Cricket test results

[Jim]

A few things to take into account when judging these results:

1- Cheap chinese scope.
2- Rolled up shipping blanket for rest, not the sturdiest thing to use.
3- Eye relief too short, had to lean into scope to get full picture, very uncomfortable.
4- Rifle brand new, may need breaking in. (questionable)

The paster on the target is one inch square.

http://jgcphotos.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/p10100024-e1316107269313.jpg

[oneokie]

Which shot in the string was the low-left? Adjust the scope some and looks good to go.

[Jim]

Don't remember which one that was, Nolan. No matter, though. That scope didn't work out. The eye relief was too short and I had to lean into it even with that little short stock to get a full picture. I knew I wasn't going to be happy with it, so I took it off and put an old 2.5 X 20 Dickson on it.

I'm not even sure that's gonna stay on. Gotta get it back out to the range tomorrow and try it again. Here's a photo of it in it's current condition.

http://jgcphotos.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/p10100015-e1316113029890.jpg

[Westwindmike]

Nice looking rifle, but wow. Those are really tall rings/mount!

[Jim]

Yeah, you're right. But by the time you get snuggled up on that little stock, the scope has to be a little high to keep you from havin to put your head down to see through it.

[JeffinNZ]

Nice looking rifle, but wow. Those are really tall rings/mount!

Tall rings are great for offhand shooting. Short rings for prone. [smilie=1::kidding:

[WILCO]

Nice looking rifle Jim. I've always loved those cricket rifles! What's the story behind this project?

[stubshaft]

My nephew in Norfolk was just telling me that he was thinking of getting one for his boy. I'll forward your photos of rifle and target to him. (He was hinting at getting my Marlin 39 but that isn't going to happen anytime soon)

[Jim]

Nice looking rifle Jim. I've always loved those cricket rifles! What's the story behind this project?

Wilco,
I hunt coons up in these hills with a coupla buddies. I've been using a Winchester Wildcat bolt rifle to hunt with. Nice rifle, shot good, but you can't shoot shorts in it. The breach on a Wildcat is recessed in the receiver and it's dern near impossible to get a short in it under the best conditions.

Sometimes, the dogs tree a little closer to a residence than we care for. We're not tresspassing, we just don't like making any more noise than we absolutely have to. That's why I wanted to be able to shoot shorts. So, I bought a Cricket.

The rifle is 30 inches long and weighs under 4 lbs, sling and scope. That's about 2/3 of the Wildcat rifle package.
http://jgcphotos.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/p10100017-e1316177646416.jpg

[69daytona]

Nice rifle. I bought two of these for my Grand Twins one pink one for the girl and a black and gray laminate for the boy and they love them. They are wanting a red dot mounted on their rifles now so I will show them your rifle and maybe I can talk them into a scope since I have a few laying around.

The groups look pretty good considering the short stock, I have a hard time with the Grandkids rifles, its like shooting a pistol held in front of my face.

[Jim]

You might wanna do some homework on putting a dot sight on a Cricket. I'm right in the middle of that myself. I have yet to find a standard width Weaver style base that will fit the receiver of a Cricket.

Cricket makes a base just for their rifles, but the grooves are for rimfire rings only. HERE (http://www.crickett.com/product_info.php?products_id=181&osCsid=vr3rgm823ufpvotd9e9i90gie0) is a link to the base.

On the other hand, somebody recently suggested that a standard width Weaver style base might be modified to fit. I suppose that's possible, but the base has to be concaved to fit the round top of the receiver.

I don't mean to be a stick in the mud, just passin' on what I've learned so far. If you DO find such a base to fit, please let me know.

[oneokie]

Y'all might want to rummage around here; http://www.weaveroptics.com/mountcharts/
to see if there is something that would fit.

Measure the diameter of the reciever of the cricket and compare to the diameter of other makes of 22's.

[Jim]

I tried three different scopes on the Cricket looking for the best one that suits the rifle. I threw two in the bushes behind the target board. The one I shot the target below with is a Bushnell 3X9X40 Sportview.

The target is a 1 inch square bullet hole paster. The distance was 75 feet.

http://jgcphotos.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/p1010019-e1316201844687.jpg

[Bret4207]

I know a couple trappers use the Crickets Jim, Light and cheap, right up their alley. I'm thinking about getting one for the kids for Christmas.

[oneokie]

Should be good enough for mr. ringtail.

[Fishman]

I gave my daughter the version of this rifle at the time when it was called the Chipmunk made by Oregon Arms. She was 4 I think and now is 21. It shot so well that when my son got old enough, I gave him a used Leupold 4x rimfire special I got for a song and put it on the rifle. Deadly accurate but he soon tired of sharing and bought his own Marlin 60 "cause it holds more shots". I think they are fine little rifles and the lightest long gun you are likely to find.

[longranger]

Chipmunk was made by "Keystone" for while with button rifled barrels and nice walnut wood stocks.My grandaughters excelled with these rifles on the .22 sihouette range.

[knifemaker]

I bought two of the Cricket rifles for my grandkids. I put 4 power scopes on both rifles and sighted the rifles in at 50 yards. I used Remington "golden bullets" and both rifles turned in 5 shot groups of 1/2-5/8 inch. Very accurate for a low cost 22 single shot rifle for the kids.[smilie=w:

[Jim]

Since you mentioned the Remington 'Golden Bullets'.....

http://jgcphotos.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/p10100027-e1316283636891.jpg

[knifemaker]

Jim; Thanks for printing that target with the Rem. golden bullets. It made me go out to the reloading room and check the targets shot with the two Crickets. It was not Rem. Golden bullets I used. It was Eley Sport 40 gr. 22lr that I purchased at a gunshow for about 20 bucks for 500 of them. I do get very good accuracy with the Rem. bullets in my Advantage arms 22lr conversion kit for my 1911 45 acp.

[WILCO]

I hunt coons up in these hills with a coupla buddies.

Thanks for the story behind the "project" Jim.