Age to start shooting closely supervised.

[Petro]

I have a three and a half year old son and I am already looking into a single shot .22 to get him used to the idea of guns. Obviously I would teach him the right way to hold and handle a weapon and aiming but I just want him to be able to hold a small gun and pull the trigger. Im sure this will get responses from both sides but I'd just like to hear what you have to say.

[omgwtfbbq]

I don't think there is a hard and fast rule about how old a child should be before they start shooting. It's really a case by case basis. Of course for the most part all proud fathers are going to think that their little tyke is the best in the world (i stress "for the most part").

Personally, I was given my first BB gun at 5 and was shooting small caliber rifles and revolvers at the same age. I thank my father for starting early but I have always been more mature, at least in the case of gun safety, than other kids.

I say it's not going to hurt if you, the supervisor are responsible. I remember hearing somewhat recently about a guy who's own son accidentally shot and killed him with a .22 because the guy wasn't paying attention to what the kid was doing. It's the kind of story that the Anti's pounce on as evidence that we should have our 2A rights revoked.

[paul0660]

When they start begging to do it. 9 or 10.

[soopafly]

It depends on the child, and you will be the only one that can best make that decision.

I started my daughter at 5 with a single shot .22 crickett rifle, and she'll be turning 9 this year.
My boys will be turning 7 in a few months and still feel they are not ready.

Your call.

[Petro]

Ya that makes sense. I would not let him hold it by himself at least not until I KNOW that he could handle it safely, probably 7 or 8, just want to get him used to the pull of the trigger and the pop.

[gl0ckc0ma]

My son is 7 and itching to go to the range, he is a really calm kid. So as stated above, it depends on the kid. I have seen some wild kids out there that in no way should have a firearm in there hands.

But IMHO 3 years old is kinda young, I say if he is big enough to hold it and hold it well with no help and is a good calm kid then go for it.

[Shellshocker66]

My first time shooting I was 3..

My relative thought it would be a hoot to have me take care of his black bird problem around his garden... Taught me how to shoot it and went and sat on a chair while I took care of his problem.. This was a little .22 with birdshot.

I had a blast until my mother figured out what was going on and came outside...... I still to this day can't understand why I got the spanking and not my relative?

Anyways she finally gave up and realized her daughter was gun crazy and let me have my first one at 12.. But I had been shooting various guns from relatives for the years in between. Hunting in Arkansas with my uncles, shooting up in Susanville with my brothers, and so on.

Your the best judge of what your child can do, but watch out for crazy relatives who might think different!

[SanPedroShooter]

I shot a .22 with my dads help when I was six or seven. Pellet gun unsupervised when I was nine or ten, regular guns (.22) at twelve. All rifles, maybe pistols are different story?

I would think that seven is plenty old enough to go the range, at least BLM land, I dont like taking noobs to crowded public ranges no matter how old they are. Three might be a bit young. Can a three year old even hold a gun and aquire a target, at least a more than once or twice? Wear ear and eye protection? Stay still and wait patiently while others are shooting?

If I had a three year old, you can damn well bet I would have him out there taking a few shots while held a .22, but I dont know if I would take them to the range.

[pdq_wizzard]

At 3 1/2 get him a Red Rider and you cock it for him and let him shoot it. See how that goes then move up to the Cricket, both are about the same size.

There is no age that a child should or should not start shooting. but I think everyone should start with a BB gun. hell I'm over 40 and still love to shoot the Red Rider I got my son when he was 5.

[Petro]

Ya that's the plan I help him hold while he pulls the trigger, and btw, this kid loves the earmuffs when I got my electronic ones, he wore them around the house for a week. He is pretty acute when it comes to activities and such.

[Divernhunter]

I started my daughter shooting a 22RF(a chimpmonk rifle) when she was 4.5 years old. By 5.5-6 years old she had a Marlin 60 as I was tired of loading Ruger 10/22 mags for her. Before she had a firearm she had a bb and a pellet gun. By the time she was 8 she was shooting her own 9mm pistol and my pistols(45ACP/44mag/357mag and 22RF) as well as my big game rifles and her 257Roberts. Fact is she wore out the bore on it and I am having it rebarreled now. By the time she was 10 she had shot a 375H&H Mag and liked it, much to my surprise.

Presently she is trying to steal my Tikka 6.5X55 from me and long ago laid claim to my NM M1A. She turns 21 this year and said the first thing she is going to do is go buy a pink pistol. Got her hunters safety cert at 10.

The age does not really matter. What matters is the attitude, temperment and size/strengh. Also the same goes for the parent which some people forget is just as important.

[MaHoTex]

5 is the age.

[SFgiants105]

At this point, you can start him off on airsoft

[Crotalus]

I was 9 or 10 when I started... only because my father never owned guns and we could only use his friends at camping events... (My dad being ex army) trained me well, and I was using a .22lr single six that same camping trip with very limited supervision. (loading, unloading, range safety, muzzle awareness)... Thats just my experience.

I know many dads who started their kids out at 5 or 6 with no problems. Whatever you decide. Best of luck!

[CSACANNONEER]

A good parent will know when their child or children are ready. Some are ready at 3 others are not mature enough at 50.