Youth firearms training

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I'd like to find firearms training for my kids. Just the basics to start. The youngest is 10, and oldest is 15. So, what's around?

Thanks
 
IMO
If you possess the skills, you train them
you know their personalities

my older brother & brother in law schooled me & haven’t shot myself once cleaning my guns[rofl]in over a half century

two more future members, good job brother
 
It depends on a few things:

*How inexperienced are the kids and how do the kids learn
*How experienced you are
*What are you trying to teach the kids

Assuming the kids have zero firearms experience, the first thing they need to learn is the Jeff Cooper Four Rules or some equivalent like the Remington Ten Commandments of Firearm Safety. This is the threshold to ensure a safe time at the range. I learned how to shoot pre-Internet. With teenagers and pre-teens, I'd show them fun, safe, and interesting YouTube videos. Jerry Miculek, Hickok45, InRange, whatever they like. OP's kids are plenty old enough to understand more advanced concepts than what a six year old can understand.

Once the kids get past basic safety, you can start teaching them basic marksmanship and gun handling skills.
 
Are you a member at any ranges/gun clubs? My son's (12) boy scout troop had an instructor put on a firearms safety course (same one that will get you a LTC in MA) for a group of kids, they did time in the range firing 22's and everything, there may be someone who is a member of your club (if applicable) that is an instructor that would be willing to do similar
 
As noted above, more info would help you get better replies.

1) How experienced are you? Do you feel competent to teach the basics?
2) Do you belong to a Club? If you do, reach out to other members that have kids that shoot.
3) Do you want "formal" instruction, or just teaching them the three rules, and some range time?
4) If you want range time, do you just want some .22 rifle, or a buffet of goodness? [laugh]
5) A more precise location would help
6) Do you want them to get a cert for anything?

The Hunter Ed course is not something I'd recommend for basic firearm training. There is no shooting, and minimal handling of fake guns. I recommend that any students in HE classes that I'm involved in that have zero experience, find a sensei, to give them real experience.
 
As noted above, more info would help you get better replies.

[...]

The Hunter Ed course is not something I'd recommend for basic firearm training. There is no shooting, and minimal handling of fake guns. I recommend that any students in HE classes that I'm involved in that have zero experience, find a sensei, to give them real experience.

I agree with this if the end goal is to teach the kids responsible firearms handling. If the goal is to teach the kids about hunting, then Hunter's Ed is a start. If I remember correctly, I took Hunter's Ed at 9 and Bowhunter's Ed at 12. Hunter's Ed contains basic gun safety that OP could probably teach himself, like "know your target and what's beyond."

Let me put it this way, Hunter's Ed will teach you what to do if you fall out of a treestand. Is that relevant to what OP is trying to teach his kids?
 
Let me put it this way, Hunter's Ed will teach you what to do if you fall out of a treestand. Is that relevant to what OP is trying to teach his kids?

It's relevant in Mass, as it is (generally, some towns violate the laws) acceptable for FID/LTC issuance. But as I said, you should have the practical hands-on knowledge IMO
 
I've taught other folks kids before.... not because they weren't capable though. Mainly because kids have a tendency to listen better to anyone who ISN'T mom or dad. Plus there is an added benefit to a parent to say 'see? That's same thing I told you' lol

I don't have any options for OP at this time though
 
Both of my kids took the Hunter Safety course to get their cert for an FID.

I supplimented before and after with more safety and handling instructions starting with bb/pellet moving to 22 rifle and beyond.

Local clubs may have a junior rifle team - they will get great instruction but it will cost you dearly if they take it up seriously
 
Safety starts at home. Marksmanship can be found at an Appleseed,.. What are you looking for them to learn? Granite State in Hudson NH has a free child safety class that goes over safety and includes a 22lr pistol 10 round live fire at the end if I remember correctly.
 
Make sure you prepare them to deal with cuck statist simpletons for the rest of their lives. That's almost more important than gun safety [rofl][rofl][rofl][rofl]
 
It begins with you, what you teach them explicitly and what you teach them by example. I had to be able to recite and explain the 4 Safety Rules before I was allowed to touch my first BB gun. To this day, I have followed every practice I was taught, every time I touched a firearm.

The 4H program has an excellent airgun/rifle course for kids, and of course Project Appleseed is tops for teaching both safety and marksmanship with rifles.
 
Local gun club jr rifle
CMP events,
If your looking for basic firearm safety and simple marksmenship every Daisy air rifle comes with basic info.
My Dad started with us memorizing those "10 comandments" of gun safety that fills the first 5-8 pages of owners manuals.

Might be over kill but there is a lot of good info here.
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some good basic marksmenship stuff here to
 
Besides teaching them yourself, I was going to say to look for a club with a jr rifle team. They will learn everything they need to know.


Both of my kids took the Hunter Safety course to get their cert for an FID.

I supplimented before and after with more safety and handling instructions starting with bb/pellet moving to 22 rifle and beyond.

Local clubs may have a junior rifle team - they will get great instruction but it will cost you dearly if they take it up seriously


Our club charges $25 for as long as you want to participate, up until you are 18. This includes rifles, pellets, and gear.
 
Join the Boy Scouts!

we have a shooting sports campout weekend every year. Camp Norse has rifle and trap ranges, as well as archery. Gun safety and rules are presented at a weeknight meeting, then reinforced again before going on the line.

we have a few leaders that are NRA shotgun and/or rifle instructor trained as well as a few RSOs. We're often asked to teach and conduct the range for other troops that are there that weekend.

Sadly, not all scout troops are as involved in the shooting sports as our troop is.
 
Start with a BB rifle or pistol in the backyard or a relative's backyard. You should know the four rules like the back of your hand and show them safe handling. The kids at that age should be able to exhibit safe handling of the air rifle / pistol after a few outings of instruction and fully understand what the four rules are. If you have any doubt, drop the subject for another six months to a year and start over. When they prove they are ready, proceed with an empty .22 rifle or pistol at home, demonstrating how to operate and clear them. Reiterate how important the four rules are and let them know there are no exceptions. Then it's off to the range with either the .22 pistol or rifle, Start with one round, advance to two, etc. Do not advance to a different firearm or higher caliber until after a few outings of strict supervision and proficiency.
 
Join the Boy Scouts!
look into your local club first not much going on here locally, heck I dont even think they visit the gun clubs anymore ? Been to Camp Norse a handful of times and never see anyone at the rifle range ?
 
Start with a BB rifle or pistol in the backyard or a relative's backyard. You should know the four rules like the back of your hand and show them safe handling. The kids at that age should be able to exhibit safe handling of the air rifle / pistol after a few outings of instruction and fully understand what the four rules are. If you have any doubt, drop the subject for another six months to a year and start over. When they prove they are ready, proceed with an empty .22 rifle or pistol at home, demonstrating how to operate and clear them. Reiterate how important the four rules are and let them know there are no exceptions. Then it's off to the range with either the .22 pistol or rifle, Start with one round, advance to two, etc. Do not advance to a different firearm or higher caliber until after a few outings of strict supervision and proficiency.
heck my dad made us do sight box drills in the basement before we even got to go to the range. Had BB guns to use for fun until we started going to the range.
 
Local gun clubs . . . many of them run a junior rifle program where they start from ground zero and work up with the kids. Some/many of those clubs do NOT require the parents to be members, so look beyond the club you belong to.

That's the best way to get youngsters trained.

Appleseed and CMP matches are much to advanced for someone who never shot a gun or learned all the safety rules prior to participating.
 
I've taught other folks kids before.... not because they weren't capable though. Mainly because kids have a tendency to listen better to anyone who ISN'T mom or dad. Plus there is an added benefit to a parent to say 'see? That's same thing I told you' lol

I don't have any options for OP at this time though

This hits the nail on the head. As someone mentioned MFS has a program. A little further than I'd want to travel, but something like this is what I'm looking for.
 
I've taught other folks kids before.... not because they weren't capable though. Mainly because kids have a tendency to listen better to anyone who ISN'T mom or dad. Plus there is an added benefit to a parent to say 'see? That's same thing I told you' lol

I don't have any options for OP at this time though
The second opinion stuff works for wives too 🙄.
My wife took a women only class at MFS and took my daughter along as a 'guest'. (Pretty sure daughter already had her FID at the time).
Wife loved the class and said that they taught all the same stuff but weren't mean like I was 😁
 
I took my son shooting and he also does Boy Scouts, but two years ago he did the Massachusetts Junior Conservation Camp. He completed his Hunters Safety and Boating Safety courses there, plus he got to try out a bunch of different shooting and outdoor sports. He really enjoyed shooting Trap and the introduction to SCUBA.

Junior Conservation Camp
 
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