Want to get my 12 year old into shooting - What Ruger rifle should I purchase?

[Threespears]

My opinion a bolt action rifle. They are accurate. And teach all the basics!
a semi automatic is fun however learning how to hit with the first shot is the most imp thing.

 

[Threespears]

My opinion a bolt action rifle. They are accurate. And teach all the basics!
a semi automatic is fun however learning how to hit with the first shot is the most imp thing.

important …DAMN AUTOCORRECT

 

[gunzo]

I'll vote for the American as well. Teaches the fundamentals of feeding /extracting ammo manually & will save a good bit of ammo over an auto, particularly in the hands of a teen.
I would opt for one with iron sights, and learn & understand them. If a scope is desired, add one later. This way both shooters can learn 2 ways of shooting a rifle.

Be safe, enjoy & value the time spent together. And one more thing, paper targets needed to get sighted in & learning how to aim & hit where you want, but don't forget reactive targets like tin cans, clay birds, etc. That's when the fun begins.

 

[s4s4u]

I bought a 10/22 when my daughter expressed interest in shooting. Works great, still have it. I think we paid $129 @ wally, long time ago

 

[sharpblade7777]

Maybe one of these.

 

[Wyandot Jim]

My (10YO) son's first rifle was a used $75.00 10-22 and grandson's (8YO) was a Henry youth model. Both worked great.
Grandson won VA SASS Buckaroo Championship with a my Marlin 357 Carbine with a cut down stock at 8YO.
Burning thru 22s with a simi is hogwash. Have them buy the 22s or just tell them don't do that.
At a shoot with the Marlin

With a 12 ga.

 

[KIR]

Marksmanship is foremost important, so either a bolt action or a lever to get a kid to slow down and think about what they are doing. It seems to me, I started with a Springfield Model 10 or 15? .22 that one had to load each round, one at a time, before each shot. Then pull back on some sort of bolt that locked into place, then aim/fire.

 

[Hvymax]

My opinion a bolt action rifle. They are accurate. And teach all the basics!
a semi automatic is fun however learning how to hit with the first shot is the most imp thing.

A bolt action can't do anything a properly set up Semi can't do faster. You want to see happy kids hook them up with semi's and a dueling tree!!! Once they are safe and proficient of course.

 

[G2]

1972 my dad gifted me a Winchester 62A pump. (12th birthday) They were produced thru 1958, and we would see them frequently in the gun shops, now they have turned highly collectible with nice examples bringing 1k+. I still have that gun today along with 6 others in various variants, configurations.

I also have 10 - Ruger 10/22's, from early guns (1960's) thru to current offerings.

It's ALWAYS interesting that when I take young men out they like shooting both the Winchester's & Ruger's,,, but the ALWAYS migrate to the pump Winchesters.

The Winchester holds ~15lr. The Ruger 10/22 10lr to 25 in the BX magazine.

They are both very similar in accuracy, however the slower more thoughtful process of the Winchester, the shooters shoot better targets than the semi-auto.

They do burn thru the ammo quicker in the Ruger and get tired of reloading, the reason the Winchester's are the last guns still being shot on the firing line.

Rossi makes a copy of the Winchester ~$330, it's ok but not the quality of the Winchester last made in 1958. Older Rossi's IMO were better in quality and you see them pop up from time to time.

A good decent Shooter Winchester can be had ~$600 +/-.

FWIW; My most favorite Winchester pump 22 is a 1890 22 short octagon barrel that hung out in my neighbors grainery, it is well used, ~10% original finish, 90+% brown rust patina.
The neighbor would let me shoot it around the farm yard growing up. (1970-1980's)
In 2020 I stoped by the family home to visit after hearing of his passing. The Grainery and corrals were all gone to build apartments. Sharring the story of how "Hailey" would let me shoot that 22, next thing I knew they brought out the gun. WOW what a o'l friend,,, gently asked if I could purchase it. Was told NO! and then told me to take it, they knew I would really appreciate it.
A Model 1890, made in 1904.

 

[JBP]

Broke my granddaughter in on a old Marlin single shot then moved her up to my 10/22T and 10/22M. Taught her to use a bolt action on my Marlin 17HMR.

 

[Buck7144]

10/22
Marlin 60
Remington Nylon 66

All the above or a bolt action if you want to teach them restraint on wasting ammunition. The Ruger or Savage bolt actions are great fir the price. If price is not a problem, a Anshutz is always nice and there are many very nice unbelievable accuracy .22s out there.

 

[Buck7144]

Browning and Marlin make very nice lever action rifles. The 39a (?) Marlin is a great take down from many years ago. The Browning is just slicker than a puppies #^=÷!#, testiculars!

 

[Armybrat]

Bolt action for starters, then either a lever or semiauto…

 

[Hvymax]

Bolt action for starters, then either a lever or semiauto…

View attachment 28933

They'll need a Single Action Revolver to go with the lever gun. Maybe a MK to go with the 10-22?

 

[Yoter]

10/22 or American Rimfire 22LR compact (youth) models.

 

[The A Team]

I would start with a bolt action. I find it hard not to empty a magazine no matter how many rounds are in it. My 2nd choice would be the 10/22 with 1 round in each mag.

 

[Busterswoodshop]

I am not going to pick a gun , because there are to many good ones to choose from.
I would though , suggest a bolt action as stated before.
There are a lot of things a kid needs to know about guns before they start waisting ammo.

 

[Apollyon]

Look at these also.

 

[XUSNORDIE]

All my kids started on the same Stevens single shot bolt around 5yrs.......when they mastered irons, they all learned optics through the same Tasco 1 inch 4x on that Stevens......that was enough to graduate them to 243 bolts w/optics when ready to switch from paper to flesh (ground hogs- deer-preds).

My youngest was more enthusiastic.....he took a Brownells and Midway catalog at age 11 and circled what he wanted to build his own AR15. Still have it.

As for Ruger.....my oldest Daughter ( in her mid 30's and she thinks shes old) began shooting my MKII pistol sitting in front of me (and in control) at 5yrs.....today she can rock that pistol.

My kids except from one have already began bickering who gets what from my collection......they all want what they learned on....well, in two years hopefully I'm still breathing and able to present that Stevens to my Grandson (AKA Frogman) and teach him how to use irons and then that old 1 inch Tasco 4x.......after that, the kids will issue the arms of the day I believe. I can already hear the bartering over a few of those guns.....they all have their own memories on them.....

Yes, there are several Rugers they will wrestle over.....

 

[Pps1980]

I went 10/22 for mine and it was a mistake. Got a Ruger American in 22LR and it was an inspired purchase. With the 10/22 he didn't really develop as a rifleman. With the bolt action his marksmanship soared. I knew we were on the right track when he started insisting on the bolt gun be what we took to the range instead of the semi-auto.