Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Question about 22LR bolt gun options

I am considering getting my 15 year old a 22 LR bolt action. This would be his first gun outside of an airgun. We just moved to the country last year, and that is why he is getting one so late in age.

What I would like are some recommendations from folks as to what I should look into. I would like it to be accurate of course, stainless if possible and something that would last him for years.

My considerations to this point are guns like the Savage Mark II stainless with synthetic stock. Thoughts on this particular gun would be helpful. Other suggestions are appreciated as well. Looking to keep the price reasonable, but want good quality for the money I spend. If not the Savage, and another suggestion is twice as much, would like to know if the suggestion is twice as good.

I know that the 10/22 would be an excellent choice, but I would like him to focus on making his shots count, and not how fast he can pull the trigger.

I appreciate yall's input.

Get him the bolt so he'll learn to shoot, not spray and prey.
Marlin also makes a SS 22LR

I became the noted rifleman I am today by learning to shoot a single shot Remington model 510. 10-22s only teach you how to shoot a gun fast, single shot bolts teach you how to shoot well...

I concur, I am pretty set on going with a bolt action for him. Would like some recommendations along those lines if you guys have any experience with them. He's a good-sized kid so a youth moedl would be too small for him.

I think you made a good choice.

Check into the CZ bolt 22's if looking for a new one, or a Winchester 69A or Remington 511 or 514 used Russ

I thought you were noted for your ability to blow guns up?

That came later. You have no idea how hard it is to shoot a rifle accurately, knowing it could evaporate instantly in your hands...

I concur on the bolt. The lead in the air option does not typically foster precision shooting.

Try a CZ 452. Mine shoots at 5o yards like a good varmint rifle does at 100. Just pure fun to shoot all afternoon. Bought one for my son and it shoots just as well. The plus for the bolt is that the mechanis will be the same.
GreggH

The Savage is a good rifle, but the magazines are really cheaply made, I wish they were made better, they detract from a good rifle.
Marlins are pretty good, and have decent quality magazines, comparatively speaking, anyway, they shoot well, too.
CZs are nicely made, and have excellent magazines, with good wood. Ruger would fit that description, as well. Ruger may have the best magazines of any rimfire rifles, period.

I harp a lot about magazines, obviously, but magazines can make or break a good rifle or pistol, they ARE important. Of course, you can buy Savage magazines for very few $$, so replacing a bad one is no big deal...............

I agree about cheesy magazines on .22s. I always felt that they detracted from the Remington 500 series, and especially the otherwise fine 541s. I really like the flush steel magazines on my Kimber 82.

Paul

I bought my kids Marlin the tube-feed 981TS, which has been renamed as the XT-22TSR. This is the stainless/synthetic style, so low maintenance and no detachable magazine to lose or damage.

I put B-Square Weaver adapters, Warne TPA rings, and Weaver RV7 scopes on them. The kids like the fact that they can load 25 22 Shorts into them.

JEff

Two family members have recently bought CZ 22s. One a 452, one a 453. I have owned a heavy barreled #4 target since the 1980s. We are all very happy with them. My suggestion is to spend the extra and get such a fine quality rimfire.

Randy

I have owned a couple of CZ 452-FS rifles and didn't care for them for kids, because the safeties work backward/reverse to many American built rifles. Besides, I like stainless and synthetic for kids, no rust or dented wood to mess with.

JEff

The CZ safety really isn't aproblem. Besides - for a kid starting out, you can get one of these...

Single shot adaptor

Pretty commonly known that the CZ 452 series gives you the most accuracy for the money. There are a couple cheap tricks to improve on the trigger though.

I appreciate all yall's input on this. I scored a used Marlin 880 SS with a synthetic stock at our local shop today for $199. A little work with some fine steel wool and a nylon brush and some oil, and she looks almost new. Got him a brick of ammo and he has been out back practicing. The gun is a little tack driver. He remarked how accurate he was with it. Able to hit many targets he had missed with some of my guns. Looks like a perfect match.

Thanks guys.

for a cheaper $ do not over lokk the marlin line up i much perfer them to a savage rimfire

I disagree. I think that the reverse safety IS A HUGE DEAL FOR KIDS, since NO AMERICAN RIFLES USE THE FORWARD FOR SAFE FORMAT. It looks like a potentially deadly accident looking for a place to happen. I can just hear a kid having fired an unintended shot saying; "I don't understand how the rifle could have gone off, I pushed the safety forward, just like on my CZ.".

But it won't be an issue in my home anytime soon, since my kids each have a Marlin 980TS and a couple Ruger 10/22s.

JEff

Well, we can agree to disagree. Personally, my experience is that any kid that is mature enough to be trained to shoot safely can do it with whatever you use. It's a simple matter to drill into them the importance of being familiar with what they are using and knowing that others may be different. Might as well learn 'em that early on while they're still under your thumb...

But the argument of KISS principal making things easier to some degree is always valid.