Teach your kids how to shoot

[5cary]

i understand the reasoning for not playing with toy guns. but, i had them when i was a kid and remember being told not to point them, dont touch the trigger, etc.... so i figure if i understood at an early age, he hopefully will too.

Different frame of reference, I guess. I had lots of toy guns when I was a kid, but did not shoot regularly until I was in the Marines. Guns were just toys to me (my parents were from overseas and knew nothing of the gun culture here - though my dad eventually did get a couple of guns and joined the NRA when I was in High School).

My oldest is already "making" guns out of stuff. He plays with other kids that have them, but he never wonders why he can't have a toy gun - we've had the conversation enough. The fact that I come home with a gun on my hip every night reinforces the "no toy" thing with him.

He does get to handle my firearms quite often when we talk about them, and he enjoys that. I don't want them to be a mystery to him.

[Inuvik]

I have really mixed feelings about the whole topic of when to teach your kids to shoot.

I was personally turned loose with a Red Rider at age 8, with minimal supervision. That was a poor decision on my parent's part in hindsight. I bought my first firearm (10/22) at 15, and that was a much bigger affair for my parents safety wise. Lots of training, demonstrations by me of responsible behavior etc.

Now as a parent of a 4 and 2 year-old boys, I am constantly thinking about when the "right time" will be to teach them to shoot. No offense, but I don't see the point of taking a 3 year old shooting. It might be fun for you, but they are too young to learn much of anything, and certainly won't be defending themselves with a gun for many many years. I am more inclined to wait a few years until my boys can actually "get it" when I teach them. All kids are different, and the appropriate age will vary greatly.

Just my 2 pennies.

[black op]

You make a good point about not being a mystery. I firmly believe a lot of the accidental shootings we here about are a direct reflection on parents not allowing their kids the chance or not allowing them often enough to handle (safely) firearms. I always have taught my son and will the little one too that if he wants to see one or wants to go shoot to ask and we will do it. I believe this has given him the confidence that a lot of kids have not been given. One of the first things I taught him was the 4 rules of guns. He is very good about that and I know he knows them very well. I can hand him anything and he keeps it pointed in a safe direction while keeping his finger out of the trigger guard.

[evenodds20]

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.

Im not sure i understand what your getting at with mentioning my MSF course and then taking my kid shooting, but ill comment on what i think you mean.
Ive been riding for 10 years or so. But never took the course because at Shaw AFB they made the civilians pay their way through it. here at keesler its free for me. well, i want to become a Rider coach now to help others out, so i figured starting from the beginning and going through the whole thing would be best. so to answer what i think ur implying, NO im not a new rider riding my kid around the front yard. i have years of experience and a totally clean riding record!

as far as riding a mower, whats the problem with that? he likes to steer and at 4 mph riding on level grass, i see absolutely nothing wrong with it and i can promise im not the only one on this board that feels that exact same way. i know you prefaced your responses with "not judging" but its the same thing as saying "no offense" and then calling someone a fat tub of lard!

and to address the comment about not getting any shooting time for your self when you bring your kid:

a friend and I both went to the range together. I only took the 1 M&P15-22 to try out. it was primarily meant for him but yes i did send a couple mags down range my self! it was a brand new rifle. My son was less than 4 feet from me the whole time and if i was shooting, my range partner was not. he was watching me shoot while sitting next to my kid! I honestly dont see anything wrong with any of the comments ive made and would be glad to submit them to Social services for review. I guess its a situation where "ya had to be there" because clearly peoples minds wander to the most fathomable disaster they can dream up! ....and heres my preface: Im not offended, just clearing up the doubt buddy!

[black op]

I have really mixed feelings about the whole topic of when to teach your kids to shoot.

I was personally turned loose with a Red Rider at age 8, with minimal supervision. That was a poor decision on my parent's part in hindsight. I bought my first firearm (10/22) at 15, and that was a much bigger affair for my parents safety wise. Lots of training, demonstrations by me of responsible behavior etc.

Now as a parent of a 4 and 2 year-old boys, I am constantly thinking about when the "right time" will be to teach them to shoot. No offense, but I don't see the point of taking a 3 year old shooting. It might be fun for you, but they are too young to learn much of anything, and certainly won't be defending themselves with a gun for many many years. I am more inclined to wait a few years until my boys can actually "get it" when I teach them. All kids are different, and the appropriate age will vary greatly.

Just my 2 pennies.

Yeah this is a tough one for sure.

[evenodds20]

You make a good point about not being a mystery. I firmly believe a lot of the accidental shootings we here about are a direct reflection on parents not allowing their kids the chance or not allowing them often enough to handle (safely) firearms. I always have taught my son and will the little one too that if he wants to see one or wants to go shoot to ask and we will do it. I believe this has given him the confidence that a lot of kids have not been given. One of the first things I taught him was the 4 rules of guns. He is very good about that and I know he knows them very well. I can hand him anything and he keeps it pointed in a safe direction while keeping his finger out of the trigger guard.

i agree with this statement. I have first hand experience. Both parents were police officers. Dad was detective, and mother just a street cop/prostitution decoy!
well, i was always fascinated with firearms, and as a result wanted to play with them. my dad NEVER wanted me playing with toy guns, bb guns, or handling real guns. So, when they were not home, i wouldhave to go in their closet and look at them. i didnt touch them, but just look. i can see how a kid in my same boat, but with a little less discipline would actually pull it out and start playing with it. even at the age of 12,14,15,16, my dad didnt want me messing with bb guns or paint ball guns. i can understand a kids determination at being totally closed off from something, and it making him want it that much more.

[markdh720]

I have really mixed feelings about the whole topic of when to teach your kids to shoot.

I was personally turned loose with a Red Rider at age 8, with minimal supervision. That was a poor decision on my parent's part in hindsight. I bought my first firearm (10/22) at 15, and that was a much bigger affair for my parents safety wise. Lots of training, demonstrations by me of responsible behavior etc.

Now as a parent of a 4 and 2 year-old boys, I am constantly thinking about when the "right time" will be to teach them to shoot. No offense, but I don't see the point of taking a 3 year old shooting. It might be fun for you, but they are too young to learn much of anything, and certainly won't be defending themselves with a gun for many many years. I am more inclined to wait a few years until my boys can actually "get it" when I teach them. All kids are different, and the appropriate age will vary greatly.

I agree that the right time is subjective to the child. I have a daughter who soon turns 5. She is interested in my guns and respects that they are not toys. She'll "help" me clean them and I'll let her touch them while I explain how to be safe with them. When she starts telling me how to be safe with them, then she will get to shoot.

I've asked my wife for a 10/22 for my 30th birthday coming up, so that I can teach my daughter to shoot with that. I really just always wanted one for myself, but it sounds more noble if I include the kid.

[evenodds20]

I agree that the right time is subjective to the child. I have a daughter who soon turns 5. She is interested in my guns and respects that they are not toys. She'll "help" me clean them and I'll let her touch them while I explain how to be safe with them. When she starts telling me how to be safe with them, then she will get to shoot.

I've asked my wife for a 10/22 for my 30th birthday coming up, so that I can teach my daughter to shoot with that. I really just always wanted one for myself, but it sounds more noble if I include the kid.

i did the same thing for my 22. I kept dropping hints that i was interested in it, and bam. she finally got it. haha! but really, its the perfect caliber to teach a kid ( no matter what age), as well as its cheap and fun to shoot, all while keeping the cool look of the AR platform. its not just for him, but he was a big part of the sales pitch to her lol!

[arc]

I'm so glad this thread came up. I've been wondering how other people handle this with their kids.

My daughter is only 2, but I'm eagerly awaiting the day she asks about my guns or range trips so I can start talking about the 4 rules.

I was planning to split them up into 4 rules for kids (Stop, don't touch, leave the area, tell an adult) and the 4 rules for adults (every gun is loaded, finger off trigger, point in safe direction, be aware of target and beyond). Once she has all of those down we'll see if she can behave herself for a range trip.

At the range I had definitely planned for it to be all about her while I supervise and load mags. I even got her a little bolt action .22 (mossberg 802) so I can load single rounds and make sure she takes her time.

Clearly all of this is planned for years down the road. Right now mostly what I get is "Daddy go away"

-James

[agr1279]

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 think this would be easier with a boy.

I am in the same boat. I have a 4.5 yoa and a 9 wk old little girl. This really isn't aimed at the youngest one. She wants me to teach her how to shoot (along with fight bad guys). She sees me carry both an AR and 870 in from work everyday. So she know what they are and I need some way to get her to understand what they can do.

Dan