First rifle for kiddo

[tiny68]

Putting together my 9 yr old's first rifle. We probably will not get it until his 10th b-day next August. Got a great youth NRA stock for a forum member. The action is from a 112 that Fred has T&T and sports a SSS trigger, and recoil lug that I used to use as my 30BR bench gun. All I own are long actions and target actions. I am a single shoot kind of guy and prefer the flexibility of a LA. Just got the new Bushnell 4200 Elite 3-9x in the mail yesterday - thank you Cabela's for clearance sales!!! The pic below in the mock up has a 22" 223 barrel screwed on it. I am disappoint the 4200 will not reach across the LA. I will have to get another EGW rail like I put on the rig I put together for my oldest son and mount with a set of Burris Signature Zee rings.

My question is - how long to chop the barrel off at? It isn't quite balanced. Is 18" too short for a 223? Anyone make a 19" 223? He will only shoot this few years until I think he is really for the 6mm Rem or a 308W. So.... what length to chop it too? What the barrel lengths on factory youth configurations?

Thanks for input, Tim

[bootsmcguire]

Is 18" too short for a 223?

Most AR's sport a 16" barrel and do quite well.

Anyone make a 19" 223?

You could always have a take off barrel shortened or order one.

16.5" could be a nice handy length to have to keep the weight down for him and to use as truck gun build when he is ready to upgrade calibers.

[keeki]

you could gain a half inch if you spun the rear base around

[tiny68]

you could gain a half inch if you spun the rear base around

I just noticed that in the pic. Good catch. I think that will work.... I will spin it tomorrow. I like I have a set of rings... somewhere....

Thanks, Tim

[tiny68]

Anyone make a 19" 223?

You could always have a take off barrel shortened or order one.

I guess I wasn't clear. I am chopping this barrel off. Just trying to figure out how short. Tim

[keeki]

if that doesnt work heres a link to some that will

http://www.ebay.com/itm/SCOPE-MOUNT-...item2568ca7265

[bootsmcguire]

Anyone make a 19" 223?

You could always have a take off barrel shortened or order one.

I guess I wasn't clear. I am chopping this barrel off. Just trying to figure out how short. Tim

Sorry tiny, didn't mean to rile you up. When you asked:

Anyone make a 19" 223?

I guess I assumed by using the word "make" in that question you were referring to a custom or prefit. I guess after reading threads for awhile and seeing the word "Make" used to describe prefits almost exclusively your brain just gets wired to think one way.
Just trying to help. :-[

[tiny68]

Not a problem and didn't intend in my reply that it was. I know lots of guys shorten and re-crown to improve function/accuracy. I am long barrel guy and have no experience with short barrels (less than 24"). Funny you mentioned the ARs. I personally can't stand black guns. Maybe someday they will grow on me. I seem to be the only person on the block that doesn't own one.

Anyway, I wasn't offended but just wanted to clarify my goal. Luck, Tim

[bootsmcguire]

It's cool, no problem. I have just recently tried a "black rifle" and have to say that other than chasing brass, it is a nice handy little carbine. I got to say that I don't like the implication that AR platform gives off, there are a lot of 18-25 yr old guys (and older ones too) that show up at the range and just blast through a couple boxes of ammo without even trying to hit anything and then take off after making sure that everyone there knows that they have an AR. Upside is many of them go out and buy Hornady Tap ammo so they are extra "tacti-cool" and then leave the brass lay. Easy Pickens.

[squirrelsniper]

Since it's for your kid, I'd say 20" would be good as going below that will start quickly increasing muzzle blast. As little as 16" would work fine though.

[GaCop]

I'd opt for 20", that works well with the issue infantry rifle even with the military 62 grain load.

[rjtfroggy]

I have a factory mod. 10 LE with a 20" bull barrel that shoots .19's-.2's all day using 60gr Sierras.
That being said going from 22" down to 20" is not going to gain much in weight reduction with the sporter barrel and just might cause problems with muzzle blast and rise.IMO let learn with it the way it is and as he progresses to a larger caliber think about making changes.

[Smokey262]

I made a youth model Savage in 243 Winchester for my 10 year old son. Had the barrel cut and crowned at 18.5". Chopped off the butt stock an inch or two and added a Pachmayr youth decelerator grind to fit recoil pad. Mounted a Minox ZA-3 3-9x40 scope on Burris double dovetail bases and Burris Signature rings. Painted the stock, added a sling.

It has become one of my favorite, most accurate rifles. Muzzle blast is a non-issue even with full power loads. With reduced loads it is like shooting a pop gun.

My son likes it too :)

[Eric in NC]

Think that the SSS trigger is overkill (and maybe a bad idea) for a first rifle.

[tiny68]

Think that the SSS trigger is overkill (and maybe a bad idea) for a first rifle.

Valid concern - I'll just let you know my boys will/have break the trigger using a snap-cap using their rifles 500-1000s times before they ever use do it with a live round. They shoot 250 plus rounds before every going hurting. We hunt mainly paper. They have been shooting 22s with 1.5-2.5 lbs triggers for a long time. Trigger break and placement of the trigger finger are things we discussed each time they pick a rifle up. It all depends on your practice and training.

Case in point, one of my son's friend and his dad brought over their new 22 Marlin. When it was my son's turn, he picked it up, aimed, and squeezed... After a few seconds he turned the safety on, handed it me, and say it wouldn't shot. I was puzzled as first and then realized what happened. It had a +8 lb trigger. My son had never squeezed a trigger so heavy including our shotguns.

I respect your advice and would agree for most kids, Tim

[tiny68]

you could gain a half inch if you spun the rear base around

FYI - that did the trick... :P :P

[Eric in NC]

My bad - thought it was his first rifle as the subject said.

[tiny68]

Still a valid concern and it should be the thing we are concerned about when we hand a rifle to a kid. It will be his first centerfire to call his own. We should always encourage each other to thing about things like that to avoid an avoidable accident in the future. Luck, Tim