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Introducing children to shooting

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fjhyman

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I am a parent of 3 children and one of them not born yet.
I remember when I was maybe around 8 or 9 my father got into shooting and that got me into it.
What age did you all get into shooting and what age would you recommend for a child. I know maturity has a lot to do with it. But just looking g for ideas of when it would be appropriate to.

MOLON LABE
~All Hope is Lost in Translation~
 
Started around 5 or 6 I believe. Single shot breakopen Daisy pellet gun, then onto a pump and bolt 22s, then straight to a 45 a few years after haha
 
Shooting pigeons in the back yard at my grandparents house in Braintree on Common St back in the late 60's early 70's (8-11 yo) I have the .22 rifle in my safe. It's tiny.

Holy crap you'd end up in jail after a SWAT attack doing that now.
 
Asaltweapon said:
Shooting pigeons in the back yard at my grandparents house in Braintree on Common St back in the late 60's early 70's (8-11 yo) I have the .22 rifle in my safe. It's tiny.

Holy crap you'd end up in jail after a SWAT attack doing that now.
Click to expand...

You ain't shittin'! We had a rat infestation in town when a new development went up and my dad used to rest his .22 on the bathroom window sill and pop them one by one. That wouldn't fly today.
 
My 4 year old (she'll be 5 in a month) occasionally enjoys shooting a 22 in the back yard. She's big for her age. When she's not into other playing, she occasionally enjoys pulling a trigger. Then she remembers kittys.
 
Mine started pretty young, they were showing interest and listen to instruction and direction very well at the range. My oldest is almost 8, I believe we got her bolt .22 when she was 5? My youngest is almost 5 and has been sitting in my lap shooting since she was 3 or so. They love shooting just about anything other than plain paper. Their favorite is balloons, they also like shooting water filled jugs and cans of cheap diet soda shaken up. The main thing I've found is going over the rules on the way to the range and again when we get there. When they start showing any signs of being bored/losing interest we stop. I have a 8 year old nephew who I will be taking to the range for the first time this weekend, he really hasn't been ready until now. He's a pretty hyper kid, but he's able to listen and pay attention quite a bit better now than he was even a year ago.
 
My parents were (and are) anti-gun, I didn't touch one til I went to camp and took riflery. I was probably 11 or 12?

I plan to start my boys earlier than that, with a bolt .22. I will teach them gun safety even earlier. Don't want them seeing their first gun at the neighbor's house.
 
the first question is, how good are you about gun safety and do you feel competent teaching. if you feel rusty on safety, take one of those Mass basic hunter safety courses...they drill in all the safety mantras over and over, and you will be a good teacher after that.

The next question is how responsible and able to follow direction is you kid. I have seen 5 year olds responsible enough to fire a bolt action .22 rifle, and i have seen teenagers i would be nervous to give a potato gun to.

I was taught starting at 5 years old, but my dad was an ex army drill instructor from WWII. I started my kids around the same time, around 6 years old maybe. But you have to watch them like a hawk until you are sure they "get" the rules. they got their own .22 rifles on their 10th birthdays.

Your next question should be "where do it take them shooting?". Good luck. A lot of clubs around here are definitely ANTI-CHILD. If your club will not let them in, get a hunting license, some paper targets and go find a quiet state park to practice at with the kids. Of COURSE make sure you have a very safe backdrop.
 
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fjhyman said:
I am a parent of 3 children and one of them not born yet.
I remember when I was maybe around 8 or 9 my father got into shooting and that got me into it.
What age did you all get into shooting and what age would you recommend for a child. I know maturity has a lot to do with it. But just looking g for ideas of when it would be appropriate to.
Click to expand...

I agree with all that have been posting here. As long as the child is old enough that he/she can clearly demonstrate via dry fire drills with an unloaded/cleared firearm and repeatedly verbally demonstrating that he/she understands the 10 commandments of gun safety to your satisfaction, your child is probably ready.

I personally didn't get started hunting and shooting until I met my stepdad and he got me involved at age 15. However, I got my own son involved by age 5 and he killed his first deer at age 10!
 
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Started at age 4.

dad_zpsfrfktohg.jpg
 
My son is 12 and has no interest. I taught him gun safety but if he isn't interested in going out to shoot, I'm not going to force it on him. If he wants to learn more he knows just to ask.
He is more musically inclined and playing in 3 different bands at school is his thing.
And im sure someone is going to ask.... no he does not stay in all day playing video games. He spends most of his time outside playing with the kids in the hood.
 
I started around 6. My father hunted and built black powder Kentucky long rifles and muskets as a hobby. Cut my teeth learning how to measure powder and load those things. Moved on to shotguns after that.
Both my sons (now 18 & 21) were trained by me early. Both of them enjoyed range time, but really didn't take to it after discovering music & girls. I'm hoping the foundation I layed down sticks, and they revisit it someday.
 
I started by simply having my daughter around me when I was shooting the pellet gun around the yard and when I get my gear out/back after a range trip. I constantly bring up the "rules"
1st page in link I posted in post #2.
She started as a spotter. I would set up my spotting scope in the yard and she would look through it looking at the spinning targets and giving me a hit no hit call...from about 3-5 that's all she did. By 5 she knew the rules and at 5 1/2 she asked to try it.
From there it was easy she listens wants to learn her interest sway to and fro and I just let her decide when she wants to shoot be it pellet gun in yard or 22 at the range.
And that's it. Video is a little "old" now. I have not made anything new just to busy having fun when she decides she wants to go. She's deep into horses and riding so shooting has been nil this year.[video]https://www.youtube.com/?layout=tablet&client=mv-google&rdm=264sx4611#/watch?v=vW0sDTwehR4[/video]

Just take your time. Easy targets at first. Sand bags for support
She was doing well at 50 yards hitting eggs with the pellet gun and scope. Before it got hot and stayed hot.

Not sure why video won't work?
Here she is 50 yards singing a 4" steel target with easy.
 
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As was mentioned, it will depend on the child. You will need to evaluate how well they pay attention to safety and how to shoot to decide if they are ready.


I want, no, need, to teach my Grandchildren (step grandchildren?) gun safety and that guns are not "bad guns". I don't know where they got it from, not their mother, but I've heard them both say it more than once. I asked them where they heard that and I only get "I just know" for an answer. I bought a BB gun, but they are just coming around to where I think they will listen and pay attention.
 

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