Daughter turning 6 in March, best way to ease her into the world of firearms?

[LoneStarSooner]

Afternoon all. There is a thread going on in the Concealed Carry Discussion forum about the best way to approach discussions of carrying and firearms with young children. Lots of great replies there. I have a daughter that is turning 6 in March and I want her to grow up understanding and appreciating firearms. My wife and I are going to have the "daddy carries a gun" discussion with her this weekend. I am considering getting her a firearm for her birthday in March and starting to teach her basic safety and usage. I am continually amazed at the level of expertise and the sense of levelheadedness of the members here at DC. So I have two questions for you....

What should I start my daughter out with? Rifle? Pistol? And what make/model if either?

Second, and perhaps more importantly, the ranges I practice at here in Houston don't exactly strike me as kid friendly. What is the best way to introduce her to training and the actual shooting of the firearm I choose to get for her?

Thanks in advance. Hope everyone is having a fantastic day!

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[xXxplosive]

IMO..............22LR......rifle at some paper targets at the range.....make it a fun experience.

[suntzu]

+1 on the .22...don't do this:

[jdsumner]

I'll describe best I can how I went about it. This was at age 6.

First, The Four Rules, until they could be repeated on command.
Second, nomenclature of pistol, rifle, revolver, until they could be id'd on command. Reinforced in combination with The Four Rules.
Third, drygun handling-primarily of a Ruger 22/45 until proficiency demonstrated.
Fourth, a trip to the borrow pit. Targets were balloons blown up and tied to short piece of string, tied off to washer and buried in dirt. 1 round of .22 rat shot loaded at the time. If she was close, it popped the balloon and gave her instant feedback and gratification.
Finally, repeat and reinforce steps one thru three regularly.

She is 15 now. Favorite handgun is my old carry, a pre II Kimber Classic GoldMatch updated to carry with Hienie sights and a 4.5lbs trigger. Hunts with a FN ar, a gift from her Grandfather. Day and night scopes. Has a body count like the plague between deer and hogs (night scope), in Ga.
She also works or apprentices part time at LGS. Verifies sights for dudes who come in and say the gun shoots low left. She takes gun on range, 30', shoots one ragged, center hole, and comes back out from range. 99% of customers then want her to help them to shoot the same way. She has been responsible for more proficient shooters, esp women, than I can count.

dan

[BigJon10125]

I'm with the .22 10/22 crowd. It is a great gun to learn with. I bought one specifically to teach my boys on something they can handle. Safety first, and then the fun begins.

It is no different than anything else. As in: hitting baseball's is fun but you have to careful with the bat. I like to use tools to make things, but used improperly they can hurt someone. Take the hype, out of the gun and let reality set in. It's fun!

[suntzu]

Don't discount the idea of using a good air rifle......same principals apply.

[KBSR]

I started all my kids with a .22LR, and bought them all their own guns before they turned a year old. My grandkids the same way. Focus on safety and fun. They'll ask to shoot the bigger stuff when they are ready. Bought each of my kids the combination guns (.22LR/.410, 22magnum/20gauge). They're harder to find these days though and when you do, they're pricey.

My oldest grandson (2.5 years old) met one of my guns by accident last week. He ran up to me and head butted my leg. He stepped back and said "Ouch Pa, what is that?" "It's a pistol in my pocket, ya knucklehead." Had a little bump on his head for a day or two. LOL

This grandson already owns a Ruger 10/22, and a single shot .410 shotgun, and he'll receive a single shot .243 on his birthday in July.

Good luck, be safe, and enjoy the journey.

[kentucky_rednec]

My 3 yearold daughter just watched your video and said I like that brown gun. Then said cani have it.. lol

[Taurahe]

A 10/22 may be a bit much for a six year old size wise. Get her a cricket 22 lr single shot bolt action. They are sized for smaller children so it will be much more enjoyable for her to shoot. And they are impressively accurate.

[Taurahe]

Don't discount the idea of using a good air rifle......same principals apply.

This also a good idea ! I have been shooting the same Crossman 760 pumpmaster bb gun for over 20 yrs ....... A few o ring kits over the years but its still a ton of fun

[OldVet]

For a six year old, I'm in the BB gun camp. Can shoot all day for peanuts, there's no run on BBs, and depending on where you live, the nearest range may be right outside the back door. A bag of balloons and a deck of playing cards will make a fun day of shooting that will transfer directly to a .22 in a couple more years.

[GXPWeasel]

+1 for the BB gun. This was my first gun, at probably 6 or 7. I learned on it, then graduated to putting pellets in it. Once I passed the Hunters Safety course, at about age 10-11, then I graduated to a single shot 12ga. About 2 years later, I bought my first gun with my money, a Marlin .22 Rifle. I still have this gun, and won't trade it for anything. This is the gun I taught my wife to shoot on, and plan on teaching my daughter to shoot with, once she's comfortable with a BB gun in a few years. She's only 3 now though, so I have a few more years to think about it.

[SCXDm9]

Daisy Red Ryder

[Skeet16]

Single shot .410 a box of number 6 shot and a case of cheap drinks from dollar general.
Shake cans set on log and let her shoot away.
My little one loves it

[goldshellback]

Get a .22 rifle and/or a pellet gun. Water ballons tacked to a sheet of plywood is a LOT of fun..... and fun means a good learning experience!