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Another recommendation for Mike Lange. I bought a "rugrat" rifle from Mike Lange last summer. It was a gift for my 10yr old son.

Mike doesn't usually build "fancy" guns. He builds guns for working class-people. I know he would not be offended by what I'm telling you. He likes to build what he calls "Frankenstein" guns. He takes all kinds of different parts and makes them into functional guns. A functional gun is always better than a box of parts.

My sons gun has a stock from a CVA Hawken, a Traditions DeerHunter .50 barrel, a CVA lock and a single trigger. It's absolutely beautiful and it shoots fantastic. Mike cut it down to an overall length of just 37 inches. All I had to do was measure his arm for length and give the dimensions to Mike. My son shoots PRB at paper targets with 30-40 grains of Goex 2F. He's deadly accurate with it, out to about 75 yards.

Mike is an honest man and a great builder. Give him a call. You will not regret it.
 
You'll get a little help with physiology too. In prone position, a typical adult will need about a 1 1/4" longer LOP than they do in offhand and kneeling. Thicker clothing translates to shorter LOP's too.

For instance, in my prone target rifle I use a 14 1/4" LOP, but in my hunting muzzle loader it's only 12 1/2".

When kids start shooting, they typically start from the most stable position, which is rested prone. As they get better, and older, they then graduate to the less stable positions.

The down side of this of course is that they need to stand up to reload every time between shots. But, a ML'er DOES teach them that every shot needs to count, unlike blazing away with a 10-22 semi auto.
 
Col. Batguano said:
But, a ML'er DOES teach them that every shot needs to count, unlike blazing away with a 10-22 semi auto.
My dad was of the opinion that modern guns encouraged poor shooting habits. "If you miss the first time it is no big deal, just throw more lead down range real fast."
So he shot BP guns mainly. Sometimes he would take something modern to the range. But those guns never got the attention the BP guns did.
 
bull3540 said:
Check out Mike Lange and his "rugrat" rifles he makes;http://www.chooseyourweapon.net/pics.html
He normally has these already put together using used components and either a modified stock or one of his own making but with a shorter length of pull. Not historically correct by any stretch but good, solid and functional muzzle loaders for youngsters. Of course, he builds custom rifles for us oldsters too, in case you need one but that's another subject all together.

Another vote for a Mike Lange-built kid's rifle. He produces a custom rifle at a price comparable to a good quality factory made gun. You won't be sorry.
 
Cynthialee said:
Col. Batguano said:
But, a ML'er DOES teach them that every shot needs to count, unlike blazing away with a 10-22 semi auto.
My dad was of the opinion that modern guns encouraged poor shooting habits. "If you miss the first time it is no big deal, just throw more lead down range real fast."
So he shot BP guns mainly. Sometimes he would take something modern to the range. But those guns never got the attention the BP guns did.


Very good thinking on your dad's part. There is a disipline in one shooters modern guns lack.
When I started as a sports reporter/photographer many decades ago, the editor handed me a Speed Graphic camera and about six slides. With that I had to shoot sporting events and bring back good pics. I didn't realize it at the time but I was being forced to have good discipline taking those pics. They had to be right the first time. I still shy away from motor drives and multi exposures. A machine gun has no attraction for me.
Gimme a flint muzzle gun any time. Matt Bradley had it right. :hatsoff:
 
Cynthialee said:
Col. Batguano said:
But, a ML'er DOES teach them that every shot needs to count, unlike blazing away with a 10-22 semi auto.
My dad was of the opinion that modern guns encouraged poor shooting habits. "If you miss the first time it is no big deal, just throw more lead down range real fast."
So he shot BP guns mainly. Sometimes he would take something modern to the range. But those guns never got the attention the BP guns did.
my dad did the same thing I had a bolt action single shot .22. I finly got a marlin simi auto and later a marlin lever action. Thought I was some pumkins. A year or two later I got me my first ml. suppository guns just lost thier apeal.
 
Rifleman1776 said:
tenngun said:
I have never delt with sitting fox and have heard good and bad things about them. I know they offer 'boys rifle"in southren mountian style. They also offer a light "poor boys"rifle made with out a butt plate and very plane. Rifle man 1776 had a simmular light gun tha fit my wife well and I used to drul over it my self,just my roundtoit is being repairedand I aint made one yet.
Frank you should have never let SP have somthing he could hurt himself with or hurt in the owning of it :rotf:

Yep, that was the one that just had 'JB' on the barrel. I never knew who the builder was.
I sold it to Steve Peterson and he promptly took a hacksaw to the barrel. :shocked2: :(
 
tenngun said:
Cynthialee said:
Col. Batguano said:
But, a ML'er DOES teach them that every shot needs to count, unlike blazing away with a 10-22 semi auto.
My dad was of the opinion that modern guns encouraged poor shooting habits. "If you miss the first time it is no big deal, just throw more lead down range real fast."
So he shot BP guns mainly. Sometimes he would take something modern to the range. But those guns never got the attention the BP guns did.
my dad did the same thing I had a bolt action single shot .22. I finly got a marlin simi auto and later a marlin lever action. Thought I was some pumkins. A year or two later I got me my first ml. suppository guns just lost thier apeal.

I started with a bb gun which wasn't fast and then a pellet gun. Pumping it up every time you want to shoot slows you down and makes you want to take better aim. I single shoot 22 was what I graduated to next. Allot of kids don't have the patients for that now a days and parents don't want to take the time either.
 
Thanks for all the info I think we are going to try a try rug rat rifle from Mike. I like a lot of you guys started on a 22 single shot then a bolt action 30/30 then went to a M60 with uncle Sam buying the bullets all I could shoot lol.
 

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