A Chipmunk 22 rimfire rifle instead of a handgun for small g

[AkRay]

I've carried 22 lr handguns as guns of opportunity for small game gathering for the past quarter century, and I've been fairly happy with them. Handy size and weight, and immediately available are the qualities inherent to this class of firearm that I appreciate the most. However, the main thing that gets me is that hearing protection is necessary when shooting them. They're too loud. I'm not interested in getting rid of my rimfire handguns because I enjoy target practicing with and just owning them. They're fun to hand to a younger shooter who might not like shooting a centerfire handgun. My 10 yr old doesn't mind shooting a 22 revolver or pistol.

I've been thinking lately that a Rogue River Chipmunk 22 might be a better tool for this specific purpose. It's a quality made rifle, but at the same time it's 1/3 to 1/2 the price of most quality rimfire handguns. It weighs about 2 1/2 pounds. Even though the rifle is undersized for me, it still has a 16" barrel and a rear peep sight so it's a little easier to shoot with accuracy. Its overall length will make it a little harder than a beltgun to carry along, especially when paired with a standard centerfire hunting rifle, but it might be possible to work around that. If nothing else, it should work well when taken down powerline cuts and side roads in my Jeep Wrangler. I think I'll try it this fall and see what kind of results I get.

[Canuck Bob]

My baby girls are 7 and 9 and will start with a 22 rifle. A new model 30 Stevens is already in the safe for early training. I downloaded the Marine rifle Manual for a teaching aid. There is a wonderful Lee Enfield manual called "Shoot to Live" I'm searching for.

I'm planning a Chipmunk each as thier own first guns when thier a little older, peep sight and all.

Pistols aren't an option here but I would still start them on a rifle if it was.

[Old Ironsights]

I have a Henry MiniBolt that I use for that purpose when not using it to teach younguns.

For the same reason I think an H&R/Rossi "Snake Charmer" or other tiny .410 beats the heck out of a "Judge"...

[Canuck Bob]

My baby girls are 7 and 9 and will start with a 22 rifle. A new model 30 Stevens is already in the safe for early training. I downloaded the Marine rifle Manual for a teaching aid. There is a wonderful Lee Enfield manual called "Shoot to Live" I'm searching for.

I'm planning a Chipmunk each as thier own first guns when thier a little older, peep sight and all.

Pistols aren't an option here but I would still start them on a rifle if it was.

Edit: Sorry thought the heading was for a small girl!!! If I could i would carry a pistol.

[AkRay]

This rifle is sized right for younger shooters, but I'm interested in trying something else for the grouse and ptarmigan I find while out hunting. I always have a powerful rifle or handgun along, but I don't shoot small game with those. I'm interested in finding out if a small sized rifle would work better for me. Easier on the ears while still being handy enough to carry along is mainly what I'm interested in.

[Rusty]

IIRC when the Chipmunk was first introduced around 30 something years ago there was an option for it that was a full sized stock that would hold the pint sized action. My brother in law bought a kid's model for his son, but I never could aim it. Not enough drop in the stock for my fat chipmunk cheeks.

[Old Ironsights]

This rifle is sized right for younger shooters, but I'm interested in trying something else for the grouse and ptarmigan I find while out hunting. I always have a powerful rifle or handgun along, but I don't shoot small game with those. I'm interested in finding out if a small sized rifle would work better for me. Easier on the ears while still being handy enough to carry along is mainly what I'm interested in.

Of course the Crossman 1377 IS really the ticket for those situations...

[86er]

My boys use a Cricket and I can shoot it very well too. It would serve your purpose well.

[Pete44ru]

I've tried the early Chipmunk I bought for my Grandson when he was a baby (he's 20 y.o.now), and found it hard to get my face down far enough on the stock to sight it.

I had to actually sight it from behind the buttplate.

Being very small, though, it made a neat camping rifle, to take along with the family.

.

[ollogger]

have you tried 22 shorts in your gun?
ive shot them & there is less crack outta my revolver

[MrMurphy]

A custom folding stock on a 16" barreled, tube fed Marlin bolt action would make a very handy, short, yet shootable package.

Something like an FAL type stock, or even a sliding MP5 type with a pistol grip.

[AJMD429]

Ah, just get a Ruger 96/22 - they are handy, short lever throw, and plenty accurate. Detachable magazines (same ones 10/22's use) are a plus, also. I don't know about weight, but my 96/22 levergun is shown next to my 77/22 bolt-action, and is quite a bit smaller.



With a small Williams peep sight or Burris Fastfire-II on it, it will flip the 2-1/2" gongs at 50 yards every time and 75 yards most of the time, and is one of the most-loved "first guns" our guests shoot.

[Old Ironsights]

Ah, just get a Ruger 96/22 - they are handy, short lever throw, and plenty accurate. Detachable magazines (same ones 10/22's use) are a plus, also. I don't know about weight, but my 96/22 levergun is shown next to my 77/22 bolt-action, and is quite a bit smaller.



With a small Williams peep sight or Burris Fastfire-II on it, it will flip the 2-1/2" gongs at 50 yards every time and 75 yards most of the time, and is one of the most-loved "first guns" our guests shoot.

Hey... where'd you get that? It looks familiar...

[Ray]

Deleted.

[AJMD429]

Loaded with rat shot, it has slain a few over 100 carpenter bees this spring and early summer. I have experienced as much sport with this gun in the pursuit of carpenter bees this season than with all of my previous hunting experiences combined. There is not much smaller game out there nor better wing shooting sport. You can keep your quail and grouse and ducks and geese. . . "Ray is, as we speak, up on the roof of our home killing bees with a .22 rifle!"

I've ever seen a better testimonial to any gun than that...!

[pokey]

Pistols aren't an option here but I would still start them on a rifle if it was.

good plan

[Hillbillygunsmith]

I bought two Crickett 22lr rifles for two of my grandkids and when the two younger ones gets old enough, they will also get Crickett rifles. Very safe bolt action, single shot rifle, for a kids first gun at a very reasonable price.

After the two older grandkids learned to use the iron sights, I went ahead and put small 4 power scopes on both guns and I found out just how accurate both rifles were. With cheap Federal value pack, and Remington Golden bullet ammo both rifles would shoot 5 shot 3/4" inch groups at 50 yards. with Eley sport or Winchester T-22 ammo they would get down to 1/2" inch groups for 5 shots.

Both my Grandsons love the Crickett rifle and I am sold on them after seeing how reliable and accurate they were at a very reasonable price.

[dennie]

Ray, I have been thinking of getting a Cricket myself. My grandson will be seven in October and hopefully want to try it out.
But as it is now I have been using my SS Ruger Single Six and CCI shot capsules to "hunt" wood bees around the barn. What a blast! Pun intended. I have shot a couple hundred of them the past 2 summers. The male bees are the one that hover and pretend to protect the females that bore into the wood. The males do not have stingers, so a badminton racket works well for them.
BTW, one time I ran out of the long rifle ammo and used the .22mag loads. Not good on the rain gutters!
Keep enjoying your Cricket.
dennie

[2X22]

My father in law bought my son a Chipmunk when he was 4 years old. He shot it until he was big enough to need another and then passed it down to his sister. Now my daughter is having kids and we plan to start them on the same Chipmunk. It is a very accurate rifle and though it is so small that an adult has trouble getting their eye down to the sights, I have shot a few 1/2" groups at 25 yards with it in the past.

2x22

[piller]

I think the Crickett is a great little rifle. If it is too short, just attach a butt pad to it and lengthen the stock by about 1&1/2 inches. As far as I can tell, the Crickett is as accurate as anyone other than an olympic target shooter could ask for. My son once had a target with 5 bullets inside of a hole which a dime covered, shot on a 25 yard range.