At what age should I start my kids shooting?

[orygun]

@Cogs , while I respect and understand your comments about "real" guns, I taught my grandson that a BB gun IS a "real" gun and hammered him about muzzle control. He knew no different until we actually shot the 22.

I believe it's what we tell and teach them about BB guns that makes the difference.

 

[Flopsweat]

My girl showed interest at a very early age. made her wait until 5 before we trained her on brothers airsoft, then to the bb guns. When she proved to me that she became proficient with proper safety and gun handling, she moved on to a 10/22 at age 7. She now does not need me to scare her soon to be boyfriends with the threat about dad's guns, she will scare them herself. At age 10, she outshoots me a lot of the time.View attachment 234884

That's some pretty snazzy hearing protection she's got there.

 

[Cogs]

@Cogs , while I respect and understand your comments about "real" guns, I taught my grandson that a BB gun IS a "real" gun and hammered him about muzzle control. He knew no different until we actually shot the 22.

I believe it's what we tell and teach them about BB guns that makes the difference.

Good point. It's all about how they are taught.

 

[Classic]

Can they walk, talk and use the bathroom on their own? It's TIME!!!

 

[Sabertooth]

.22 rifle and pistol is what I was started on. .22 with my son's an grandson's. Started when they where big enough to hold the rifle with a little help.
There was also some show and tell training.
Take a chunk of firewood about 20 inches across an 18 in. long. Set it up on the ground then step back 50 feet or so an fire some rounds off at the block of wood. Then take a axe and cut the block apart until you find the bullets. You can use different calibers of guns. You get a wow from the kids, an a realization that guns are nothing to play with.

 

[rdb241]

Um.....NOW!

 

[IronMonster]

Lots of good feedback, One thing I would add is there are stages of "having a gun" The way I was raised was I went with dad to shoot ground squirrels, rock chucks,pheasant, sage grouse or what ever. He would talk to me about what he was doing and why and drill gun safety and theory but I was never allowed to shoot his guns. In that 4-6 range I got a BB gun of my own but I did not get to keep it in my room. I had to ask for it and ammo, tell my parents what I was doing with it and how long I would be. at maybe 8 I got my first a Savage .22/.410 over under that was the same deal at first but maybe by the time I was 10 I got to keep it in my room and had my own ammo supply. Once I started bringing home duck and pheasant for the dinner table (at maybe 11-12) I got a .223/20 ga Savage over under to go with my pea shooter. At maybe 14 I had a number of handguns, was loading my own ammo and was shooting in a sanctioned league.

I think the key is gradual levels of trust and instruction. Starting with just getting the kids used to being around guns. Take them with you ever time you go out and talk to them about what your doing. As far as what age to actually get them shooting it depends so much on the individual. Some will be ready at 3-4 years old and some might not be ready at 16. I think the worst thing you could do is try to force them before they are really ready or give them too much responsibility too fast. I think the approach of incrementally giving them more and more responsibility all the while you correcting and guiding them is important to them feeling like they have earned this privilege and Mom & dads trust.

Its not about shooting, its about parenting

 

[Flopsweat]

.22 rifle and pistol is what I was started on. .22 with my son's an grandson's. Started when they where big enough to hold the rifle with a little help.
There was also some show and tell training.
Take a chunk of firewood about 20 inches across an 18 in. long. Set it up on the ground then step back 50 feet or so an fire some rounds off at the block of wood. Then take a axe and cut the block apart until you find the bullets. You can use different calibers of guns. You get a wow from the kids, an a realization that guns are nothing to play with.

I do the same thing with those phone books that show up at my door once or twice a year. Kids get the "This is not a toy" speech. I'll show them how hard you have to swing a knife to penetrate the book that the .22 just went straight through. Gets the point across well and it's fun for them.

 

[tac]

My dad took me down to the beach one day, sat me down on the shingle and then sat down behind me. He put his 1916 Navy-issue M1911 in my hands, wrapped his hands around mine, and let me crank off the magazine-load into the surf.

I'm proud to relate that every bullet hit the ocean - exactly.

I was hooked.

I was six years and three months old.

I've never stopped shooting since, and still have his rifle that he bought in 1930 that I subsequently learnt on properly.

tac

 

[Ron Eagle Elk]

I got my first .22 single shot rifle at 5, hunted on my own at 6, first shotgun for duck season when I was 7. My buddy who lived next door wasn't allowed near a gun by his Dad or mine until he was 9. He just didn't have the maturity (if you can call it that) or responsibility to be around firearms.

You are the best judge of when your kids should start to shoot and at what levels. It's nice to have some guidelines, but nobody knows your kids like you do. If you err on the side of caution, so be it. Do what you think is right.