first rifle for my son?

[drclark]

I am thinking about possibly getting my son a rifle for his 5th birthday. We have been shooting a bb gun and he is showing enough maturity with the concept of shooting and safety that he might be ready to take the next step. Obviously the rifle would be kept in my safe until he was of age to legally posses it on his own (and sound judgment after the teenage years)

Wondering what .22 rifle would be suitable for a young, small-statured shooter to start with?

I was hoping to get him a single shot youth model, but the length of pull seem a bit too long on the models I've looked at. I measured his arm and it would seem that a lop of 10.5 inches would be about right.

I would prefer something with some sort of adjustable stock so that the rifle could grow with him to some extent. However the only 22s with stock adjustments are either high end competition rifles or AR style collapsible stocks for a 1022 or an AR/tactical style rifle.

I currently have an unused lower and lpk in my safe, $150 in cabelas gift cards. Cabelas has a cmmg 22 upper on sale with free holiday shipping so going down the AR route is appealing right now. The rifle would be a quality firearm that he could keep for life. The flat top upper would allow me to start him with a cheap red dot type sight or easily switch to irons later. Another benefit is that I could order everything online since I already have the lower rather than having to deal with holiday crowds and 10 day wait at a gunshop. My only concern is weight. He would probably be stuck shooting from a rest until he gets a little bigger.

I also have a slight concern about getting too excited and potentially talking about "his ARMY gun" at school or something. I know that might sound a bit blasphemous for a gun owner, but little boys are little boys, and there are realities of raising a kid in today's gun phobic school systems. I know there are some that will tell me if that is a valid worry then he is too young and they might be right... Like I said, I'm only thinking about it and not decided for sure. Heck maybe I will get it for myself and gift it to him when he is older...

Social concerns aside, what does the collective wisdom think would be the best route to start with, traditional youth model or go down the AR/tactical route or is there something I haven't considered?

Thank

[Misterclick]

I would step him up to a pellet gun. He is still very young. I don't know. I was pretty darn happy with a BB gun for a few years. He might get more enjoyment over something that isn't locked away all the time. Idk. My two cents

[SB1964]

I'd recommend a youth style rifle & make it his, but it'll be a long time until you hand it off. I'm not a fan of "tactical" 22's in general, that's just me. The AR idea is really practical however! I'd definitely encourage you to teach him, I think it's great, doesn't happen enough anymore. I remember my dad being a different person as he taught me, discussions & getting a feel for me shooting. I think I was about 8-9. Just know he'll be all ears & likely respond well to any discussions, including not boasting about it.

[deltadelta]

Have you considered the Henry Mini Bolt Youth, their website says that it has a 11.5" length of pull. Which I believe is the shortest out there. Also what you could do is buy a 22 bolt action and then cut the stock,and when he grows out of it either repair the stock with some sort of spacer kit, or just replace the stock to full length when he grows into it.

[as_rocketman]

One option, a Ruger 10/22 with a youth stock will give you about 11.25" length of pull. And you can put whatever crazy stock you want on it later in life.

I think the AR approach would be fine. However, laying on the rifle on a bag, the pistol grip and especially 10/30 magazines may be tough to climb on top of. Depends on how big your little fellow is.

Five is on the young side. I have had kids that age on my line who did well, however. Happy plinking!

[cbright1]

I would recommend your basic youth model Ruger 10/22. There are literally tons of upgrades you can do as time goes on, but the basic youth model will be fun to shoot for many years.

[sd_shooter]

I vote for a 15-22 or the cmmg 22. I've had my kids shooting a 15-22 for years and they love it.

[joe47]

I bought a CZ 452 Scout for my g-daughters. They are 2 1/2, so I have time to get it "tuned up" before they will be able to shoot it.

[SLO1911Fan]

I don't think you can find a better first gun than a CZ bolt action. They can be set up with a single shot sled or a magazine, so every shot will be deliberate. They're extremely accurate and you can change the stock out to a smaller one or a bigger one as needed. You'll enjoy shooting it as much as he will and you'll probably shoot it long after he's moved on to bigger guns.

The CZ is on my short list for next year after the SSE rush is over.

[Tekkno]

Ruger American, 10/22 ( or marlin 795, XT-22) and CZ would be a great choice or even a 15/22! either one of these rifles will get the job done and probably last forever!

[scubamark13]

I bought my son the Savage Rascal. It is a great little rifle and its cheap.

[mnichols]

Im looking at a CZ scout or a savage rascal.

The CZ comes with a zero round sled, and takes 452 mags as well.

I think ill start with one of these and later upgrade to a full size later.

[ptgarcia]

I'd suggest a bolt action over an autoloader. The Rascal is a great choice.

[evolution1974]

With the details you provided, I would recommend a Thompson Center Hot Shot (single shot break open action) or the Savage Rascal (single shot bolt action) if you want to train your five year old to shoot safely with close supervision. These two guns are lightweight and can be manipulated by young shooters with little to no assistance from an adult. Since the weight of a rifle is a factor for such a young child, when shooting off hand, these two guns would give your son the best chance to do it safely. Nothing more unnerving then watching a child struggle with a rifle because it's too heavy for them. As you stated, heavier guns would limit your son to shooting off the bench or prone , until he gets older and stronger. I own multiple long guns chambered in .22lr including the following youth rifles (TC Hot Shot, Keystone Crickett, Mossberg 801 Half Pint, Taurus Model 62, Ruger American Rimfire Compact and CZ Scout). The Crickett is another good option, however, I believe the Savage Rascal has better features (trigger, safety, sights and it does not require a second cocking mechanism to fire).

With that said, the CZ Scout stands out as one of the highest quality youth rifles produced today. My two CZ Scouts are my most accurate/precise youth rifles I own and would be my recommendation for children eight years and older (I would also include small frames adults). As stated above, it comes with a single shot sled but can also use CZ 452/455 five or ten shot magazines. The CZ Scout is a robust rifle with an adjustable trigger and is considered one of the best youth rifles out there. If you're looking for a rifle specific to children 5 to 7 years of age, to shoot off hand, then look at the Hot Shot or Rascal. Otherwise, check out a CZ Scout if you're looking for an heirloom quality youth rifle.

[Occams Rasor]

Have you thought about were you are going to shoot? Most ranges have a min age of 8. If you have your own land or open land near to your location, thats great. Otherwise a pellet gun maybe the best option for the next 3 years till you son is 8 yrs old.