Rationale: focus is on marksman(girl)ship by slowing things down and making each shot more deliberate, being in control of the gun, easier to unload (bolt mainly, not so much with a lever gun) and know that it is unloaded and safe.

I also recommend sticking with iron sights and learning the shooting positions (prone, sitting, etc.). A scope can come later, if desired, after she has learned basic marksman(girl)ship.

In addition to the guns mentioned above, there is the CZ Scout.

[Hispeed1]

Can't go wrong with a 10/22. But since there are all these AR type .22's now, you might want to look into those. I highly suggest the S&W MP-15 22.

[ledman]

I may catch some flak for this, but I'd recommend against an autoloader for a first gun. My personal preference is a bolt action, but a lever gun, a single shot, or even a pump (would have to be used, I believe - no current production pump .22LR rifles that I know of) would be fine. Rationale: focus is on marksman(girl)ship by slowing things down and making each shot more deliberate, being in control of the gun, easier to unload (bolt mainly, not so much with a lever gun) and know that it is unloaded and safe.

I also recommend sticking with iron sights and learning the shooting positions (prone, sitting, etc.). A scope can come later, if desired, after she has learned basic marksman(girl)ship.

In addition to the guns mentioned above, there is the CZ Scout.

Thats true...my daughter first rifle was a BA .22 magnum Savage Model 93, great rifle. She was 16 when I bought it for her. Easy to learn on, one shot at a time.

[johnlee]

I cringe a little every time I see a parent with his son or daughter at the range and the kid is shooting a self-loader off the bench. I'm glad the parent is teaching his child how to shoot, but it's a little sad watching the kid learn how to shoot like that. The parent doesn't know any better. It's sort of like seeing a parent take his kid golfing, and the kid is riding in a golf cart.

[2new]

I hear Volquartsen makes an acceptable rifle. It would make an excellent gift!

[Kerplow]

I cringe a little every time I see a parent with his son or daughter at the range and the kid is shooting a self-loader off the bench. I'm glad the parent is teaching his child how to shoot, but it's a little sad watching the kid learn how to shoot like that. The parent doesn't know any better. It's sort of like seeing a parent take his kid golfing, and the kid is riding in a golf cart.

the first 22 i ever shot was an autoloader, i enjoyed myself thoroughly.

besides, most people who shoot firearms at a young age started with a single shot BB gun that they had to manually pump just to make it go POOT!

I do like the idea of starting with the bolt action, however, as she has 0 experience with guns of any type. The bolt action is definitely a more intimate experience and lends itself better to understanding basic operation of firearms. all of its functional beauty is open to see.