.22 rifle options for small woman and kids.

[idek]

I'm trying to decide on good/best options for allowing kids and their small-statured mother to get into shooting firearms (the kids would begin with an air rifle).

I'm thinking a single shot rifle with good iron sights would be a good place to start (maybe shooting CB cartridges at first to transition from air rifle). Ideas that I'm considering so far:

1) Crickett/Chipmunk
single shot bolt action
12" LOP
16.125" barrel
30.5" OAL
2.5 lbs.
Come with open or aperture sights depending on model. Can be scoped.
MSRP: about $130-$200


2) T/C Hot Shot
single shot break action (looks like a scaled down version of the T/C Pro Hunter gun)
11.5-12.5" LOP (comes with 1" spacer, additional spacers can be added)
19" barrel
30.25-31.25" OAL
3 lbs.
Comes with aperture sights. Can be scoped.
MSRP: $240-260


3) Henry Mini Bolt
single shot bolt action
11.5" LOP
16.25" barrel (stainless)
30.25" OAL
3.25 lbs.
Comes with Williams Fire Sights (fiber optic open sights). Can be scoped.
MSRP: $260


Right now, I'd lean toward the T/C Hot Shot. The break action looks easier to load than the bolt action guns (especially if wearing gloves) and would be more ambidextrous (not sure whether kids will end up right or left eye dominant). I'd prefer aperture sights over open sights, and the option to add spacers to the stock could make it fit young shooters for a longer time.

...Whether you agree or disagree, I'd appreciate anyone's thoughts or suggestions.


Another thought I had was to modify one of my Ruger 10/22s to minimize length and weight. I figured if I got a 16" Tactical Solutions barrel (16 oz.) and a Axiom adjustable length stock (18 oz.), I could get the weight down to 3.9 lbs. A bull-barrel adapter would allow me to use the Tech Sights aperture sights I already have. The barrel and stock would cost about $275.

The upside to this idea is that it would never be outgrown. Also, this might suit the grown woman better than the "kids guns" would. My concerns would be whether the trigger reach would be too far, the grip too big, or the comb the wrong height for the young'uns, since the stock isn't designed specifically for little people. Any thoughts?

[Geezerbiker]

Check out the Savage Rascal. I bought one for one of my grandkids and it's a step up from the Cricket.

Nothing wrong with a cricket either. I bought 2 for my other 2 grandkids and they're both great shooter but the Savage just seems so much better thought out...

Tony

[Chuck Dye]

When we were looking at such guns for my friends grandkids, we opted for the CZ 452 Scout. A surprise in that process was the number of adults who have and love the Scout.

A few words of warning: as received, our Scout shoots several inches high at 100 feet with the rear sight bottomed out. Several reports on the internet suggest that CZ ships new front sights for free to correct that. I don't know yet whether the kids' Dad has taken care of that. As principal funder in this project, I may soon be backing the installation of a peep sight, perhaps even a globe front sight. The consensus among the adults involved is "irons first, a scope only when the irons are mastered." The kids, of course, prefer to go straight to a scope. We shall see...

The 12" length of pull is too great for the kids involved. 1½-2 inches will be removed from the stock and a thin plastic butt plate from Brownell's fitted. As the kids grow, recoil pads of increasing thickness will be installed to restore length. The expectation is that a set will be created that will be passed down for generations. This plan is shamelessly copied from a family I met on a range in Utah. Their kid rifle was into its fourth generation. One of the reasons the Marlin kid gun was rejected is the fear that its synthetic stock would not allow easy use of the multi-recoil pad idea.

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[idek]

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll look into the Rascal and the Scout along with the others.