Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Best .22LR rifle for my daughter to start with

Give her the moon.

Cooper or Kimber of Oregon 22 LR

😬🦫

I'd get the Savage Rascal Target. Get a scope with long eye relief and a forgiving eye box. That is critical for kids.

If you're going to continue buying replacements as she grows, I would go for the Cricket or something similar. If you want one and done, I'd look for a CZ 452 in just about any flavor.

Mine has also a Henry 22lr lever gun with a youth stock, that became a full-size stock when she turned 14.

+1 for CZ 452

As much as I love my 452s . it's 2021.

The correct answer is CZ 457 for training a new shooter.

It has a forward to fire Safety (CZ 452 safety runs backwards), fully adjustable trigger and 60 degree bolt lift (no more bolt handle interference with the scope oculars)

My daughter started out at 6 with a savage rascal. In a couple years she was shooting a MP 15-22 and never shot the rascal again. Easy move to a 5.56 after that.

Picked up a rascal for my boys recently. Put a red dot on it and they were big fans. I have a CZ455 for when they get big enough for the stock.

Got the Marlin youth model and it shoots 3/8 groups at 40 yds with a cheap Simmons 4x...Has a feed ramp so you just drop a bullet and close bolt..Taught 2 generations of grandkids and made great shooters....Federal 36 gr. cheap ammo..

The CZ 457 is about perfect. The safety is easy to operate. Switching the magazines out gives you the option of single shot or repeater. As a single shot it loads easy. Point a cartridge the right way and drop it in and it will feed with ease. Comes with iron sighs and the receiver is grooved for scope rings, gives a kid a chance to master both. Ours is very accurate with the cheapest bulk ammo we can find.

My boys do a lot of shooting. They started out with a Cricket. It was fine for a trip or two the range. I quickly found that they were a pain to load for my fat fingers, the boys also struggled at times to get them loaded. The next issue was the cocking of the bolt. They are hard to cock, for a kid almost impossible for them to get it done while keeping the muzzle pointed in the right direction. The Cricket quickly went down the road.

Marlin Model 915Y, sometimes called a Boy Scout Trainer, due to their frequent use by the Scouts. Henry Carbine works pretty well too. These are the guns we start our 4-H kids with, and have good success. My son made it to state level competition with the Marlin.

Santa was good in 2019

I suggest one with open sights. Not many new ones being made that way, but a good older one is a great starter gun. It teaches the basics and has makes them better shooter in the long run. In my opinion anyway.

I started my son and daughter off on the CZ 452 Scout. Now it’s waiting in the safe for future grandkids to start on.

I started my son with a 10/22 that I cut down a old wood stock to fit,
When bigger, put full size stock on. Still has it 30 years later.

Go find a used 10/22 and do a p to p transfer. Buy a dozen Bx-25 ruger mags for it. Lay in lots of 22lr. The daughter will be first line defense age in the coming civil war before you know it might as well prepare her to survive it. That old single shot nonsense is out the door.

Must be a big ol boy...

I'm 6'7", 375 lbs and I use a savage cub mini (immediate predecessor to the rascal) more than about any of my other rimfire rifles.

All my kids use it when they're home as well. Got grandkids who try to wear it out...

Tikka

I picked up a Ruger American Rimfire and put talley rings on it and a scope. It flat out shoots! Even cheapo Thunderbolts were sub MOA at 50 yards. I could not believe it. For the money I think it is the best bolt 22 out there.