Best first .22 and youth rifle: Crickett, Rascal, Henry Mini Bolt, CZ 457 Scout, Ruger American Compact

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Quick answer

For small children starting out, a single-shot such as the Savage Rascal ($179, 11.25 in LOP, 2.71 lb), the Keystone Crickett ($179–$259, 11.5 in LOP) or the Henry Mini Bolt Youth G2 ($335, 11.5 in LOP) keeps things slow and simple. For older kids who'll keep the rifle, a repeater that grows with them is better value: the CZ 457 Scout ($649, 12 in LOP, single-shot adapter included) or the Ruger American Rimfire Compact ($469, 12.5 in LOP, standard-length modules sold separately). Fit and supervision matter more than brand.

What makes a good first rifle?

Fit: length of pull (LOP) short enough that the child can hold the rifle without leaning back. The adult standard is about 13.5–14 in; youth rifles run 11.25–12.5 in.
Weight: light enough to hold for a few seconds offhand, though most first shots are from a rest.
Simple, slow operation: single-shots force one round at a time, which helps teach the safety rules.
Good sights: peep sights teach sight alignment; a small scope helps once fundamentals are set.
An adult in charge: every youth rifle maker stresses supervision. Store the rifle locked and unloaded, with ammo separate.

Youth rifles compared

Rifle	Action	Barrel	Trigger	Magazine	Optic mount	Weight (lb)	MSRP (source, date, confidence)	Aftermarket depth	NRL22 fit
Savage Rascal (13775)	Single-shot bolt; cocks on bolt lift	16.13 in, 1:16	AccuTrigger 2.5 lb	Single-shot	Peep sights	2.71	$179 Savage MSRP. source, 2026-10-12, conf: high	Low	Not allowed: NRL22 requires removable magazines
Keystone Crickett	Single-shot bolt; manual cocking	16.12 in	Factory	Single-shot	Open sights	—	$179 Keystone MSRP $179-$259 by stock/finish. source, 2026-10-12, conf: med	Low	Not allowed: NRL22 requires removable magazines
Henry Mini Bolt Youth G2	Single-shot bolt	Stainless (see Henry spec)	Factory	Single-shot	Fiber-optic sights	3.25	$335 Henry MSRP. source, 2026-10-11, conf: high	Low	Not allowed: NRL22 requires removable magazines
CZ 457 Scout	Bolt; youth stock	16.5 in threaded	Adjustable	Single-shot adapter; takes 457 mags	11 mm dovetail; open sights	~5	$649 CZ-USA product page $649 (a third-party 2026 list shows $549). source, 2026-10-12, conf: high	Very high (shares 457 parts)	Base: leaves ~$1,001 for scope
Ruger American Rimfire Compact (8303)	Bolt; 60-degree throw	18 in (8306 threaded 1/2-28)	Marksman Adjustable 3-5 lb	BX-1 10-rd (accepts 10/22 mags)	3/8 in rimfire base; drilled for Weaver #12	5.3	$469 Ruger suggested retail $469 (8306 threaded: $499-$509). source, 2026-10-12, conf: high	Medium	Base: leaves ~$1,181 for scope
Mossberg 802 Plinkster (38230)	Bolt	18 in free-floating, 1:16	Factory	10-rd box	3/8 in dovetail; fiber-optic sights	4.0	$231 MSRP as listed by retailers. source, 2026-10-12, conf: med	Low	Base price-eligible (not competitive)

MSRPs from the maker where available, otherwise labeled retailer listings, checked Oct 2026. Aftermarket depth and NRL22 fit are our editorial summaries (NRL22 Base: rifle plus scope MSRP up to $1,650). Specs are published figures, not our measurements.

Rifle	LOP	Weight	Feed	MSRP	Notable
Savage Rascal	11.25 in	2.71 lb	Single-shot	$179 ^[1]	Cocks on bolt lift; unloads without pulling the trigger; AccuTrigger; peep sights; left-hand SKUs
Keystone Crickett	11.5 in	—	Single-shot, manual cocking	$179–$259 ^[2]	Many stock colors and finishes
Henry Mini Bolt Youth G2	11.5 in	3.25 lb	Single-shot	$335 ^[3]	Williams fiber-optic sights
CZ 457 Scout	12 in	~5 lb	Single-shot adapter; takes 457 mags	$649 ^[4]	Threaded 16.5 in; full 457 parts system ^[5]
Ruger American Rimfire Compact 8303	12.5 in	5.3 lb	10-rd BX-1	$469 ^[6]	Compact comb modules; threaded 8306 at $499–$509 ^[7]

Single-shot or repeater?

A single-shot slows the pace, makes every round deliberate, and lets an adult check the rifle between shots. The Rascal's design (cocking on bolt lift, unloading without pulling the trigger) targets exactly that ^[1]. The downside is that kids outgrow single-shots quickly. A repeater with a single-shot adapter, like the CZ 457 Scout, gives you both: start one round at a time, then move to magazines when they're ready ^[8].

Will it grow with them?

CZ 457 Scout: the barreled action can go into adult 457 stocks or chassis later, and it takes the same barrels, triggers and mounts as any 457 (CZ 457 parts).
Ruger American Rimfire Compact: Ruger sells standard-length modules, so you can lengthen the stock ^[7].
Single-shots (Rascal, Crickett, Mini Bolt) usually stay youth rifles. They're cheap enough to pass on to the next child.
Tikka T1x: no factory youth model, but spacers adjust LOP slightly. It's better for teens and adults.

Our range results (coming soon)

This box will hold our own groups, chronograph data and photos for this topic once we've shot and recorded them. Until then, every accuracy number on this page comes from the published source cited next to it. We have not tested these rifles or products hands-on for this article.

Iron sights or a scope?

Start with iron or peep sights to teach sight alignment, breathing and trigger press at 10–25 yd. Add a small, light scope once groups are consistent. A Vortex Crossfire II 2-7x32 Rimfire ($129) suits a youth rifle; a large target scope is too heavy for small arms. The Scout and the RAR Compact have dovetails for rimfire rings.

Safety gear and setup for kids

Hearing protection that fits small heads: electronic muffs such as the Howard Leight Impact Sport or plugs (foam plugs). Doubling up is common for .22 at indoor ranges.
Eye protection: Radians shooting glasses kit.
A stable rest so they aren't holding weight: Caldwell DeadShot rear bag plus a front bag or bipod (Harris S-LM).
Reactive targets keep it fun: Champion spinner, Shoot-N-C bullseyes.

Ammo for beginners

Quiet, standard-velocity ammo has less noise and less fuss: CCI Standard Velocity or, at very short range, CCI Quiet-22. Avoid mixing many ammo types early. Consistency makes it easier to see progress.

A first-session plan

Go over the four rules at home first, then again at the range.
Dry-fire practice with an adult checking that the rifle is empty.
Five single rounds at 10 yd on a big target from a rest.
Stop while it's still fun. Short sessions build skill faster.
Look into a hunter-education or youth-shooting course (4-H Shooting Sports, Scouting programs and many clubs run them).

Which should you buy?

Ages roughly 5–8, first rifle: Rascal or Crickett.
Ages roughly 8–12: Henry Mini Bolt or a CZ 457 Scout with its single-shot adapter.
Teens heading to NRL22: note that NRL22 requires removable magazines ^[9], so single-shots can't compete. Options: RAR Compact, CZ 457 Scout, or an adult rifle with a short stock. See best by budget.

Age ranges are guidelines only: fit the rifle to the child's size and maturity.

FAQ

What is the best first rifle for a child?

For young beginners, single-shot youth rifles like the Savage Rascal ($179, 11.25 in LOP) or Keystone Crickett (11.5 in LOP) are popular. Older kids often do better with a CZ 457 Scout (12 in LOP) or Ruger American Rimfire Compact (12.5 in LOP) that grows with them.

What length of pull does a youth rifle need?

Youth rifles typically have an 11.25–12.5 in LOP, compared with about 13.5–14 in for adult rifles. Fit it to the child: they shouldn't have to lean back to hold the rifle.

Does the CZ 457 Scout take magazines?

Yes. It ships with a single-shot adapter and accepts standard CZ 457 magazines.

Is a bolt action or a semi-auto better for kids?

Most instructors start kids on single-shot or bolt rifles because they slow the pace and make each shot deliberate.

Sources

Confidence: maker specs and prices are high confidence as of the date seen; forum and owner reports are low–medium confidence and labeled as such.

Not affiliated with Sako/Tikka, CZ, Bergara, Ruger, Savage or any retailer. We have not tested products hands-on for these guides; figures come from cited sources. Affiliate disclosure · Privacy · Terms · Rimfire Builds is operated by Tomahawk Designs LLC, Utah · [email protected]