What is the youngest you have personally take a son or daughter, grandchild, or great-grandchild shooting -- i.e., taught them to shoot a true firearm, watch the actually shoot a true firearm, etc?
I think my youngest was eleven. He tried his hand with shotguns (with the Boy Scouts) this last weekend. Says he likes handguns better. When his uncle comes back to town we will see how he likes rifles. I might have to buy another shell plate for the progressive and start bulk loading for the AR.
I was seven or eight when I started shooting firearms with any regularity, but I grew up in the country around guns and that was just how things were done.
Crowman said it best, depends on the child, the parents, and the enviroment.
I started taking my daughter when she was 7. After many discussions, I felt she was ready...and she was. After a couple years, she lost interest in it but she knows if she ever is interested in it I will be glad to take her anytime. Took the mystery out of the equation.
My son is now 4, and we talk about guns and he wants to go but he's no where near ready to go yet. As soon as he is, I've got me a new range buddy.
You should start talking to them and demonstrating through your actions as soon as possible. Actual shooting depends on the individual child. My daughters went for their first time when they were 7-8. My oldest was probably ready when she was 5, Daddy wasn't ready yet.
I haven't taken mine formally to the range yet - trying to watch all 5 in that environment while helping one shoot just seems like a nightmare. They do have a couch outside the range window where some could watch, but that would leave them unattended out there while I'm inside so that doesn't really work by myself either. The older 3 would be fine, it's the younger 2 that would try and goof off together.
I have shot with all of them on my property. The older 3 (14, 11, and 10) have shot my xd and the younger 2 (7 and 5) have shot my .22 once or twice.
My son learned how to hold a gun properly (finger of the trigger) and not to point it at people when he got his firts toy gun at 3 (?). So that is all he knew. Started BB's at 4 or 5. .22 at 7 (?).
My son is 3 and begs me to take him to the range with me practically daily. I have gone over how to hold my pistol, always keep finger off trigger until your ready to shoot, etc. with him a few times.
I learned young and grew up around guns all my life. My father had his CCW, cousins in the Marines, and we were a family of hunters so I learned young.
It depends on the child. It's a personal dissertation on YOUR child's personalty. My oldest was 9 and my youngest was 5. We were in the Scouts and it just worked out that way.
The place we were camping at once had a range offering BB-guns, 410/20/12g shotguns, and 22's. They both shot up to the 410g and when my oldest got to get knocked on his a$$ "3 out of 12 rounds", while shooting a 12g, LOL&FOMA, they both were were sold!! We've been shooting and hunting together ever since.
I was going to take my oldest out sooner but the opportunity never really presented itself till then, since too, I didn't get out to hunt for a couple seasons.
This one is three at the time ( almost 4), he shoots the .22 on his own, my middle son started at 6 he is ADHD and needed more time. Out of my 5 they started between 3 and 6 years of age.
I shot my first squirrel at age six with a 20ga, I am taking my 5 year old son hunting this weekend. I don't know if I will let him shot the .22 yet, but he might.
Around the 5ish - 6ish age for shooting, can't remember exactly but I voted 6 because that's when I got my daughter her first .22.
Just something I just thought of for those out there who are planning on taking young kids shooting, especially for the first time; make sure that you really check the hearing protection for a good fit and check it often. A young kid shooting for the first time may not know how it's supposed to sound when the hearing protection is functioning properly and may "accept" a bad fit with louder than acceptable noise levels.
I don't have kids but I've seen them as young as 4 at our range. Our range also runs a youth rifle league with participants as young as 7. Appreciate the parents diligence regarding safety. Seen many a child marched out for failing to follow just one of the basic safety rules.
I raised three - thank the good Lord no negligent discharges and they're all grown and own their own firearms. I introduced them to the range and shooting around the age of five or six, the graduated to real marksmanship basics around 7 or 8. Not to be sexist, but the boys really liked it, my baby girl can take it or leave it, but she's competent with a handgun or shotgun. That said, I had a standing rule which seemed to eliminate the mystery surrounding guns. If, at any time, they wanted to look at a gun, I would do my best to stop doing what I was doing and we'd look together...made the gun safe, was there to answer any questions, etc.... They all knew that, and then guns were like any other potentially dangerous tool in the house...they required adult supervision and the adults were happy to share this experience with them.
We've got a lot a memories that involve firearms...thankfully, none of them are bad.
I voted 3. She hasn't actually shot but I have taken her shooting and talked to her about not touching firearms. I also let her hold an UNLOADED pistol a couple of times with my wife or I with her. We did this to help get rid of any curiosity. The younger you start them the better.
Maturity Level of the kid and Parents knowledge of it is the most important thing. Also how much time and knowledge the parents have to properly teach their kids
My son took his first deer at 6, I started him out when he was 5 shooting 22's. He's 8 now and this was the first year I felt comfortable with him shooting a pistol. My daughter started at 7.
On Saturday I went out with some family members to shoot 22s and pistols. One of my cousins had a really small single shot 22 rifle that I let my 2 year old (3 in two weeks) pull the trigger to while I was helping him hold it. I have already started teaching him firearm safety but won't let him start shooting for several more years.
I already posted my son started around the age of 7. But I started him out skydiving even earlier:
He was about three at family day. Long time ago....
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Defensive Carry
5.4M posts
117.5K members
Since 2004
A forum community dedicated to defensive firearm owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about everyday carry, optics, holsters, gunsmithing, styles, reviews, accessories, classifieds, and more!