# What age did you start firearms training?



## john doe. (Aug 26, 2006)

I wasn’t sure where to post this so I’ll do it here.

For those with kids at what age did you start firearms training? 

With my first two I did a little when they were young but neither showed much interest. My five year old daughter I feel will be different and I’ve been teaching her general firearm safety without her holding one. The, “Never point a weapon” stuff. She’s not aware of the guns I have and I’ll keep it that way for a while. I have a Russian pellet gun with a collapsable stock that will be good for teaching her gun control. It’s pretty accurate too.

What are your thoughts?


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## SuckLead (Jul 4, 2006)

I don't have any kids, but from watching the people on the range, the average age they took the kids out there to actually shoot was around 7-8. Many bring the kids along when they are younger for gun safety lessons, but also to get them used to the bang.


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## Baldy (Jun 21, 2006)

I started taking mind out at about 8 to 10yrs old. They all been taught gun safty, but only 1 has showed a little interest in shooting. I never pushed them in any sports, I let them choose, and then I give them all the support I could. Their way older now and they just don't care about or show any interest in shooting.


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## -gunut- (May 8, 2006)

16-17


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

My father was a cop and a National Guard officer, so I sort of grew up around guns. I fired a 1911 at age 8 on an NG range. I shot my dad's service revolvers after that, and got my first .22 at age 12.

I took my first serious, formal training at 16 with Defense Associates in CT. I moved on at 17 to train with Massad Ayoob and Chuck Taylor. I was actually (at the time) the youngest person Ayoob had trained in a full course without a parent present.

Been at it ever since.

I started my daughter on an airgun at 6. She got ger first .22 rifle (single shot) at 9, and a 10/22 at 11. I started her on my .22 pistol at about 10, and on centerfire pistols at 13.

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## scooter (May 9, 2006)

I was still a LEO when my lil monsters came along so guns were very visible,so at 5 or 6 (dont remember for sure) when the boys started playing cops and robbers I figured it was time for the truth, they liked shooting but were afraid of the noise(even with earplugs) for a few years.Now my daughter "says" shes scared of them ,BUT if the SHTF Ill bet she could take care of business!


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## Wandering Man (Jul 9, 2006)

For my kids, around 10 to 12. .22 rifle's, shotguns, and a single action revolver. 

For me, my contact was pretty sporadic until I was in my early 30's: Shotguns at 14, rifles at 18, and that's about it until my sons came along.

WM


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## Maximo (May 26, 2006)

Both sides of my family were firearm fanatics so I was started very young. I fired my first rifle ( .22 ) at age 5 and fired my first handgun at age 7. 
I started safety training, with my own son, before he could even understand what I was talking about. This was more practice for me than him. If parents are allready in condition to teach such things before a child can understand it just becomes automatic. My son hasn't shot anything but a bb gun or arisoft as of yet but he shows little interest in firearms right now, more interested in Power Rangers and PS2.


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## jwkimber45 (May 6, 2006)

Mike Barham at Galco said:


> My father was a cop and a National Guard officer, so I sort of grew up around guns. I fired a 1911 at age 8 on an NG range. I shot my dad's service revolvers after that, and got my first .22 at age 12.
> 
> I took my first serious, formal training at 16 with Defense Associates in CT. I moved on at 17 to train with Massad Ayoob and Chuck Taylor. I was actually (at the time) the youngest person Ayoob had trained in a full course without a parent present.
> 
> Been at it ever since.


Heck Yes!!!!!

I would LOVE to trian under Chuck Taylor.

What are your opinions on Ken Hackathorn's techniques???? He has some valid points, pretty interesting the way he trains. It would be scary no doubt.


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## Mike Barham (Mar 30, 2006)

jwkimber45 said:


> Heck Yes!!!!!
> 
> I would LOVE to trian under Chuck Taylor.
> 
> What are your opinions on Ken Hackathorn's techniques???? He has some valid points, pretty interesting the way he trains. It would be scary no doubt.


Chuck's a VERY interesting guy. I was lucky and was able to have dinner with him three or four times. He's a wealth of knowledge, surprisingly funny (off the range) and personable, an incredibly good shot, and a gifted instructor. Taking that class improved my shooting by at least 200% - no joke. Before I took the course, I was a middlin' practical shooter on the local level, never even placed in the top ten. The next season after the class, after practicing Chuck's techniques, I was very consistently in the top three shooters at my club, and gave an A-class IPSC shooter a serious run for his money in a charity falling-plate match.

Ken Hackathorn's training probably works really well for high-speed people. However, I have been in lots of classes with blowhards who don't shoot nearly as well as they think they do. If I were going to do a Snake in Hack's class, it would have to be with people I've known for a while and trust completely. I can count on one hand the people I'd trust to perform this drill while I was standing downrange, and I'd still have some fingers left over.

If I can editorialize a little, things like Hack's Snakes are probably marginally useful in training tactical/hostage rescue teams. I'm not sure the safety tradeoff is worth it in standard police or armed citizen training. Now that everyone knows what Hack does, we see other schools putting people downrange. Suarez International comes to mind, though I believe it is only Gabe himself who stands downrange. I've never been to this kind of training, so maybe I'm missing something, but I'm not really sure how much is gained by placing people downrange versus using inanimate no-shoots. I do know that the safety risk is substantial.

I can practically guarantee that some gimmicky lower-speed instructor will eventually try it with students downrange, and someone will get hit. Range training isn't without risk, of course, but performing debatably-useful training that is very high-risk seems like a bad trade-off for most shooters.

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## jwkimber45 (May 6, 2006)

Thanks for your comments Mike. I too can think of only 2 or 3 folks I would trust in a training scenerio such as Hack's. I like his attitude. Serious training for serious s&^t. I can also see where having a live person downrange would mess with your mind, which is what I think he's after. I just don't know if the safety trade off is worth it?????

Someday.....


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## tony pasley (May 6, 2006)

At about 3 the kids started going with dad to the range, they would have to put a watermolon back together. At age 6 it was bb gun time muzzle control and safety stressed. by 8 shooting single shot .22's by 10 thier own .22 and some pistol shooting with dads .22 auto; then at 12 thier first single shot shotgun. Sixteen they could pick out the rifle that dad would buy(thiers on 18th birthday, at 21 last present from dad a pistol of thier choice, after that it is gift cards. My youngest is now 22, with a granddaughter to start over with.


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## Waffen (Feb 8, 2006)

My old man was a 30 year vet of WWII, Korea, and Vietnam and never in all those years had/allowed guns in the house. He certainly wasn't against them as I know he carried a sidearm until he retired, just never in or around the family. I guess for me learning about firearms came when I was about 16-17 when I went hunting with a cousin. The day I turned 18 I got my MA. FID card and shortly therafter went out and bought a 22 rifle and 20 gauge shotgun... 

W


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