My daughter is turning 12 this year. She's been casually shooting air guns since about age 4. Several years ago, she moved up to an M&P 15-22 to begin stretching the distance and learning a modern 'manual of arms' for the AR platform. After that she got an M&P .22 compact pistol. This year she shot on the school trap league (her idea, not mine) with a semi auto 20 gauge, sporting a 24" barrel and weighing about 6.7 lbs. She had zero problems running the shotgun, enjoyed it immensely, and scored pretty darn well.
After seeing her run a 20 gauge so well, I decided it was past time she started shooting my BCM Recce style AR. I had held off this long because I didn't want her to develop a flinch. She immediately started shooting the lights out! There was virtually no learning curve after the 15-22. She did, however, have some trouble running the charging handle. We're going to have to work on a technique that maximizes leverage until she gets a little stronger.
So now that her birthday is approaching, I'm trying to decide what her first centerfire rifle should be. I think having her own rifle instills an increased sense of pride, independence, and....ownership, I guess......over her participation in shooting sports and gun culture. Here's what I'm thinking so far, in no particular order:
1) I'd like for her to have rifle that functions as a sub-caliber scout/general purpose type rifle (but probably with a traditionally mounted optic, as the choices for optics are much different in 2018)
2) Low enough recoil for a small person to enjoy shooting high round counts during training, practice, and plinking.
3) Light enough for her to carry extended distances around trails in as much comfort as possible. Light enough for small person to shoot comfortably offhand.
4) Able to be fit for a small person-- LOP and cheek weld.
5) Works well for learning traditional positional rifle marksmanship, use of shooting slings, bipods, 'barricade' positions. Can be easily cycled in all positions by small person. Handy for a small person to manipulate while moving in/out of shooting positions and maneuvering in the woods.
6) Relatively inexpensive ammunition. The cheaper the better. Volume shooting.
7) Hunt game up to the size of Wisconsin whitetail deer at very modest distances. Varmints at somewhat longer ranges.
8) The vast majority of our range shooting will be done at 300 meters or less, with most of that at 200 and in.
9) Learn about bullet trajectory and wind drift/wind calling.
10) Something we can put to hard use, in all sorts of weather, and without feeling bad about it. Constant companion gun.
Setups I've been considering:
A) Buying her a BCM ELW-F upper, and then using my bolt group and lower to start her out. We could build this into a complete rifle as time goes on.
Pros:
She'll have to have her own AR someday anyway; this will save me money buying it later. Two birds with one stone approach.
AR's are great for LOP adjustment for small people
Probably one of the lightest options at sub 6 pounds
Easy to run in all positions (autoloading)
Durable as all hell
Barrel life (Chrome lined)
I have a small selection of optics, mounts, and other accessories that can transfer between AR pattern rifles. And tons of magazines
Also, AR is simply 'America's Rifle'
Cons:
Hard for her to run charging handle as of now
Hard to adjust comb height on an AR for optimal cheek weld with optics
5.56 is on the small side for deer
It isn't a whole rifle, yet
Mil Spec AR triggers (what is currently in lower) aren't as nice for target shooting as some
Scares left-wing nature types that you encounter in wilderness areas
.............................
B) Tikka T3x lite compact
Pros:
Very smooth bolt throw and feeding
Trigger
Short LOP, and easier to build up comb height than an AR (true of all bolt guns)
Less terror-inducing to granola chewers in birkenstocks
Cons:
Expensive, low capacity magazines
Pretty long barrel (20") and overall length compared to some others
...........................
C) Ruger American Ranch in 7.62x39 (or 5.56)
Pros:
Probably a little better on deer
7.62x39 is friendly on steel targets at shorter ranges (like 75-100 yards) compared to 5.56. This gives more options for shooting courses of fire.
Probably good barrel life for a hunting type barrel
More opportunity to learn about drop and drift at 300 meters and in
16" barrel and light weight
Decent Trigger
Cheap
Cons:
Longer length of pull. I'd probably have to do something invasive if we wanted to address this.
A little more recoil. It'd probably be fine, but might make for a little less volume of shooting.
I worry about how smooth the feeding is for positional shooting (same in 5.56)
I'm not sure if ruger Mini 30 Mags are a pro or a con
.............................
D) Ruger American .223 compact
Pros:
18" barrel is lightweight
reduced LOP
trigger
super cheap
Cons:
ruger craptastic rotary magazine
I'm not sure how smoothly they feed
super cheap
........................
E) CZ 527 Youth Carbine in 7.62x39 or 5.56
Pros:
Nice looking gun!
Dimensions that are specifically designed for smaller people
Lightweight
Cons:
Why the hell would you put an 18.5" barrel on a compact 7.62x39? This is 2.5 extra inches of shamefully stupid, if you ask me.
Nice looking gun! It'd be a shame to ugly it up.
Again with the expensive proprietary magazines that are chronically backordered
........................................
So that is what I've been thinking. I'm hoping the PF hive mind/collective will have some good ideas that I haven't considered. I don't really know that much about rifles compared to many here. Hopefully you guys can help me pick my daughter a great birthday present.
Doesn't anybody make a lightweight 16" barreled 7.62x39 or 5.56 bolt gun with a short LOP. It seems like that should be a thing.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by BobM
