Considering youth rifle as birth gift for upcoming child... recommendations?

[RockIsland]

My first rifle was a Marlin/Glenfield Model 25
I would guess I was around 8 or 10 years old. I know I got it before I could hunt and I started hunting at 12.



I guess it depends on when you want to start them out. Much smaller single shots (Chipmunk) can be had for younger/smaller kids, but they don't really make sense a a "lifelong" rifle, since they are too small to shoot after you "grow up".

Marlin 25 was my youngest's first rifle. I think I got it for him when he was 7 or 8.

Now he has an AR, a Bersa 223 .22, and a 9mm CZ clone.

Just got his Hunter Ed card in the mail, time for a deer rifle.

He decided on his own, not to take part in the march for his life.

[PaleDriver]

Idea:
Purchase a full sized rifle on the day they are born, write Happy Birthday on the receipt, laminate the receipt. Present gift on 18th birthday.

Buy a kids rifle with less ceremony or on a birthday when you decide to start teaching them. I think the full size rifle would mean more after you are gone rather than one they can no longer use.

[Delkal]

Before my son was ready to shoot I bought a .22 for him to use. When he was old enough I told him the rifle was his now. He was very happy and proud but I think down deep he always thought this was one of my rifles (he never said anything, just a feeling I got).

When my daughter was 9-10 she needed a shorter rifle to start with. I did some research at the gunshop (and pretty much made up my mind which one to get) but when I went to pick it up I brought my daughter to look at them. She ended up liking the one I did and I bought it for her. I can't believe how excited she got and there was never any question. This was HER rifle.

She is in her 20's now and had her boyfriend over one evening. We were looking at my firearms and she asked.......Where is MY .22? I got it out and she told her boyfriend the whole story. By the look on her face you can still tell she loves it. And she still wants to take it out every time we go shooting (even though it is way too small for her now).

This is just my random observation. There is no right or wrong answer to the question.

[sota]

Henry's can be ordered with custom serial numbers, at no additional charge. I have several with my initials and birth date, and a Henry Golden Boy with my son's on it. He currently shoots a henry youth model with a fitted stock (original is in a box, waiting for him to grow up a bit.) Once he's big enough to shoot the full sized Golden Boy I'll "give" it to him on his birthday. Later if he does something interesting I'll get him a custom engraved receiver cover and swap it on.

[Billy Blaze]

I didn't find mention of their serial number requests but did find this: https://henrypride.com/collections/r...nt=18464021446

[sota]

just call the customer service number and tell them you'd like to order a rifle with a custom serial number. last time I did it, they had me send an email in with the exact serial numbers I wanted, and the distributor to send the rifles to. Check with your preferred FFL for the distributor they use. It wasn't a terribly complicated affair (i've done it twice so far), but the first time my rifles did wind up going to ISIS by accident.

(there's a story behind that.)

[Twoboxer]

Reading the OP, I keyed in on 2 things you put forward as requirements . . . something useful for the child as a youth, and something useful long term.

IMO everyone should have a 22LR in their collection. Single action and lever action do not seem useful to me over the long term, and semi-auto doesn't seem right as a first youth rifle. So, a CZ or Ruger bolt action 22LR rifle seems like the sweet spot. Anything else may prove situational.

As for personalizing it, you can get a small plate engraved and attach it to the forend or butt. In this way, the child can hand it down if/as (s)he sees fit, and engrave it again to commemorate the rifle's lineage.

JMO of course - have fun deciding!!

[slickracer]

A Ruger American Rimfire would be ideal. The interchangeable stock inserts allow the gun to grow with the shooter and a bolt action is better for learning in my opinion.

[sota]

Reading the OP, I keyed in on 2 things you put forward as requirements . . . something useful for the child as a youth, and something useful long term.

IMO everyone should have a 22LR in their collection. Single action and lever action do not seem useful to me over the long term, and semi-auto doesn't seem right as a first youth rifle. So, a CZ or Ruger bolt action 22LR rifle seems like the sweet spot. Anything else may prove situational.

As for personalizing it, you can get a small plate engraved and attach it to the forend or butt. In this way, the child can hand it down if/as (s)he sees fit, and engrave it again to commemorate the rifle's lineage.

JMO of course - have fun deciding!!

Granted I am a data point of 1, but I can say my kid LOVES lever action. I can only assume it's because it calls to his still active inner child that wants to play Cowboys and Indians. Probably doesn't hurt that daddy loves to shoot his lever action as well, and we do it as a team sometimes.

When I went down the road of what to get him, lots of people were telling me to get a daisy or some other single shot bolt gun. I looked at them, looked at my kid and how and what he plays (he's a MASSIVE history buff at the learned age of 10 now), and decided that the investment in a Henry Youth was worth the money. So far I can't say i've been disappointed.

[j_h_smith]

I would hold off on buying that rifle for a little while. When you child is old enough to shoot, take them to the gun store and let them be a part of the purchase. It will mean a lot to them if they are part of that decision. They will thank you years later.