What is too young?

[DDT]

but id tell your kids that if you shoot someone its not like the movies and they wont come back alive

One Word: Hunting.

[mdouglas1980]

Yeah my dad started my brother and I at 7 and 8 shooting his J.C Higginssingle shot that he got when he was 10. I think that if you are taught correctly, you can shoot a guns at a fairly young age. He was always very strict with us about obviously "never pointing it at anyone" and the "never to cross the firing line" rules and we always had lots of fun. I remember even throwing clay pigeons for my dad and his friends around that age too, they loved it since they didn't have to do it lol. I hope to have that experience with my kids one day too.

[thomasanelson]

Every case is different, but my 5 year old is definately not ready.

[Seesm]

My 5 yr old is ready with me helping him and working with him... Neither 5 or 8 yr old are ok alone yet....

[KimoBBZ]

totally normal...

I ask what is too young to have your kids shooting? I know I know it depends on the kids but just your opinion.

Grandpa teaches the safety and I back it up daily basis. My kids are 5 and 7 and shoot there "red riders" at targets in the back yard every few days with a adult ONLY....

Is this too young? I ask because our 7 year old is asking for a AR15, AK 47, Mini 14, M1 Carbine and Garand for Christmas so I am just asking... Because a parent does not want to let him down!!

Jk on letting him down but he loves shooting, is this normal... I only shoot like 5 times a years so I am not fanatic but I do love this site. Talk to me.

Totally normal... get a bunch of 5 year olds together and invariably the boys will get in to gun related play before too long.... ACTUAL shooting w/ Dad or Grandpa?? ALL OVER IT.

Here's a related thread I started on the subject awhile back... some useful perspectives:

http://www.calguns.net/calgunforum/showthread.php?t=122103

Sooo... How old were YOU when you 1st lit off a live round? Was it a memorable event (positive or other-wise), please share?

Daughter is turning 4 in November, and while I'm anxious to get her to the range for some prone .22LR sessions, I realize she's not there maturity-wise. Maybe @ 5 or 6.

She's great so far with understanding boundries concerning the big & small safes around the house and safety issues. But not quite there yet on patience and attention span.

She's quite comfortable with my airsoft and cardboard targets out back, but is only attentive for about 10 shots... when a butterfly or birdie distracts her.

[mif_slim]

I dont think I'll let my 5 year old son start shooting, thats 5 more years before he starts to shoot.

But, I have taught my 4 year old niece how to sort and reload ammo. Not really load but the basics of it and shes pretty intrested in it. I however had taught my Nephew (6 years old) how to shoot an bow-n-arrow and he has pretty good at it. He wouldnt shoot it unless Im around to guide him. Really, the parents will know when their kids are ready to shoot. Some can shoot at 5, some can shoot at 18, it really depends, some even on here and other forums started shooting at 35+ years old so theres really no set age to start shooting.

[Rob454]

I ask what is too young to have your kids shooting? I know I know it depends on the kids but just your opinion.

.

IMO Too Young is a hot hooker in china. LOL

Well to tell you the truth the only time I think its too young is when they dont understand what a gun is. Any kid over the age of 5 should be taught firearms and safety of firearms. any kid younger than that probably cant hold load or shoot the gun and thats just because they cant physically hold the weapon and they probably dont really understand what it is.
I was givem my first gun at about 7-8 YO. but I knew abotu guns since I was 5.
Rob

[radio2]

I have two boys 6&9 that shoot 22's on a regular basis. I bought my oldest son a savage cub bolt, single shot at 7 years old and now at 9 his grandfarther bought him a Henry lever action 22 and my 6 year old shoots the savage cub. I think it's important to teach them to make every shot count rather than than just sending alot of rounds down range. Youth model rifles fit them well and I just found out that remington and mossberg make youth model 20 GA pump shotguns. My oldest will get one this year when he turns 10. As far as him going hunting with me I will wait till he is 12. Both my sons are very responsable and have been tout the safe handling of a firearm.

[hnoppenberger]

buy up some guns and sit on them until they are older.

no young child deserves to have an AR until at least mid teens. they have not paid their dues. and then i would say most at 16 still have not paid their dues.

get some nice stuff, the stuff that will most likely get banned, and just sit on it. future christmas presents.

no reason they shouldnt be rocking those red riders for many years at this point.

[Seesm]

Yeah for sure a good idea, I need a few Ar's to save fo rthem. They will TOTALLY dig that idea too!!! Thanks

[AlexBreya]

If anyone thinks that 15 minutes is all it takes to properly and safely learn to handle/shoot a firearm then, they are an idiot! Maybe, after proper instuctions on the basics of firearms handling, 15 minutes per weapon could be concievable. But, if you (a 17 year old) think that 15 minutes of training is all someone needs to be safe and proficent with firearms, I'd have to side with gsusd and go further by saying that even 18 is too young. I really hope you just didn't comunicate your thoughts well.

My bad, i meant it only takes 15 minutes to be familiar with a specific gun. not 15 minutes to learn all of proper gun safety. In his previous posts he said that people can't learn to be familiar with a firearm until 18, and i called BS. Once you know basic gun safety, knowing how to dissassemble, clean, shoot, and load any single firearm should not take longer than 15 minutes. maybe i have to much faith in the ability of people. Gun safety is only difficult if you don't have any logic.

[the2thwizard]

My kids are 7 and 9. The younger one loves to shoot. He shoots his Daisy constantly. He started at 6. This summer he will be on a .22LR. Teach kids young! My 2 cents worth.

[Mayhem]

First gun - Win model 94 30-30 lever action Dad got it for me when I was 4

First Gun shot - Either a shotgun unknown gauge or .22lr both I was around 3 or 4 I Showed a great interest in firearms, Dad wanted to future proof me and got me a 30-30.

First gun purchase by myself - Remington 870 wingmaster I was 16 walked in slapped cash on the counter walked out with my shotgun.

First time Firing a Fully automatic weapon - 17 Years old m16a1 fallowed by the m60 the m2 and the m242

Biggest handgun fired .500 S&W

Biggest Rifle Fired .50bmg

Biggest Gun Fired 25.mm (I'm not counting Mortars artillery rockets or Missiles)

First Reloading kit - Lee @ 37 years old (Ya I know I'm retarded) My dad got it for me.

To date I have never had an accidental discharge with firearm. However my youngest daughter did shoot her younger brother (My oldest son) with a red rider BB gun.

Her excuse was It's only a bb gun, and I didn't know it was loaded.

This prompted me to get a gun safe and treat everything that shoots a projectile the same whether it's a firearm, an airgun, a paintball gun, an airsoft gun, a cross bow, a bow & arrow, or a staple gun. and to teach my children the same.

In all honestly it all depends on the KID. How much interest they show versus How much maturity they show. My youngest child has shown far more intrest than any of my other children.

All my kids learned fast that a Gun is a tool not a Toy. None of them had a toy gun until they new what a real one was and does. The learned how to tell the difference between a real firearm and a toy and what to do with if they come across a real one.

Unfortunately this is not going to work with my youngest boy who is two and as he has already gotten a hold of his older brothers toy guns. He has shown the he doesn't have the same behavior and mentality towards the concept of guns that his older siblings did. This has led me to rethink my doctrine a bit.

Just for the record, I AM AGAINST EVERY GIVING A CHILD A "TOY" GUN. but I have been overridden by my wife and other family members 8(

I honestly believe there is no set age as long as the child is both physically and mentally capable of safely handling the firearm this is going to be different for each child.

My youngest son is probably going to get the pumpkin and the shot gun demonstration.

This is where you take a pumpkin or a watermelon put it on a post or a card board box. Explain to the child that it represents a persons head.

Then shoot it with a shotgun at close range (bout 7 to 21 feet).

Explain to the child this cannot be undone.

Hand them a roll of duct tape and ask them to see if they can fix the pumpkin or Mellon.

They should get a good healthy respect of a firearm's power as well as good understanding of finality of an accident.

Then precede with normal gun safety instruction.

[Noobert]

to all those who have been outshot: are you more proud of your teaching skills or your shooting skills?

[highpowermatch]

how young?

My Son is 10 has a single shot .22, .17 and 410 my daughter is 8 and got a pink cricket for Christmas last year.

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