Yes I did, my grandson Anthony who is eight years old. He has been crazy about guns for some time. Initially, I got him an airsoft rifle, works like a Remington pump rifle. I can remember when his fumbly fingers were first learning how to load the magazine. Later, I got him one of those Nerf guns that shoots marshmallow-like plugs. I started teaching him about gun safety along with these toy guns.
Somewhere along the line, I asked my daughter if it was okay with her if I took Anthony out with real firearms. She gave her approval. So when I talked to Anthony about it, he was ready. And the safety talks started all over again.
Recently, I took Anthony to one of the remaining shooting sites on public land in the woods. I'm not an official instructor, but I figured starting with a .22 rifle was a good idea. Unfortunately, I don't have a junior size .22 rifle so I had to show him how to tuck the butt of the rifle under his armpit rather than against his shoulder. The rifle he used is a 1936-made Remington Model 341-P, an entry level target rifle of it's day with aperture rear sight and fake Globe front sight.
I also took along an AR-15 rifle, offered to let him try it a few shots. Hey, kids his age fight in guerrilla armies in south America and shoot them all the time. He was game but only for a few shots and then he wanted to get back to the .22. It didn't take him very long to get the hang of shooting for real and quickly was hitting most of what he aimed at. He's now looking forward to our next trip.
My dad wasn't a gun guy. Or should I say, as an air force pilot, his idea of guns was four fifties and a twenty mm cannon in the nose. My son isn't a gun guy but had the chance. I have one cousin who is a gun guy but at 83 and in bad health is no longer active. So now maybe for a few remaining years, I have a new little shooting buddy.
Somewhere along the line, I asked my daughter if it was okay with her if I took Anthony out with real firearms. She gave her approval. So when I talked to Anthony about it, he was ready. And the safety talks started all over again.
Recently, I took Anthony to one of the remaining shooting sites on public land in the woods. I'm not an official instructor, but I figured starting with a .22 rifle was a good idea. Unfortunately, I don't have a junior size .22 rifle so I had to show him how to tuck the butt of the rifle under his armpit rather than against his shoulder. The rifle he used is a 1936-made Remington Model 341-P, an entry level target rifle of it's day with aperture rear sight and fake Globe front sight.
I also took along an AR-15 rifle, offered to let him try it a few shots. Hey, kids his age fight in guerrilla armies in south America and shoot them all the time. He was game but only for a few shots and then he wanted to get back to the .22. It didn't take him very long to get the hang of shooting for real and quickly was hitting most of what he aimed at. He's now looking forward to our next trip.
My dad wasn't a gun guy. Or should I say, as an air force pilot, his idea of guns was four fifties and a twenty mm cannon in the nose. My son isn't a gun guy but had the chance. I have one cousin who is a gun guy but at 83 and in bad health is no longer active. So now maybe for a few remaining years, I have a new little shooting buddy.