Shooting - A Family Sport

[rrojohnso]

Hey guys -

So anyone let their children reload with them? I have a very bright, inquisitive 3 yo daughter (just turned 3) who is all about helping 'Daddy make his "bowlets.'" I have a little chair set up next to my bench just for her, and the rule is she isn't allowed near the bench when I am not loading (and she respects the rule - When I am not loading, I keep a towel over my press and of course, all my materials are stored securely). I do the 'actual' reloading, but let her 'pull the handle down' to seat the bullets. She's very excited to help, and especially enjoys pulling the brass from the tumbler and shaking the media out. One day when I think she's ready, it'll be time to take her to the range with a .22 to shoot a few rounds to enjoy the fruits of her labors.

Of course y'all have let the little ones help reload to some degree, but at what age do you let them have more responsibility? Sorting bullets by weight, trimming, etc?

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[PaulZ]

that is the same procedure I use with my 3yr old grandson. :"boolets"

 

[Atroxus]

I like the idea of letting my 3 year old help seat bullets, I might have to try that. I am not sure I would want him playing with tumbling media due to lead exposure and the fact that he can't keep his thumbs out of his mouth though.

 

[JackThompson]

My 11 year old boy has been helping me reload shotshells since he was about 9.

The tasks he performs could be done by a 3 year old though. He indexes the shells to the next position, places the wads in the wad station, places the empty shells in the first position and removes the completed ones. (of course, I've let him run the full cycle on my Mec Grabber progressive, but it can be tough to pull that handle when it's doing 6 jobs per stroke.

For center fire brass reloading I would have the kiddos do prep work like place the new shell in the first position and remove the completed shell and place it into its box (They love administrative tasks like that!)

If you have them help with tumbling and sorting have them wear rubber gloves. This keeps them safe from lead and indicates to them that it's not rubber thumb sucking time.

 

[rrojohnso]

That's a great idea - the gloves. At this point, she's only helped pull the handle, so when she's ready for more of the lighter duty, I will definetly keep that in mind!

ya know... whey my Dad used to take me fishing when I was a kid, I used to have those sinkers in my mouth all the time, biting them closed, and so on... maybe that says a lot about me today?

 

[Atroxus]

Solid lead isn't as much of a danger, but tiny particles of lead that are vaporized off the bullets when you fire are left as residue on the brass and can easily be absorbed into the blood stream. The mouth provides one of the best paths of absorption in the body. There is actually caffeinated gum that was created because of how quickly the caffeine is absorbed by the gums. The paint issue was also due to the fact that the lead was in a form that when eaten was readily absorbed into the blood stream, where solid lead is not as much a danger.

 

[deadshot2]

The best way to keep your kids, and for that matter even grand kids, involved in your life is to make them part of your activities from the moment they start asking questions and show interest. Since reloading and guns go hand in hand there's no better way to make them safe around both than to get them involved. Young minds have no bad habits---yet. The more safety you get firmly installed from the beginning the less chance of a tragic accident later.

I've raised my kids around my hobby and now have 5 grand kids that are now involved as time permits with their other activities.

Keeping the hazards to a minimum by cleaning the cases in a liquid/ss pin process is good. Also lots of hand washing. No eating around reloading is also enforced. That also is the rule when shooting. No drinks, eating, and lots of hand washing. If no restroom facilities close, I just keep a gallon sized zip lock bag filled with some wet paper towels that have some liquid hand soap mixed in. Hands cleaned before lunch. Us old pharts are already brain damaged about as much as we can get. It's the young brains that are harmed the most from lead exposure.

Get them involved young and you'll have companions for life.

 

[HotRod61]

Well seeing how I've meet you and we have become friend's. That was before I knew you were eating lead as a kid and that does say a lot about you LOL Now that the jokes are out of the way.

Hey enjoy ANY time you can with your kids when you can. Cause it will be soon they will have grown up and you will wonder where have all the years gone. It's a plus to have her in the gun room reloading .Who knows maybe she'll be a natural shooter like her dad Your a great dad and very patient. I see a future world class shooter.
Your friend always,even if you did eat lead fishing sinkers as a kid

HotRod

 

[Burt Gummer]

Never wanted to be a daddy but I got to say that is very cool OP.

 

[darkminstrel]

My two boys help load as well. The younger(6) helps by picking out the projectiles and seating them, sometimes cranks the handle as well. We get going pretty well, too. Little carpet shark learned to load my mags at 3, too. My 14 year old loaded up the rounds he shot on our last trip out. He was grinning ear to ear that day.

I like that they enjoy it. To them it's just the interaction and a neat process. To me it's creating wonderful memories I get to keep.