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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:28:27 PM EDT
I have three 10/22s and a Marlin semi auto as well. But I'm looking to get my daughter her own gun. She is six and is strong enough to shoot but I don't want to start her with a semi auto and the 10/22 might still be a little big. Would the Cricket be a good place to start? I've never shot one. Do they function fine and are they accurate enough? Even if she only used it for a year, I have two boys that would learn on it too. Using sub sonics, we could do a ton of back yard shooting.
Thanks for any help. 
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:31:45 PM EDT
[#1]
Purchased a pink one for my B.I.L. as a joke. After putting rounds through it I'd say it's a good enough purchase
for an adult, not just a child. A fun little plinker. Doen't hurt that he had it threaded for a muffler a few months later.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:33:12 PM EDT
[#2]
bought a pink one for my daughter when she was 5 or 6.
she's a tall, well-coordinated kid, and she handled the Crickett easily. she's outgrown it now; she probably wants one of mine, now. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:36:19 PM EDT
[#3]
The rear peep sight is a bit primitive, other than that a good gun for the money.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:39:25 PM EDT
[#4]
i have 9 of them. yes, nine.
i have 7 kids, and each one gets one on their first birthday. i engrave the wood, with their name and birthdate and from us. when relatives come over their kids shoot the other two. the kids have a good time and we do to. i recommend them. just shop around, they can really vary in price. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:39:30 PM EDT
[#5]
My 3 yr old with his Chipmunk .22
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:39:31 PM EDT
[#6]
I thought the cricket felt like junk, I chose Savage Cubs for my 6yo daughter and 8yo son.
They are real rifles, laminate stock on hers and a walnut on his, they have the adjustable Savage Accutrigger just like big guns. Real nice peep sites also. No offense to the cricket lovers, but they feel like a toy. The girl here is not mine, but that's my boy in the middle 
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:39:44 PM EDT
[#7]
I've had a Cricket and a Henry Mini Bolt and the Henry won hands down. The Cricket was difficult to manipulate, had inferior sights and a horrible trigger. Based on my experience, the Henry is a much better rifle. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:43:50 PM EDT
[#8]
I like the Mini Bolt much more than the Cricket as well....unfortunately, it costs more too!
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:46:32 PM EDT
[#9]
Like shoes or clothes your kids will outgrow it quick. But for the 5-8 year olds it's pretty perfect.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:47:47 PM EDT
[#10]
http://www.tcarms.com/firearms/youth_hot_shot.php
I like this alot better, easier for my son to manipulate the action. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:48:03 PM EDT
[#11]
I have one for when the girls visit.
I,can't find the damn key to the lock! |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:48:52 PM EDT
[#12]
My brother in law got his daughters the Thompson Hot Shot youth models in pink camo. It is a neat little break open rifle and something a little different than a standArd bolt action.
39 |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:50:12 PM EDT
[#13]
Quoted:
I've had a Cricket and a Henry Mini Bolt and the Henry won hands down.
The Cricket was difficult to manipulate, had inferior sights and a horrible trigger.
Based on my experience, the Henry is a much better rifle.
A Henry... That's interesting. My FIL has a Big Boy .357 and loves the Henry guns. What does the Henry run in cost? |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:50:14 PM EDT
[#14]
just unscrew the lock. we only have one that came with a lock, i thought they were going to the locking version, so I bought it anyway. only to find out you can still buy new ones without the lock.
just unscrew the stock and take the lock out. then put a wood plug in the hole or leave it. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:52:20 PM EDT
[#15]
I prefer the savage of similar stature. Better sights and an accutrigger to boot!
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:53:36 PM EDT
[#16]
CZ Scout
Comes with a dummy clip and then you can purchase a 6-7 round clip when they are ready for it in the future. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:54:14 PM EDT
[#17]
I went with the Rossi matched Pair.. 22/410.. My son is 15 now and still use it from time to time.. it takes the same scope mount as a T/C Encore so putting a RDS or scope is easy as they get older.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 5:59:43 PM EDT
[#18]
Same here Dad
 But got him a Chipmunk and THEN later turned him on to the semi
"Dad why didn't you give me this from the start? 
 
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:04:26 PM EDT
[#19]
<–––––––– Marlin Fan!
915YS. Accurate. Great sights. Easiest of the single shots to load IMO. Here it is sporting a Burris Mini 4X. Tiny rifle, tiny scope. 
It turns in 50 yard groups like this with Federal bulk: 
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:07:36 PM EDT
[#20]
We went with Crickets. I can't see spending more money for a rifle they will outgrow so quickly. They are accurate, they are FUN, and kids love them. Good choice, IMO.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:08:05 PM EDT
[#21]
cricket is an awesome gun. I got one for my 8 YO. I use is more than my own 10/22. darn thing just doesn't miss.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:09:24 PM EDT
[#22]
Dang it guys! Too many options... This may need more poll.
What are the poll options? |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:12:40 PM EDT
[#23]
I have a Cricket for my kids. The spent cartridge cases wouldn't extract so I send it back. When i got it back, it still wouldn't extract. I did try many brands of ammo and none would extract reliably. The bolt would either be too hard for the kid to pull back w/spent cartridge, or the extractor would slip over the rim. Every time I would bring it to shoot I had to make sure I had a pocketknife with me to remove the spent case. This would happen every fourth or fifth shot.
I didn't send it back right away, but when I did, the gunshop owner looked at the warranty card and said I'd barely made it in before the warranty was set to expire. I don't remember 1 or 2 yrs, but short warranty time. IMO the Cricket is junk. Up there with the worst of the guns I've ever owned. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:13:23 PM EDT
[#24]
Started my boy with a Cricket also.. Fine little gun.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:14:28 PM EDT
[#25]
Bought one for my nephew, he has never shot it and has no interest. He would rather sit and eat while playing video games
Going to buy one for my daughter though, she is only 8 months old right now so I have time yet. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:19:26 PM EDT
[#26]
The Savage Rascal is a much better built gun for not much more money. Hell, it even comes with the accutrigger.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:38:48 PM EDT
[#27]
Go ahead and get the compact version of the 10/22. They make a single round magazine for it and when the time is right to move up in size all you really need is the adult stock. It is the rifle that can grow with the child.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:41:39 PM EDT
[#28]
The Cricket was the first gun I bought for my son, back on his 6th birthday. He's way outgrown it now, but it was a good rifle to train him on. I still take it out and shoot it every now and then. It's fun as Hell to do some backyard plinking with Super Colibri rounds.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:54:48 PM EDT
[#29]
I have two for my kids. My youngest daughter is due to get hers soon. She may get this one as my
daughter in this picture is 10 now and needs a larger rifle now. Maybe a bolt action .223 
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Posted: 6/19/2012 6:57:27 PM EDT
[#30]
We had Chipmunks before the Cricket came out and they were awesome. Other guys I know have used Crickets and they were fine. Here is a pic of the secret to using them. Once your kid is safe and gtg you need to install my patented upgrade. Then they can cock it themselves easily.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:05:23 PM EDT
[#31]
Savage Cub is a better gun IMO.
Added plus is that the action cocks on closing, like a real gun. Eliminates fumbling and unsafe handling when little ones are trying to cock the Cricket. The CZ is my second choice. Chipmunk and Cricket are distant third. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:09:18 PM EDT
[#32]
My 7 yr old just tried my 10/22 a few weeks ago after turning him loose with my 1000 fps air rifle for a few hours. He got used to loading it, so I figured he would have fun with a true repeater. Now if he can get his muzzle and trigger discipline down, I will give him my tube fed marlin. Until then, he gets the air rifle.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:09:20 PM EDT
[#33]
The Crickets, Chipmunks, and so on are great for little kids, and I recommend adding a dot scope on top to help the kid get started with great success.
The only problem with these rifles is that they are so tiny the kids grow out of them quickly. My daughter won a Chipmunk at the 1st Black Rifle Convention (she's 21 years old now!) and grew out of it in about a year; it was so tiny she was embarrassed to shoot the rifle! I guess I'll hang onto it for the day I get grandkids. I might be to old and doddery by then. You should also look for an old single shot Remington or Winchester. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:11:05 PM EDT
[#34]
Quoted:
CZ Scout Comes with a dummy clip and then you can purchase a 6-7 round clip when they are ready for it in the future. Highest quality of the small rifles out there! It does have a slightly longer length of pull which means it will fit them a little longer. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:15:03 PM EDT
[#35]
Quoted:
Quoted:
CZ Scout Comes with a dummy clip and then you can purchase a 6-7 round clip when they are ready for it in the future. Highest quality of the small rifles out there! It does have a lightly longer length of pull which means it will fit them a little longer. I went this route also. Purchased it before my son was born. He's 13 months now so still a ways to go. I wanted this to be an "Heirloom rifle" |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:16:29 PM EDT
[#36]
Quoted:
We went with Crickets. I can't see spending more money for a rifle they will outgrow so quickly. They are accurate, they are FUN, and kids love them. Good choice, IMO. One of the great things about the Crickett is that you have to cock it. It is not hot when you close the bolt like most single-shot guns; a good feature for teaching young'uns how to shoot.. As far as outgrowing it goes; I can still shoot mine fine. I look kinda like a monkey fucking a football; but I can shoot it accurately. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:18:31 PM EDT
[#37]
The first rifle my kids shot was a 308. They loved it. They were 6 and 8. That same year for Christmas I bought them 10/22's and they said they liked the 308 better.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:38:22 PM EDT
[#38]
Poll!
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:39:03 PM EDT
[#39]
Got my son a Henry mini-bolt and he loved it for about a year.He has a S&W15-22 with 6 mags he can load himself.Once they see the magazine fed stuff single shot goes out of style quick!I still shoot it for pest squirrels or feral cats.Now he is saving cans and selling pocket knives for H&Ks 22MP5.Kids have expensive taste these days!
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:39:04 PM EDT
[#40]
10/22 youth stock and lightweight barrel http://www.midwayusa.com/product/261189/tactical-solutions-barrel-ruger-10-22-22-long-rifle-920-diameter-1-in-16-twist-16-1-2-fluted-aluminum-matte-black
ETA: Get a match hammer and sear to reduce the trigger pull weight too. ETA2: And put a red dot sight on it |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:46:28 PM EDT
[#41]
Anschutz.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:54:32 PM EDT
[#42]
IM sent.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:55:48 PM EDT
[#43]
I have the cricket and a Henry mini bolt. The Henry is way more accurate. The Henry has slayed many ground squirrels, coons, rabbits, and even a coyote
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Posted: 6/19/2012 7:56:54 PM EDT
[#44]
got my son a marlin 795 last Christmas. he was 6. it was a tad long but now its perfect. he loves it. i like to shoot it too. pretty accurate. he will be able to shoot it for a loooong time.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 8:06:53 PM EDT
[#45]
Quoted:
I went with the Rossi matched Pair.. 22/410.. My son is 15 now and still use it from time to time.. it takes the same scope mount as a T/C Encore so putting a RDS or scope is easy as they get older. I have a .22/20ga youth model earmarked for my granddaughter (now 2) when she gets old enough. 
It's not new, I originally bought it for myself before she was born. Got it from a friend with the intention of putting on an adult stock. But ended up keeping it the way it was. Shot it quite a bit with the .22LR barrel, but now it's semi-retired until she starts shooting.
ETA: I have the rail for it, but it's gone back to iron sights for now. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 8:07:53 PM EDT
[#46]
I bought my daughter the pink Savage Cub. She loves it. I put a rds that I had laying around on it. At 50yds [off the bench] she is hell on gatoradebottles! The Cub seems extremely accurate, and the accu trigger is really nice.
I made the mistake of letting her try my dedicated 22 AR a couple of weeks ago, and now its the only one she wants to shoot. Just today, she told me that she wants a 22 AR for her birthday, with a pink stock. Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 8:12:05 PM EDT
[#47]
Find a Remington 51X series .22, they are cheap, (except for the 513
 ) I paid 80 bucks for mine, easy to shoot and more accurate than all but the best Olympic grade shooters can shoot.
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Posted: 6/19/2012 8:13:45 PM EDT
[#48]
tag. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 8:33:44 PM EDT
[#49]
The window of practical use for those is so small. Get a real 10/22. You can get takeoff stocks cheap. Chop one down on a chop saw. Let them use that until they get big enough for the real thing.
Now they have a lifetime rifle instead of a childhood toy. |
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Posted: 6/19/2012 8:33:53 PM EDT
[#50]
Take Calvin off of the cocaine please.
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