What do you like for a youth rifle, with short LOP? I want to get the kids a .22 rimfire repeater to shoot CB Long and CCI Quiet.
Iron sights are fine for the ranges that we shoot with CB Long and CCI Quiet. We have a Rascal that is a hoot with those loads, and shoots surprisingly well for what it is, but it is a single shot. Pretty well set for semi-auto rifles and pistols for standard and high velocity ammo.
My favorites are the CZ Scouts, I have two 455s and one little 452. I shoot them in adult stocks, and they'll shoot just as well as my CZ 452 American. Maybe better (all with 3-9 scopes, for fair comparison). The 452 Scout is in it's original stock, it sure is handy for various things like shooting raccoons, it has whacked a whole bunch of them. It's just plain fun to fool with.The older 452s are somewhat shorter and lighter than the 455s, due to the threaded portion of all 455 Scout barrels, and the action is lighter because it's not a switch-barrel like all the 455s. They can accommodate .22 WMR and .17HMR, with a barrel change and swapping some magazine parts, that makes them a little heavier, though not enough to matter.
I've also got a couple other CZs with equally short barrels (16.25"), and they are just as good, including the autoloader (CZ 512), oddly enough. Those short barrels really, really shoot.
Ruger American compact. The interchangeable stock modules are really nice. I have weaver mounts that allow the scope to come off and on. The kids shoot it mostly with open sights. The scope goes on for training the kids to use a scope and for me to use squirrel hunting. Versatile little rifle.
Youth can be a wide age range. for small starting out. A Marlin 15y. If you can find one
I still have a Marlin 15y ss with a silver Simmons 4x in 98% or better shape I couldn't get $100 for after the kids outgrew it and I bought them their first individual.22 so now it sits in the back corner of the safe . It was a great training tool, the fiber optic sights made up for their lack of precision by being able to explain easier front /back sight lineup as back is green, front red.
For a repeater, they loved the Henry lever. The youth model is a dandy.
Plus 2 on the CZ Scout!
I've got one that I bought for ME! And, I'm 68 years old!
Bought a 5 shot magazine to replace the single shot adapter, and added a 1" pad so it would fit me better.
Sure is handy for pointing out a truck window, when hunting sage rats in a field.
Virgil B.
If you can find a Remington 580 or 581 you will have a winner IMO... they are extremely light for a young person to carry but the accuracy of these rifles is off the charts in relation to their price point... I bought the one I have for my son when he was about 10 and he loved it then and still does... a bit of a long reach is something young guys tend to deal with pretty easily and they grow into them pretty quickly... in my experience.
Another one to look at would be a Winchester 69 Boy Scout or Youth model. They are kind of hard to find and demand a premium, but they have very nice walnut stocks, are built around a young person's reach, and are extremely accurate. Once your son gets too big for the length of pull, you will easily get your money back out of it by moving it along to another dad with a young son and getting a newer model fit a larger person...
Thanks for all the suggestions fellas. Gave me some ideas that I didn't consider.
Ruger American compact. The interchangeable stock modules are really nice. I have weaver mounts that allow the scope to come off and on. The kids shoot it mostly with open sights. The scope goes on for training the kids to use a scope and for me to use squirrel hunting. Versatile little rifle.
This would be my choice. Opt for the compact or standard and buy the extra butt module to change the length of the stock, it only takes a matter of seconds and you would be purchasing a life-time rifle. Not the prettiest or most accurate but it does have open sights and is easy to mount a scope if you need it.
drover
Ruger American compact. The interchangeable stock modules are really nice. I have weaver mounts that allow the scope to come off and on. The kids shoot it mostly with open sights. The scope goes on for training the kids to use a scope and for me to use squirrel hunting. Versatile little rifle.
This would be my choice. Opt for the compact or standard and buy the extra butt module to change the length of the stock, it only takes a matter of seconds and you would be purchasing a life-time rifle. Not the prettiest or most accurate but it does have open sights and is easy to mount a scope if you need it.
It fills a lot of boxes for not very many dollars.
drover