best starter rifle for a 7yr old,

[specweldtom]

My Grandsons started shooting with .22lr bolt guns. The best one was a .22 military type trainer with iron sights. They both say that the first rifle that really impressed them though was an AR-15 collapsible stock .223. It was the first centerfire rifle they fired and is still their favorite. The collapsible stock made it easy to fit them, the iron sights work, and later they shot it with a scope before moving on to a Rem 700 7-08.

I like the idea of an Encore or Contender, except I don't know if the rifle barrels have iron sights. You could probably put a set of the pistol barrel sights on them though. I have a Contender carbine in .22 K-Hornet that is a really fun gun to shoot, but it's scoped.

Good luck. This is a big deal for a boy. I'm going to misquote Cotton Cordell, who once said "Teach your children to love God, to love their family, to love their country, and teach them to love to hunt and fish, and when the time comes, no drug dealer can teach them anything".

Tom

[Savageman69]

i also reccomend the savage 93 series ive fired rugers ans marlins i got an old mossberg 42m great gun( im into ww2) so i really love it i think that would be lost on the younger crowd im im only 22 so i cant really say that but....
i never liked the ruger 10/22's when i bought my savage i went looking for a marlin but the second i picked up the savage 93 cammo package i had to have it. its nice and light my 5 foot tall sister and i can both shoot it so its perfect size im not a big guy 5-7 so any 93 savage will be a good size and he wont outgrow it i got the .22 mwr the ammo its twice as powerfull as the 22lr and about twice the price about 10 bucks per 50 i get 500 for $70 shipped to me so thats a steal but compared to a 22lr 500rds are like $30 but the extra cash is worth it i think. oh and the accutrigger is probably the best O/E trigger you can buy and probably better than some aftermarket ones too

[quietmike]

I agree with Uncle Z on a CZ 452.
It is a great rifle and superbly accurate to boost the confidence of a new shooter.

Specifically I would suggest the Scout model as it has the shorter LOP and barrel and comes with a single shot adapter that can later be replaced with a 5 or 10 round magazine. They have basic iron sights and a dovetail for a scope.