A cadet rifle is a rifle used by military cadets and others for basic firearms and marksmanship training. Generally .22 caliber and bolt-action, they also come in semi-automatic versions. They are often miniature .22 caliber versions of standard issue service rifles.
Older 19th century cadet rifles were simply smaller and lighter versions of standard issue service rifles designed to fire reduced power cartridges.
Examples
The Martini Cadet is a centerfire single-shot rifle produced in the United Kingdom by BSA and W.W. Greener for the use of Australian military Cadets. Although considered a miniature version of the Martini–Henry, it is internally different. Chambered for the .310 Cadet cartridge (aka: .310 Greener), it was used from 1891 to 1955. The Schmidt-Rubin Model 1897 cadet rifle was intended as a replacement for the earlier Vetterli rifles. The Model 97 rifles were single-shot using the bolt mechanism of the Schmidt-Rubin Model 89/96 rifle. It was to use a reduced power 7.5×55mm Swiss cartridge for the smaller younger cadets. The rifles sights were graduated both for the light and the standard loads. There were approximately 7900 of the cadet rifles made. The Springfield Model 1922 is a .22 caliber bolt-action rifle. It features a 24-inch (61 cm) barrel and a 5-round magazine. It was built as a cadet rifle, designed to mimic the M1903 Springfield rifle for training purposes. It was produced in several different versions until World War II, when shortages of materials made production of a training rifle impractical. The No.8 cadet rifle is a bolt-action .22 caliber version of the Lee–Enfield designed for British Army target shooting. They are simple single-shot, hand-fed cadet rifles and were originally designed to be used by military marksmen firing in civilian competitions, before being turned over to the cadet forces. Currently, the Number 8 is used by the British cadet services as a basic target rifle. Some examples are in civilian ownership worldwide, especially following the disposal by the New Zealand cadet forces of their Number 8 and Number 9 rifles at auction. The TOZ-8 is a single-shot, .22 caliber cadet rifle conceived in 1932 by the designer-gunsmith D. M. Kochetov and serially produced at the Tula Arms Plant. The TOZ-8 is a simple device, trouble-free and reliable in operation. It was widely used as the primary cadet rifle for military, paramilitary and police organizations in the USSR for decades. It is also used today for hunting small game. The Mauser KKW cadet rifle is a single-shot, .22 caliber rifle that was introduced in 1938. It is virtually identical to the Karabiner 98k. These cadet rifles were used by all German military, paramilitary and police organizations, especially the Hitler Youth. The CZ 452 (aka: the Trainer, Special or Special Military Training Rifle) is a .22 caliber, magazine-fed bolt-action rifle, equipped with a 24.8" (630 mm) barrel that is provisioned with tangent sights. The barrel is polished whereas the receiver has a matte finish; both are blued. The barreled action sits in a beech stock in the European-style with checkered grip, schnabel fore-end, and arched (curved) comb sometimes referred to as a Bavarian or "hogback" stock, and is trimmed with European sling swivels and a hard plastic butt plate. The lower drop at the heel and arched comb of the stock are designed to aid shooting with iron sights. The rear tangent sight is graduated in 25 meter increments with calibrated markings from 25 to 200 meters, while the sight leaf is adjustable for windage. The hooded front sight blade is adjustable for elevation. The TOZ-17 is a Soviet .22 Long Rifle, bolt-action cadet rifle with 5 round detachable magazine made by the TOZ firearms company. It has a similar appearance and functions much the same as the Mosin–Nagant rifle. The design reflects Soviet tradition, as it is very simple to use yet strong and functional. The rifle is very well built, reliable and accurate. It features twin extractors on the bolt which makes case ejection very positive. The bolt is considered large compared with most rimfire designs, paired with a large firing pin and spring assembly. The TOZ-17 has a free-floating barrel for increased accuracy. The Parker Hale L81A2, officially known as the L81A2 Cadet Target Rifle (CTR), is a 7.62×51mm, heavy-barrel, bolt action, hand-fed, single-shot rifle. It replaced the L81A1 and is used by the ATC, ACF, SCC and CCF in competitions such as The Schools Meeting, The Ashburton staged annually in July by the Council for Cadet Rifle Shooting (CCRS), and the Inter Service Cadet Rifle Meeting (ISCRM) held at Bisley Ranges.