Beginner rifles

[bf5565]

My 11 yr old son has been asking to take him shooting but I don’t have many things that he would be able to shoot comfortably. Anyone have recommendations on a rifle that would be beginner friendly, .22lr preferably. Thanks in advance.

 

[mcapo]

Budget?

I would go with a bolt action 22 with iron sights such as the following link.

CZ 457 Scout - CZ-USA

The ideal first rifle, the 457 Scout has a short length of pull, crisp iron sights and a threaded muzzle for use with a suppressor.

cz-usa.com

 

[Joniki]

Take a look at the Ruger bolt action rifles. I bought one for my grand kids when they turned ten.

I still have my first BB gun, 22 bolt and 410 shotgun that were given to me as a child.

 

[Kirk Freeman]

Different guns featured in this scientific study:

 

[Whip_McCord]

I think a decent pellet rifle would be good. You can do that at your house without needing to goo to a range. Outside you can set up some thin steel targets at various distances. Inside you just need a box with a carpet remnant secured at the top and hanging free to stop the pellets and a place to secure the target. I did that with my kids and they had a blast. I still like to shoot airguns. It iis really fun to hunt chipmonks with them; < 30 yards I use and air pistol, > 30 yards an air rifle. There is an airgun section on INGO, check it out.

 

[BigMoose]

My 11 yr old son has been asking to take him shooting but I don’t have many things that he would be able to shoot comfortably. Anyone have recommendations on a rifle that would be beginner friendly, .22lr preferably. Thanks in advance.

Keep an eye out for an old single shot bolt action 22.

I found an old Savage Model 3D at Sportsman's Warehouse for $79 bucks..

 

[planedriver]

Henry has a nice little bolt action single shot that is stainless. I know full grown men who use those little rifles running trap lines. For a more budget friendly couple of options. There is the break open Rossi 22 that comes with a 410 barrel. Then there’s the cricket.

The choices other than Rossi may require you to loop some cotton line around the cocking knob so young hands can get a grip to pull the knob into battery.

Just as a personal aside. I’m not a great fan of air or spring guns for youngsters. That’s only because parents sometimes become lax with supervision because “it’s just a BB gun”. With a 22 most parents supervise very carefully.

Ask me why mine got a 22 at 5 years old and a pellet gun at 13. I remember what I did with a quiet pellet gun during that period of my life. Lol

 

[Trebor657]

I bought a .22LR single shot bolt action KSA Crickett .22 LR Youth Rifle for my 11 year old grandson's first firearm....My daughter and son in law got one for my granddaughter and they let me shoot it before I bought one....very nice, shoots great, very accurate and inexpensive...unfortunately, my grandson had zero interest once I got it, so I posted it here....it is absolutely worth considering IMO...

 

[bf5565]

I think a decent pellet rifle would be good. You can do that at your house without needing to goo to a range. Outside you can set up some thin steel targets at various distances. Inside you just need a box with a carpet remnant secured at the top and hanging free to stop the pellets and a place to secure the target. I did that with my kids and they had a blast. I still like to shoot airguns. It iis really fun to hunt chipmonks with them; < 30 yards I use and air pistol, > 30 yards an air rifle. There is an airgun section on INGO, check it out.

He’s been using a pellet gun lately. I figured it may be time to upgrade to something a little more.

 

[bf5565]

Take a look at the Ruger bolt action rifles. I bought one for my grand kids when they turned ten.

I still have my first BB gun, 22 bolt and 410 shotgun that were given to me as a child.

Yeah I looked at the Ruger. Seems like a very solid choice as of now. I’m going to take him to the gun store this weekend and see if he sees anything that interest him.

 

[BigMoose]

Dang that’s a killer deal I’ll have to check them out because that’s a great deal.

Yeah and at 79 bucks, if the kid busts it.. your not out much

 

[Doug]

Based on specifications and features, I would recommend a Savage Rascal. Single shot, peep sights, cocks on opening, 2.7 pounds. Bud's gun shop can, I believe, ship it to your dealer.

 

[bf5565]

Yeah and at 79 bucks, if the kid busts it.. your not out much

Makes 100% sense. I didn’t know there was a sportsman warehouse in Indiana. Prob a drive for me but I’m sure I can make a trip out of it.

 

[BigMoose]

Makes 100% sense. I didn’t know there was a sportsman warehouse in Indiana. Prob a drive for me but I’m sure I can make a trip out of it.

Well it was a used one off pre 1968 used gun I found.. but, im sure you can dig up something similar around Indiana.

 

[Born2vette]

Makes 100% sense. I didn’t know there was a sportsman warehouse in Indiana. Prob a drive for me but I’m sure I can make a trip out of it.

There is one in Fort Wayne, probably closest unless you want to go to Michigan

 

[Born2vette]

Also, my Walmart has 22 rifles and you have a Dunham’s nearby which may have a few youth rifles. There was a guy who would come to the range (in drag) with a pink Cricket. He could slit a playing card in half at 25 yards with that rifle. No one messed with him.

 

[johntheplinker]

A Ruger American Rimfire compact for a small budget. The 2 comb modules are sized for smaller folks, then when they grow the longer modules are available. Has low comb for irons and taller for scopes. Uses 10/22 mags so spares are cheap and plentiful. Accuracy is decent, not match grade but plenty good for most use. I've had a couple of the RAR models, my main complaint is simply just not accurate enough for me.
If money isn't an issue, take a look at the Tikka T1x. Come from the factory with a slightly shorter stock that can be lengthened with spacers. Also threaded muzzle if you have or plan on a suppressor. Mags are a little on the pricey side. Accurate? Yeah. After I got my first I sold off most of my other 22s.

 

[ACC]

my $0.02 is bolt or lever action .22LR with iron sights. That is the most basic rifle set up possible. I might suggest a red dot too as it takes the difficulty out of "equal height, equal light" and allows a new shooter to focus on steadiness, trigger pull and firearm manipulation. But make sure you eventually come back to iron sights as all shooters should have that skill.

 

[Michigan Slim]

I'm in the leverguns camp. Rossi or Henry.

 

[Leo]

I learned the hard way that a Semi auto can be the wrong starter. In the beginning, you want your boy to concentrate on safety, aiming, trigger control, etc. It was hard to keep him from emptying the magazine every time he shouldered the rifle. (without hitting anything). I wanted to hand him one bullet at a time but that is cumbersome with a semi auto.

For that reason, A bolt action would be my pick if I had to do it all again.