# Kids and Shooting



## Dr Arkham (Dec 28, 2009)

I'm curious as to what age you guys with kids start bringing them to the range to let them get familiar with handguns. I'm not talking about going out in the backyard and shooting a 22 rifle, I don't have a big enough yard or a rifle. My son is only 4, I know that is way too young, but my wife and I were talking about it and I thought I would see what some of you guys on here have done with the kids.

Thanks :smt1099


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## righttoown (Jan 4, 2010)

I think at about 6 start them out with a .22 bolt action and let them learn about the saftey of handling a firearm and then when they are old enogh to attend a firearms safety at about 8 or 9 I might find a nice .22 pistol to let them learn with.


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## DevilsJohnson (Oct 21, 2007)

It was different with all my kids. I had one that didn't want anything to do with it until he was 12. My daughter was slinging lead downrange at 6. My youngest son was 8 when he started. I didn't want to them getting spooked and not wanting to at all so I kind of let them figure it out. I always taught them about the safety issues and the like but as to actually shooting I never pushed all that hard. I have been blessed in that the three I have are pretty good shots and know the weapons they use inside and out. My daughter is hands down the best. she always amazes me. Never as much as a flinch. She got a 226 Sig 9mm from me for her 18th birthday. She's talking about a couple more already. She seems partial to shooting an AR when it comes to long guns. She likes a 30 30 lever rifle if it has that Hornady Lever Evolution ammo.


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## kg333 (May 19, 2008)

If space is a problem, even just a BB or pellet gun for starting out would work, something that you could shoot in the backyard.

My parents started me and my brother out on my 10th Christmas with two Daisy Red Ryders. Dad made sure to get the point across that as far as gun safety went, they got treated exactly like the real thing, and he was out there with us for at least the first six months before he let us shoot alone. The end result was by 12 nether of us had ever touched a firearm, but we were both complimented on our marksmanship and handling at a hunter education course when the time came for the required live fire session. 

It may not be handguns, but the safety rules I learned that way have stuck, and I was able to practice both gun safety and marksmanship more frequently than I would have with even a .22, due to the lower cost in both money and space. Just my two cents, but it might be worth still considering starting your son out small on pellet rifles or .22s, rather than jumping straight into handguns.

KG


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## mikej997 (Jan 26, 2008)

All of my kids were shooting with me some at the range by 5 or 6. I have an old .22lr single shot rifle that they use. They get their own BB gun on their 8th birthday and if they can save their own money for it, a single shot shotgun at around 10. I live out of town and they can range about with the BB guns to their hearts content. They do not take out any of the firearms without me. Yesterday in fact, my 9 year old and I went to the range. He specifically asked to shoot my 30-30 Winchester model '94 and I have some light loads for it so I let him. He fired it a few times and had enough. I also had my AR there to sight it in. He must have shot it 50 times. I also have been working with him on a Walther P22. He really enjoys shooting the pistol and he is being very careful with it. He probably shot the old single shot 150 times and nearly worked up a blister on the cocking knob. 
He is getting to the point that I really trust him with the rifle. He has been turkey hunting with me before.
My 12 year old did the same thing when I started him shooting. This year he shot his first deer. A doe at about 100 yards with the same 30-30 I used and iron sights. He was asking me, "should I do it Dad?" and I said he'd better or she was going to leave. He shot once and she dropped in her tracks and didn't move. He says, "Did I get her?" and I had to laugh. 
I don't have any doubts about my 12 year old handling a gun. In November we went to a local "tactical shoot" at a nearby range. I spoke with the range master and he didn't have any problems with him trying it. I followed him through the shotgun/pistol course with the range master. He used his 20 gauge single shot and borrowed my 9mm Ruger P89. He did great! He got complimented on his safety from the range master afterward. He didn't have the best time due to his use of the single shot, but it was his shotgun and I thougth it was better for it to be his size than for him to use something that was too big.

My daughter is 6 now. She has shot the .22 rifle at the range and we go out with the BB gun together and work on safety fundamentals with it. She seems to really be enjoying shooting it and really is trying to learn it all. I have no doubt that she will get there. She actually pays more attention than the boys did. I am looking forward to every step along the way with her, and the rest the boys still have to take. It often reminds me of times when I went out with my father and he taught me about shooting. Kind of cool.


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## BowhuntnHoosier (Feb 7, 2010)

Kids learn things very quickly at a young age. I would show safety and let them ask questions as early as 5 or 6. Education is the most important issue with guns and children. I let my boys handle my guns very early on and taught them everything I could. Then when they were about 5 and 8 I tested them by leaving my gun UNLOADED sitting on the coffee table and they were playing in there. Instead of playing with it or be curious about it. They came to me and told me I had left it out. Take away the curiosity.


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## archull (Dec 21, 2009)

Before I was even born my father started buying me shot guns and rifles for when I was old enough to shoot. By the age of 5 I was hunting with my father with a 4-10 crack barrel. I was shooting pellet guns, bb guns and 22 rifles before this even. I grew up deep in the country though where I had 1800 acres to shoot at. Its alot different if you do not have the space to shoot at. My step son never really picked up on shooting like I did. He is 10 and to this day still doesn't really like to fire a real rifle much less a handgun. The only thing he likes to shoot is his bb gun, pellet gun and airsoft pistol. I say get them used to guns young. Start him off with a bb gun and let him get comfortable with it as well as learning the responsible way to handle a gun. This will lay the foundation for him to be comfortable and responsible with a fire arm.


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## Tucker (Sep 23, 2009)

My kids stared having toy guns as soon as they can walk. Yep! hubby started them that young. I didn't, but I wasn't opposed to it, just that i did not grow up with guns so like any other uninformed person, I didn't even want to see a real one. A toy one was OK...Fast forward, now kiddies live their own lives with only one who still think this is his home, I am OK with real guns.


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