I thought about a bolt action, specifically something like the Ruger Precision Rimfire or maybe the new Christensen Arms Ranger 22. I know I am Mr Action Shooting Enthusiast around here, but I do precision and ELR rifle work when the opportunity comes up (including a Kestrel class this Sunday at PNTC), and I don't own a 22lr bolt gun right now.
However, I ultimately decided against it because I wanted to get him interested in steel challenge and so on, and I feel like a semi-auto is more appropriate to that. I agree that if we were talking pure shooting technique and minimizing the need for really working the rifle beyond the bolt, I'd go with the bolt gun. But I think he is going to develop faster as a shooter with the semi, because it will force him to get better with administrative handling and learn shot-to-shot sight pictures.
However, I ultimately decided against it because I wanted to get him interested in steel challenge and so on, and I feel like a semi-auto is more appropriate to that. I agree that if we were talking pure shooting technique and minimizing the need for really working the rifle beyond the bolt, I'd go with the bolt gun. But I think he is going to develop faster as a shooter with the semi, because it will force him to get better with administrative handling and learn shot-to-shot sight pictures.