Probably the best 22 rifle ever made is the Ruger 1022,it's fairly cheap,accurate,reliable and there's so much of a parts aftermarket for it you could buy everything to build one from scratch.I have no experience with the 3 you mentioned and wasn't aware that HK made a rimfire version.Not much help but the Ruger is a great rifle to learn on.

Originally Posted by rex

Probably the best 22 rifle ever made is the Ruger 1022,it's fairly cheap,accurate,reliable and there's so much of a parts aftermarket for it you could buy everything to build one from scratch.I have no experience with the 3 you mentioned and wasn't aware that HK made a rimfire version.Not much help but the Ruger is a great rifle to learn on.

Learning isn't a factor as I have shot quite bit, but I have looked into the sr22 rifle. I don't like the look of the 1022 it really does look like a great learning rifle for my older kid.

Originally Posted by rex

wasn't aware that HK made a rimfire version.

It's pretty nice looking but I haven't heard much about it. H&K 22 Rimfire - 416 D145RS

face it, you want to spend big money on something that just looks cool.
I did too a while back.........but
Ruger is the most reliable 22 rifle out there - proven reliability for 50-60 years and now ruger has brought out their own 25 round magazine - what more do you want than cool looks?
the others have not been out for a long while, but I assume HK, S&W and SIG can figure that reliability thing out

If you're going to teach a child (of any age) to shoot the rifle, I suggest that a bolt-action .22 might be the best choice.
Start the kid out loading only one shot at a time. (You can't conveniently do that with most semi-autos, or even with pumps.) That teaches breath and trigger control, and achieving a good sight picture. It keeps the child from learning that there's always a second shot, if the first one is fired with poor control.
Another thing I think important is to add an aftermarket peep sight, rather than a scope. That teaches focus control.

Later, after good fundamentals have been achieved, the child can be switched to using a magazine, and maybe also a scope.

What Steve said. How I started my kids works very well.

Gotcha,can't help you for sure now.

I do agree with the bolt for teaching kids,but the 1022 was my boy's first.I don't know Marlin's quality now but the first gun I bought was a Marlin bolt back in the late 70s,very accurate and never puked on me.Next to a revolver,about the only thing that will chamber rat shot too.

Good luck.

Thanks everyone for the great advise, I will definitly pick up a crickett rifle as an introduction to shooting for my kids.