All 3 of my boys learned to hunt with the Rossi 22/410 youth.
Mine was bought probably around the 1999-2000 timeframe.
I got ours a couple Christmas' ago, during a WM BF sale. $130 - $20 rebate... I think I did good!
Got a couple 100pks of 12ga BS for $18ea and a "Fury" break-open Crosman? pellet gun for $68, since traded for a Chiappa M9-22 (long story about that gun and its replacement, a M4-22
)
My 11yo son and 13yo daughter enjoy shooting .22s out of the Rossi. Accurate little gun. Fiber-optic sights took a bit of adjustment to get 'em right... Neither has been eager to shoot .410 out of it after seeing me wince the first time I shot it without the slip-on pad.
That small little buttstock puts a lot of pressure at a small location. It isn't too bad with the "small-sized" pad, $20 at WM.
My kids especially enjoy "flicking" the briskly ejected .22 cases at the other waiting shooter behind the firing line...
My daughter is already "big" for the gun and my son is due to have a "growth spurt" soon so the Rossi may fall deeper into the safe...
Single-shot .22 HAS its advantages such as forced marksmanship (make the shot count) and ammo conservation.
I HAVE toyed with the idea of making a .410 lupara out of it if the SHTF...