Teach your kids how to shoot

[black op]

Great Thread! I have an 8 y/o and a 1.5 y/o. I started the 8 year old at about 4 years of age. Started with a 10/22 then progressed to the AR after a year or so. He loves to shoot both. This year we started with a Ruger .22 pistol. He does well with both the pistol and the rifles. I have mixed feelings on the toy gun issue. I have used air soft guns to teach my oldest "gun safety". It has worked very well. I do agree we need or it is our "DUTY" to teach them at a young age. I have great confidence that if my oldest were to ever come across a firearm at one of his friends house that he would know exactly what to do. I can only say this because I started him very young teaching him about safety and firearms.

[tealio]

As far as the wife goes... She feels protected having guns around, but with 4 rifles, a shotgun and 2 pistols, she realizes what this really is. The chances of being the victm of any violent crime is statistically low. Peace of mind is great though, and it helps me be able to continue my hobby. Because that's what it is. All the training and range time and, of course, more guns (duh) is fun. I don't bug her about blowing money on makeup and shit, she leaves me alone about going to the range. If i can get the girls on board with me, then she'll have to find something else to complain about.

[Bimmer]

I have an "almost 5" year old girl and another girl that's 18 months. Inwant to get them into shooting at an early age, but I'm not sure what age is appropriate, and I also don't want her (my oldest) to be scared of all the noise and get turned off by that.
She asks to go to the range with me, but I don't think she understands where I'm going or what I'm doing. Any suggestions?

I'm in the same boat. My daughter will be six in October. She sees me packing to go to the range and coming back, and she wants to come along. I want to take her.


Age appropriate: IMHO, a kid should be at least 5 or 6.

Evenodds obviously thinks differently, but then he also just did an MSF course and he takes his 3-year-old on his riding mower with him...
I'm not judging, just saying that he obviously worries a lot less about things that I do.

Anyway, she's tall for her age, but her arms were still too short to shoulder the Savage Mini Youth Cub I got her last time we checked. Maybe this Fall or Winter...


Suggestion #1: if you don't have one, get a .22. EDIT: I've also got a .22 conversion for my AR, in addition to the little Savage.

The last thing you want to do is try to teach a new shooter to shoot with full power .223 ammo...


Suggestion #2: Go to a range when/where you know it'll be empty, or go to BFE. There'll be a lot less distractions if it's just the two of you.


Suggestion #3: when you take your kid shooting, then just take your kid shooting, and don't expect to get any shooting done yourself.
Again, Evenodds expects his 3-year-old to sit still while he shoots, but I wouldn't let my daughter out of my sight at the shooting range.

I think this would be easier with a boy.

Wrong, IMHO.

I've taught a lot of friends and colleagues to shoot, and it's invariably MUCH easier to teach women than men.

I've spent a lot of time around little kids, too (I volunteer in my daughter's kindergarten), and the girls are almost always better behaved and less spastic than the boys.
Before my daughter was born I always thought that I wanted a boy, but now that I've seen what maniacs most little boys are, I'm glad I have a daughter.

[black op]

I agree that when you take your kid shooting it should be about them and not about you. Most kids attention spans are very short so in no way can you expect them to sit there while you shoot. the only time I shoot when I take my son to range is to verify sights and such. The Range is the last place you wont your kid wondering off.

[black op]

I also agree with easier to teach woman than men comment. Most woman I have instructed are very open to instruction and generally have no preconceived notions.

[Bimmer]

The Range is the last place you wont your kid wandering off.

Wandering off is one concern...

What really worries me is when I see a father park his little kid (who looks still too young to be shooting unsupervised to me) with a .22 and a brick of ammo in one lane, and then he goes to the next lane to do whatever shooting he came to do...

Not quite father-of-the-year material, IMHO.

[black op]

Bimmer, thanks for the spelling lesson.

I agree 100% I watch my son like a hawk when he is shooting. Maybe too much but the last thing I want is for him to put a whole in anything other than the target.

Dad and son time is precious to me. So when him and I are at the range its all about him. I know one day he will look back at those times with fond memories. I know I do remembering when my dad took me out.

[Bimmer]

Dad and son time is precious to me. So when him and I are at the range its all about him.

Amen. Forgive the pop child psychology, but my impression is that most kids (even if they pretend otherwise) just crave their attention (especially their father's).

Bimmer, thanks for the spelling lesson.

Sorry, I'm compulsive. You mean: " ...put a HOLE in anything... "

I teach writing, and I can't stand a mis-spelled word, even in a quote, even when it's clear that it's not mine.

The one time I was put on probabtion on this forum was for correcting one of the moderator's spelling...

[5cary]

What really worries me is when I see a father park his little kid (who looks still too young to be shooting unsupervised to me) with a .22 and a brick of ammo in one lane, and then he goes to the next lane to do whatever shooting he came to do...

Depending on the definition of "little kid", that would be my cue to leave the range. Perhaps with a comment to the range master (if there is one). I can't see not shoulder surfing a youngster at the range for any reason.

[ssracer]

My boy turned 4 in feb. Haven't had him out shooting yet but I have already been teaching him gun safety at home. Plan on getting him something like a red Ryder for Christmas this year that will stay locked up with my guns till we take it out to learn. Also got a spare stock for my old 10/22 that I plan to cut down for his LOP.

My biggest concern is that he hates loud noise and I'm hoping that won't deter him. He does love wearing ear protection around the house and then screaming "can you hear me?" lol