Kids first gun suggestion

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Danop316

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Central Ontario
Looking for something to use as an introductory gun for an 8year old. Everything I’ve got is too big for him to shoulder.

I’ve looked at the savage rascal and in my opinion it’s not worth the $+200 they are asking for it.

Winchester wildcat is the closest I’ve seen for something available off the shelf.

Any thoughts or recommendations?
 
10/22 with a Tapco adjustable stock. Bought it for my son when he was 5. He still shoots it 20 years later at 6'4".

Any 10/22 chassis with an AR-style stock will work, the Tapco is solid and the cheapest.
 
They got to shoot all sorts of rimfires.
Did a Cooey 39 with leather dye for Thing 1
And a Cooey 60 with a the leather dye for Thing 2

Turned out sweet............ah one awt for each.

Now them Keystone Mosin Nagants would be a head turner for them Juniors.
 
I got started on a Savage 64, it's nice cheap little 22lr semi-auto. They're pretty cheap, reliable, and not very big. Definitely not the most accurate thing in the world but good fun for learning and plinking, only real downside is cleaning it is a bit of a chore IMO.
 
kamlooky said:
They got to shoot all sorts of rimfires.
Did a Cooey 39 with leather dye for Thing 1
And a Cooey 60 with a the leather dye for Thing 2

Turned out sweet............ah one awt for each.

Now them Keystone Mosin Nagants would be a head turner for them Juniors.
Click to expand...
Those little Mosin’s I was looking at one for myself. They make two different lengths of them.
 
Maybe look into the savage 64 take down model? small, not to heavy, my kids still use mine when we go out for a day in the bush.
 
My 'first rifle' at about 10 was a "Family" Stevens 66 (bolt with tube feed) from ca 1930-ish. I kept on that till in my 20's, then I got a Glenfield 60. Still had the Stevens until I passed it to my sister's family.
Now I only have 7x 22s, but I'd vote for a Sav-64 if you go 'semi' or a Sav-B22 for a bolt. Get a small stock if needed.
 
Ended up wandering around in a local crappy tire today and bought a crickett for him. He’ll outgrow it in a couple years but by then I’ll know where his interests lay.
 
Danop316 said:
Looking for something to use as an introductory gun for an 8year old. Everything I’ve got is too big for him to shoulder.

I’ve looked at the savage rascal and in my opinion it’s not worth the $+200 they are asking for it.

Winchester wildcat is the closest I’ve seen for something available off the shelf.

Any thoughts or recommendations?
Click to expand...

I cut down a cheap 22 for my kids or some come with spacers or possibly an air rifle for no recoil.
 
Savage Mk II; basic bolt action (repeater); basic iron sights.

I started out with our cooey single shot "barn rifle" when I was about 6 with my dad. Nothing teaches marksman like iron sights and a bolt action.

Semis tend to teach spray and pray mag-dumps. (I do have one, a great little Savage 64, but I have 3 other .22s, a Brun 2, a CZ455 super match and a Cooey 78; the Brno and CZ get the most range time).
 
Bought a Savage Rascal for my granddaughter but she quickly out grew it.
The peep sights are not a good fit.
A set of Cabela's Proprietary bases for $30 were not a fit and there was a weaver base that was better.
Eventually installed a red dot which was a far better learning aid.
She quickly grew into her dad's T-Bolt and is now doing really well with my Cooper JSR scoped with a Burris 6-24 and is competiting at 100 metres.
The Rascal was just sold but jumping through Canada Post's hoops wasted the thought I would break even.

Being involved in youth shoots bring lots of pit falls to mind.
Dad lining up the sights and the kid pulling the trigger plus children that are too small what I call Stock Crawlers presents a real safety issue.
The smaller children attempting to line up the sights keep pushing the rifle into a cant position needs to be recognized.
Another issue is eye dominance and some rifles with a stock for a right eye dominant person fails the beginner who is L E D.
 
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