Best .22LR for introducing youth

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Turkey001

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Hi All - looking at adding a .22LR for my boys to start learning. They are 9 and 7. I grew up on a Remington Pump .22 with a tube mag.

Thinking of something similar, but perhaps a bolt. I have a .22LR semi but don't want them starting on that for the basics.

Thoughts on best .22LR out there?
 
I second something like a cooey,

I'd skip the rascal your kids are a bit older and will out grow it fast, I know i have two my kids used a hand full of times and then upgraded to a savage bolt action with a mag.

Semi are alright but tend to turn into ammo burners unless super disciplined on trigger control and sight picture.

Stick with a repeating bolt action or a lever action and go from there, thats how i started and how i started off my kids.

Good luck have patience and most of all have fun.
Keep us updated interesting to know what other CGN'ers choose.
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Yeah, Cooeys are great. Savage is pretty good too. I've taught kids on both.

If you have the budget, try finding a Lee Enfield No7. They're a .22lr model of the traditional No4. It's what I learned on, and I think it did a great job.
 
I have a Savage B-22 FV. It has a rotary magazine, synthetic stock, mine had 2-piece mounts but they now come with a rail. I put a kydex cheek-riser (ca $35 amazon) since my scope bell is a 56mm and a good scope so it shoots under 1" at 50-yds. The price has gone up since I bought mine but still around $500. (NB dealer on-line has some in stock @ $470) I hear the Sav MKIIs are good but they have a troublesome stick mag per many comments here and on RFC.

z Sav B-22 FV w-Athlon 5-08-2025.JPG
 
Nothing wrong with a single shot .22 with iron sights to introduce young shooters to firearms. Safer, allows them to work the action, place their shots, practice barrel control -- and think about it. Take the bolt out for storage. Be safe, be careful. Maintain our rights and heritage. They will grow up fast enough.
 
Turkey001 said:
Hi All - looking at adding a .22LR for my boys to start learning. They are 9 and 7. I grew up on a Remington Pump .22 with a tube mag.

Thinking of something similar, but perhaps a bolt. I have a .22LR semi but don't want them starting on that for the basics.

Thoughts on best .22LR out there?
Click to expand...
Started my kids on a Cooey Model 60.

Bolt action and iron sights are the best basics to start with.
 
Depending on how big they are. The Savage rascal has been a hit with one of my nephews. He loves the thing, and has been getting pretty darn good at shooting with it. He's been shooting a 100 yard gong with it the last trip we made. He's a small kid for his age so it's a good fit for him.

Cooeys can't be beat either. I collect the things so they have pretty much a whole selection of shapes and sizes for them to try out. Plenty accurate too!

I've been keeping them on the slow single shots because kids love to burn through ammo if given the opportunity. Heck, even our first outing, two of the boys burnt through nearly 800 rounds of cheap bulk that evening.

I let them have their fun, but they have an ammo allowance now :). Makes them appreciate accurate shooting.
 
I'm always reluctant to suggest Cooeys because I've bought sold a bunch of them trying to like them. The Cooey-made older 39's might be the exception, but my kids (when young) couldn't #### the bolt and loading was a little more fidgety than even with little fingers involved.

If they're really small/young, I'd suggest the Savage Rascal for a bunch of reasons.

If they're a little bigger an you can swing it (as mentioned) a 457 Scout would be almost impossible to beat. 457 American stocks fit these too and make a nice combo.

Adult-sized or close, I'd suggest a Tikka T1x. I think they're on sale in a few places rn?
 
The one theyā€™re most comfortable with.

I have a 9 year old. More then big enough to shoot my Henry lever 22 (and other 22s but heā€™s only tried the Henry and the rascal)
But much prefers the rascal still.
 
At some point kids will be stoked for a cool looking, collapsible stock, semi auto with a decent sized magazine and a bunch of plinking reactive targets using a red dot.... but it's nice to learn how to use iron sights while your eyes are young!

Any nice quality .22lr that you would be proud to own should work fine.... if you want to increase the quality on a budget look at the used market.
 
The Savage line of bolt action .22s are made in Canada (still, I hope) and their length of pull always seems to me to be suitable for children. But I do agree, a first rifle should always be a bolt action, or at least not a semi-auto. I might also suggest learning with iron sights over a scope.
 
My neighbor sold me a Chiappa little badger. I really didn't need it but for the price he wanted it was more or less a gift. I put a short 4x long eye relief scope on it with see through mounts. I ended up using a Benelli Nova scope rail for it as the original ones are pretty flimsy and my seven year old immediately claimed it as his rifle. The stock is a bit long for him but it is nice and light and he can work it himself without my help. I have a scaled down 10/22 that fits him as well but he enjoys the light weight of the lil Badger much more.
I sort of got the rifle for the novelty of it. Thinking it was a bit of a joke mounting optics on it. I don't think my son will be passing it onto his children but the quality and shootablitly of it is much better than I expected. I did have to re secure the mount screws with some JB weld as the mounting block is aluminum but it has held solid for a while now. Others have remarked how soft the screw holes are be careful.
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Turkey001 said:
Hi All - looking at adding a .22LR for my boys to start learning. They are 9 and 7. I grew up on a Remington Pump .22 with a tube mag.

Thinking of something similar, but perhaps a bolt. I have a .22LR semi but don't want them starting on that for the basics.

Thoughts on best .22LR out there?
Click to expand...
For children aged 7 or 9, why don't you consider the purchase of a quality air rifle to teach them the basics ? Any Weihrauch or Diana rifle will have much better trigger and sights than a Cooey or Savage. Your kids will also be able to train wherever there is a safe 10-metre space available. And we're not even talking about the cost of ammunition....
 
I help run the kids 22LR range at my club EOSC every National Range Day.

Over the years, what I have found is that not every kid clues in on how irons OR a scope works...

But EVERY newbie kid can shoot a red dot...

Most importantly, make it fun! Everything else can follow...
 
Something ideal for the first introductory lesson might not retain interest as long, and a lot depends on where that leads. A really accurate bolt benchrest .22 or a semi with a red dot for mag dumps, or a cowboy .22 lever can all lead in different directions.
 
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