.22LR For My 5 Year Old Daughter

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Wheel-Gunner

New member
Hello fellow gun enthusiasts! I usually spend all my time over at the handgun forums but I need some advice for a little .22 rifle for my little girl who is frustrated with the fact that I have to help her shoot the Golden Boy.

So I have been looking around at a Savage Rascal (seems very cheaply constructed), Crickett, Marlin 915Y (like very much), H&R Sportster Compact (break open action the way to go??) and a few others. I like the idea of a Ruger 10/22 compact (would be compatible with the mags for my Ruger), but do not want an auto-loading gun for her just yet. I think a bolt action is the way to go here.

First off, size. Is there a proper way to determine what length of gun she should be using? Is there a standard sizing approach based on her height, arm length, etc. The rascal seems very small at 31.5", the marlin 915Y seems like it may last a little longer at 33.25". What do I need to keep in mind here?

The other thing I am curious about is whether or not to get her a single shot, one with a magazine, or my initial preference of a tube loading repeater. I love the idea of having a knob that she has to pull back every time she chambers a round that I have seen on some bolt actions (not sure what the safety is called exactly). Would a single shot be tedious for her after a while? I would love to get her a Henry Youth lever action, but would really like an added safety mechanism. I just ran across the Mossberg 801 Plinkster Half-Pint. This is intriguing because it can be used as a single shot or with a magazine.

Also, I would like her to have the ability to remove a loaded round instead of having to fire it with ease. I am looking down on the Crickett for this reason. To unload a Cricket requires grabbing the "cocking piece" while pulling the trigger and then slowly lowering the cocking piece, like on a cocked hammer on a single action pistol. To much room for an accidental discharge here for my liking.

So I know this may start off a bit broad, but what are the factors I need to consider here and please give some suggestions on specific rifles that you would recommend and why. Thanks a bunch!
 
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lockedcj7

New member
A quick and easy way (not technically the right way, but close enough) to check stock fit is to have her grip the pistol grip normally and point the gun straight up while bending her arm 90 degrees at the elbow. The stock should be the same length as her forearm and just fit in the crook of her arm.

I just went through this with my son and decided on a 10-22 with a collapsible stock. It can grow with him and I'm not too concerned about it being an auto loader since I hover over him anyway and could instantly take control if I had to.
 
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stu925

New member
I picked up an older Marlin 15YN at a gun show last year for around $75 I think. It shoots great and fits my 7 yr old like a glove. No trouble with him getting bored with the single shot yet but he's only been out with it a couple of times so far so it's still new to him. I think more than the rifle, it's the targets they get bored with. Pick up some sort of reactive targets and it'll hold their interest a bit longer. I think the Marlin 915Y would be a great gun for her and she'll be able to teach her kids to shoot with it.

Stu
 
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alex0535

New member
My first rifle was a Henry .22 lever action. I probably got it when I was 6 or so. They make a youth version that is a little smaller, and both are lighter than the golden boy.

Single shot is probably a little bit more appropriate, but if she is pretty comfortable with how to use a henry golden boy, consider a Henry .22 lever youth as it would probably be a lot easier for her to shoot. Smaller, lighter by 2.5lbs.

I still have that Henry after 15 years, and it has seen a lot of use.
 
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Scorch

New member
22LR for my 5 year old daughter
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Sounds like a fair trade, I'll take her. Once received, I'll send the rifle.
;)

JK. Any of the single shot rifles would get outgrown pretty quick, choose a bolt action. CZ makes a good one.
 
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chris in va

New member
The Golden Boy is pretty heavy and oversized for a 5 year old. Probably should look at the Henry Youth model. Bolt actions get boring after a while, and I have plenty of evidence after watching many shooters and their kids on the line.
 
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mxsailor803

New member
If you are so worried about a child shooting a semi-auto, how about the 10-22 with the single shot mags? At least that way it could be something they could grow into.
 
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Revolver1

Moderator
The S&W M&P 15-22 has a collapsible buttstock for easy adjustment and is fun to shoot. Don't load up full mags for a while. I can't get mine away from my wife who hates guns and shooting!
 
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oneoldsap

New member
I really like the Marlin 15Y , there are usually one or two on the different auction sites . I bought a NIB one 3 years ago for my grandson ( same gun I started his dad with at 5 yo) for $130.00 . I was tickled pink to get it ! Girly colors are cute , but if resale is a possibility , they're a little harder to move .
 
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Mobuck

Moderator
We decided to go with the TC HotShot for our short shooters. I'm not fully satisfied with either the break open or the exposed hammer but had to compromise to make one size fit all(siblings have different ideas about how their kid should start and I required that all the rifles be alike).
I have two Grandsons 8 years old and they will want to hunt with their rifles so the guns have to be light enough for carrying and holding in a hunting scenario. We concluded that none of the full sized rifles with cut down stocks would be satisfactory. One parent didn't like the operation of the Cricket and one didn't like the sight setup on the Savage so we met in the middle with the TC.
 
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Peter M. Eick

New member
I got a henry mini-gun for my daughter at about 5 yrs. Great gun and she shot it well. Very good trigger and the single shot works well. My only issue is putting the rounds in is a bit of work. Very small space to work with.
 
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603Country

New member
The pink single shot would be a great choice. So what if she grows out of it. It's cheap. When she's bigger, get her a bigger 22.
 
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alaskabushman

New member
I have two young daughters and understand your desire to find a suitable gun for them to learn on and enjoy. I would steer clear of the Chipmunk/Cricket rifles (I have one), as they require manual cocking of the bolt, which usually forces the kid to put the rifle between their knees and pull back on the bolt with both hands. Not a great safety feature. Also there is no manual safety and no feed ramp, so you have to manually stick a round in the chamber. I'd take a hard look at the Marlin or Savage.
 
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