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.