Daughter wants to shoot ...

kurtb

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She is 10 years and has watched me at the range before. What is the right age to get her going? I was thinking to start her off with a 22 or a even an air rifle. I dont think I would even think about anything having to do with a pistol for a few more years.

Anyone have any ideas about the best way to go about this - or pitfalls - or recommendations? I'm sure someone on NES has been in the same boat.

Thx
KurtB
 
She is 10 years and has watched me at the range before. What is the right age to get her going? I was thinking to start her off with a 22 or a even an air rifle. I dont think I would even think about anything having to do with a pistol for a few more years.

Anyone have any ideas about the best way to go about this - or pitfalls - or recommendations? I'm sure someone on NES has been in the same boat.

Thx
KurtB
Not to scriv you, but this has been discussed before. Short version is go slow, hammer in "the rules", make it easy (supported, short distance, little-to-zero recoil), hammer in "the rules" again, have fun...
 
Teach her the safety rules, let her use a bb gun. If she is responsible enough, move up to a .22
 
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Not to scriv you, but this has been discussed before. Short version is go slow, hammer in "the rules", make it easy (supported, short distance, little-to-zero recoil), hammer in "the rules" again, have fun...

EDIT: of course the new search engine blows - I can't find a thread in which I know I posted... [laugh]
 
I have found that age is not nearly as relevant as maturity. I have trained grown men who I found to be less "capable" or "ready" than some children. Air rifles are great for the young ones, so are .22's. At that age, proper firearms handling is primary, marksmanship secondary. Put the targets close. Kids gauge results in hitting something, otherwise boredom and disinterest sets in quickly.
 
Start with the first four rules, when she can recite then its time for more.

You'll be the best judge of her maturity level, if she's taking things responsibly go with a .22 (Unless your spouse objects).
There's always the pink Red Ryder as a fall back option.
 
If she is interested, it's time.. My nine year old shoots a bolt action .22, and he has fired a couple different pistols, but the rifle is his constant. He knew thew rules long before ever going to the range, then he went with dad to the range a few times. My almost 18 year old has never gone, and will not anytime soon, because she is a teenager and knows everything, just ask her..[rolleyes]
Good Luck and have fun!!!
 
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My oldest granddaughter, 17, has been shooting with me for about 7 years. I started her with a Cricket .22, then when she was 12, I got her her own Henry lever gun. At 16 she got her own .22 revolver.

Her younger sister, now 9, has been shooting the Cricket since she was 5. She now wants my Marlin 39a as she says the Cricket is a little kids gun. She handles it well. I let her shoot one of my High Standard .22 revolvers last week and she's good to go. She wants to claim that one as her own.

Maturity is a big thing, and these kids know and obey the 4 safety rules. If you work hard with your kid, she's probably ready.
 
A friend of mine recently wanted to get his son involved. After proving himself ready with a bolt action, Andy wanted to get him a 10/22, but Kyle was still a little small for the stock - so I sent him the factory stock off one of mine - which he cut down - now its perfect. Once Kyle grows a little larger, they will put the standard (unaltered) stock back on - and he will likely give the new 'youth' model away.
 
Both of my kids were shooting by age 10. What and how depends on the kid. You got her this far, trust your own judgment.
 
I started both my girls at about 6 years old. We would go "hunting" for balloons I had previously put in the area so that they got a visual confirmation of a hit. They loved it. But at leat a year before we went out for the first time, I started with safety rules, especially the one "If you see a gun out, don't touch, leave the room, get dad. To reenforce this, I would remove the slide from an autoloader, leave the frame on a table, and leave the room. I knew I was making progress when they would search me out, shake their finger at me, and in a stern voice inform me I had left a gun out.
 
I started both my girls at about 6 years old. We would go "hunting" for balloons I had previously put in the area so that they got a visual confirmation of a hit. They loved it. But at leat a year before we went out for the first time, I started with safety rules, especially the one "If you see a gun out, don't touch, leave the room, get dad. To reenforce this, I would remove the slide from an autoloader, leave the frame on a table, and leave the room. I knew I was making progress when they would search me out, shake their finger at me, and in a stern voice inform me I had left a gun out.

Excellent advice - I will surely use the baloon hunt idea..
 
+1 for placing targets real close, so it's easy to get a hit. Reactive targets are fun, you can get a metal spinner for $20 that you can
shoot .22 from 20 feet.

My daughter is 12 and her new favorite rifle is a Winchester 62 pump action 22.

I can load it with 22 CB Long, which are so quiet you don't need
ear protection.
 
ten is way old enough to be a crack shot with a .22! Hopefully you belong to a gun club that is not anti-kids (unfortunately many are nowadays). Take them when there are not too many people around and let them plink away. After she gets good, make it more challenging, like shooting out the thumbtacks holding the targets, etc. Moving targets are good too. I do not remember the hunting regs, but as soon as she can get her into the woods shooting rabbits and squirells.

Right around 10 years old is when the school system indoctrinates the kids to be anti-gun and anti-huniting, so you had better get going on it!
 
Ten? Assuming she has the maturity of an average 10-year old girl, AND you have taught her the Four Rules, she should certainly be able to handle a .22.

I took my 10-year old goddaughter shooting for the first time, using a single-shot .22 rifle. She handled that fine, as well as my Ruger Single Six. I'd have let her shoot the AR, but my wife convinced her it was too loud (it DOES have a nasty compensator).

You should use reactive targets; balloons, the steel swingers that reset, etc. I used paper targets, but should have remembered to get balloons in time.

Semi-autos: NO. I believe in teaching shot placement; not spray-and-pray. Also, I suggest NOT giving a new shooter, regardless of age, a semi w/a full mag. There is a tendency to turn around with a s**t-eating grin to see if everyone else saw them shoot OR to freeze on the trigger. Not a good time to have a newbie with a full mag.

It must be FUN for the child. Instructive, of course. Safe, obviously. But it only works so long as they are enjoying the activity and that will probably NOT be as long as you will normally spend at the range.

Have fun - and make sure SHE does.
 
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I'm going to recommend enrolling her in a junior program at your club. The program at Reading is top notch with lots of adults to help the kids. Sometimes it's easier for someone else to hammer in the important lessons, because the kids don't always listen to dad or mom the way they listen to a teacher.
 
EDIT: of course the new search engine blows - I can't find a thread in which I know I posted... [laugh]

Tough Darts cekim. That is deliberate. Derek couldn't figure out how to get Scriv to stop telling everyone to "Make a search".[rolleyes]

So in an agreement to let Scriv back on the board, he decided to screw up the search function so he didn't have to deal with all the angry PM's he used to get.[thinking]!!!

(By the way, it's the software, not Derek)[rofl]

Damn, I hope Derek doesn't decide to eliminate the "DEPICTS option"!!!![shocked]
 
Tough Darts cekim. That is deliberate. Derek couldn't figure out how to get Scriv to stop telling everyone to "Make a search".[rolleyes]

So in an agreement to let Scriv back on the board, he decided to screw up the search function so he didn't have to deal with all the angry PM's he used to get.

This is known to the Inner Sanctum as the Molotov-von Ribbentrop Pact of NES.
 
Im have same question but after reading this post i think i should start with my son, he is 9 but i was 8 when i started shooting in my school range.
so what rifle would you guys recommend for 9 year old boy to start with assuming its .22?
 
Fit is everything. The stock has to fit the shooter. Either buy a cheap .22 rifle and cut the stock to fit or buy a Cricket Rifle. There is another manufacturer out there - can't remember the name - senior moment - but it's also a single shot but has a .410 barrel as well....

Thinking about it for a second, why not a TC Encore. Interchangeable stocks and calibers. Buy a stock you can cut now and have a longer one available as he gets older and her arms get longer.

Hope that helps,
 
My daughter started at 9 and did well.

Do you belong to Braintree or live near Boston? I have a Savage Cub-T that you can borrow to try.
 
Why no love for the Chipmunk rifle? I got mine at age 9, and can't wait to see my daughter shooting it.

I'd stay start her shooting now, with nerf or airsoft to make sure the rules are down solid. Then move her to a bb gun and then the .22. This will make her feel like she's "graduating".
 
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