This entire thread is just a symptom of an ongoing problem. Many folks trusted the school system and look what you have. It will take time to reverse this tide but sadly, many of us don't have that luxury.
So what to do? Here's some suggestions, find a club that takes donations. Stipulate they'll use the guns as loaners to get new folks started. Make new, younger, friends at the range. Let them shoot the rifles a bit, then gift them to the new shooter. You could also try to salvage some of the current youth by taking them to the range and showing them a really good time. I have some rifles that were donated for use with our working with Scouts and other kids. We bring them to the range and the kids all prefer the wood stocked traditionally styled rifles to the the camp craptastic plastic so old T/Cs and CVAs are having a "second life" with us. I'd like to see others start to do what we're doing with kids and having a set of rifles to use is a great help in that kind of effort and those who have donated rifles to us or sold them at a nominal price have our thanks.
As for the price increases, well with T/Cs being parted out, it's simple economics. Sooner or later that supply will dry up. With some of the prices for the older T/Cs being where they are, it's easier for a new shooter to buy a Traditions entry level to get started. The downside to that is many in our hobby look down on Traditions entry level rifles and by their attitude discourage the new shooter leading to the new shooter leaving a hobby they perceive as filled with curmudgeons. I'm not saying in any way that the current crop of entry level rifles is up to the quality of an entry T/C but I am saying our attitude to the equipment of a new shooter is the problem.
There's no easy course here. This problem has been festering for years while many of us were oblivious to what was being done and happening. It will take years of effort and waiting and complaining will only make it worse.
