Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Youth Rimfire

I became a grandfather in June so, of course, had thoughts for the grandson regarding his first rifle. For my three sons I picked up a used 10-22 stock at a gunshow, chopped it and it worked fine. I passed that stock on to someone here many years ago so figured I keep my eyes open for another. On a casual visit to one of my LGS's I noted a short rifle in the used rack behind the counter. I asked to look at it to find it was a pretty high condition Winchester 121-Y single shot. I told them I wanted it for my newborn grandson. They were asking $150 for it but offered it for $125. So home it came. They were made from 1967 to 1973. It has a 20 3/4" barrel, 12 1/4 LOP and weighs 5 pounds. It is missing the sight elevator but one is on the way from Numrich. I dug through my scopes and found a mint Japanese 18 mm Bushnell Custom 22 4X scope with the "integral" mount that may fit the theme. Optically a pretty impressive piece, we'll see. Neat little rifle. Now it's the wait.

I have absolutely no need for that, but if I saw it for that price, it'd have to come home with me. What a cool gun!

Ed, little ones really like to start suppressed, because muffs don't fit well. Reddot, opens, then a scope here. Starting with a dot makes the irons easier to learn. Savage rascal singleshot here, and a suppressed cz scout that can go singleshot, or 5 and 10 round mags when they're ready..... Would much rather the little winny, than the bitty salvage. Just never see them around here.


painted the cz since.

Hunts, we'll see what "stuff" is available 6 or 7 years from now. Appreciate the reply.

Ed,

Being a 22 Nut, we went through several youth guns with my kids...

The Savage 'Rascal' and the CZ 'Scout' are presently the best of the lot. A lot of difference in their size/LOP/weight and therefore the size of the kid that they will fit best. Which one is best will depend on how big they are when you start them.

My experience is in full agreement with Huntsman...

*Red dots are the easiest for them to start/hit with when they are young. Now, both of my kids (young adults now) really like shooting with Iron sights.

*Shooting suppressed really helps, as Huntsman mentioned, if you start them young muff fit can be problematic and safety/shooting instruction is much easier to convey.

Will be some great times,


Jerry

Everybody I know started with a BB/pellet gun with iron sights. For almost everyone it was a Daisy Buck or the like. And then an 880 or 760.

We were picking off what we called locusts (cicadas) out of trees at a pretty young age. They’re here every year. When they were out of season it was the tiny plastic green army men.

We shot these guns a lot. Mostly unsupervised. Lots of trigger time. This is how we learned to shoot. Far before we were cut loose with 22’s. Iron sights were never an obstacle.

Those savage rascals are hard to beat. Heck I use one to coon hunt with.

Really like the Ruger RAR Compact, w a Tech-Sights Aperture.



Uses 10-22 rotary mags.

My favorite .22 LR Carbine, and perfect for the young and small.




GR

Good suggestion Garandimal...
Should add that you can buy the 'non-compact' butt for these from Ruger, to extend the LOP as they grow.

Jerry

Pretty cool rifle. I picked up a used model 121-D Winchester for my son at a gun show back in late 1994. Stock was varnished and it was peeling off. Refinished the stock and got a new Bushnell Banner 4x on it a few months later. Gave it to him for his 12th birthday in 1995. 121-D is basically the same gun far as I know; Same barrel length but about an inch more L.O.P.. My only complaints are the extractors are stamped out of pretty thin metal and are fragile. 121-D has 2 extractors, don't know about the "Y" variant. I've never seen a 121-Y. The safety goes on every time the bolt is cycled and that's a thin stamping, too. Never had a problem with it but it seems fragile also. I've seen problems with the bolt assembly being discussed on web sites but this one's been OK. Traded another 22 to my son for it a few years ago and it's back in my safe now. Mostly a safe queen now but that thing is a very straight shooter. Started my step- grand daughters on a Savage Rascal which even I love to shoot. If they had Rascals back when my son was almost 12 I would have gotten him one of those.