At what age???

[RichP1269]

Just curious. At what age did you learn or teach your kids to shoot.<br /><br />I just started teaching my six year old boy about gun safety and the proper handling of firearms.<br /><br />We are starting of with an Airsoft replica of a Sig P220. Fires a hard plastic, 6mm BB or paintball.<br /><br />Once he has the basics down with this pistol, will move on to a single shot .22 rifle.<br /><br />I hope that by starting him young, I will instill in him the proper respect for firearms that seems to be missing in a lot of kids ( and adults ) these days.

 

[ndemge]

Re: At what age???

I was probably 6-7 when I got my first bbgun, was tought to treat that with the same respect as a 50 cal

 

[aspeck]

Re: At what age???

My youngest is 3 3/4 and already I am teaching her the principles. About 5 or 6 she will get her first BB gun (depending on how she handles the toy guns and instructions). Already have her first .22 picked out for her, and bought her a .223 a couple years ago (yeah, Dad's having fun with shooting the ground hogs with it till she is old enough to handle it). She also has a single shot .410 waiting for her. But first the basics and proof she can handle those weapons. The earlier the training starts (and that doesn't mean with a real gun) the better.<br /><br />...Just my thoughts.

 

[kenimpzoom]

Re: At what age???

My son just shot a 30.06 at age 8 1/2. He has had a BB gun for a couple of years.<br /><br />I talk to him all the time about gun safety, he is good about it. Always keeps the BB gun on safe when handing it over, treat all guns as if loaded, etc.....<br /><br />The 3 yr old loves to play with toy guns, everytime we go hunting she wants to come.<br /><br />Last year the 8 yr old shot a hog, the 3 yr old was in the blind with us fast asleep. It woke her up and she pitched a fit to go se what he shot. <br /><br />Ken

 

[Sublime]

Re: At what age???

I've always loved and respected firearms. My Maw taught me how to shoot and about gun safety at 6 or 7 years. My two sons have been shooting with me sense about 6 or 7 as well. Most important thing is to teach that once you pull the trigger, you can not take back that bullet!<br /><br />Glad to hear there are still some shooters out there!

 

[eeboater]

Re: At what age???

My grandfather gave me a .22 for my 16th birthday. Kind of a family tradition... I learned to shoot imaginary guns when I was 6 or so... got to actually shoot at age 12ish...

 

[tommays]

Re: At what age???

its a funny local thing i grew up in greenville SC and and johnson city TN<br /><br />we were taught to shoot at a young age in cub and boy scouts<br /><br />moved to long island NY about 12 years old things like that were just not going to happen<br /><br />we went on more real back country camping trips buy the time i was 12 than i did the rest of my time in scouts at 13 on long island<br /><br />tommays

 

[beezee28]

Re: At what age???

Taught my daughters about gun safety earlier on and they learn to shot real gun .22 about 2 years ago. They are now 17 and 12, so I guess that is old enough for them to know that how a gun works and what harm it can do if used incorrectly. I am moving them up to the next caliber 9mm in the fall and then some hunting rifle.

 

[neumanns]

Re: At what age???

My son got a BB for his 6Th from me last fall. He doeas quite well but it will be a bit before he get's somthing with powder behind it. At least one more year.

 

[K Hultgre]

Re: At what age???

Wanted to start mine a 8 but the other half would'nt have it. So started mine at 9 3/4. For now its one shell one shot.

 

[RichP1269]

Re: At what age???

Mikey, my boy, has developed an interest in hunting with his old man. Wants to hunt ducks "because thats what dad does and they taste good". <br />He already goes with me to California Waterfowl events, even has a Sprig membership.<br />Can't wait to get him out there with me in the blind. Some of my best memories as a kid involved freezing my tail off with my dad and uncles, just listening to them tell one whoppin' lie after another. Hope to pass those same kind of memories down to him. And how much better those memories are when they include shooting your first duck with your own gun.

 

[JB]

Re: At what age???

My Dad was not a gun person. I got trained at Summer Camp. I was a NRA Marksman at 7, Sharpshooter at 9 and Expert Rifleman at 10.<br /><br />At 13 I regularly won turkey shoots at the famous Pinehurst Gun Club.<br /><br />None of my children are gun people, but grandson Luke got my Daisy Red Ryder when he was 6 and will get my Browning Semi-auto .22 when he is 12. He must qualify as an NRA Marksman to get it.

 

[LubeDude]

Re: At what age???

If that Browning 22 is a Belgium model, its worth near $500.00 if its in like new shape. I bought one for my wife a few years back, and I wouldnt take any less for it.

 

[JB]

Re: At what age???

Yup, LD. It's a Belgian made masterpiece.

 

[Scaaty]

Re: At what age???

Probably at 6 with the BB gun hand me down from my brother, and a .22 single at 8 for Christmas. Box of newspaper in the basement at 35 feet. Something about stinking up the house with a certain smell, coming out of a very big, ticked off father after coming home from work one day. Promptly sent to the woods after that. Would not happen in this day and age near any city ......too bad....as kids we had a lot of fun just plain old "plinking"...

 

[Realgun]

Re: At what age???

Seems everyone got started on a BB gun. My brother and I learned at 4 and 5 to shoot an Agawam single shot .22. Now my kids both have 1. When they turned 5 and 6, Girl and Boy respectively.<br /><br />At least they have hearing protection Eh what you say?

 

[brother chris]

Re: At what age???

My ex won't even hear of me getting our son a BB gun. <br />She does not understand, nor will she ever understand. <br />I think she is a corn-fed in-bred. <br />He is 10 now, I will try once again, real soon. <br />It took me the past five years to get her to let me to let him ride his mini-bike I bought him 6 years ago.<br />She's a nutbar...and that is why we are not together.

 

[all thumbs]

Re: At what age???

Here is a different twist on things. If a gun is not a toy why give a kid a toy gun? They get a cap gun and whats one of the first things they do? Aim it at someone and go pow. Same thing with all these paint ball guns, games set up where they shoot at people. Video games are another product to teach these habits. Now I'am talking about young impressionable minds here. I ask is this good training? Target practice and hunting are two different things. If the bb gun or paint ball gun are given the same respect as a rimfire or center fire weapon then i say good training. I grew up around guns, I raised all my children to shoot. Remember you are teaching ,so starting with a good foundation is important. An automobile can be a dangerous piece of equipment, most people learn to drive around 16 yrs old. Instructing children at an early age of at least half that can be challenging. Good luck ,its dooable, just be vigilant.

 

[Frankhanhart]

Re: At what age???

Got a BB when I was 6 (Dad was a tea-planter in Indonesia), was allowed to shoot with his .22 Brno (Tjech gun) when I was 9. Got to shoot his 30-30 Winchester leveraction when I was 10. Got a blue jaw when he put his 12-gauge in my hands to shoot a pigeon at 11. Came to Holland when I was 12 (gunfree and strictly regulated) and found boys my own age still doing Mecanno-stuff. Moreover...they could not do the 100 meters on bare feet . Had a lot of integration to do at that age with my fists. Cultural differences. Was taught " a man a man, a word a word" and that didnot seem to apply in Holland. Classmates to sneak off to the teacher to tell on you and stuff like that. Gave up hunting and fishing when the old man died. No more fun in it.<br />Frank<br />Frank