Crickett 22 rifles

animalloverbutalsohunter

animalloverbutalsohunter

New member
My 4 year old girl is getting very interested in my shooting habits and told me that she wanted to learn to shoot. Of course she wants a pink rifle. So due to the safety of a single shot with multiple safeties, I was looking at the Crickett in pink. Are these little gun worth anything? How do they shoot? Somewhat accurate and good for a new shooter???
 
I bought one for my daughter quit a few years ago, it went bang everything time she or I pulled the trigger, we only shot cans with it but it seemed just fine for that.
 
I purchased Chipmunk SN# 7XX for my son the day he was born in 1982. Neat little gun with the prettiest little FiddleBack Walnut stock you would ever want to see. They are nice. The only hang up we had is that it is a little difficult for little hands/fingers to cock, and problematic to decock when loaded.

In my opinion an Ithaca 49 Single Shot Saddle gun is the safest, handiest starter rifle ever made.
 
That's what my boys started on 5 years ago. I also have one in my barn for rats and other vermin. Couple mods I have done are: removed the key safety under the breach, epoxy bedded the front sight, added sling swivels, and blue loctite the rear sight screws. The boys now have bigger and better guns but still use these for their trapping rifles. Were not bad purchases for $100 each. FYI. Red Riders come in pink & ammo is whole lot easier to find.
 
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They are difficult for kids to operate safely and do not train kids to use features of real guns (bolt action, manual safety, etc).

Try a Savage, Marlin, or better yet a CZ. Much better guns for just a little more coin.
 
I was thinking about a cricket for my daughter a couple years a ago also. The cocking/de-cocking got me to wondering about safety, and the habits being taught also. So I did a little more looking and decided on a Savage Rascal. I was not disappointed in it at all. Nice little single shot, bolt action, with a safety that can be "engaged" with a round in the chamber just like your big gun. And it comes in pink too.
 
I had a youth instructor tell me they would not allow the Crickets at their classes.

The young shooters would have trouble with safe muzzle direction while cocking.


No personal experience myself.

Chris
 
Sorry for the hijack......animallover what did you ever find out about the rifle you found under the house? Been curious about this since your OP back last summer.
 
I actually have 3 crickets two of them are heavy barrels one still new in the box stainless and pepper laminated gorgeous stock and the other is a red white and blue laminate I have had for years awesome great gun for sq and coon hunting and will shot a one ragged lil hole at 50 yards. They both thumb hole stocks and the other is a regular style small barrel that I bought for my son he is now ten.

He loves it and I do believe that the issue with the safe cocking should be a safety concern with any rifle large or small.
Not looking for an argument just stating a fact snap caps and a lot of empty practice before live rounds is always a must. As we all know little minds wonder lol. Just keep the practice parts short but interesting. .

The only thing I will say neg. About the crickets is that the scope bases are junk I ended up replacing mine with a base from a 500 Mossberg. Or should say the smithy did it . .


Love these little guns ,

Scott
 
The shed hunter: it ended up being an older Mauser. Stock was ruined. Going to take a lot to get it finished. With a new child being born in Oct, my time is very limited!!! So I will get to it eventually.
 
I got the scout for my 8 yr old and it is very nice, and still a little big.

Check out the savage rascall and cub. I think crickets and rascall are smaller than the scout and cub.

For a 4 yro girl the rascal may be the size to go with. I would assume 4-6 yrs use before it is outgrown.

I may reconsider the rascall for my youngest until she can handle the scout.

Basically, I see it as the rascal and cricket as being the very smallest ones, and the next ones intermediate size.
 
I bought one for my son and this year I bought a Rascal for my daughter and the quality is way better with the rascal.
 
Ok after looking at both, I think I'm gunna go with the rascal with the pink stock. I have a 3 month old that will have to learn to shoot also, so I want quality and ease of use. So the rascal wins.

Thanks for all the input
 
I just went through this same question.. I got the cricket and then bought a second 10/22

The issue is that smaller kids are to small for a cricket... Its small, but not small enough, and the hammer was tough for them to use, so i had to sit there and pull the hammer back on each shot. With 2 girls shooting this was a pain.

I had a 10/22 and so i got a second, and then got the AR style replacement stock from Blackhawk for the 10/22. It comes with a 6 position stock. I liked this because it got small enough that they could easily shoot it, and have the stock in their shoulder vs. under it. I also got a scope for it since there really isn't a need to learn to shoot open sights.
The other big thing is that now they are comfortable with the set up and will be able to transition to an AR in 223 easily now that they are getting old enough to hunt with me.

The other bonus is that you and the Mrs. will have a pair of fun to shoot guns that will work for you and them. Also means that it's going to work for them no matter how old they are.
 
Originally Posted By: DoubleCKI purchased Chipmunk SN# 7XX for my son the day he was born in 1982. Neat little gun with the prettiest little FiddleBack Walnut stock you would ever want to see. They are nice. The only hang up we had is that it is a little difficult for little hands/fingers to cock, and problematic to decock when loaded.

In my opinion an Ithaca 49 Single Shot Saddle gun is the safest, handiest starter rifle ever made.

Ill second the Ithaca. My brother gave me one for christmas when I was 12. Nice shooter, cant beat the falling block for simplicity and safety. Still got it today.
 
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