I personally don't consider semis to be "upgrades" at all, as they're inherently less accurate than a bolt gun with heavier triggers. It's also been my experience (3 kids and a bunch of nephews/nieces) that semis encourage rapid fire=less hits=less interest very quick. Heck, that's been my own experience too. However, my suggestion for an accurate semi would be this;
http://www.cabelas.ca/product/3789/m...emi-auto-rifle and a cheap/easy upgrade to the trigger here;
http://www.mcarbo.com/store/p/26-Mar...pring-Kit.aspx To my way of thinking, the best value/accuracy/number of good features all wrapped-up in one. Someone mentioned that it's not tapped for bases~true, but the receiver is grooved for rimfire rings..so I'm not sure what the big deal is there. I've had 2 Marlin 795s and one now belongs to a good friend in AB. Great-shooting rifles.
With all that said, personally...I'd get a decent bolt-action repeater. Doesn't need to be an Anschutz either. If the kids are small, I don't think you could do better than a CZ 452 "Scout". If they're bigger guys, a 452 American if shooting offhand is the way they get it done most. My 452 is a Varmint model because I shoot prone with it most. There are lots of other older models (Marlin) that I like too, but the last 2 bolt guns I've bought were the 452 Varmint and a BRNO 2E. (basically the same gun as a 452 LUX)
Bottom line~your $/your decision and hey...if you're adding a new 22 to the collection every year or two, why NOT add a semi for variety's sake! Personally, I'd hold-off and get a better bolt gun. Lots of people I've met over the years dismiss 22s altogether because of lacklustre experiences with 10/22s, cheap bolt guns, dirty/gummed-up old Cooey 60 farm guns, etc. In almost every case, after chatting, I soon learn they've never tried something decent like BRNO, CZ, Anshutz etc. To shoot a decent-quality bolt gun with even mid-grade ammo and a decent scope can be a different experience altogether if you've never done it. And yes, the kids in my life have ended-up getting a bigger kick out of hitting distant targets than seeing the brass fly on a semi.
Re: scopes~the last scope I bought for a 22 was for the 452 Varmint, and this is the one;
http://www.hirschprecision.com/index...oducts_id=1595 I'm a bit of an expert in inexpensive scopes...I think I've owned most of what's out there in the $50-$150 range! lol Not a bragging point, but true. However, this scope has proven to be very decent for the money. I've also used older, glossy Bushnell Banner AO scopes I've picked up for $100-$150 and they've worked great. Still have a 6-18x on my 17HMR. Those are about the 2 best suggestions I'd make for the $. If budget allows, a Sightron SII..they pop-up for $400-$500 used from what I've seen.