The Lowdown: If there’s a rimfire to challenge the ever popular Ruger 10/22, it’s this, the same company’s latest offering. Adjustable rear peep sight, fiber-optic front sight.Ruger American Rimfire Compact Field & Stream Online Editors Who Should Get It: The kid who is ready to move up from plinking to hunting. Pro-Fire trigger minimizes flinching for novice shooters. Hits: Good fit (minus the safety), and durable design is kid-friendly. Thankfully, the top of the receiver is milled to accept dovetail-compatible rings and is drilled and tapped for a separate scope base. I managed groups measuring close to half an inch with open sights, despite not being able to see the minuscule notch in the rear blade. The adjustable two-stage trigger pulled at 41⁄2 pounds from the factory–not too light for new shooters, yet crisp enough to maximize accuracy. Given this, I found it odd that I had to reach for the thumb safety, which is a bit far forward. The Lowdown: With a shortened trigger reach, thin wrist, and 12-inch length of pull, the new XT-22’s black synthetic stock, while not handsome, is built specifically for young shooters. Adjustable rear sight, front ramp sight.Marlin XT-22YR Field & Stream Online Editors Who Should Get It: The growing cowpoke big enough to handle a near adult-size gun. At over 4 pounds with a 13-inch length of pull, it might be unwieldy for small-frame shooters. Trigger breaks fairly crisply at 3.7 pounds. Hits: No toy, the Henry feels like a real rifle thanks to its quality fit and finish. The receiver is milled for a scope although Chuck Connors didn’t need one, you might because the front blade is so wide it nearly subtended an 8-inch bull’s-eye at 25 yards. The Henry’s crisp action and solid heft add grown-up appeal to this youth-size lever, and with its 12-round tubular magazine, it was tempting for me to re-enact the opening of The Rifleman on the range.

The Lowdown: Despite Lone Ranger’s bombing at the box office, kids still want to play cowboy (not to mention adults, see “This Just In,” p. Elevation-adjustable rear blade sight, hooded front blade sight.Who Should Get It: The absolute beginning young shooter. Misses: The action-lock button’s placement makes it too easy to engage when handling the rifle on the range. Hits: Sized right for small hands and easy to operate, with several built-in safety features. At 3 pounds, the trigger is a little light for youngsters, but some creep makes it feel heavier. Fifty yards was a little long for the pinhole-size peep sight–at least for these aging eyes–but at 25 yards the Crickett was very accurate, shooting cloverleafs measuring less than 3⁄4 inch. A push-button lock on the underside of the action prevents bolt operation when engaged. The bolt opens the action for loading a single cartridge, then users must pull the plunger back to cock the rebounding firing pin. The Lowdown: I expected the Crickett to feel like a toy, but it’s surprisingly like a real rifle, albeit on a downsized scale. Adjustable rear peep sight, front ramp blade.Crickett 22 LR Field & Stream Online Editors

Pull the pin challenge 21 4 moves