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Best single shot?

tomcatmv

Private
Full Member
Minuteman
Apr 13, 2017
2,476
3,889
Central Texas
In your opinion, what's the best single shot bolt action trainer? My grandson is almost old enough to get him started. I have some semi's but want to start him on a bolt gun like I learned on.
 
Well you did ask for the best ;)
How about a cheaper CZ 45x with the single shot adapter ?
 
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In your opinion, what's the best single shot bolt action trainer? My grandson is almost old enough to get him started. I have some semi's but want to start him on a bolt gun like I learned on.
Take a look at the 1761 action Annies. Anschutz North America website.
 
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Spend a little more and buy him a CZ 457. Better yet find a 452 that has the better blued barrels. Get a single shot magazine insert to let him learn on and he can upgrade to a magazine when ready. For the money, they are a good value and one of the few with fairly nice wood stocks that will be something he can be proud of and is more likely to keep as his 'first gun' than many of the 'plastic' guns made today.
 
^ I'm with @littlesister. Buy him an Annie, teach him to shoot it properly and safely and your job as Grandfather is on the way to done. My dad (a physician, Brit and largely anti-firearm) bought me my first rifle (a classic Sako L61R .270) and I was hooked.
 
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I have a Winchester model 67 that I learned on when I was a boy. It taught me fundamentals. It is very accurate and around $200 used. Mine is a pre serial number model, best guess is it is a 1938. There are many that are great to train on.
 
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Thanks gents. I learned on an old Mossberg when I was in the Cub scouts. All I remember is that it was single shot and had peep sights. Then my parents got me a tube fed semi-auto from Sears for Christmas when I was about 11 as I recall. Wish I still had that gun but it got lost in a divorce.
I'm going to start cruising some pawn shops and there is a pretty big gun show here in Belton every month or so at the expo center so something will turn up.
 
my advice is to forget the single shot criteria and buy a box magazine fed bolt action. Start him loading one in the magazine. No need to fill it up just because you can. But once he is proficient and has proven himself a safe marksman, he will already have a repeater that he is familiar with. I think your idea of buying a used rifle is excellent. Cruise the shops until you see a nice Remington 581, 540x, a Mossberg, etc. Buy him something like that, or maybe a CZ452 or 455 youth scout rifle.
 
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my advice is to forget the single shot criteria and buy a box magazine fed bolt action. Start him loading one in the magazine. No need to fill it up just because you can. But once he is proficient and has proven himself a safe marksman, he will already have a repeater that he is familiar with. I think your idea of buying a used rifle is excellent. Cruise the shots until you see a nice Remington 581, 540x, a Mossberg, etc. Buy him something like that, or maybe a CZ452 or 455 youth scout rifle.
Good advice. Thanks.
 
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If this is for your grandson to learn on but cherish, I would recommend what some of the others suggested with the CZ-USA rifles, a little higher than 300, but definitely keep sakes. And shoot far outside their price range.

I still have my CZ bolt action and love shooting it!
 
I was thinking lower than $300.
Lol. "Best" and "lower than $300" is a little oxymoronic.

CZ 452/455/457 Scout would be my choice. Single shot works just as well with a 5-rd mag...just load one at a time or get a single shot adapter.
Cricket/Keystone makes an OK rifle, but if $300 is your budget, I'd look at a Savage Rascal...they several models to choose from.

Nothing wrong with the Ruger American Rimfire, either. Best part is that it takes 10/22 mags. They make a compact version for youths.

Personally, I'd go with the CZ. Use the shorter stock while he is young, then buy a full size stock as he grows into it. Upgrade with a scope at some point, larger mags, etc.
 
Thanks gents. I learned on an old Mossberg when I was in the Cub scouts. All I remember is that it was single shot and had peep sights. Then my parents got me a tube fed semi-auto from Sears for Christmas when I was about 11 as I recall. Wish I still had that gun but it got lost in a divorce.
I'm going to start cruising some pawn shops and there is a pretty big gun show here in Belton every month or so at the expo center so something will turn up.

Why do you want to start your grandson with a piece of shit rifle?

Get him something decent that he can grow with.
 
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For your price range, just find a decent open sight rifle that fits him. The fit, I think, is the most important factor at that age. Then concentrate on safety and the basics.
 
Wow. Entirely uncalled for.

Not really. It's called honestly.

You don't ask for the best and then state that your budget will only allow the cheapest.


My Dad bought his grandsons Tikka's. Not because they were the best or cheap, but they fit the "good enough to last 50 years" in a very reasonable price point.
 
Not really. It's called honestly.

You don't ask for the best and then state that your budget will only allow the cheapest.


My Dad bought his grandsons Tikka's. Not because they were the best or cheap, but they fit the "good enough to last 50 years" in a very reasonable price point.
Calling his choice a piece of shit rifle is uncalled for. You were rude. But hey, do you.
 
Shit! Like Vudoo is THE BEST? Vudoo replicates full sized rifles. They are accurate and great trainers for SA practice, but they isn’t the bestest. If they were you don’t think they would use them in the olympics on national rifle teams?

Outside BR the worlds best small bore shooters use Anschutz‘ and Bleiker‘s almost exclusively. Maybe you know more than Olympic teams, but a competition .22 from either one runs about $10K naked.
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Yea, they dress funny and wear blinders because apparently they’re easily distracted, and rifles look funny too, but I have to believe that these are probably da bestest 5.6mm (wut they call a .22) rifles…
 
ruger 10/22 ain't nothing wrong with the cheap they work and he can learn while having fun with it , yea it's not a voodoo it also does not have that 1800 dollar price tag with it either . Remember asking my dad to help me get my first rifle he got me a job not exactly the help I wanted but the money was nice to have and learning the cost of life was not so bad made me mad I had to pay him that bastard lol . I still got it , still shoot it from time to time fun gun . when ever I think I need expensive toys I remember all you need is the bear necessity .
 
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Yea, they dress funny and wear blinders because apparently they’re easily distracted, and rifles look funny too, but I have to believe that these are probably da bestest 5.6mm (wut they call a .22) rifles…
I'm not arguing against the statement that Anschutz are some of the best rimfire guns in the world, but that photo is of air rifles.

And as far as dressing funny and wearing blinders, many of us did our stint in High Power / Service Rifle, so it's not that strange.
 
Anschutz would be my recommendation. If it’s too rich for you look around for a BSA Martini international. They are a falling block single shot, can be had for less than the average Anschutz, they aren’t as accurate as the Anschutz but they are good enough for possibles at 50m assuming you do your part.