# What would be the best inexpensive .22 rifle for my son?



## ne prairiemama (Jan 30, 2010)

Help me to help him find one please?


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## Nimrod (Jun 8, 2010)

More info please. How old is he? Is he responsible enough to handle a rifle that can shoot a lot of cartridges without being reloaded or should you get a single shot for his first rifle? What do you consider inexpensive? There are many to choose from under $200.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

about as inexpensive as it gets is a chipmunk , but they are really small , single shot 

for not that much more you can get a mossberg 802 plinkster bolt action 

or if he is small the 801 half pint mossberg

marlin also makes a fine bolt action 22 for about 20-30 dollars more than the mossberg 

then the next step up is the savage MKII

lets say he is 12 and 5' 6" or so , and your looking for a 22 that may well last the boy a life time , i would spring for the savage MKII

we use the Savage MKII (mark 2) in our 4H shooting sports program , it holds up well lasts thousands upon thousands of rounds and is accurate enough if you can do your part , and have a good ammo to shoot a rabit at 100 yards very reliably 
your talking abotu 225-250 dollars 

this is a MKII FV http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/product_info.php/cPath/36_62_975/products_id/24563 it has the accutrigger and heavy barrel , we use the MKII FVT the same gun but with target sights 

the youth version is actually a few dollars more http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/.../24840/Savage+60703+MKIIGY+22LR+AT+YOUTH+WOOD
and has a standard lighter contour barrel , with iron sights and the ability to have a scope 

so it kind of depends what you are looking to shoot , if you plan on carrying it all over a trap line , and hunting the lighter barrel is plenty accurate for shooting rabits and squirrel and yard pests 

if your thinking longer shots more open area or more dedicated target gun , the heavier barrel can give slightly better accuracy , when i say slightly better were talking 1/2 inch at 100 yards , and it is not guaranteed , but more likely to have better groups better shot to shot accuracy , but a change in ammo can make it a total wash 

with any off the shelf ammo you could expect to if you do your part hit a squirrel in the head at 50 feet the difference is with the right ammo you can do it at 150 feet. whats the right ammo , cost doesn't have as much to do with it as some people think but can help , its the one that best fits your gun and makes the most consistent groups , so once your shooting well you buy a small box of several types and shoot paper targets from a steady bench with some sand bags really trying to make every shot the same , you shoot 3-4 5 round targets of each ammo the one that fits your gun will show , you may find it makes little difference some guns are good with several brands others have one that fits better.

all of these bolt guns are basicaly between 150 and 250 dollars with most modles right around 200 , thats basicaly the price of a 22 these days , there are many good used guns around but any 22 in working order is basically a hundred dollars , add 20-30 dollars for a magazine fed 22 , then 20 -30 more if it has something more than the basic factory sights or super cheap scope.

and with the new savage you get out of the box accuracy , a new gun for right around 200-230

keep in mind the prices ont he web even if they include shipping don't include local transfer fee that is usually 20-30 dollars 

i was just checking on a 22 the 802 mossberg that i had seen on the web . my local gun shop could order it for 157 it was 145 on the web but i would have to pay the 30 dollar transfer fee making it 175 if i ordered it online or 157 + 5.5% tax = 165.35


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## Bucksco (Nov 13, 2012)

Ruger 10-22! Make sure you can find .22lr ammo before buying anything! Thats probably the most scarce caliber right now.


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## Grey Mare (Jun 28, 2013)

I am going to 2nd what Bucksco said....I too use a Ruger 10-22 and love it. It is also easy to use, to load, and to practice with. I have a Vortex scope on mine that I really like, it is my varmit gun...


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

the ruger 10/22 is a fine gun , it was my first 22 , but if I want better shooting and less ammo used for a student , a bolt gun makes them slow down and aim 

my son loves the 10/22 , I don't love feeding it , he shoots thru ammo so much faster with so so results compared to time spent on the bolt guns.

the bolt doesn't care if you use CBee's , it is quieter because it can only let gas out the barrel , and not the bolt also , and they almost never jam, less sensitive to ammo. 

I had a brick of ammo that turned my 10/22 into a jam-o-matic , I shot the rest of it up in bolt guns and you would have never know it was a problem causer , every shot was good in the bolt gun

if you manually actuate the action , it means the ammo doesn't need to and that makes the available ammo choices easier , besides the accuracy one of the things that sold me on bolts was that i could use CBees in and around buildings to control pest issues , and my ears didn't ring , but pests died. after all this is so often the role of the 22.

also the ruger 10/22 is around $300

but if your the person who has to customize everything the ruger is the AR15 of 22's , there are more aftermarket parts and modifications for the 10/22 than any other 22 around , but it often doesn't take long to have 5-700 dollars in a gun that started as 300 
to put it into more kid friendly terms it is the Mr potato head of guns , with the base receiver you can build just about any thing you want , but it all costs $


if your looking for a budget semi auto the Marin 795 has been highly recommended as being able to make a better shooter for the $ than the 10/22 for the purposes of Appleseed training shoots.
the 795 is accurate , but has cheap sights so replacing the sights or adding a scope , adding a sling , and a few extra mags is all that is done to make it a good Appleseed gun for about the same price as a 10/22 starts at. but then again that's about all the things you can do to a 795 , while you can accessorize a 10/22 with almost infinite possibilities , but you asked about a budget gun.

by the way if you can find an Appleseed shoot int he area , get your son to it , kids and women shoot free. and they teach history with the marksman ship lessons.

and don't worry , a bolt gun can shoot their course just fine if you go that way.


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## VeritasVincit (Jul 8, 2013)

I have a couple of Winchester model 67s that we let our kids shoot. Single shot, bolt action, and we paid less than 100 for each of them. They are older and a little harder to find, but look around in some local Pawn shops and one might turn up. I like the quality of the older firearms. Compared to this new plastic junk, these are high quality where once they were basically considered kids' toys.


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## ace admirer (Oct 5, 2005)

the eye dominance, length of pull (measured from inside crooked elbow to hooked trigger finger on dominate eye side, look up on net) have to be determined before any further useful discussion.


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

ace admirer said:


> the eye dominance, length of pull (measured from inside crooked elbow to hooked trigger finger on dominate eye side, look up on net) have to be determined before any further useful discussion.



ace makes a good point , Eye dominance is very important , if you learn to shoot to your dominant eye , you won't spend many years frustrated and squinting , wondering why you can't see the target as well

my dad has spend hid hole life left eye dominant shooting right handed , and squinting , because when he was a kid guns were right handed , he was right handed why wouldn't he shoot right handed.

but since your asking about getting the boy his own 22 rifle , i made an assumption i shouldn't have , that he already had some shooting experience.


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## rod44 (Jun 17, 2013)

I have a 10/22 which is a fun little rifle and plenty good for squirrels and rabbits. Quite ammunition sensitive accuracy wise however. Also have a Savage Mark II with the target barrel which is a ball to shoot if you are into paper shooting groups.

But, your question depends upon how old he is and what you want to use the rifle for. Either of the above ones would be a fine choice.


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## bowdonkey (Oct 6, 2007)

Yep, get him a bolt and he will learn to shoot. I second a Savage with an accutrigger and synthetic stock. Maybe even stainless, it's a rare kid that does much gun cleaning.


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## wildcat6 (Apr 5, 2011)

I picked up a used Marlin model 60 for $75 and absolutely love it! The Ruger10/22 is also a good one.


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## Cornhusker (Mar 20, 2003)

A lot depends on how old the boy is?
Is he 8 or 18?
Do you want one he can grow in to?


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## davel745 (Feb 2, 2009)

Hennery 22


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## Hollowdweller (Jul 13, 2011)

GREENCOUNTYPETE said:


> the ruger 10/22 is a fine gun , it was my first 22 , but if I want better shooting and less ammo used for a student , a bolt gun makes them slow down and aim


Very good advice GCP.:nanner:


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

First gun, single shot and make sure he learns to take care of it. Don't buy the cheapest one, quality does count, and he can always trade when he has proven he deserves to have a "better" one. You and he can determine that later. He will use less ammo, learn to really shoot, not just pull a trigger. Less to go wrong until he learns to "shoot". I too like the older models, real wood and IRON....James


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## GREENCOUNTYPETE (Jul 25, 2006)

the only time I see a benefit to shooting with a auto loader is when your teaching positions with limited time before they fatigue , because they don't need to get out of the position to load , and can work on sight picture and such.

but if you teach sight picture, trigger pull , breathing , follow thru , and hold from a bench with some sand bags , then they know that going into prone , sitting , kneeling and standing

I still prefer magazine fed over single loading , because they move their feet , or change position to much if they have to reach for the next round when teaching off bench , and frankly we only have so many hours in the day , if it takes to long we run out of time.

but I approach this question with 40 shooters and 10 shooting lanes 

the bolt gun is , a compromise between teaching with the least ammo using a single shot , but slows them down enough from wasting with a semi auto , and leaves them with a gun that will last a life time and they can take hunting and have repeat shots if needed , and not have to handle each cartridge in the field when wearing gloves or with cold hands.


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## MichaelZ (May 21, 2013)

If your son is younger (under 18) you might want to avoid a semi-automatic and go with lever action, pump, or bolt action. Semi-automatic is an accident waiting to happen. 

Gun safety is a must as well. *First rule: Every gun is loaded, always!* My son took a hunter safety course and in many states this course is now required for new hunters of all ages.


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## Bentley (Jul 10, 2008)

There is only one real answer to your question. That answer is; It depends,.........

Age?
He ever shot a gun before?
Any firearm training?
Maturity level?
Budget?
Primary use of the gun?
If he has no prior experience or training, is there someone to teach him?
Will he be supervised while shooting?
And I'm sure there are questions that have not occurred to me right now.

Having asked all that, I would stay away from the semi-auto's. not a good first gun. I love certain semi-autos with the Ruger 10/22 being near the top of the list.
I have a son I taught to shoot about 25 years ago. He is an extremely safe and capable shooter today. 

If I were to assume that your son was under 14, I would find a used bolt action with a 5 shot clip. savage makes a fine firearm. 
Check a couple of pawn shops, or local gun shops. I would keep my investment low assuming you have someone to help you find a reliable firearm. At that age, he is susceptible to leaving it leaning up against a tree, and then remember it a week or two later. Someone mentioned a stainless. That's fine for the occasional hunt in damp/wet weather, but even those weapons have regular steel parts where you cannot see them, and they will rust.
No matter what kind of rifle you find him, stop by a sporting goods store and pick up a cleaning kit with a bottle of Hoppes #9, gun oil, and gun grease, and please have someone teach him how to care for his rifle. Given good care, he will be able to pass it on to his son one day.

Please come back here and let us all know how it works out for you both.

B


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## Chad.C (Jul 23, 2013)

Mossberg 702 plinkster a nice semi auto for 150 bucks my dad has one and has never had a problem with it


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## Eagle1 (Jun 1, 2012)

Walmart around here has the Mossberg 702 for under $110, bought one for my baby girl. Shoots well with open sights but we added 4x scope and it's good to go. 

Personally I love my Savage MKll bolt action. If I can see it, I can shoot it.


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