Letting your son fire his first M4

[OH58D]

Out here on our ranch, firearms training begins at an early age. My son just turned 10 the end of March, and I promised him he could learn to fire our LMT Defender 2000 SBR, with RAS and SOPMOD stock:

http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss126/BlackMesaRanch/BlackMesaRanchApril5th.jpg

Now for the safety purists, note his trigger finger....We're working on that! He has fired a Winchester Model 1873 in 44-40, a Colt Single Action Army in .45, a Walther PPK/S and now an M4 and he loves it. He fired 60 rounds this time. For a little guy, this carbine is still a little long for him. In the background horizon, you can see the snow covered Sangre de Cristo range of the Rockies.

Regards,
OH58d
Black Mesa Ranch
New Mexico

[the_1iviper]

the look on his face says it all ;)

[exkc135driver]

The younger you start 'em, the better ...

[thedog]

My son can field strip my M4, put it back together, functions check it, knows all about safety and is still learning. He will be ready one day to own an M4 or AK, but only after he has proven, a thousand times over that he is safe and can control the weapon and hit his targets. He started last year at 9 yrs. old. Sounds like your son is well on his way too!
But the day of him going out on his own, is a ways away. But he'll get there, God willing! Safety first, always!

Dog!
OBTW, handsome son and NICE weapon!

[lindertw]

good on ya OH58D! There are few things as fun as spending time with kids on the range...

[tango-papa]

Dude, he's ready alright - already got himself a combat patch!;)
Great photo - he looks very pleased.

~tp

[CarlosDJackal]

Kudos to you and your son. But as a safety nazi I have to ask where his EYE PROTECTION is? Sorry, I'm just anal about eye protection. :D

[MeanRider]

I was 7 when my Dad came home with my first .22 never looked back since.

[CobraBG]

My son is 11 and I just bought a Ruger 10/22 for him to get started on and for me to enjoy cheap plinking. As I see that he is ready I'll have him shooting my 6920.

[The_War_Wagon]

My oldest is 8, but has autism. He's very high functioning, but firearms may still be a ways off yet, sad to say. :( He likes the bb guns at Cub Day Camp, but he likes archery better. Ol' dad always SUCKED with bows & arrows, so I'm proud of him! ;)

I have a Marlin 925R still in the box for him, should we get to a point down the road where I think he can safely handle it.

[Sam]

I took my godchildren to the range last weekend and among the guns they shot was my LMT 10.5" SBR. They didn't shoot 5.56mm ammo though, I installed the Ciener .22LR conversion kit to make their first experience more pleasant as well as fun.

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/range-day_003.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/range-day_006.jpg

http://www.hunt101.com/data/500/range-day_007.jpg

[Fenix1442]

I love the USAF ABU hat and Corps BDU top. I'm jealous because I can't wait to have my son (2 yrs now) to be able to have a fun and safe time shooting.

[Solomon]

... They didn't shoot 5.56mm ammo though, I installed the Ciener .22LR conversion kit to make their first experience more pleasant as well as fun.

I'm thinking the same way - starting mine on my Spike's .22LR upper.

[Kimbo]

I wish I could of started shooting guns at an earlier age. Great pics by the way! Every child needs to know how to fire a weapon, disassemble it, clean it, and reassemble it :D

[Saginaw79]

I started my kids on firearms at 8, before that airguns and airsoft. One thing they got down is the trigger finger being OFF the trigger. Glad to see others teaching young ones!

[mmike87]

I'm planning on letting my 9 year old shoot one of my AR's this weekend (weather permitting) off a bipod. He's excited to do it, and a little aprehensive as well.

[MarshallDodge]

Out here on our ranch, firearms training begins at an early age. My son just turned 10 the end of March, and I promised him he could learn to fire our LMT Defender 2000 SBR, with RAS and SOPMOD stock:


Very cool! :cool:

[m4fun]

Thats awesome. My two, 8 and 5, come out but I have limited them to .22s with silencers. This has been limited to a 10/22 w/red dot and an AR with a Ceiner conversion.

I have debated iron sites vs red-dot, but for now red-dot just is so much more fun for them...better fundamentals.

[markm]

A silencer helps too. My 8 year old has blown up water jugs with my silenced carbean. I just prone him out with the gun supported on a pack so he can't get squirrelly with it.

[OH58D]

The cap my son is wearing was a gift from my eldest son's wife; she's in the Air Force. The Marine BDU shirt was picked up at an Army surplus shop. Normally, we don't dress like this. We're a cattle and horse operation about 70 miles east of Las Vegas, New Mexico, with 250 head of cattle and 22 horses; 4000 acres deeded and 6000 acres leased BLM/State land. My closest neighbor is 5 miles away as the crow flies.

Here's what my son and I look like, taken last year:

http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss126/BlackMesaRanch/BlackMesaRanch.jpg

Even Cowboys like an M4 type of firearm. We're not tactical types, but enjoy America's Black rifle/carbine. I mentioned before in an earlier thread that I carry a Colt 6920 in a leather scabbard when on horseback. It's a great gun for predator control. I'm an ex-Kiowa driver so I had a Colt Car-16 with me in my bird. Always enjoyed shooting that weapon.

Regards,
OH58D
Black Mesa Ranch
New Mexico

[exkc135driver]

That's beautiful country.


I'm an ex-Kiowa driver ...

I thought so.

[jeffreywt]

In the background horizon, you can see the snow covered Sangre de Cristo range of the Rockies.

That makes me want to move out west some day.

[OH58D]

That makes me want to move out west some day.

Well, here's a view looking down on our north range. The vehicle is the wife's H3. That's her go-to-town vehicle. This is pretty country, but quite rugged. Parts of my place you can only get to on foot or horseback. We have lots of Pronghorn Antelope in these parts and Mule Deer. New Mexico is a large State, with only 1.9 million people. Lots of wide open spaces here.

http://i568.photobucket.com/albums/ss126/BlackMesaRanch/BlackMesaRanchHummer.jpg

In that picture you can see about 30 miles to the far mountain range in the distance. This is a great place to raise kids. Most folks around these parts go heeled and crime is mostly non-existant. I have no landline phone as we are a number of miles off of pavement, and satellite for internet and TV. Cell phone service is hit and miss. Have a backup generator for the main ranch house and solar panels which provide about 20% of my power. I have thought about a wind generator for the future.

I'm no survivalist in the traditional sense, but we can operate as a self-sustained operation for a while. I have been stocking up on the ammo, as one never knows what the future holds.

Just posting this so you all can see that cowboys enjoy the AR-15/M4 system just as much as anyone else, even though we also have our lever action rifles. My ranch foreman carries a 1949 Winchester '94, and I don't think he'll ever come over to the "Dark Side" with an AR type weapon.

Regards,
OH58D
Black Mesa Ranch
New Mexico

[locobombero]

Since we are on the subject. Put the 22lr conversion in my rifle and let my 5yr old son go at it. Even let him shoot a round of M193 which really didn't phase him at all. Good times!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UmlGtz-T4mM