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My grandson will be 6 this month. My how time flies. I want to get him a gun soon so as to expose him to the world of firearms. He sits outside with me when I shoot my .45 so he is not scared of guns. I thought since my first rifle was a .22 maybe this would be good enough to start him on too. Times have changed I know and the first one I had was a Remmington 16 shot semi auto. What is a good .22 rifle nowdays? I dont want something so cheap it falls apart before we get to the range. Thanks
Ruger 10/22. It should last him a long time. I grew up on a Marlin Glenfield 15 shot tube fed myself. Get the target model IMO.
10/22 is always a good recommendation - but also the Marlin 60 can be had for good price.
That said maybe a bolt .22 is best for starters ... a CZ perhaps might be good. Look around and you may well find a used .22 - and if you ever see a small Browning pump .22 try that - it's great for kids because (IMO) so small.
Check out Gunbroker - see what's available.
I agree with Chris. The 10-22 is great, but the CZ is a primo little, inexpensive rifle. I shoot silhouette with one!
My son is 6 and I'm 51. His first .22 was one of those little Henry Mini Bolt .22. It's a great small single shot that is easy for him to shoot. The high contrast sights are easy for him to use. He has done so well that I recently picked up a CZ 452 ZKM at the last gun show I went to. There was a dealer there that the BATF had put out of business and he was selling his inventory. That turned out great $220 and no paperwork and a nice looking piece of wood. I've also got a pre 1935 Mauser like my father brought home from WWII. The CZ is a beautiful bolt action 5 shot rifle that will never get old. When my daughter was 2 weeks old I got her a Browning BAR .22 LR. It's a great gun but I don't really think it's the best choice for little kids. She is now 22 married and enjoys shooting it but I prefer to start the young ones off on single shots. I just didn't know any better 22 years ago. We are lucky now because we live in the country and I've got a range in my front yard. The only thing I've got to worry about shooting is my wife's horses.
The Ruger is a great suggestion...when he turns 16 and can handle the weight and size. Look or a Chipmunk, a bolt-action .22 single shot. Very short stock and barrel for the young ones. Both my girls graduated to this gun after a couple years on BB and pellet guns. I've still got it in my safe for future grandkids!
My suggestion for the move up is a Remington Nylon 66. Semi-auto, so there takes some discipline, but the weight and reliability is wonderful.
Excellent approach...I used a single shot bolt action with my boys also...safe way to begin.:hand10:Quote:
Originally Posted by ridurall
My Grandson just got a ruger 10/22. Just can't go wrong with one.
Mike
I have a Marlin model 60 and I love it. Its a really great little rifle. Its a semi auto with a 14rd tube mag. Nothing wrong with the Ruger 10/22 but the Marlin is less expensive, I only paid $120.00 for mine brand new I think they're about $130.00 now. :hand10:
Gotta remember, the OP said his grandson is turning SIX. No full sized rifles for him yet!
I would say a bolt action single shot.
my grandfather gave me one when I was around that age and I still have it. A remington Model 510 targetmaster. It is the most accurate rife that i have ever shot. we used to tape pennies to paper plates at about 20 yards. They did not stand a chance..lol
My grandfather tought me the basic of shooting and the gun was a great tool to learn with.
I hope to pass it to my kid one day when the time comes.
ruger 10/22 good choice.got one myself.
I gotta reccomend against a semi auto for such a wee one. My kids use a Springfield m6-scout. It is a tiny .22lr and .410 over and under, single shot gun. Might be a little hard for him to break it open, but you get the idea. Single shot for safety.
The Marlin 915Y (youth model) might be a choice. It's a single-shot, bolt action rifle. 33" in length. Would be easier to manipulate than some other choices. Would be single shot, so no risk of lighting off another round while trigger control was being learned. The Ruger 10/22CRR semi-auto is also a shorty, so it may be easier to manipulate.
That said, any of the choices listed is going to have a very long LOP for a 6yr old. A stockmaker could cut it down, then make up a couple of mountable extensions for it, which you could add every couple of years as his arms grow. Or, the 10/22 has a large aftermarket for stocks, so you could pick one out and have it fit to him. Maybe the sanding, staining and fitting of a custom stock for him could be a little woodshop project with grandpa. Might be something he'd never forget.
I know that having grandpa helping me catch (and cook) my first fish was priceless. That was during the summer of my 5th year, and I still remember everything about those few weeks with him. He let me help him change the oil on his car, and I still occasionally catch a whiff of something in the air that takes me right back to his old garage. That, and just spending the time with him. Memories for a lifetime.
I say no semi's for new young shooters. Not only for safety, but it makes the little guy a better shooter in the long run. It will force him to take his time and shoot right, instead of using multiple shots to knock that can down.