What is too young?

[AlexBreya]

don't get them a cricket, that would just be ridiculous and embarrassing. go with GSG-5s and AR-15s if you want them to have fun and go beast mode. but seriously, a hand grenade would be suffice...

[xxxx]

I got a "Marksman Air Pistol Pellet/Dart/BB Repeater" When I was in middle school.

Looking at it in the old cardboard box it came in right now - I bet they are still made, I remember shooting it and the velocity was so slow that you could actually track the BB with your eye.

Got a shotgun when I was 18.

Are you trying to train your kid to be an expert marksman or something? If the kid wants a toy - get the kid a toy, these days you have AirSoft - they look just as cool as the real thing but are pretty safe.

I wouldn't give anyone under 18 a firearm unless it was needed for hunting, but I would let my kid shoot one of MY guns and only under MY supervision, other then that I wouldn't even allow him to look at it.

Then again, I don't have kids.

[d_hammy]

My middle daughter is 13 and she just got her very own handgun, it's a S&W 622. Honestly I have to say I wish I would have started bringing my kids to the range sooner. My oldest 14 and youngest 11 have now followed suit with their sister and now want their own. I know a lot would argue they could shoot mine but when it is their very own they take pride in it and care more about it's upkeep and in my daughters case has even started looking into customizing it with her babysitting money.

In short get your kid his/her own gun that he/she can handle and teach them right the first time. You wont regret it.

[Seesm]

Are you trying to train your kid to be an expert marksman or something? If the kid wants a toy - get the kid a toy, these days you have AirSoft - they look just as cool as the real thing but are pretty safe.

I wouldn't give anyone under 18 a firearm unless it was needed for hunting, but I would let my kid shoot one of MY guns and only under MY supervision, other then that I wouldn't even allow him to look at it.
Then again, I don't have kids.

My two kids are into guns because I and both Grandpa's are pretty into them...

Mom shot as a young gunner... It's what we like to do along with some sports and Motorcycle stuff.

And I am also teaching them about the whole 2nd amendment rights deal...

That is why I named the original post... "What is too young" Just to see what you all thought...

They are very respectful when they shoot and handle the guns great and use teh saftey properly..

Pretty neat really, yeah I would not let them shoot without supervision for sure...

No worries...

I guess teach em right now and they are safer for ever and can maybe teach others...

[Dr. Peter Venkman]

This is too young:

[xxxx]

My two kids are into guns because I and both Grandpa's are pretty into them...

Mom shot as a young gunner... It's what we like to do along with some sports and Motorcycle stuff.

And I am also teaching them about the whole 2nd amendment rights deal...

That is why I named the original post... "What is too young" Just to see what you all thought...

They are very respectful when they shoot and handle the guns great and use teh saftey properly..

Pretty neat really, yeah I would not let them shoot without supervision for sure...

No worries...

I guess teach em right now and they are safer for ever and can maybe teach others...

I think kids have two kinds of mentalities; Theirs and Yours.

If you say "Here is your gun for Christmas, but you can only use it when I am around" - it is their gun. I think it is better to say, "I got this gun and I got it so you and I could use it and you can learn - it is mine, but your going to be the main user." - They know it is YOUR gun and they won't think twice about messing with your things.

[GuyW]

My son was interested in guns and hunting. He shot (infrequently) with me at a range, and had a BB rifle....but all that only inflamed his itch...

I found out that although kids can't hunt "big game" in CA until 13 (IIRC), they can hunt non-game animals and game birds at any age (that they can pass Hunter Safety). In particular, turkeys (ie, big enough to interest us).

So he did his Hunter safety at 10+, and he started hunting turkeys at 11 with his own single shot 12 ga. He soon had a couple of other rifles and shotguns.

His younger sister started hunting at 12 with her own .410 single shot (she's just physically smaller). At 13 she got her own .380 pistol.

Knowing them, and what I know now, I should have started them at least 1-2 years earlier (just too damn busy...). BTW, they are (and were) very level-headed kids, and totally serious about gun safety and hunter ethics.

Single shots are best to instill discipline, "one shot, one kill"...

YMMV
.

[ivanimal]

My son wanted to shoot since 5 but I waited till he was 7 and calmed down a bit he did not really get into it till he was 10. Now at 13 he believes all of my guns are his. Well they will be if I dont sell them or trad ethem for other guns.

[Captain Evilstomper]

when i was 6 i started with a browning .22, the next summer i begged dad until he let me shoot his M1 carbine it's been downhill since then.!

[Seesm]

That kid was for sure too young to shoot that M1 Carbine by himself.

The way he would drop it and pop it up in the air could have been a wild for someone if he slipped on the trigger I think.

Mom videoing and Dad helping him would have been better for 1-2 shots... 8 shots is too much for a kid that size.

But it's Texas... If I lived there I may have my kids running full autos... JK

[GuyW]

That kid was for sure too young to shoot that M1 Carbine by himself.

Making that kid shoot that Garand after the first shot was child abuse...

.

[d_hammy]

Making that kid shoot that Garand after the first shot was child abuse...

.

Is it really child abuse when the kid is laughing? I'm not saying it was the smartest thing in the world but he didn't act like he wanted to stop.

[CSACANNONEER]

That kid was for sure too young to shoot that M1 Carbine by himself.

The way he would drop it and pop it up in the air could have been a wild for someone if he slipped on the trigger I think.

Mom videoing and Dad helping him would have been better for 1-2 shots... 8 shots is too much for a kid that size.

But it's Texas... If I lived there I may have my kids running full autos... JK

If he was shooting a M1 Carbine, he would have been fine. Even if he had the stock shortened to fit him and was shown a proper shooting stanze, he would have done OK with the M1 Garand. but the parents were complete IDIOTS for letting him shoot a gun that didn't fit him right and one which he was unable to maintain proper muzzle control.

I spent last saturday at Angeles with my cousins. It was there first time firing firearms. I wish I had a Cricket or Henry's to teach them with. It's hard to teach proper shouldering of a long gun when the stock is too long for them.

[sorensen440]

as soon as they can understand what your telling them as long as you are right there with them 100% of the time

[Seesm]

Csa cannoneer what is that tripod gun... The one with the folder is a gsg right? Very cool... They look pumped!!