Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Kids at the Campfire Child sized 22 hunting rifle & hearing protection

Does anyone have a recomendation for a child sized 22 hunting rifle & hearing protection? My nine year old nephew is small for his age. He shoots my CZ452 well from the bench, but it is just too heavey for him to shoot any other way. Also none of the hearing protection I have fits him well.

We have a Cricket .22 that fits small kids well. It is a pint-sized single shot rifle. For hearing protection I have our kids wear foam ear plugs.

For hearing protection, I got my son a pair of Howard Leight "banded" earplugs for something like $7. He wore them this year when he took his first deer. He wore them behind his neck and then slipped them in just before raising his rifle to shoot.

They aren't compressed and then expanded inside the ear like some other foam plugs. They're sort of just like putting your fingers in your ear, but they are better than nothing. It's tough wearing affordable hearing protection in the woods because I very often hear deer coming before I see them in the brush where we typically hunt.

Here is a link to the HL banded earplugs:

HL banded earplugs

Here is a pic of my son wearing his around his neck:

Those look like they might work. I've tried foamy plugs with him, both he and I inserting them, but it doesn't seem to be working. I was really looking for a headset. I saw a child using a small pair at the range one day. The dad told me what brand, but I forgot.

Yeah, my son tried wearing my adjustable muffs at the range, and they really interfered with his position on the stock. He wears the expandable foam plugs at the range and wore these banded ones while hunting.

I've thought about getting a banded set of plugs for myself for hunting to protect what hearing I have left.

On the .22lr, my son shoots his Browning T-Bolt very well. It has a standard-sized length of pull; however, the bare rifle weighs just under 5 lbs., and so it's not too hard to hold. It's a real tack driver.

I got the Henry mini-bolt for my son a few years ago, and no complaints here. Accurate, light, and fits little kids well. But to do over I may have gone with the Savage cub. Difference is being able to drop a round in and cycle the bolt as opposed to having to put the round in the chamber then shut the bolt. Also the savage came with a peep.

Savage Cub with peep. No need to look further.


Travis

Agreed Travis. Had I seen your Cub I'd not have bought the Henry, though there are no flies on the Henry.

That cub looks like the ticket. I didn't even know the model existed. Thanks.

I bought both my son and my daughter laminated and stainless Crickets and kid sized muffs. I mounted reddots on each of them and then started with the basics.

They have done very well with them.

That red dot is a pretty good idea.


Hmmm...



Travis

I like it so much I'm getting a second one in pink for my girl. I was able to skip the pellet gun phase altogether with my son. Pick up a box of the Aguila Colibris to get them warmed up to the rifle. Absolutely no sound, and very accurate at close range. Alleviated the awkwardness caused by muffs when I got my son started. That's what I did anyway.


Travis

I bought a CZ 452 Scout for my Grandson. It is a pretty nice little gun and would look a lot like Dad's big one!!

Good shooters too!

I was able to find a pair of small (maybe youth?) sized ear muffs. I have also been known to double up on the hearing protection, with both ear muffs and foam ear plugs.

fyshbum, Little Missy there is about the cutest! I mean, accesorizing the pink shirt with the gun and the earmuffs is the BEST!!!

We use the squeeze-down foam ear plugs at 4-H which are problematic since they are sized for an adult's ear canal. I need to Google search for youth-sized disposables, maybe some manufacturer finally thought of it for this year. Be aware that some brands use a softer foam than others, the harder foams can be uncomfortable and even painful for kids when squeezed down that much - and harder to insert. Can't think of what brand we've been using offhand.

We may give These a try for the younger shooters, still need to do more research. Click "Child Hearing Protection" tab for options.

i got both my daughter's the pink cricket .22. i make them wear regular ear muffs when we shoot.

I have a Marlin 15Y for my son. Great little rifle that fits him well. Both of my kids use Caldwell electronic muffs so they can hear instruction clearly.

My 10yo was breaking clays at 50 yards with his Cub off a standing forend rest with pretty good regularity today...I was quite happy/proud to see him shooting that way and having a great time doing it. He uses Peltor kids muffs, but I have him put in the soft foam plugs also as we shoot at a public range 95% of the time and his .22 isn't the worry as far as volume goes...lot's of tacticool types wringing out their compensated AR's on the 50 yard range I typically take him to. I have to laugh as most of them can't hit any better at 50 yards with a optically sighted AR than I do with my 617 with no rest.

He wants to go deer hunting next year, so the Marlin Spikehorn also sees some use with a dot sight and some reduced loads with the 130gr Speer FN

I couldn't find a better rifle, sights taken into account, when I got him the Cub and it has proven to be a quality rifle for the resource outlay.

Here is my 6 year old boy shooting his Crickett. Foam ear plugs work fine for him. Ear muffs hurt his ears when he wears safety glasses with them. He picked up how to use the apeture site quicker than I thought he would. He was popping water bottles at 25 yards in no time.

Is that the new Caldwell convert-a-bench?

My son received a Crickett from grampa last year. He's only 4 years old and about 43 lbs. The LOP was too long. I quickly carved a stock out of scrap pine that has a pistol grip because the hand placement for the trigger pull was all wrong. There's no way a kid can really hold the stock and pull the trigger if they are small. A pistol grip puts the hand at the right angle so a kid can apply finger strength more correctly - with the hand more closed. I also snipped off a coil or two from the trigger spring because it was too heavy even for me.



The ear protection is a regular, slim profile, folding Caldwell electronic. Like THESE . I got them for $25 each. Those are adult units but they fit kids just fine because of the amount of adjustment built in by the folding feature. I had gotten two of them so we match. Also, they are the electronic ones so I know for sure that he can hear all my range commands. BE SAFE!



PS. He shoots Colibris too

Yup but have not found the adult size yet

I do hunter ed here and have watched a few kids shoot a .22 for the first time. I notice they all lean away from the gun backwards. I see it in your pic, and wonder if it's because the stock is too long. I was taught by the older Scout leaders when I was 10 to shoot, which I don't remember of course, but I have to wonder if it's a natural response to lean back. I watched my best friend and his brother's daughters shoot two weeks ago and they did the same. I'm looking into buying an adjustable youth rifle to play with. A lot of guys recommended the TC. I've been on the website. I need to see one for real first. I'd like to see them shoot a little gun too. You cut that 2x4 stock down pretty short too.

They are usually leaning back to counterbalance the weight of the rifle - usually meaning it is too long and front heavy for them. I've taught Scouts and others (including small women, who share this problem) for years, and that is a common problem. Stock length is not the only factor.

Yeah, I think it's only something like a 9" LOP now and it can even probabaly get another 3" whacked off of there but then the pistol grip/wrist angle will be all wrong. It also needs another 3" of toe so the stock can be brought up for a proper cheeck weld. The thing with kids is that they have HUGE heads compared to their bodies so one cannot just symmetrically scale down a stock and trigger placement.

It's wasn't a 2x4 BTW. It was a real 1" x 6" that I ripped. The Crikett stock only need 1" width. I don't mind making another one because it was very quick and rough whittling with an axe, some drill work to start off the trigger area then just knife work.

Get a 10-22 and I'll send you a stock that I cut down for my son. He has outgrown it and I'd love to see it get used by another young shooter. PM me if you want it. It fit his 5yr old frame perfectly!

thompson center makes a kids version of their contender carbine in 22. it is tiny. my brother bought one a couple months ago with a t/c scope and rings/mounts for $289 OTD. it shoots very nice and would fit any kid. the stock adjusts too. for hearing protection i recommend howard leight impact sport shooting muffs. you can use them for bench or field. the sound quality is very good too in the woods. they have a lot of adjustment in them. they are about $45 shipped on amazon.

Just noticed the booster seat rifle rest! That is priceless!!!

Hadn't noticed that either, thanks for pointing it out! Love it!

What is the difference between the Cub and the Rascal? I only see the Rascal on the Savage website. I checked out the Henry mini-bolt already, but this thread has me looking at the Savage as well.

I like the idea of a peep-sight for the little-guy when he starts shooting.

Started my grandson with a Chipmunk at age 5.
He is now 10 and shoots a Browning BL-22 with a rear peep and a frt globe site.
Also use a CZ Scout with a 4x Burris scope.

Coach

+2 on the CZ Scout.

I bought one for ME, and added a 1" pad so it would fit.

Best "porch gun" I've got!

I mounted a Leupold 4X rimfire scope on it.

Virgil B.

I looked every where for a scout and couldn't find one for my son. I ended up buying him the TC youth single shot. It is a good bargin on a quality rifle. The entire rifle looks just like my Contender,which the little one thinks is great. All bolt action youth models seemed too long for him.

My boys are 8 and 9 and both fit in on the tall end of the line at school. The Rascal is almost too short and will be getting a flip flop pad on the end but the acutrigger is light and so is the rifle. comes with a peep and is loads of fun.

We shot at a sand pit and didnt use hearing protection (sub sonics dont make much of a pop) but Ill have to look into it before we hit the public range. In the past I have taken the foam plugs and split one lengthwise into two for small ears.

I have one on the TC hotshots for my kids, it works well and is alot like their single shot H&R.410 and .223

Big +1 on the T/C !

The Rascal replaced the Cub, as far as I can tell. My first boy got a Henry Mini Bolt Youth, and it has excellent Williams Fire Sights on it. However, I think my second little rifleman may end up with the Rascal. The bolt also acts as a cocking mechanism, so the kid doesn't have to fight with a little plunger doohickey to manually cock it and perhaps not exercise proper muzzle discipline. We use both foam ear plugs and Redhead youth earmuffs, because even a minor report like a .22 can produce a "training scar" in very young shooters.

Also, aperture sights rock.

Yes. The Rascal replaced the Cub. The Rascal is more trim and from what I can tell has a shorter length of pull.



Travis

Don't know what price range you're in but the browning micro midas .22 lever action is the tiniest lever action I have ever seen. In fact, I bought one just because.....I don't need it. Its grooved for a scope and its a repeater to boot.

Cricket...I've got one for each grandkid.
Earmuffs for now.
And the most important of all .... as seen in these photos of the kids..... Safety Glasses!!!!
Good going guys. The right way to start them off.....
Now for personal preference: Save the red dots and scopes for later. Start them off with iron sights...aperture or notch and post. But then I'm the guy that made my kids learn to drive with a standard transmission before going to an automatic.

For nostalgia....I've got an old Remington 41...barrel and shock shortened.

[quote=John_Boy]Cricket.. But then I'm the guy that made my kids learn to drive with a standard transmission before going to an automatic.


Just been teaching my 12 year old girl to drive the Land Rover with manual transmission. Scarey stuff when your heading towards a ditch and you cant pull it out of gear and the hand break won't hold it......still she thought it was fun!
I picked up an old Martini action .22 and restocked it fo her with aperture sights and she really loves it. Just picked up a Savage Mk2 for her and her younger sister to use on bunny bashing from auction.Which is a great little rifle for a small person to use.
This is her Martini.
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I bought my son a Winchester 67 Boys Rifle and a CZ Scout. The Scout fits him better but the 67 is classic. If I had to pick one, the CZ would be my choice for a 22 for a kid.

ddj

A Cz452/Brno2 is a great is a good choice for a young person (and an older one as well). I got the Savage because it was like new ,Hawke scope, and a sound mod for �40.00.($65.00).
Both my girls was using a Brno 2 last year in Africa on Guinea Fowl and really enjoyed using it.
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In anyone is in need of the scope base accessory for the Crickett rifles I have two of them in perfect condition with all necessary screws. My girls couldn't warm up to the scopes and holding their heads off the stock and they do great with the factory peep sights now.

My oldest just started shooting my Kimber 22 Hunter. He's loving it...