What's a good age to start shooting

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tbone	What's a good age to start shooting	Lead	[-]
Posts: 9 (10/24/09 04:34 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Tags : None My own family,while not anti-gun,wasn't pro gun either.So I really got no exposure to firearms as a youngster. I got into guns as an adult. I was 20 or so when I started shooting and collecting. I have no experience with showing a youngster about firearms. My grandson,who lives with me, will be 6 in Nov. So,I guess the question is,what is a good age to start actually letting them handle a gun. I already talk to him about safety,but how old should he be before I actually let him fire a shot? I know there is no set answer,I'm just looking for general guidelines and the experience of those who have been here.
Bryan 45		#1	[-]
Posts: 2596 (10/24/09 05:16 PM) Host Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	While I think hunting age should be based on the maturity of the child in question, I feel that exposure to fireams safety, and the safe use of firearms, can begin when they are physically able to handle the gun in question. My son will be four next month, and I took him out skeet shooting back in August. I kneeled down behind him and put the butt of the shotgun on my shoulder, but he pulled the trigger and tracked the clay as best he could. I will say that I got an ass-chewing from my wife when we got back, but it was all worth it! (And she understood later.) I'm getting him one of those Chipmunk .22 rifles for Christmas so he can shoulder the arm properly. I don't want to "waste" the money on a BB gun, because we can shoot .22s in the back yard. Don't let anyone tell you he's either not ready, or you should have started him already. That's for you to decide- you know the boy better than anyone else. Good luck and good shooting.
bamasurp		#2	[-]
Posts: 2087 (10/24/09 05:22 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I started my son off around age 5 with a plastic toy gun in my rifle rack that he could not play with unless he asked me and I put it in his hand. After 2 years we moved up to a BB gun and practiced safety and marksmanship in the backyard. Now he is 8 and there is a Chipmunk 22 in the rack. Safety, repetition, supervision. Since he was little I have told him a bullet is something you cannot take back and since I am an LEO I can give him some examples from my experiences. Bamasurp Soviet who?
eli griggs		#3	[-]
Posts: 730 (10/24/09 07:15 PM) active member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I don't know if this will help but when I first started to bring firearms back into my home where I had a young family, after years of not hunting or shooting, I made a promise to my two small boys that they could see and handle any firearm I owned whenever they wanted, with exceptions if something more urgent was happening or I was ill or tired, as long as they did not ever try to do so without my permission, even if the gun was in full view. I taught them that a firearm was ALWAYS LOADED and if they saw one unattended, come let us know, without touching it. Other folk's guns were off limit if I were not there to help them. I kept my promise and when one of them asked to see a firearm, I would carefully unload it and after double checking all was well, sit or stand there as they sated their curiosity by asking questions, telling me what they knew or thought they knew abut guns and generally poking about until they tired, at which point they would thank me and go find something more interesting to do. Later, when they were a bit older I took them to the range and when the time was right, the one that was interested, we took hunting. I never had a problem with kids sneaking peeks or searching for guns, which, if not in use,were trigger locked and kept in the safe and, on the occasions that a pistol slipped out of a pocket on the couch while taking a nap, being handled or 'put-up' by a helpful child. It maybe I was very lucky, but guns really didn't hold an overwhelming interest for my kids, even though they both knew a lot about them and I feel it is because my wife and I took away the mystery of the unknown and showed them the great respect we had for firearms and their careful use. Personally, I think a small child's single-shot .22 rifle at six or seven years of age is an ideal start, using CB Caps, shorts, etc along with a ongoing and honest dialog about firearms and ALL there usages. Kids already know guns are used to hurt other people so keeping the dark-side of the topic taboo is only throwing up obstacles to a good, honest education about a very common tool. Eli "Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~ Thomas Jefferson ~ "In the middle of difficulty lies opportunity". - Albert Einstein WANTED - Lee Loaders - 7.5 Swiss, 7.62x39, 7.62x54r, .303 Brit WANTED- Turkey and Goose feathers for fletching arrows Last Edited By: eli griggs 10/24/09 11:19 PM. Edited 1 times.
Aubullet		#4	[-]
Posts: 1367 (10/24/09 07:36 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	All good stuff in the above posts. I got to get started when I was 7 and for me that seemed okay. But as I see kids today, I know a few that are "mature" enough at 5 to take the lessons seriously, but I also know quite a number at 15 who are not. As said before, you must watch, look and listen, so that you know when the time is right for that particular young person. It also helps to make it clear what penalties will ensue for any form of personal safety violation, like handling guns without permission, or failures of safe muzzle control, etc. I lost several months of access due to not checking for a loaded chamber upon being handed a firearm, and it was perhaps the best single lesson I ever learned. Good on you, for taking on such an important responsibility, and good luck!!!
RLMbassist		#5	[-]
Posts: 207 (10/24/09 08:36 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I was turned loose on my own with a BB gun when I was 9. The rule was I had to be with a parent or alone. Parents figured if I was with another kid we would get into trouble & we probably would have. About a year later I was hunting with my dad & his 12 ga. By about 12 I had proved myself, and was allowed to hunt with a shotgun or 22 by myself. I got my own first gun at 13, and here I am! My daughter is 2 and already runs around with her cousin's toy rifle going POW POW! I can't wait to get her a little .22 when the time comes, hopefully she will have interest. It really does depend on the child. I have also seen several 21+ people that should be no where near a firearm.
Pastoocha	A good time to start shooting is when..	#6	[-]
Posts: 230 (10/24/09 08:43 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	your parent(s) decide that it is time for you to learn about responsibility. Of course, if your parents choose to neglect this lesson then you should never be taught how to shoot.. ArtinSC all yaneed is love and a .45
Ed Novak		#7	[-]
Posts: 2156 (10/24/09 09:41 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I owned and hunted with a .22rf Stevens take-down for food before I got a BB gun "just for fun". Only injury I ever had was from a kid who deliberately shot me in the right leg with my own BB gun; he had never "fired" any kind of gun before that episode and knew enough to stay away afterward. I started hunting solo with the .22 Stevens when I was about 8 - 9 years old; we ate the game I shot. A couple of years later my younger brother began hunting with me with a bolt-action Stevens 20 gauge. Different times. NRA Endowment member LECS #2
bruceissippi	start 'em when you think they are ready	#8	[-]
Posts: 2 (10/24/09 10:23 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	my sons are now 23 and 21 and have been shooting firearms for 19 and 16 years respectively. Both were started on air guns at age 3 since they showed an interest and were willing to pay attention on safety matters. Any time they wanted to shoot, we did; but the first sign of distraction or the inevitable silliness that kids have signaled the end of each of their shooting sessions. Clean-up and stowing the gear was a required detail as part of the privilege - they learned that a good attitude made it more fun. Real firearms started the same way when I thought they were ready and hunting went by the same blueprint, too. Definitely easier since Mom was on board with the whole thing - even though she had a few misgivings at first. Both shot air rifles in high school ROTC competition and were team leaders because of attitude and willingness to listen to "Sarge" ( only time the younger ever out-worked anyone in his life ! ). Their friends razzed them about shooting "toys" but they said that shooting anything was better than not shooting at all - and what other homework required shooting 100 rounds every day ?
Crunch130		#9	[-]
Posts: 936 (10/24/09 10:54 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Let me try to put in my 2 cents. I'm an NRA instructor. I also live in (a rural part of) California, but a lot of people here are uptight about guns anyway. I don't have a minimum age for students when I teach the Basic Rifle Class, but 10 seems about right. They can read the book and most can hold a .22 sporter by that age. I can handle a class of at least a dozen with that level of maturity. Now, if you want to provide individual instruction and buy a chipmunk .22 rifle, then they can start at about 7 or 8. Younger than that, they probably lack the fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination to hold a rifle, aim it properly, and exercise anything that resembles trigger control and sight picture control. It's not just a little body, it's a little brain. You want to start them shooting when they're 5, so they have to unlearn 5 years of bad habits when they're 10 so they can actually start hitting a standard target at a standard distance? Frustrating a young shooter will not engender a lifetime love of shooting sports! Trust me, I've seen a lot of boys get really ticked off when they discover shooting a real rifle and hitting the target is a lot harder than hitting targets in their video games. Depends on the kid and what they want to do. My son was 12 when I started teaching and I took him to the range once or twice a month to work on the NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program - to the point he got real bored of punching .22 caliber holes in paper targets. He still thinks shooting is kind of boring (now 18). Gasp - what a terrible thought for us milsurpers - but he'd rather be scuba diving or hanging out with his Boy Scout buddies (he's now an Eagle Scout). On the other hand, some BSA camps put all shooting into the "older boy" program, meaning 14 and up. Trap shooting for 14 year olds is OK, but if they wait that long just to shoot .22's, they will be bored with them. What I'm trying to say is that there are a few useful rules of thumb, but kids vary greatly in their maturity, ability to follow instructions, and their interest. Crunch
m1 talker		#10	[-]
Posts: 7053 (10/25/09 07:46 AM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	If a person was to lay down an age, I guess it would also be ten years old. Here you have to be ten years old to join the Hunter Safety classes which are required for a hunting license later on. As for me, I fired my first rifle when I was six years old. It was my dad's Rock Island 1903. Dad helped me hold it up and when I pulled the trigger, I landed on my butt. At that very instant, my life changed. I got my first rifle when I was ten years old, for Christmas in 1959. It was a single shot Winchester model 67. I still have that rifle and it still shoots as good as it did half a century ago. Curt
tbone		#11	[-]
Posts: 10 (10/25/09 04:22 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Thanks for the replies. You guys have given me some tings to ponder and I appreciate your taking the time to help.
JTB1967		#12	[-]
Posts: 786 (10/26/09 02:49 PM) Veteran member Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I agree a lot depends upon the child. I can't remember the first time I shot a gun. My dad collected guns so I've been around them all my life. He once saw a kid shoot another kid while playing with a shotgun. The kid died of shock before help could arrive. Needless to say that left quite an impression on him. Growing up I received constant lessons about the danger of firearms that weren't handled responsibly..
bamasurp		#13	[-]
Posts: 2090 (10/28/09 01:41 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	Well something happened this week that is prompting me to add this post. A young man (13) who was an avid hunter and had knowledge of firearm safety chose to use a firearm in his home to take his life. While we work hard to teach safety and to encourage youngsters in shooting, hunting, or collecting we need to remember that they are not mature and the things that maturing young people are trying to cope with in their minds may be something overwhelming. Don't neglect to secure firearms and ammo. A lack of judgment or emotional immaturity can be dealt with but not if they get hold of a firearm and kill themselves. It is a very sad and terrible situation. Just don't forget that they still have to sort things out and learn to cope with life's problems and that it is best they cannot rashly choose the firearm to do it. Bamasurp Soviet who?
eb in oregon		#14	[-]
Posts: 1037 (10/28/09 02:17 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I disagree with bamasurps post. While what he says is true, to an extent, there are plenty of "mature adults" that also end their life each year with a firearm. Mostly men, as the average male is more familiar with firearms. And, regardless of hiding, locking, securing, disassembling, or otherwise attempting to remove a firearm from the equation, a person that truly desires to end their life, will. They don't need a firearm. While a firearm makes it more convenient, and more permanent, there are plenty of other means for a person to use to dispatch themselves. I've know several people that used a firearm to commit suicide, and I've also had a close friend use pills and a bottle of scotch. You cannot stop, or save everyone. Some people just get tired of the whole thing and check themselves out. It is a terrible thing for a young person to do this, but locking up the guns isn't going to stop someone from attempting suicide. My dad taught my older brother and me to shoot at a young age, six for me. He also bred a healthy respect for firearms and what they can do. They weren't locked up; they also were not loaded (except for the 1911A1 in the night stand which we didn't touch.) While it is partially a matter of judgment and maturity, it is also primarily a matter of training the proper appreciation for what firearms are capable of. To conclude, we will also never be able to stop people like Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold from committing acts of violence. We can only do our best and hope that it works out as we hope it should. "We must all hang together, or most assuredly we shall all hang separately." Benjamin Franklin, July 4 1776
RLMbassist		#15	[-]
Posts: 214 (10/28/09 03:08 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I agree with Eb. If you're bent on suicide, nothing is going to stop a 13 yr old. Look at the girl here in STL (the infamous MySpace case) she hung herself with her belt. I've know 4 guys that shot themselves, all 4 had major mental issues; 3 of the four were always beating somebody up, who knows what caused that, but they were not all there that's for sure. 3 of the 4 were in high school.
stantheman1986	Human condition	#16	[-]
Posts: 5518 (10/28/09 09:26 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	I started shooting "real" guns at age 12, supervised by may father and shooting a S&W 586 and a Beretta 92F. I got my first gun soon later a Ruger 10/22. Before that though, I had a Red Ryder BB gun and a few pellet pistols, and even at age 6 or so was playing with rubber bullet and disc guns way before Airsoft was even a thought and also had "real looking" cap guns before they started to paint them orange and purple. So I guess I have been shooting something that fires a projectile or makes a loud bang since I was barely able to walk. I also got into shooting BP revolvers at a young age, sneaking into the backyard when my parents weren't home to fire a quick "blank" made of powder and paper, or even a real powder and ball shot into the woodpile, and then quickly scurrying back into the house. I'm not saying I was more mature than any other kid, but I knew gun safety and how to handle a firearm ever since I had the ability to do so. I guess I can say I was born with an interest in firearms since I don't remember a time when I didn't have something shaped like a gun to play with and was watching cop shows on TV and then playing "cop shootout" in the yard with my little snubnose revolver cap gun back in the 80's when they made them LOUD and actually made of metal with swing out cylinders that ejected the spent caps and everything. Being an only child I often played alone because other kids parents wouldn't let them play with cap guns or BB guns, a few would come over to shoot BB's in my backyard. I always hate hearing about suicides, I recently had to witness a suidice attempt here at Ft. Drum when I was on CQ and a guy tried to cut his wrist with a knife. I mean, guns don't change the human condition and the horrible fact that some people feel their lives so hopeless at the time that suicide seems like the only answer. If a person has no access to guns than they will find another way to take their own life. I feel the incident I witnessed was maybe just a "gesture" and the guy probably just needs help. If he had the true intent to kill himself he probably would have done it. Some anti-gun people say guns are the "cause" of some suicides, well then we might as well ban rope, all bladed objects and anything poisonous from the planet as well as not building any structure higher than 1 story and destroy every bridge. I also knew a guy who jumped to his death off of a parking garage, the same logic would say the builder of the garage caused the suicide.
bamasurp		#17	[-]
Posts: 2091 (10/29/09 09:20 PM) Reply Quote More My Recent Posts	It cannot be a pleasant thing to find your own child dead in any circumstance let alone when you could have unloaded or secured the firearm he used. That was my point I suppose. You can't control everything but you can control that. Since the case just happened and the victim is a minor I can't discuss the details. Having been to too many suicides and shootings I can tell you the family members that find it have something horrible to deal with. I never said the gun caused the suicide. I see a lot of attempted suicides by pills and such that are very minor. Not so many minor with a gun, for the most part they are not just attempts because they are fatal. Had one where the girl fired the pistol and missed but the rest have been fatal. I can't be so cavalier as to leave it around loaded and think, well heck if he wants to do it I can't stop him. Some suicides are planned and there is a note but very many are reactionary. Not trying to take anyones gun just want adults to be responsible because many kids are not. But heck maybe nothing will happen. And I'm talking about children not adults. Bamasurp Soviet who? Last Edited By: bamasurp 10/29/09 09:24 PM. Edited 1 times.