Finally got the 10 year old to the range today. We shot my old bolt-action .22 and he had a great time. I need to get him something lighter and with a shorter length of pull though. The Cricket is out as I think he’s beyond that already.
I was looking at the CZ 452 SCOUT but am not sure how common that gun is.
any other suggestions? Anyone know the LOP on the Ruger 77/22? I can’t find the information on Ruger’s site.
Taurus is re-manufacturing two old Winchester designs in 22 rifles… One pump and one semi auto… They are both classic American designs and would be great kids rifles…
Just my .02
Buck
I honestly don’t think you’ll find a nice rifle than the little CZ 452 Scout, they’re fantastic firearms.
I recently found a Henry Mini-Bolt Youth rifle on another board.
I am excited to get my two younger daughters to the range when it warms up a bit!
Buckaroo
Savage MARK II-GY Youth
I think the CZ you’re looking at is the best bet however the savage has 10 round magazine, ect for proper bolt training
http://www.savagearms.com/markiigy.htm
There’s a mess of J.C. Higgins, Marlin,Savage, and Mossbergs for $100-$150 at gun shows. They’re great for cutting down the LOP and meant to get dinged up. Big plus if they have a peep sight.
I’ve used open and peep sighted .22’s to teach the wife, both kids and a few friends. Once they get comfortable and proficient, they’ll develop their own preference for action type, brand, model and optics and such. All of them have gone different directions. The wife went with a Browning T-Bolt with peep sights, the girl child took over one of my Ruger 77/22’s with a 2-7x, and the boy child went with a Marlin 39 lever gun with open sights.
I would highly recommend the CZ scout. My two sons have owned one for almost 7 years, now. It has been a very durable, reliable and accurate little .22 rifle.
another +1 for the CZ 452
I bought a CZ 452 Scout for the kids and it’s a great rifle.
What do you want to accomplish and how much do you want to spend?
What will you buy when he out-grows this one?
What will he ultimately shoot?
How long will it be until he can shoot one of your Commandos?
Children grow. Quickly. This nine-year-old’s brothers, 20 and 13, are over six feet tall. LOP is adjustable. The GripPod supports the weight. Teaching positions is tough as his body is constantly changing. So we have focused on sight alignment/sight picture, trigger manipulation and breathing until he is better able to stand and shoot. If he learns these now he can shoot most anything later. YMMV.
I like the bolt action because I think it teaches trigger-discipline. I see kids out at the public range far too often that are just blasting away while their idiot parents stand behind them with a giant grin, nobody having any idea where those rounds are actually going.
I want something with some kind of capacity and detachable magazine. Something like a 10-round detachable would be nice.
I really like the Ruger 77/22, but I don’t know LOP and I’m not really wanting to get into chopping down stocks. I’d go with the CZ over the Ruger if the only way to get the Ruger short is to chop it.
Cost is a non-issue. The CZs appear to be in the $250 range which would be a nice compromise price level.
This is strictly a plinking gun. I don’t hunt anything other than hogs, .22s aren’t much for hog hunting, and the boy probably won’t ever be much of a hunter.
The CZ is basically a miniture Mauser, they’re beautifully made rifles.
The Scout comes with a blind mag so that you can hand them one round at a time, but they also have 5 and 10 round mags available.
I’d buy a CZ 452 over a Ruger 77/22, although the Rugers are nice rifles too.
My biggest thought with the 77/22 is that it would function as my toy too. 
I’m considering a 77/22 purchase as a nice suppressor host, and like that it takes the 10/22 mags.
CZ makes a rifle that comes threaded from the factory, with a single set trigger…
Rob,
The posts about kids outgrowing the CZ 452 Scout are valid. My two boys are now 6’1, and 6’2" and have practically outgrown the Scout, however we still shoot it.
I shoot the Scout and I’m 5’10".
I also own two Ruger 77/22’s and I would think the LOP will be a little long for the average 10 year old. As we know from shooting carbine’s, it’s easier to shoot a gun that’s too short for you than to try to shoot one that’s too long. I don’t believe there’s an alternative to a 77/22 beyond cutting the stock, and even if cost is no object, the 77/22 is twice the price of the Scout. Honestly, the Ruger 77/22’s are not widely regarded for their accuracy, either, although I am happy with mine. (I expected typical .22 rimfire plinker accuracy, not benchrest)
It’s not a bolt action, but if I had it to do over again, I think I may have purchased each of my boys a Ruger 10/22 compact, although that model wasn’t offered at the time. It has a shorter length of pull than the standard carbines and the barrel is also 2" shorter. It is a semi auto, but to begin with, you can single load the magazine. In my experience, youthful shooters learn to manipulate whichever action type as quickly as humanly possible and will burn ammo at an alarming rate, no matter what action type you equip them with. You can instill the fundamentals by single loading in the beginning, and beyond that rate of fire is only limited by magazine capacity.
Bought the Sout for my son when he was 10. Best firearm i could have bought. He’s 12 now and loves it. He comes in to clean it when I’m cleaning firearms. He’s taken full ownership of the rifle. Shoots well, good balance, nice quality. Not much more than you can ask for.
Trigger discipline? Controlled pairs (Sight Picture; Press; Reset; Sight Picture; Press; Reset; Sight Picture): 48 of 50 in the 8-inch circle at 50 yards, prone. Last shot for this session was one to the brain; no need for follow-up. The light green circle has helped him to focus on sight picture while he works on breathing, trigger control and follow-through.
What do you want to do with it…?
My goal is that when he’s 13, he trains with Pat.
[A]nd how much do you want to spend?
Kuehl Upper? $300, used.
Aimpoint ML2 with LaRue mount? $325 (thanks, molsen!)
Cost of ammo? Less than a buck.
Brain shot? Priceless. 
You could train with this, too.
I just picked up a Marlin 22 bolt action for my daughter. Its a single shot and I didnt think I would like it but its a great gun for her.
My first Bolt gun was an ANSCHÜTZ Woodchucker. I don’t know if they still make it, though, and the LOP might be too short for him already. I think my father gave me mine at age 8 or 9.
I’ve sold and traded a bunch of guns over the years, and many that I wish I’d kept, but I STILL have that little gun!
http://www.dnmsport.com/EXTRAS/ANSCHUTZ%20WOODCHUCKER%20BOLT%20ACTION%20RIFLE%2022LR.htm
Looks like they were only made in the mid 80’s, which is about right.
I may need to order me one of those cases!