Too Young to Shoot Guns? | What Would You Do? | WWYD

[semperfi68to70]

The day my son was born, I bought him a Chipmunk Rifle. When he was between four and five years old I taught him all about gun safety and shooting. I did the same thing for my daughter, but she wasn't as interested. My son, who is my youngest, is now 23 years old and an avid shooter. Both of my kids are well versed in the use of firearms and both enjoy shooting.

 

[Member 5605]

Today I had the honor of taking a friend out with his kids first experience shooting. This reinforces the statements I made earlier and I believe the statements that everyone has said in this thread.

The boy is 8 (9 next month he made sure to let me know) and his sister is 7.

Positive reinforcement when shooting by saying and being energetic about it.. "Oh that was so close" and "you almost had it, aim just a little bit lower.." even if they are MILES off of target. Ensure that it's a positive experience.



Teach them young and make it enjoyable so they remember it and want to repeat it.

 

[mjbskwim]

Only flaw I see is WTF would that woman be doing in a gun store?

 

[wired]

I can turn into "That Guy" on a dime. I have no problem yelling and hurling obscenities at people I dont know if they interject themselves into my business. Its like turning a switch. When the moment is gone I turn the switch off.

 

[Medic!]

This lady would have loved my upbringing.

 

[teflon6string]

"Too young/old enough to shoot guns" depends on so many things that you can't simply affix to a specific age.

That one mom had a great answer, "When we think she's ready."

A work buddy and I went shooting some years ago and I brought along my GF's young boy. Back at work a few days later, my friend confessed that he thought in advance "Oh great, we'll be babysitting." But after shooting revolvers, semis, shotguns and a variety of foreign and domestic evil black things on full-auto, my co-worker said he wished his adult friends had such crisp range discipline. And shot so well.

I would attribute that to a combination of family values with responsible discipline, rural community with many hunters/few lip piercings, organized BB gun competitions (in the bank building at night), hunter safety course, grandpa, parents, uncles, cousins (boys and girls) and me. Raised in a culture of responsible gun ownership, it just doesn't occur to him to act like a knucklehead around firearms.

On the flip side, are there grown adults I would never trust around any sort of weapon? You bet!

 

[PaulB47]

I got my son an NRA membership before he was out of the womb.

We've both moved on from NRA though. I first took him out shooting at age 5. Bought an extra buttstock for my .22LR Contender Carbine and cut it short for him.

Funny thing though, now that he's 20, he's really "take it or leave it" on guns. He has other interests. I guess the older generation will never understand the younger... I figure he will get enthusiastic about guns when he needs to be, anyway.