Thread: Just bought my son's first rifle.

He's only four and won't even know I have this until he is around ten, but I am sure it will keep until he can handle it! Wanted to get him something special. Hunting Heritage Trust had one of these made per state. It is based off of an article written for Field and Stream a while back.




Hope he likes it!

good man

Great gift. But why not till he is 10?

IMHO you should be teaching them as soon as you can. Teaching is not just gun in hand at the range either, it can be about anything.

The Cricket/Chipmunk make great guns for kids because they are sized for them. Start with large reactive targets like balloons at short distances and work more on safety vs accuracy.

I know many kids that start at around 5 and have taught one myself. Of course this depends on the kid, there are some 40 year olds that shouldnt have a gun, look at youtube. This is also fully supervised shooting.

Here is one pic of my ex's 5 year old shooting with his Chipmunk I bought him at 5.

He'll be working with a red rider bb gun for a while. This will be his first rifle that goes bang.

Originally Posted by Phillyfan

He'll be working with a red rider bb gun for a while. This will be his first rifle that goes bang.

Sorry it was just a question and a thought. You know you and your family.

Lucky kid!
I wish my parents would have let me handle more than a bb gun at that age.. I wish I could have learned to shoot from my dad instead of some stranger at boy scout camp.

Wish my son would be interested in shooting He is all about shooting in a video game but in reality well not so much.

Great choice on the rifle I am sure he will love it when you give it to him. I still wish I had my first .22 Oh the good old days

Originally Posted by Phillyfan

He'll be working with a red rider bb gun for a while. This will be his first rifle that goes bang.

I think this is a great idea, and exactly what I'm going to do with my son. It's exactly how I learned to shoot. Laugh all you want about launching BBs at 300fps, but being able to see the BB I think helped me out exponentially later on down the road. Understanding that a projectile has a trajectory and having to make adjustments in order to hit your target isn't a lesson to be taken lightly.

Originally Posted by 2506

I think this is a great idea, and exactly what I'm going to do with my son. It's exactly how I learned to shoot. Laugh all you want about launching BBs at 300fps, but being able to see the BB I think helped me out exponentially later on down the road. Understanding that a projectile has a trajectory and having to make adjustments in order to hit your target isn't a lesson to be taken lightly.

Yeah, I used to hold pretty high to hit our mailbox that was quite a way down the driveway!

Great gift!

I love the ballon idea!

10 years old is a little late I think. But you as the parent should be the judge of that! Good luck!

Nice gun !
we're enjoying shooting with my grand son , at age 7,and he loves being out with 'the guys'.
Up to you,but they can start erarlier and enjoy the heck out of it.
G.son shoots a Savage semi auto,but we have him pretty much locked into a shooting bench where muzzle control is very much controlled.otherwise,it would have been a single shot bolt gun.

Originally Posted by Nwcid

Great gift. But why not till he is 10?

IMHO you should be teaching them as soon as you can. Teaching is not just gun in hand at the range either, it can be about anything.

The Cricket/Chipmunk make great guns for kids because they are sized for them. Start with large reactive targets like balloons at short distances and work more on safety vs accuracy.

I know many kids that start at around 5 and have taught one myself. Of course this depends on the kid, there are some 40 year olds that shouldnt have a gun, look at youtube. This is also fully supervised shooting.

Here is one pic of my ex's 5 year old shooting with his Chipmunk I bought him at 5.

I have fond memories around age five learning to shoot with a winchester "gallery" pump action .22 short.

Ah good times. Wish I knew what happened to that rifle. So much family turbulence no idea where it's at now.

Good for you, more kids should be taught what a gun really is and how to use it safley and properly. You ever notice that people who decry guns as evil also make sure their kids only exposure to them is Hollywood and video games? It's irresponsible and dangerous.
My parents didn't let us play "gun games", but we had guns early and respected them. I teach my kids the same way, guns are not bad, but they are not toys. Responsibility and fun can both be had.

Great stuff.Need to teach kids respect for guns and they will always have it.

My kid was shooting around 3.By 7 he was pretty dang good.
Ex Bro in law pulled out a S&W 357 he just bought.Could hit anything with it.
He had placed 6 clay targets in a sand pile.
My boy 's first 6 shots broke 5 targets from 20 yards.

He had some problems in high school and after.Bad stuff.
But because me and his step father taught him respect for guns,they were never involved with his stupid times.

Love to see the kids shooting.

I want to see the next pic where he tosses that gun and lays down behind the one to his left.

Originally Posted by Nwcid

Great gift. But why not till he is 10?

IMHO you should be teaching them as soon as you can. Teaching is not just gun in hand at the range either, it can be about anything.

The Cricket/Chipmunk make great guns for kids because they are sized for them. Start with large reactive targets like balloons at short distances and work more on safety vs accuracy.

I know many kids that start at around 5 and have taught one myself. Of course this depends on the kid, there are some 40 year olds that shouldnt have a gun, look at youtube. This is also fully supervised shooting.

Here is one pic of my ex's 5 year old shooting with his Chipmunk I bought him at 5.

Originally Posted by Phillyfan

This is exactly what I am looking for... Phillyfan please pm me let me know how did you are able to get one of these. How much it's going for? And the number one of one on the riffle mean the serial number 1? I am looking to buy one of this and save for my son till he turn 10.

Mean while he will be practicing shooting at age 5 with Benjamin airgun, 6 he will be shooting Rossi S411220BS Matched Pair 410ga/22LR, Blued, Synthetic which I got for him. Then 10 he can go for semi. I hope I will get one like your. TIA, Benny

Originally Posted by mjbskwim

I want to see the next pic where he tosses that gun and lays down behind the one to his left.

It was a little long for him. I know he never shot that one but did some with a 10/22 with folding stock.

I got my first .22 when I was 5, it wasn't to be touched without Dad. I still have it, it is in perfect condition, and I plan to give it to my son at the same age. (He's 3 now). If he's not ready at that time I'll change the plan.

It is an Ithaca M-49 single shot. I am refurbishing a matching Ithaca M-66 single shot 20 gauge for when he's ready for that.

He's learning the basics now ...

The reason he probably won't get to shoot it until he is around ten is that it may take that long to convince my wife that he is old enough. If I can convince her I will probably start him earlier. As it is, he watches me clean my guns and I let him handle them with the message that it is only OK to touch them if I am there, and that anytime he wants to he can ask and I will get them out for him. I also go over the safe way to handle them.