[Moon Man]

Hi All,

First post on the forum, I came because I was looking for a youth rifle for my 9 Year Old daughter and came across this nice Marlin 15Y on Armslist. I picked it up for $135 with a scope. I have to preface this post with the fact that I have never shot a rifle in my life before this (some shotguns and for the last couple of months a couple of pistols in .22 and 9mm).

I didn't realize how heavy the gun was until she got it in her hands - it weighs about 5 pounds. Is this something she will get used to? For now I got her some sandbags and she shoots rested. She can shoot it standing, but she cant hit the targets yet. It's in GREAT shape, nice wood finish, no rust, and very clean bore. But I have a couple of issues I was hoping you folks could help me with.

Issue 1: I cannot decide whether to buy a Savage Rascal (2.5 pound weight) until she gets more comfortable and strong at shooting, or to just keep on with this thing.

Issue 2: When I brought this to the range for the first time to sight it in without her, it was printing left on the irons. After a careful inspection the front sight tap was installed incorrectly at the factory (cants 15 degrees right). Now the irons are nothing to write home about, but the gun came with a tasco 4x15 scope (the 7 dollar scope that is often on airguns, etc). I cleaned up the scope and sighted it at the range and I could put two shots through the same hole at 25 yards so I set her up with that. You can see her results in the picture below (at 15 yards). Should I just invest 40 dollars in nice optics, or spend 50 bucks having a gunsmith drill and tap a new front sight with a fiber optic or something?

So in conclusion, the gun is too pretty to sell, and I know she will grow into it. So in the groups semi-professional opinion should I just bite the bullet on a Rascal until she does? And for the Marlin, should I bother getting the Irons right, or go straight to optics. Right now I am thinking of letting her shoot this until the weather warms here in Michigan, and then get the rascal. Leave the rascal in Irons (it has a good peep sight) and leave this marlin with a 40 dollar tasco scope from amazon. Is that a good plan? I just dropped the price of a rascal on this gun, sandbags and a case

Some pics of gun and little shooter:

At 15 yards (her shots, first time shooting):

The little Shooter:

 

[McyNHMarlin]

Those are good little shooters and I'm sure she'll grow into it without much issue. Personally I'd get the iron's fixed, I believe a person should learn to shoot well with irons before getting optics, makes a better shooter in the long run and insures they feel comfortable in the field if something goes wrong with a scope. Nice grouping for a first time shooter! I think she'll do well in the long run.

 

[Moon Man]

Those are good little shooters and I'm sure she'll grow into it without much issue. Personally I'd get the iron's fixed, I believe a person should learn to shoot well with irons before getting optics, makes a better shooter in the long run and insures they feel comfortable in the field if something goes wrong with a scope. Nice grouping for a first time shooter! I think she'll do well in the long run.

One question on the irons... The stock irons are pretty junky. It's a dovetail rear, but the rear sight is forward of the bolt. Should I have a gunsmith drill for a peep sight? What is the recommendation there? I was thinking very minimum put a fiber optic front sight on it. But maybe the sight that it came with is OK? I put a bit of white nail polish out front to make it easier to see.

 

[msharley]

Hey Moon,

Welcome to MO.

Way to go, pics of "Li'l Miss Moon" and her Marlin, on first post!

Later, Mark

 

[FireManDan]

Nothing wrong with the dovetail rear sights being forward of the bolt. Heck that's how my lever guns are. Learning to shoot with various sights will benefit her in the long run rather than just going straight to the easiest sights or optics right away. Of course that's just my old guy opinion. Seems todays youth wants to go right to black tactical guns with red dot optics like their video games. Thanks for posting the great pictures and happy shootin!

 

[HopalongCassidy]

First, 15Y a great rifle for a young shooter, as a senior citizen our old 15Y is my walk about rifle.

Second, I believe that Skinner has a peep that will mount on a dove-tail, you will also be able to get them to recommend a front sight of the correct height to go with it.

 

[McyNHMarlin]

Second, I believe that Skinner has a peep that will mount on a dove-tail, you will also be able to get them to recommend a front sight of the correct height to go with it.

The Skinner sights are the one's I'd go for if I was going to put a peep sight on, peeps are easy to use and get on target quickly. Skinner does make a dove-tail mounted sight that I don't think cost all that much, it would be a good place to start at least. Other than that the stock sights should work out fine if you can get them lined up correctly, I used the "lower quality" irons for years on a older .22 rifle I used to have and they worked out just fine, sent many a round through the heads of pesky red squirrels.

 

[junglekat]

congrats on the find.They are hard to find.I can not find a marlin xt youth single shot with wood stock blued or stainless.Anywhere on the net ,gun shops,or wal mart.Nobody can get cabelas,bass pro,gander nobody can even order one.

 

[marlinluvr]

Welcome from South Florida!

 

[Moon Man]

The Skinner sights are the one's I'd go for if I was going to put a peep sight on, peeps are easy to use and get on target quickly. Skinner does make a dove-tail mounted sight that I don't think cost all that much, it would be a good place to start at least. Other than that the stock sights should work out fine if you can get them lined up correctly, I used the "lower quality" irons for years on a older .22 rifle I used to have and they worked out just fine, sent many a round through the heads of pesky red squirrels.

Yeah I might just have a fiber optic put on, it doesnt line up correctly right now because the front sight is canted right. Gunsmith quoted me about 40 bucks to drill and tap, and some extra $$$ for a fiber optic sight.