4H Shooting Sports is an outstanding program if they have a good coach and leader. We have such in our town, they use our club's indoor range, program is air rifles only I believe. Dont go buying anything until you check out the organization and see what they recommend, they may have some of their own equipment to get started with.

 

This is a rimfire program. I was surprised to find out they even do this here.

 

4H Shooting is a great activity. I started in the program about 5 years ago with my grandchildren and found I probably enjoyed it even more than the kids. In my second year I became a level I rifle coach and in my third year became a level 1 pistol coach. This past year I took the Level II training and am still coaching but also training new coaches. Each State 4H puts out a handbook which explains the different shooting sports offered. I've attached Louisiana's as an example. PM if you'd like additional info.

More than likely your program will be CMP Sporter Rifle which is the most popular, followed by NRA 3-position, then Smallbore Silhouette (listed in order of our state's participation levels).

CMP Sporter Rife for juniors (9-13) is 10 shots slowfire prone at 50 yards (10 minutes), 10 shots slowfire sitting at 50 yards in 10 min, then 10 shots standing at 25 yards in 10 min. Seniors 14 and up add a rapid fire component (two strings of 5 shots, each string in 25 seconds) to each position.

There are two classes in Sporter Rifle: First is a rifle with scope no more than 6x, or a variable taped at 6x or below. Rifles with peep sights are also in this class. The other class is for rifles with open sights. The rest of the rules for both classes:

Any .22 rifle, S, L, or LR. Tube magazine rifles are currently allowed but I think they will be prohibited next year due to the safety problem of the hand in front of the muzzle when removing the tube for loading.
Max weight 7.5 lbs.
All stocks are currently legal, however AR type stocks will not be allowed next year. See the handbook for details.
Trigger pull not under 3 lbs.
Only 1 fixed front swivel.
Max sling width 1 1/4 inches.
No muzzle porting or recoil reducer. Factory flash suppressors on AR style rifles are allowed until the end of this year.

For NRA 3-position, shooters will fire in the prone, standing, and kneeling positions at 50 yards. 20 shots at each position.
Any .22 rifle, S,L, or LR, 40 grain standard velocity.
Only 1 round can be loaded at a time.
Any safe trigger.
Metallic sights only, open or peep.

Smallbore Rifle Silhouette - Standing only, at 40, 60, 77, & 100 yds.
Any .22 rifle, S, L, or LR, standard velocity.
Max rifle weight 10 lbs 2 oz..
Any sights (usually a scope, most set at anywhere from 12 to 36 power)
Any safe trigger
Barrel no longer than 30 inches.

Shooters will need eye and ear protection, a rifle case with the muzzle end marked, an open bolt indicator, and ammunition. Handy to have but not required would a small bag to hold everything, a mat/towel/pad for prone, hat, towel/shop cloth, hand sanitizer. From there the sky is the limit.

We have good participation.

 

And to answer your question of "what it would take equipment wise for a kid to be competitive in them.?", see
(might have to turn up your volume as sound is not great on some of these)

• Factors to consider when building a CMP Rifle, 7.5 lbs max weight

• Additions and modifications to the Ruger 10/22 for new shooters

• Short description of the CZ rifle for starting 4H shooting sports

• Trigger technique

• How to set up/use an M1907 Sling

, or
http://www.illinoishighpower.org/general_highpower_info/ISRA SR Sling.pdf

• Measuring Length of Pull

Measuring length of pull.

 

I would buy a 20" T1X then do nothing other than add a cheek rest, adjust the trigger to 3#, move the sling swivel back (you'll see) and possibly add the vertical grip. MAYBE consider a 5rd flush mag.
Feed it CCI SV until the ammo becomes a limitation (this will take a while).

 

ok. Looks like I have some research to do, and some exploring. Thanks for posting the videos and comments

 

For your reading/research enjoyment, more threads on 4H Shooting:

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/finally-something-clicked.1250736/#post-12735977

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/new-shooters-this-year.1287279/#post-13242970

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/shooting-sports-offered-by-4-h.1286752/#post-13191900

https://www.rimfirecentral.com/threads/ruger-10-22-cmp-sporter-rifle.1284694/#post-13180714

 

The 4-H programs are only as good as the people running them,,,
In most cases the instructors and range masters,,,
Are cool folk who want the kids to succeed.

But in one case I ran into a real snob,,,
For lack of a better adjective.

This was back during the O'Bummer ammo drought in 2010,,,
When even finding one 50 round box was difficult.

I had located a large amount of "Centurion" brand .22 ammo,,,
It was 38 grain LRN high velocity ammo.

I bought two 5,000 round cases for $150.00 each,,,
I knew it was unknown quality ammo,,,
But I just needed range fodder.

Anyways, a friend of mine enrolled his son in the program,,,
But like everyone else in America at that time,,,
No one could find ammo to shoot.

My friend had a small stash of some bulk pack ammo,,,
But most of the other kids didn't have any at all.

I went to one of the practice sessions with a 5,000 round case in my car,,,
When we got there the situation was dismal for ammo,,,
Maybe one in four kids had a 50 round box.

Their head instructor was trying to get some from the CMP,,,
But was not having any luck at that time.

So I broke open the case and had my friend start handing out 50 rounds to each kid,,,
The lead instructor went absolutely berserk about this.

He quickly "confiscated" all of the ammo my friend had handed out,,,
And came over and started cursing me and my friend out,,,
Calling us irresponsible for giving out "that crap ammo".

He would rather have his kids not shoot at all,,,
Than to shoot "crap ammo".

I was absolutely dumbfounded by his attitude,,,
But even more so when he didn't want to return the ammo to me.

I convinced him that not returning the ammo,,,
Would be detrimental to his well-being.

After that event my friend started a campaign to get rid of him,,,
It worked as many of the parents had issues with him too.

Two weeks later I went there again with both cases of that Centurion stuff,,,
We doled it out 25 rounds at a time to each kid that needed ammo,,,
I felt good, the kids got to shoot, and the parents were happy.

Those two cases of ammo kept the kids shooting,,,
Even though it wasn't real target quality,,,
At least it went bang every time.

I later found out it was made in Mexico,,,
By the same company that makes Aquila.

Apparently the Centurion stuff was mostly marketed,,,
In Europe and the Middle East.

My pawn shop guy knew someone down there,,,
And he was able to get an entire pallet delivered to him.

I bought 2 more cases just for the 4-H kids,,,
It had gone up to $200 per 5,000 by that time,,,
But again, any ammo in a drought is shootable ammo.

That pallet went away in just over a week,,,
Even after he started limiting to two bricks at a time.

Aarond

.

 

The 4-H programs are only as good as the people running them,,,
In most cases the instructors and range masters,,,
Are cool folk who want the kids to succeed.

But in one case I ran into a real snob,,,
For lack of a better adjective.

This was back during the O'Bummer ammo drought in 2010,,,
When even finding one 50 round box was difficult.

I had located a large amount of "Centurion" brand .22 ammo,,,
It was 38 grain LRN high velocity ammo.

I bought two 5,000 round cases for $150.00 each,,,
I knew it was unknown quality ammo,,,
But I just needed range fodder.

Anyways, a friend of mine enrolled his son in the program,,,
But like everyone else in America at that time,,,
No one could find ammo to shoot.

My friend had a small stash of some bulk pack ammo,,,
But most of the other kids didn't have any at all.

I went to one of the practice sessions with a 5,000 round case in my car,,,
When we got there the situation was dismal for ammo,,,
Maybe one in four kids had a 50 round box.

Their head instructor was trying to get some from the CMP,,,
But was not having any luck at that time.

So I broke open the case and had my friend start handing out 50 rounds to each kid,,,
The lead instructor went absolutely berserk about this.

He quickly "confiscated" all of the ammo my friend had handed out,,,
And came over and started cursing me and my friend out,,,
Calling us irresponsible for giving out "that crap ammo".

He would rather have his kids not shoot at all,,,
Than to shoot "crap ammo".

I was absolutely dumbfounded by his attitude,,,
But even more so when he didn't want to return the ammo to me.

I convinced him that not returning the ammo,,,
Would be detrimental to his well-being.

After that event my friend started a campaign to get rid of him,,,
It worked as many of the parents had issues with him too.

Two weeks later I went there again with both cases of that Centurion stuff,,,
We doled it out 25 rounds at a time to each kid that needed ammo,,,
I felt good, the kids got to shoot, and the parents were happy.

Those two cases of ammo kept the kids shooting,,,
Even though it wasn't real target quality,,,
At least it went bang every time.

I later found out it was made in Mexico,,,
By the same company that makes Aquila.

Apparently the Centurion stuff was mostly marketed,,,
In Europe and the Middle East.

My pawn shop guy knew someone down there,,,
And he was able to get an entire pallet delivered to him.

I bought 2 more cases just for the 4-H kids,,,



That pallet went away in just over a week,,,
Even after he started limiting to two bricks at a time.

Aarond

.

Well done Aarond!