Spent a bit of today helping Reno find the right present for his daughter.
I’m not exactly sure how old the colleen is, but I’m thinking about 8 or so. I think. Less than ten. I think. I’m sure Reno will chime in and correct me if necessary.
Anyhoo, a while ago Reno bought her a Daisy BB gun so she could have a gun to bring to the range, too.
The little sprite has become pretty darned good with it.
It’s a lever-action jobber, with a horrid BB-gun trigger-pull and this lovely great fibre-optic sight sitting on top of the muzzle. Little Miss has gotten quite good at daubing that orange ball on her target, and then putting a BB-sized hole through it.
I kid thee not, even with a trigger pull that feels a lot like dragging an anchor chain through a box of rocks, she can clean 12-gauge shotgun hulls off of the pistol berm.
So, being the proper Papa that he is, Reno has decided to gift her with a Crickett .22 rifle this year.
These little wonders are absolute jewels. They’re single shot, bolt-action rifles with about an 11-inch length-of-pull, and they are dedicated Kids Rifles.
You work the bolt, insert a cartridge into the chamber and close the bolt. Once that is done, you still have to manually draw back the striker before the rifle will fire.
It also has a integral key lock.
Those who know me, know that I absolutely loathe, despise and hate key locks on firearms …
… except in this case. In the case of a child’s rifle, I find that I don’t have an objection to the key lock.
Of course, since Little Miss is a girly-girl, nothing will do but to get her the Model 225.
Why, you ask?
Because it’s the one with the laminated pink stock. Duh.
I don’t know about anyone else, but I find that to be completely and utterly cool — It’s a dedicated Girl’s First Rifle.
About bloody time!
Apparently, I’m not the only one to think this, because we couldn’t find a Crickett Model 225 at any of the gun stores we called.
Not only that, but each store we talked to informed us that their suppliers were out of the laminated pink ones until after Christmas.
That news gives me the warm fuzzies.
That news tells me that a whole bunch of little girls are getting a rifle for a present.
Mark my words — the future of shooting in America — the future of guns in America — rests on the distaff side of the species.
The future of the Second Amendment in the United States lives or dies based on women. If women come to love the shooting sports as much as men do — then gun control will fail in the United States.
If women never come to appreciate firearms as men do, then no matter what we do — the Second Amendment is doomed.
The fact that suppliers are completely out of pink Dedicated Little Girls Rifles tells me that a whole bunch of little girls are going to be shooting in 2007.
That is nothing but good news for us gunnies.
LawDog
My wife, 3yo daughter, and I were at Gander Mtn this summer when I spotted a pink Cricket rifle. I called them over to show my wife and get my daughter’s impression. She immediately latched onto it and wouldn’t let go, claiming it as hers. Imagine the scene as a grown man is trying to take a GUN away from his young daughter without just jerking it out of her hands, all the while doing his best to maintain good muzzle control. It was both humiliating and amusing at the same time.
In a few more years, I’m getting her one. 😀
Chris
I wish my dad had taught my sister and I how to shoot when we were young’uns, but my mom wouldn’t let him. 🙁 I’m afraid you’re right…unless women get more involved, there’s going to be a problem.
Even though I’m a life member of the NRA, I have NO idea how to fire a popgun.
My sister and I learned to shoot at the same time… and she’s four years younger than me, so when I was learning at age 8-9, she was learning at age 4-5. She can shoot quite well too. It wasn’t all that great that we had to learn on an adult-size .22LR rifle that works just like that Crickett, but it didn’t keep us from it. Sometimes my sister can shoot better than I can, but we can’t get her to the range because she doesn’t like “wasting ammo”.
“Imagine the scene as a grown man is trying to take a GUN away from his young daughter without just jerking it out of her hands, all the while doing his best to maintain good muzzle control. It was both humiliating and amusing at the same time.
In a few more years, I’m getting her one. :-D”
If it was my daughter (which I don’t have), I’d have gone ahead and bought it. 😀 There’s no time like the present, I always say.
I’ve never had a BB gun, so I’ve made it very clear that my husband and I will be getting a divorce if he doesn’t buy me a Daisy Red Ryder for Christmas. Let me see here… I’m 29 and getting a BB gun, and this girl is around 8 and getting a .22…
I might catch up to her one day!
That is the BESTEST news I’ve heard in a long time. Thanks for passin that along. I wish my Daddy or Granddad had taught me to shoot when I was a kid.
Well, I have just about resigned to getting her the pink synthetic stock instead of the laminate. I have had a few hits ( Thanks to the guys on THR ) on the laminate but I don’t want to ship and do the transfer if I can help it.
BTW she is 6 yrs old and working on being a better shot than I am.
That is SO cool. Well done reno, dog, all.
And those li’l things are cute as kittens. 🙂
I know that you are in Amarillo from time to time, try Gander Mountain there. That is where my daughter’s pink cricket for Christmas came from. If they are out, well, I guess we are part of the contributing force for them being out of stock.
Good job Reno! Our monkeys got their very first range trip a couple weekends ago. Way too much fun was had, being safe & all. They did so well that the older two were given the privilege of firing Mom’s P22 (whilst under Dad’s firm control & hands-on-gun instruction). You should’ve seen the happy-dances they did afterwards!
That is so excellent. My brother is buying a Cricket for his daughter this year (Walnut laminate), and I will be there when she opens it. She wiil be beside herself!
Guns for girlies. Whoda thunkit?
Life is good.
I haven’t seen any pink Crickets at the candy stores lately, but if you check the gun shows out, you might run across a couple. We have one show left before Christmas in Pasadena, and I know the same vendors will be there. At least two of them will have pink .22’s
“If women never come to appreciate firearms as men do, then no matter what we do — the Second Amendment is doomed.”
Despite Hollyb and JPG’s best efforts, apparently I’m simply not genetically inclined to shoot firearms. However, I absolutely appreciate the fact that they, along with my DB really, really enjoy sport shooting. And, since my DB is an Army-type soldier, my appreciatation expands exponentially considering his firearm is an integral part of his life-preserving accoutrements.
There are lots of women like me out there and we will help ensure our Second Amendment rights stay intact – count on it.
Cheers!
Cait
Cait
I’m a dyed in the wool pistol not rifle gal. The Marine!Goth is determined to change that.
Funny noises coming from north of you in two weeks will be either me moaning about him channeling his Drill Instructor or him laughing his a$$ off at my first attempts.
I sent an email link about this to my 12 year old who has been steadfastly drinking the brady bunch kool-aid when it comes to guns asking her if she’d be willing to learn how to shoot if I bought her one. (you know kids, they are SOOOO much smarter than grownups and all…)
Kate
If you’re anywhere near Kansas City, Missouri email me steve at svandyke dot com and I’ll personally take you shooting – my treat! My ever-indulgent wife will probably come along (her work schedule gets crazy at year end). Please note there will be a familarization / safety session before the range session.
Karla:
Go to the Liberty Belles They have info on a pair of books for you and your husband. One’s on teaching women to shoot, the other’s for women learning to shoot.
Steve, the Marine!Goth is son, not hubby, but I’ll check out the books.
The hubster and I used to go shooting on the KS Hiway Patrol pistol range all the time. Yet another thing that I hate about being widowed – I’ve lost my shooting buddy AND my range rights.
LOL Don’t be surprised if I take you up on that someday, kc! My husband offered once upon a time, but then rethought it…just in case he pissed me off, thought it wouldn’t be a good idea for me to be armed at the time. 🙂 Just kidding!
Just to inform anyone interested… the PINK CRICKET is AVAILABLE. They have more just instock for Christams. Go see your gun dealer and they can order it for you. I ordered one two days ago and it got here today. It is for my daughter(9 yrs old) who loves to shoot and now hunt. Of course my 4 yr old son will be very jealous that sissy got one and not him. So, I will have to implement a new rule in the house that you have to be over the age of 8 to be able to own a gun. But he loves to shoot just as much as she does. They love to competition shoot with other kids!