Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Rimfires Remington 514 or 33

Looking for a single shot open sighted rifle to start my grandson on. Local shop has these and both need to be cleaned up but over all in good condition. I do find the bolt on the 514 a little sticky

Price is with $25 of each with the 33 being less. Thoughts on what might be a better starting rifle or is it 6 of one half dozen of the other?

With the 33, you have to cock the rifle before shooting it. They are a bit stiff. The safety is also far more difficult to operate than the 514. I have both, and the 514 is more user friendly. My 514 is a bit more accurate, but it has a Lyman 55 on it, so the comparison isn't even.

I have a 33 that was my Granddads and have owned it for like 65 years….killed my firs squirrels with it. The cocking and safety as listed above never bothered me as a kid when I hunted with it. But, kids of today may have a tougher time with operating the older guns iof long ago. Mine was very accurate with only peep sight and young eyes could head shoot squirrels out of trees…..have shot crows with it little over 100 yds., but that was young eyes many years ago. If I was you I would buy a Winchester 69A for a first gun for a kid….have seen it written years ago that it about the most perfect 22 ever been made….have one with a scope mounted on it and a pleasure to shoot. Find them on Gunbroker.

Thank you benchman and Winnie

I would vote for the 514 but that is just me

My first rifle was a 514. Got it 39 years ago. Perfect first .22

In bought my son a 514 only because I couldn’t find a 511 like my first rifle. The bolt is draggy but it shoots great. The 33 being older would be harder to repair, if needed. If you find a 510, 511 or 521, jump on it. I purposely omitted the 512 because a tube feed is not as safe for a young shooter, IMO.

I grew up using a Remington 33, Dad gave it to me when I was 11, safe until cocked and cocking it was never a problem
A wonderful old 22 single-shot rifle

514 with a 20" bbl was my first rifle in 61. The 510 makes a good first rifle too if the shooter's tall enough for the 25" bbl. I like that when the bolt is cycled back to open the action it pushes the safety on.

My daughter's first rifle when she turned 7 was a Henry Mini Bolt. They're hard to beat if the size is right. That will be my granddaughter's first rifle in a year or so, then her little brother's.