How young is "too young"?

[shibiwan]

My wife and I have been fostering kids from the state (AZ) for a few years and we are about to adopt a 6-yo soon.

 

I've always thought that if I could teach them safe gun handling that it would benefit them as they grew older. Anyway, the questions are....

 

- How young do you start them with safe gun handling?

 

- How young is too young to take them to the range?

 

- What's the appropriate age for actual shooting? 

 

I was considering taking the little one to the range evnetually, but I'm unsure if it's appropriate at 6. He's full of energy and I think that could lead to safety issues. Then again, I could make him run to 200yds to plug up target holes... LOL. I also think that I'd start him out with perhaps an air gun or a 22 sooner or later... probably later....hmmmm maybe I could justify buying an AR15/M4 and add a CMMG 22 conversion... LOL.

 

Thoughts?

 

-S

Edited September 4, 2013 by shibiwan

[Tripledeuce]

  My Dad started my brothers and I on a Daisy BB gun at 6 or 7.   Showed up how "dangerous" it could be by hitting some small bottles of nail polish, I think.   That explosion of liquid really brought out the "never point a gun at anything you don't want to destroy">

    Back i the 70's and 80's when handgun metallic sillouete was popular, we had everything from toddlers in diapers, to 8-10 year olds at the range.

    Youngest kid to shoot the 22 matches was 10 or 12.

   My daughter started shooting small bore, indoor 22 at 10.

 

   Respectfully

     Terry

[Matt.Cross]

My mom has pictures of me holding one of Dad's rifles @ 3 years old. I wasn't shooting at that age, but I was certainly learning gun safety. Point is, shooting can come later, gun safety can be learned yesterday. ;)

[edgecrusher]

Agreed ^^^. My daughter started to shoot (twice) this summer, she is turning eight, but lost interest after 45 minutes or so.

[Rsquared]

^^^^^ Get her an Iphone optic and I bet she'd pay attention. <laughs>

[MikedaddyH]

I shot my dads 1911 45 at 9. My stepdad got me a daisy pellet gun at 10. At 11 and 12 BSA summer camp with a bolt action .22.

With my girls 15-16 with a paintball gun a starting point but they did not shoot a gun till last month and they are 24-23. maturity is the key.

[MikedaddyH]

Agreed ^^^. My daughter started to shoot (twice) this summer, she is turning eight, but lost interest after 45 minutes or so.

This will keep her attention !

[Robocop1051]

I started shooting with my dad at about 5 or 6 years old. I was tagging along on hunts by 6 or 7. I was actually partaking in the hunting by 9. By 12 I was shooting trap at the local gun club... That was all in the mid 80's though, and times are much different now. My folks didn't have to compete with MTV and Liberal Activists back then.

 

I think you, as the parent, have the best judgement of your kid's ability to control him/her-self. If you think the kid is ready, then get him started. If you have apprehensions about his maturity (which is completely understandable at his age), then I suggest breaking him in at a later stage. I never suggest toy guns (BB or airsoft) for education. I think you lose the threat of "DESTROYED FOREVER" with a toy. Shake a soda can, set it up about 15 yards away, and shoot it with something big. The end result is impressive to watch, and the damage should leave a lasting impression. It's a very descriptive picture of DESTROYED FOREVER.

 

I personally can't wait to get my son started on shooting (he's 5 months old, so I have some time). I fully plan on having him competing pre-teen competitions. I come from several generations of hunters/shooters. My wife shoots alongside me and encourages teaching our son as early as we can.

[planeflyer21]

Four years old.  Now ten and just passed hunter safety.

 

Here's last year with her Browning 1911-22.

 

 

[shibiwan]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input, especially with the "DESTROYED FOREVER" lesson/threat/suggestion - which can probably be easily demonstrated with the .308 :D

 

We are just starting to know this new kid so there's lots to learn. Most kids will show their true colors within a month or two with us. We've usually dealt with very difficult pre-teens/teens with various behavioral conditions (PTSD, RAD, BPD, meth kids... yadda yadda) and so far this boy is the most "normal" kid we've had.

 

Thanks again for the input - I'll have to study the situation and not push it until he's ready.

 

-S

Edited September 5, 2013 by shibiwan

[sketch]

Good for you brother that is a Nobel cause teaching youth respect that had unfortunate upbringings!!! When it comes to shooting make it serious but fun!! I lernd around age 5 from a friends dad and loved it and really lerned respect of my elders and the guns! I went over the top safety with my girls it was more scary than interesting and they have no interest now (8/12yrs old) but I still have time and have lernd my respect lesson again but am adding the fun... When I come home with a huge grin on my face after a good shoot!!

[Magwa]

I was started with a BB gun at 7 at 10 I got my first real gun a single shot JC Higgins 410 and a box of shells I was allowed to roam just about anywhere a 10 year old would roam whatever I shot I brought home and my mom cooked it I did not get a rifle till I was 14 My daughters and now my grand kids are raised with guns they start safety at the same time as the stove is hot and I just keep drilling it in when they were ,are 6 to 7 they got to start shooting...

 

  By bringing home elk and deer and bears and stuff they got the idea that guns kill but they also understood where their food came from.... good luck and be patient, patient, patient...

[shepp]

I've not read everyone's reply yet but I think it all depends on the kid. I'm sure you wouldn't be asking if you didn't have trust but think it all depends on the mentality and maturity of the child

[imschur]

Based on the title of this thread I was almost afraid to look.

 

My dad said when I could hold the gun properly I could shoot it.

[shepp]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate the input, especially with the "DESTROYED FOREVER" lesson/threat/suggestion - which can probably be easily demonstrated with the .308 :D

We are just starting to know this new kid so there's lots to learn. Most kids will show their true colors within a month or two with us. We've usually dealt with very difficult pre-teens/teens with various behavioral conditions (PTSD, RAD, BPD, meth kids... yadda yadda) and so far this boy is the most "normal" kid we've had.

Thanks again for the input - I'll have to study the situation and not push it until he's ready.

-S

Your a good man. My mom worked with a lady who fostered and adopted a few of her foster kids. It's sick what happens to some of these kids.

[unforgiven]

Brother shibiwan for you and the wife to undertake such a momentus project as fostering these kids shows you guys have alot of heart.To turn problem kids into positives for this country and themselves is outstanding.Good luck in you'r endevors. <thumbsup> God bless you both.

[shibiwan]

Thanks for your kind wishes. It's definitely not an easy job but we do what we can to help out whenever possible.

 

-S

[392heminut]

Gun safety should start as soon as they are old enough to understand what it's all about. As Robocop and Shepp said, teaching them to shoot depends on their level of maturity and each kid is different. I started my son Josh at 7 with a Browning Buckmark 22 pistol and at the age of eight he started shooting a 1911, first with just one round in the gun and seated with his arms braced on his knees. After I was confident he could handle the recoil without dropping the gun we went to two rounds and then on from there. He shot his first practical pistol match with my 1911 at 10 years of age with standard loads (see the attached pic). Josh's youngest sibling was 14 when he was born so he grew up around fairly mature brothers and sisters as opposed to siblings more his own age so I'm sure this had an effect on his maturity. Like I said, each child is different. I'm sure that with the experience you've had with foster kids you are quite capable of determining when he is ready to start. Thanks for bringing these kids into your lives and making a difference! <thumbsup>