Chipmunk Style??

[misher]

I was letting my 5 year old grandson try a .32cal Crocket and it was still way big for him. Do they make anything like the .22 Chipmunk for black powder? Maybe some of the gunbuilders could consider this. :hmm:

 

[rabjr]

Not sure how much one cost or if you can pick a used one up cheap, but no reason you couldn't trace the butt plate a few inches a head of its normal spot, cut the excess off and re mount the butt plate for him. Thats pretty much all anyone else will do for ya, unless ya spring for a custom gun.

 

[paulvallandigham]

Most folks buy a utility grade piece of wood for the stock, and cut down the butt to fit the youngster. Save the cut off wood, so that you can add more wood in pieces each year as he/she grows. No, the stock won't be pretty, but it will FIT! When the youngster gains full size, the original stock can be quickly exchanged for the "training model", and the child will have a rifle they will cherish and use the rest of their lives. Keep that trainer stock around. It may come in handy again when the grandchildren come of age. :thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

Here's a good trick for shortening stocks for growing young'uns.

Before cutting it off, remove the butt plate or pad and drill a couple of 1/4" holes toward the lock, sinking them deep enough to reach beyond the cut. The idea is to leave indexing holes in the stock and the cut-off piece for the day it's time to restore the gun to full length.

When that day comes, glue a short piece of 1/4" dowel into the holes on one side or the other so about 1/2" to 3/4" is sticking out. When you go to gluing the whole works back together, they'll line up the removed section perfectly, giving you as clean a joint as possible with as little fuss as imaginable.

 

[WV MZL HUNTER]

Here's a good trick for shortening stocks for growing young'uns.

Before cutting it off, remove the butt plate or pad and drill a couple of 1/4" holes toward the lock, sinking them deep enough to reach beyond the cut. The idea is to leave indexing holes in the stock and the cut-off piece for the day it's time to restore the gun to full length.

When that day comes, glue a short piece of 1/4" dowel into the holes on one side or the other so about 1/2" to 3/4" is sticking out. When you go to gluing the whole works back together, they'll line up the removed section perfectly, giving you as clean a joint as possible with as little fuss as imaginable.

I am repling because that's a great idea, and I want to save this note to my post. Because I will do this to an old gun sometime down the road.
:thumbsup:

 

[BrownBear]

Thanks BillyGoat.

It's actually an old technique and not my own. The gunsmith I worked for through high school in the 60's always did that when shortening a gun for a kid. As a further service, he would label the cut-off sections and store them until the time came to re-attach.

Service?

Another one to chalk up for the good old days. :shake:

 

[Tom Compton]

After shortening the stock on the CVA Squirrel rifle for my son, I removed the under rib and thimbles. He was only shooting or hunting if I was along and I managed the rammer for him.

Twenty years later, many other smaller folks have shot the .32 and we now have 3 granddaughters ages 3, 1 and 1 with a grandson on the way. That is how heirlooms are made.

TC

 

[wilded]

Traditions used to make a kid sized frontier rifle in .36 but I have not seen one in a while.

 

[ohio ramrod]

Most folks buy a utility grade piece of wood for the stock, and cut down the butt to fit the youngster. Save the cut off wood, so that you can add more wood in pieces each year as he/she grows. No, the stock won't be pretty, but it will FIT! When the youngster gains full size, the original stock can be quickly exchanged for the "training model", and the child will have a rifle they will cherish and use the rest of their lives. Keep that trainer stock around. It may come in handy again when the grandchildren come of age. :thumbsup:

So true! The biggest mistake I ever made with guns was selling the T.C Cherokee I had for my youngest boy when he grew into a large rifle
. Now O don't have it for the grandkids, and the girl whose father I sold it to stoped shooting after a year!

 

[Many Klatch]

I have seen muzzleloaders for kids made with an old .22 barrel. They shoot air rifle ammo out of them and only use the cap or a cap and a couple grains of powder. The breech plug could be a hardened schedule 5 bolt.

Many Klatch

 

[bioprof]

Check out the "Leetle Feller's" rifle from Jim Chambers.
http://www.flintlocks.com/

I would say it's the closest thing there is to the longrifle equivalent of the chipmunk rifle. It comes with a custom-made 34" swamped barrel from Rice Barrel Co.

 

[PaulN/KS]

That's a nice looking little rifle...

 

[bdhutier]

The problem for my kids isn't so much the length of pull, as the barrel weight. My 4yo LOVES to shoot the Renegade (only 40g load), but I have to hold up the front end for him. He can't get enough!

I'd buy a Cricket/Chipmunk sized .22 or .25 in a heartbeat. Don't know if a .30 would be ok or not, they'd probably have to start plusing up the barrel then, and edge into too much weight for the little dudes.

 

[Tom Compton]

Length of pull also affects the perceived muzzle heavy condition by positioning the body more under the center of gravity.
TC

 

[dyemaker]

How about a parlor pistol? There is info about them here...

Link