At what age

[Too Slow]

did you buy your kid their first firearm. I've decided it will be a classic 10/22, no handguns so he can't shoot himself accidently.

Thoughts?

[bongfoo]

i have 3 kids. my oldest (15) doesn't want to shoot but my 2 younger ones love to. i just bought the 2 of them (my 8yo son and my 10yo daughter) a 10/22. the first gun they've ever fired was my glock 17.

[Erik S. Klein]

It depends on the kid, IMO.

My 7YO is way too excitable and probably won't be ready until his teens, at the earliest.

My 5YO is far more level-headed and might be ready sooner.

Of course, my wife (not thrilled about guns at all) probably won't let either shoot until way past their prime.

[Jonathan Doe]

My children started at about 5 years old with a Chipmunk 22LR. Now they are grown, I don't need the Chipmunk any longer. But, I guess I will keep it for the heck of it for the sake of the signature on it.

[Arteel]

I wish my parent got me into shooting at a young age. Would have called it quality time..

[clonepsi]

I got A Remington 870 12g Magnum for my first gun on my tenth birthday. It aint no 10/22

[mcat707]

My children started at about 5 years old with a Chipmunk 22LR. Now they are grown, I don't need the Chipmunk any longer. But, I guess I will keep it for the heck of it for the sake of the signature on it.

Looks like those were autographed by Arnold Schwarzenegger?

[CSACANNONEER]

I wasn't allowed to shoot until I got my first single shot .22 at the ripe old age of 12. I think my mom had a lot to do with it. I have taken kids as young as 5 or 6 shooting. Although, it does depend on the individual maturity level, I feel that getting over the curiosity factor and learning how to safely handle firearms should be done asap! Also, I prefer to teach people how to shoot with a non-repeating rifle. That way they don't just learn to spray and pray. Instead, they take their time and learn proper shooting techniques.

[bongfoo]

I wasn't allowed to shoot until I got my first single shot .22 at the ripe old age of 12. I think my mom had a lot to do with it. I have taken kids as young as 5 or 6 shooting. Although, it does depend on the individual maturity level, I feel that getting over the curiosity factor and learning how to safely handle firearms should be done asap! Also, I prefer to teach people how to shoot with a non-repeating rifle. That way they don't just learn to spray and pray. Instead, they take their time and learn proper shooting techniques.

i concure. i firmly believe that most of these accedental child shootings can be avoided my simple removing the curiosity factor. it's when you get the combination of curiosity and ignorance that accedents happen and children get hurt. yes adults also get hurt due to ignorance. but once again if you start them out early, that removes the curiosity and the ignorance. that is why when i bring home a new toy, the first thing i do is gather up the youngens. i go over the safety rules of handling a firearm and them make them demonstrate the safe handling of THAT PARTICULAR WEAPON. (IE keep finger off the trigger, muzzle control, place it on safe, verify it's unloaded (both visualy and physically). i make them do this with EVERY firearm i own. reguardless of weather i think the gun is too powerful for them or not. they have handled and made safe every firearm i own, from glock17 to ruger m77 7mm rem mag. my wife disagreed with me at first untill i pulled a test on the kids with her knowing what was going on. i left my glock out on the counter with a telltale for 3 days and it never moved. then i asked my kids to show mommy how to make a gun safe... she never questioned me again on the subject after that.

[CSACANNONEER]

i concure. i firmly believe that most of these accedental child shootings can be avoided my simple removing the curiosity factor. it's when you get the combination of curiosity and ignorance that accedents happen and children get hurt. yes adults also get hurt due to ignorance. but once again if you start them out early, that removes the curiosity and the ignorance. that is why when i bring home a new toy, the first thing i do is gather up the youngens. i go over the safety rules of handling a firearm and them make them demonstrate the safe handling of THAT PARTICULAR WEAPON. (IE keep finger off the trigger, muzzle control, place it on safe, verify it's unloaded (both visualy and physically). i make them do this with EVERY firearm i own. reguardless of weather i think the gun is too powerful for them or not. they have handled and made safe every firearm i own, from glock17 to ruger m77 7mm rem mag. my wife disagreed with me at first untill i pulled a test on the kids with her knowing what was going on. i left my glock out on the counter with a telltale for 3 days and it never moved. then i asked my kids to show mommy how to make a gun safe... she never questioned me again on the subject after that.

[Travis8128]

did you buy your kid their first firearm. I've decided it will be a classic 10/22, no handguns so he can't shoot himself accidently.

Thoughts?

im 15. Got my first firearm at 15.

Id have to say its good bonding material and probably one of the only reasons i have a relationship with my dad today.

But only if your son is interested.

Id say let him know what a gun is and when he starts asking for one its time.

[Travis8128]

also, I Dont think its the age you should be worrying about.

Its the safety and respect he demonstrates with firearms before you go about getting one of his own.

So once he starts showing that your good to go.

How old is he?

[WyoDuner]

I bought my son his .22 pistol for his 7th birthday. Prior to that I worked him up from pellet gun to shooting my other guns then bought him his own when he showed the skill, maturity and ability to safely handle a loaded weapon that could kill dad...

I thought about getting him a youth stock for one of my 10/22s but haven't got around to that. Maybe for his 8th birthday.

No doubt there are people - even gun advocates - that probably think 7 is too young to own a gun but I would disagree. It probably is too young for most or many kids but it depends on the training, intellect and maturity of the child in question.

I'll really go out on a limb here which will almost certainly get me flamed.

I am working in CA and my family is in AZ - just my wife and son there. Like any father/husband I worry for their safety since I am not there to protect them. We all know the police can't protect them so they have to be able to protect themselves in the event a home invasion occurs. Can you see where this is going.....

I keep handguns loaded in the house, out of plain site of course, but accessible to my family in the event they need to use one to protect themselves. I know for a fact - for a fact - that my son would never, ever, ever do anything dangerous or careless with those weapons. A gun locked up in a safe, not loaded is of absolutely, positively no use if an invasion occurs. They WILL remain accessible. If there is company at the house the guns are stashed away of course...

Sorry for the rant, this thread just got me thinking about children and guns and my personal situation.

[hybridatsun350]

How did you get Arnold Schwarzenegger to sign those? lol

[WyoDuner]

i concure. i firmly believe that most of these accedental child shootings can be avoided my simple removing the curiosity factor. it's when you get the combination of curiosity and ignorance that accedents happen and children get hurt. yes adults also get hurt due to ignorance. but once again if you start them out early, that removes the curiosity and the ignorance. that is why when i bring home a new toy, the first thing i do is gather up the youngens. i go over the safety rules of handling a firearm and them make them demonstrate the safe handling of THAT PARTICULAR WEAPON. (IE keep finger off the trigger, muzzle control, place it on safe, verify it's unloaded (both visualy and physically). i make them do this with EVERY firearm i own. reguardless of weather i think the gun is too powerful for them or not. they have handled and made safe every firearm i own, from glock17 to ruger m77 7mm rem mag. my wife disagreed with me at first untill i pulled a test on the kids with her knowing what was going on. i left my glock out on the counter with a telltale for 3 days and it never moved. then i asked my kids to show mommy how to make a gun safe... she never questioned me again on the subject after that.

Man, I am totally there with you on this one. I do the same thing. My family MUST know how all of these weapons operate.