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I have some grandkids who are growing up and will be ready to learn how to shoot. I’m looking for a .22 LR rifle recommendation. If I put an optic on it it would be a red dot so I guess I need a pic rail on top if they come that way. If not it’ll be good to learn with iron sights.

Oh and it needs to have a threaded barrel for the suppressor ‘cause America and Texas!

Thanks.

The 22 rifle my kids and grandkids started with had no pic rail, optics or threaded barrel. But I am a huge fan of the Cricket rifles. They are small single shot bolt action. They provide the perfect platform for instilling all safety rules. Their size makes them perfect for short arms and small hands. They are accurate, and great for teaching patience, sight picture, and breathing technique. They also come with a lock out feature that renders them unusable, when no adult is around to supervise. My 22 year old son still has his, and will still shoot it occasionally. JMHO

Started 3 of my Grandkids with the Crickett. Nice little rifle. I believe in learning iron sights before optics. Start with the basics and then build up from there.

I grew up on a Winchester Model 67a single shot .22. Now my 7 y/o daughter is doing the same. Same concept as the cricket just retro.

We’re I looking to buy new I’d look at the CZ 455 or 457 Scout. Shorter barrel/LOP, threaded for a suppressor (if you have one), good iron sights and you can use a CZ single shot adaptor mag. Plus, it can grow with them as they get bigger. Able to mount an optic and for the price a very high quality rifle.

Marlin Model 60 was my first rifle. Dad used it to show me firearm safety.
Worked well and I still have it. Still a nice shooter; lots of memories.

labRat

AF-Odin wrote: ↑Sat Jun 13, 2020 9:19 pm Started 3 of my Grandkids with the Crickett. Nice little rifle. I believe in learning iron sights before optics. Start with the basics and then build up from there.

You don't teach your kids to drive in an Indy Car.

I have a cricket from teaching one of my kids to shoot with it. The big advantage to them is that they are perfect for a smaller or younger child. I do not remember which of my kids got the cricket. Most of my kids got Marlin model 15Y. It is a slightly larger single shot bolt action 22 that has a traditional wood stock. Since I used their tenth birthday as the starting point, this was the perfect size for them. It might be a little large if you grandkids are younger.

I don't recommend a first rifle being a semi, but if you don't mind that, and especially if you want to put a sight on it, you can't go wrong with a Ruger 10-22. Indestructible, fun to shoot, great accuracy for the price, and lots of choice of accessories for them. For two of my kids, it was their second rifles.

CZ 457 Scout: https://cz-usa.com/product/cz-457-scout/

I would suggest a Henry, it has no pic rail, no threaded barrel. But it’s a quality rifle that they can learn the basics with. I’ve seen plenty of the Cricket and Henry and I prefer the Henry rifle.

Single-shot bolt action rifles are the best to start with IMO. I have a Winchester 121Y that I got at 8 years old. Love that gun, and still shoot it at varmints around the property with subsonic rounds so as not to disturb the neighbors too much.

IMHO, one big thing to consider is the length of pull. The first gun I ever fired was my great grandpa's Winchester model 1906 .22 pump. It would have been my daughter's first gun to fire, but she couldn't reach the trigger with it in her shoulder. Without any real recoil, I wish I would have set her up to still shoot that one first, but oh well. It was the first gun my dad fired. The first gun his mom fired. It was bought new by her dad in 1910.

The others have indicated that simple is better for their first rifle and I agree with that. Teach them how to use the iron sights first. Get that foundation solid before moving on because if and when things fail they will always have that foundation to fall back on. I eventually got my daughter a M&P 15-22 and she likes it a lot, but blows through the ammo quick. I wish I'd kept her on the Winchester or gone with a bolt action .22 for a while before the M&P.

Back when my boys were around 6-8ish I got my oldest one (now 18) Marlin model 60 in camo with a simple BSA scope. Great gun, it was and it is still enjoyed quite a bit.
That was just first little 25 yard “group” after I got the scope sighted in.

Ruger 10-22 is the only way to go. You can put a pic rail on it some come with it. Some have threaded barrels already. You can go with high capacity or low capacity and you won’t break the bank with one if those. I have several 22’s including a few mentioned above. But when I need a 22 the Ruger is what I grab.

I would suggest bolt action to start. I’ve seen too many kids with semi-autos just firing as fast as they can and they never really learn how to shoot. They are more concerned about emptying the mag as quick as possible than they are about hitting the target accurately.

Keith B wrote: ↑Sun Jun 14, 2020 8:26 am Single-shot bolt action rifles are the best to start with IMO. I have a Winchester 121Y that I got at 8 years old. Love that gun, and still shoot it at varmints around the property with subsonic rounds so as not to disturb the neighbors too much.

I agree. I learned to shoot with my dad's youth model 22. It was a single shot bolt action and I could barely pull back the cock when I started shooting rabbits and armadillos. I believe I learned to shoot well because I often only had one chance to make a shot. I still have that rifle and cherish it. A few years back when I had to dispatch a skunk quickly, that was the rifle I chose to use.