How young is too young?


The reason the 4h uses the pellet gun is no bounch back. bbs do it a lot. Saftey glasses a must.
 

I agree with the most of the members chiming in, with about 8 to 10 years old for their first trip to the range.
 
My daughter is 6 years old. A few weeks ago she expressed an interest in guns and asked when I would teach her to shoot. We spent about a week going over a list of gun safety rules. Then we went out in the back yard with the Crosman BB pistol (so slow you can actually see the BB in flight) so I could see if she had learned proper gun handling. She did great so a couple of weeks later we went to the range as a family. She watched patiently while my wife and I shot (wifey has a new S&W 642). Then I let her shoot my Marlin .22 . She had a ball. It was way too big so she tucked the stock under her armpit while I held the fore end.

Anyway, a couple of days ago she said she wanted to learn something about guns everyday, and she's been holding me to it. We've discussed caliber, different types of actions, gun care, parts of rifles and pistols. I quiz her periodically on gun safety situations and "what would you do if..." and she always answers properly.
 
My daughter is 6 years old. A few weeks ago she expressed an interest in guns and asked when I would teach her to shoot. We spent about a week going over a list of gun safety rules. Then we went out in the back yard with the Crosman BB pistol (so slow you can actually see the BB in flight) so I could see if she had learned proper gun handling. She did great so a couple of weeks later we went to the range as a family. She watched patiently while my wife and I shot (wifey has a new S&W 642). Then I let her shoot my Marlin .22 . She had a ball. It was way too big so she tucked the stock under her armpit while I held the fore end.

Anyway, a couple of days ago she said she wanted to learn something about guns everyday, and she's been holding me to it. We've discussed caliber, different types of actions, gun care, parts of rifles and pistols. I quiz her periodically on gun safety situations and "what would you do if..." and she always answers properly.

I had a friend in college who grew up essentially as you described. But when she got in trouble, she'd have to pick a gun out of the safe and clean it to her dad's specifications. It RARELY failed to meet specs on the first go-around....if you catch the drift. She'd rival any SEAL in speed of breaking down anything from a Barrett on down to a .22 revolver.
 
I started my son at age 6, he is will be 27 in May and is a LEO here in SC. My daughter on the other hand, showed no intrest in the shooting sports, untill about 2 years ago she just turne 23 in January, As with all sports I never pusshed, or influnced my kids it was always ther decission, then I backed them 100%............. So I guess I am trying to say age don't matter, if they show intrest. there is always something you can teach them at an early age, when there ready (as a parent you will know when the time comes,) good luck, be safe..........
 
My son will be 4 next month. He's seen me in my hunting gear and numerous photos of "daddy hunting". One day we were at Kmart and he saw a toy shotgun that kicked out toy plastic shot shells when you operated the pump action. He asked if I would teach him to "hunt like daddy". I bought the toy for him, used it as a training tool for firearms safety. He's not allowed to use that particular toy without daddy or mommy's help. I have him use it as if it were a real shotgun. When he's done, it gets locked up with "daddy's guns". There's a couple of toy birds in his "designated hunting area". He seems to be doing great so far. One day his shotgun jammed (double feed). While I was clearing his shotgun, my son noticed that the muzzle was aiming at his teddy bear. He stopped me and said "don't make teddy owie". After realizing what happened, I praised him for catching my error. :)

Can't wait until he's 5. I'm planning on starting him off with a pellet gun or possibly airsoft. I teach him that all guns are to be used properly. He's not allowed to point any gun at anyone (toy or otherwise). My plan is to have him learn the "right way". Funny how my folks would let me play with "toy guns" and "shoot" all of my cousins and friends, but would forbid me from even looking at a "real" gun. :sad:



gf
 
Thanks everyone for your feedback it has been very helpful.

GF my parents were the same way I had toy shotguns and rifles and most favorite toy was my plastic 45 it was black with a brown fake wood grip anyway. They didn't care if I played with those all day long, shooting neighbors, cousins and best friends.

How ever one time we were at my uncles house he had a revolver he kept in the night stand by his bed (he didn't have any kids in the house) He saw me playing with my toy gun waiting for my cousin to come in and he took me to his room to show me his real gun. He opened it, unloaded it, told me how dangerous it was, how you never point it at anything you don't want to kill. He talked to me about gun saftey a little bit. My mom flipped out. The thought of her little boy looking at a real gun was just too much for her. It makes me laugh now. OK story time is over.

Jacob
 
I started my son on a BB gun at 5. Chipmunk at 6. Gradually increased the size of the guns as he grew. Always supervised, of course.

He took his first deer at 11 with a .270. He's taken 4 more since then (he is 15 now) and three turkeys.

We are heading out to a friend's ranch this weekend to shoot the RBH 45LC, the G-38 (which I am picking up tomorrow!) and the Ruger Mark III. We are best shooting and hunting buddies.

I wouldn't change a thing! I say start them when their interest and ability to follow directions dictate. They are all different.


Tim
 

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