I remember way back when my dad let me take my first shots from his rifle. It was a Marlin Model 80 in .22 Long Rifle that he bought back in the mid-1950s. Considering I was about five years old at the time, I looked upon that rifle with awe, thinking that it was some serious artillery.
One thing is for certain – the memories of that rifle and time spent with my dad are certainly pleasant ones. I suspect it’s the same for many people when they look back on that right of passage of firing their first rounds, often with a parent.
A few years later, I received my very first rifle of my own, a .22 Long Rifle bolt action. It was another right of passage I remember fondly.
First Rifle
Those first rifles tend are special to the people receiving them. It’s not just the tangible steel, wood, or other material comprising the firearm. No, it’s the fact we are entrusted with such a powerful symbol in our possession. For a child being given a firearm by a parent or other loved one, the message comes across as, “I trust you.” That’s a very special communication for anyone.
For me, I still remember the moment I unwrapped my rifle under the Christmas tree, it was around 1976 or so. I couldn’t believe it, I was dumbfounded. It wasn’t that the rifle was high-end or anything; on the contrary, it was nothing expensive or elaborate. Rather, it’s what it represented. And it was mine, my very own.
Of course, before I ever fired a shot, my dad drummed all the safety rules into my head, which is an important thing for kids. In fact, before we ever got to the shooting range for the first time, I knew these rules because he was careful to impart them on me. Our first safety is the one between our ears, not the one on the firearm.
There are folks out there today contemplating doing this for their children. Well, Savage is one step ahead of you – they’ve got a rifle just for your child in the form of the Savage Rascal.
Technical Specs of the Savage Rascal
The Savage Rascal is a rifle specifically built and intended for youngsters learning how to shoot. Its diminutive size and simple operation are tailor-made for kids to learn on.
The Savage Rascal is a bolt action with one round capacity. No magazine to confuse the kiddies. Just a chamber. However, there is a feed ramp so bullets feed smoothly into the chamber. The Rascal is chambered in .22 Long Rifle. .22 is one of the most perfect calibers anyone could ever hope to learn to shoot.
Barrel length is 16.125 inches, with an overall length of 31.5 inches. The barrel has a blued satin finish.
The rifle weighs 2.66 pounds, so kids won’t have a difficult time holding the rifle on target. Savage accomplishes that by using a synthetic stock that has multiple color options available. Colors include purple, pink, green, yellow, red, blue, and orange. Oh, and there’s a walnut stocked version too. Savage didn’t forget the southpaws as there’s a lefty version. The length of pull is around 11.25 inches. Stock dimensions are, obviously, tailored exclusively for little rug rats.
The Rascal’s sights consist of an adjustable rear aperture. The rifle is drilled and tapped for a scope base, allowing easy scope mounting.
The Savage Rascal AccuTrigger is set from the factory at 3.5 pounds, which is relatively light. In fact, this might be the only thing I’m hesitant about with this rifle. A 3.5 pound trigger doesn’t take much pressure to release. I’d hate to see an accidental discharge because the trigger was so easy to press for an inexperienced child. A slightly heavier trigger requires a more deliberate action to pull. On the other hand, maybe I’m a worry wort who’s making too big of a deal about nothing.
Here’s one of the best parts: the suggested retail price of this rifle is $209.00! They’ll be available for less than that at most gun shops. For well under $200, you can get your child a very appropriate rifle, made just for kids, and not have to break the bank.
Nice Touches on the Savage Rascal
In keeping with the easy-to-operate theme, the bolt cocks upon lifting the bolt handle and requires very little effort to operate. There is a two-position, rocker-type safety located on the right side of the receiver. It allows the rifle to be loaded and unloaded with the safety engaged. This is great for teaching kids the loading/unloading procedure. There is a visible cocking indicator that extends from the rear of the bolt shroud, so we can see if the rifle is cocked both visually and by feel.
Trigger
Savage’s AccuTrigger is adjustable from 1.5 to six pounds. It’s light and smooth with very little creep. It seems to be set from the factory around 3.5 pounds. I have an AccuTrigger on one of my other Savage rifles, and it is one of the very best in the industry with a very crisp break.
As I mentioned, I’m wary of too light of a trigger weight set on a child’s rifle. I’m not advocating making them work hard to pull the trigger, but too light is probably not a great thing.
Sights
The supplied sights are very simple, yet seem more than adequate for the task at hand.
To adjust for elevation, the rear screw is loosened and the sight can be moved. Another screw, when loosened, allows the sight to be moved for windage and then tightened back down. There are lines on the windage and elevation points that allow shooters to see how far the sights have been moved from their original point so they have a reference point.
As mentioned, the receiver is drilled and tapped for scope mounting. I advocate learning how to use the iron sights first, before moving on to teaching kids how to use optics.
Small Stature
I’m a huge advocate of not having to fight your equipment while using it. It seems Savage subscribed to this philosophy when they made this rifle for kids. It’s perfectly suited for children, who face enough anxiety (in some cases) when they are learning to shoot. They won’t have to fight their gear, having to conform to an adult-sized rifle that was never intended for kids. Here, they can do it in comfort.
Final Thoughts on the Savage Rascal
The Rascal is made expressly for young children. It helps them learn responsibility with firearms (with proper instruction, of course). Specifically, it is light with small dimensions to accommodate its small-statured audience. The fact it is chambered in .22 Long Rifle makes it the perfect caliber for those starting out in the shooting disciplines, being quiet and nearly lacking of any recoil at all.
The fact it comes in some very cool colors is also a major selling point, especially for children. For many kids, the color and the fact it’s “their” very own rifle are quite exciting and creates enthusiasm.
Savage wisely chose a price point of $209, but it sells for well under that, making this one very affordable. That’s important, because kids will eventually grow out of this rifle. The investment is affordable for most people, which puts it in reach of the average working person. I doubt this is a huge money-maker for Savage, so the fact they brought out this product specifically for kids speaks highly of the company. As it were, Savage has always been a great company, and this just goes one more step in that direction.
If you have little ones, the Savage Rascal is a great rifle to introduce them to shooting.
