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Cricket .22 rifles

34K views 25 replies 15 participants last post by  mpmax 
#1 ·
I picked up a "Davey Cricket" single shot .22 rifle. You know, for the kids....
I've been having such a great time shooting it I'm thinking about buying another couple for the kids.
Anyone else shooting these?
 
#8 ·
I bought one about 8 years ago for my oldest son. You can order a scope mount from them also, which I did. Great little rifle to start'em out on. He loves it.
 
#11 ·
Got one a couple years ago from Walmart. Really liked the rear peep and front wedge site setup.

Having shot it, I can't say I was very impressed with the accuracy though. I've never owned a .22 that couldn't shoot tacks from a rest at 20 to 30 yards and I've had one that could do it at 50. The Cricket groups about an inch to inch and a half at 25 yards and to me that is unacceptable.

Action is very tight, trigger pull is better than many non youth guns, but mine just doesn't shoot very well.
 
#13 · (Edited)
Well, I've still got my very first .22 which was a Glenfield Marlin model 12 (I think). It's a single shot with the manual cocking knob on the back of the bolt and probably one of the worst trigger pulls of any gun I've ever shot but once I learned to handle the trigger, I could shoot almost a single hole on the 50ft small bore targets (at 50 ft) with a little bushnell 2-7 scope from a rest. At 25 yards, it's cloverleafs but that'll still drive a tack 1 or 2 times out of 3. Heck, it don't take much to hit a tack. The average tack is about 3/8" in diameter and add another .220 to that and you dont' have to group all that great to nock it flying. Centering it is harder but I usually figure if I hit it, I "drove" it. Maybe that gun is why I expect such good accuracy from a .22? I mean, if a chaeapo like that can do it, I'd expect better things from higher end guns. Though Marlin is somewhat known for the accuracy of their micro grooved barrels... The other .22 I grew up with is my dads Winchester 52 target barrel gun. THAT gun can shoot! Sweet trigger and built like a tank. I also owned an Anshutz model 64 wich I topped with a leupold 6.5X20 VXIII target scope. It was the most accurate gun I've ever owned and it wasn't the "good" model 54 action. I could keep most any 22 ammo at about 1" or less at 100 yards from sandbags with it but the scope helped a bunch for that and I dialed the trigger down till I didn't even hold the gun, just got it on target and touched the trigger. Mainly trying to see what it was capable of. Even the cheap remington ammo in the milk cartons would group well except for an occasional flyer that was obviously not the gun. It really liked the Fiocci sub sonic ammo. Dropped right about 8 inches at 100 yards but every one was right in there. Stingers and yellow jackets dropped about half that (4 inches) but didn't group as well as the sub sonic stuff. CCI green label stuff shot real well too. Sadly the gun was stolen years ago. I've currently got a Mauser Patrone single shot that I haven't shot at tacks with but I've sat on the back porch and shot bottle caps off a log at about 50 yards with it and it was too easy so we started laying them down to shoot at the edge and we still peeled them off 99% of the time. Best critter shot with it was a head shot on a standing groundhog at 127 steps off hand but resting on the side of a walking stick. Held about 10 inches high. Actually aimed at a leaf that seemed to be the right hight above his head and drilled him. That's the farthest I've ever killed anything with a 22. So, yea, I've been around some good guns but some cheapo's too and all of them shot better than I could hold. I've always just figured 22's were inherently accurate until I shot the cricket.

I suspect that part of the problem I have with the cricket is my eyes are not as good as they used to be. When I was a teen, my vision used to flick back and forth from front site to rear site to target so fast and clearly it was like having all three in focus at the same time. Now, I can't do that but I still think it should shoot better than it does. Maybe I just got a bad one? A scope might make a pleasant difference.
 
#18 · (Edited)
While I don't actually own the Cricket, I have a single shot J C Higgins that after loading the round, you must physically cock the gun by pulling the bolt back.



Built sometime in the 50's, this little gun is as fun as it accurate. It will compete in accuracy with my Mountie '39 and 9422.

They are fun.

I started my daughter on my buddies; a gun he would not part with either.
Shorts
Longs
Long rifle
22 shot.

Do all gun, simple yet very functional!
 
#20 ·
I bought my oldest daughter a cricket(black) about 4 years ago and my youngest daughter got hers this past Christmas(pink). They have really enjoyed them. They only minor issue is that it's easy to push in the safety lock when reloading. No problem though. Just unlock it and keep shooting.
 
#22 ·
I'd get a full sized gun if I were you. I have a Ruger 77/22 .22WMR, and a Marlin 25 .22LR, both are clip fed, but that Marlin is dirt cheap, I paid $120 for mine. Thats a bit more than they are worth, but they are hard to find around here. The Rugers are a lot more expensive, but they are very high quality.
 
#24 ·
NEF also makes a single shot 22. It is not the quality of the upper tier guns but it is also not their price. I consider them at least as good of a buy. A barrel and stock for a Contender is another option if you already have an action.
 
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