Should kids be shooting at human silhouette targets?

So at what age do they stop being kids? Would there be a number or does it depend on the kid. Maybe start some kids at 7 on silhouette targets but others at 11? A target is a target and the idea id to hit the target.

Ron

Unless you are also clamping down on playing first person shooter video games, IMHO you are off target with this. A target is just a target, if self-defense is among your reasons for owning a gun you must face up to the possibility and use realistic targets eventually, sooner is better than later IMHO.

I am not qualified, nor inclined, to opine on specifics of raising your, or any other's child.

The neuroscientists tell us that a child's personality is largely permanently fixed by age three. But the learning centers continue developing until about age twenty-five. Learning, education, remain plastic for far longer than psychological personality.

The better way to look at the question may be to flip it on its head.
Is it ok to let kids shoot at cartoon figures?
A polka-dot pink elephant? Daffy Duck? Pictures of balloons? Alvin & Chipmunks?

(Ok, on that last one, if the kids see a three foot singing chipmunk, I'd rather they sought out the gun safe-but I may be biased in this.)

There are too many variables for this to have a single, blanket, answer. At least for my 2¢

When I was a kid, I had a 1911 model that fired plastic bullets with a spring. I wore a GI uniform for Halloween when about 8 years old. I played with cap guns and tried to 'kill' other little kids.

Is the OP postulating that the targets will make the kids more aggressive and prone to violence.

1. Folks quote the video games. Some like Grossman says these train the rampage killers. Reviews of the literature do not support this and there is an ongoing controversy in the literature.

2. In Europe, the shooting sports banned humanoid targets for octagonal ones. They mocked our use of humanoid targets as ruining the sports aspect of shooting and indicating Americans were savages. I had some UK shooting mags that said this. Then their bans came and the gun folks there argued that they were losing their 'sport' - didn't work and the guns were banned.

3. Why is shooting animal targets better? Most of us have no reason to hunt. It's cruel, blah, blah. Get the subtle point?

I wouldn't worry about the targets having negative impact unless you give the kid a wrong lesson and try to teach blood lust.

How do you practice head shots without a human silhouette?

Has anybody here got hooked really deep into video games? I have not and I don’t let myself because it’s a waist of time but it can also mess with your mind. As others have said, video game are realistic and more influential than people realize.

I have been EXTREMELY deep into projects that required carving material off of a large object with a J shaped razor blade. I spent weeks slicing material at an unbelievably quick pace. After weeks of this, I WAS HAVING UNINTENTIONAL IMAGES OF CARVING PEOPLES FACES! Nothing sinister, just removing material in my mind.

Video games would have to have the same effect and if real guns get involved, I think it could lead to trouble with some people. Paper silhouettes I don’t believe will really be a problem.

DukeConnor said:

How do you practice head shots without a human silhouette?

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The top paper plate.

I think I would give my kids more credit....

Having carried a firearm (rifle, exposed sidearm, concealed sidearm) for thirty two years, I do not think any defensive shootist should shoot at a two dimensional target. Flat targets are easy to use on typical ranges, but create a false two dimensional idea of a hostile target. Vital organs are typically in the three dimensional center of the thorax or upper half of the head. One should not get subconsciously fixed on the second button of a shirt or the nose.
So I consider the answer (as much of an answer such is useful) is to to use various shapes as found without scoring rings. Use three dimensional (essentially ballon in an unmarked box) as available.

Obviously, this can be discarded for 'target' disciplines.

Years ago at a club I belonged to in the State of Illinois a few members objected to our weekly USPSA matches because of the targets we used (standard IPSC targets). So we procured a huge stack of white cardboard and cut out new targets - small white poodles - and started using them. We even had little "hostile" poodle targets holding "hostages". The members who complained were not amused. I thought it was hilarious....... One shooter suggested that everyone who entered the match be required to use a real "poodle shooter" caliber pistol - 9mm, because shooting poodles with a .45 is just cruel......

I have taught my children that all firearms are to be considered as lethal weapons. I have taught my children the reasoning behind the Second Amendment. My girls are capable of critical thinking.

I have also taught them not to kneel to the gods of political correctness. They have been shooting at human silhouette targets since they were in grade school.

Is this actually a serious thread or some kind of wry joke?

On the off chance OP is serious, if you are ever doubtful about a kid shooting at human silhouette targets:
1) the kid should probably not be handling firearms in the first place;
2) you and the kid have much much bigger problems. Not meant as a dig but words really escape me here. Anyone lacking the morals to handle firearms responsibly or to be able to distinguish a piece of paper from reality should not be roaming free in society.

Learned to shoot at age seven using nothing but human silhouette targets, same as my siblings and cousins. By any measure all of us are upstanding citizens and moral pillars of the community.

On the other hand, extremely graphic violence in video games, movies and comics, now that is something everyone should be concerned about. Not looking to go back to the days of Tipper Gore trying to ban Twisted Sister, but the extreme violence found in certain modern video games is not healthy for anyone and tragic for vulnerable populations.

I don't think it matters WHAT the target looks like as long as we differentiate between fun/practice, and the real thing.
I grew up in the 90-2000s...played all the gory video games, watched all the violent movies, played paintball and airsoft intentionality trying to shoot my friends.
The last thing I ever want to do is kill or injure anyone.

I think kids need to learn marksmanship first and that's best done on bulls eyes. I recall an article in one of the gun magazines by a leading police firearms instructor, he required his students to learn to group first, found too many thought if they just put enough lead in the air they'd hit something.

Starter52 said:

How do you feel about having kids shoot at silhouette targets? Animal silhouettes are ok with me, but I will never let any kid fire at a human silhouette target. This has been my belief for 35+ years of teaching kids to shoot.

Opinions?

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Your opinion and you are entitle to it. However, define kids! At my age, everyone under 20 is a kid.
And what type of shooting. Self-defense; if yes, then a human silhouette is the target to use.
Hunting, then hopefully a silhouette of the appropriate animal.
All my opinion!

RETG said:

Hunting, then hopefully a silhouette of the appropriate animal.

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And remember to shoot round targets when you're preparing to hunt UFOs.

Started my kids out with the traditional bullseye targets and then later with the Dirty Bird colored targets. A few do silhouette targets but they're more into CCW than the others.

Until I saw this post it never occurred to me that this is a concern. If you're not an absentee parent and are raising your kids in a healthly, loving home and teaching them the correct values, unless your child was born with some type of problem having them shoot at human silhouette targets is not harmful to them. I live in a Chicago suburb that's full of anti's who are the type who would object to this, and the way too many of them are raising their kids is far more harmful than any issues a well adjusted kid shooting at a human silhouette will supposedly cause.

For some children (and adults), this planet is never going to be right regardless of target shape. In turn, these types should not have access to any weapon because they are not right - the challenge is knowing who they are.

243winxb said:

I think kids & adults will kill almost anything on video games? More to worry about.

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This video game is one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen, and I hope the individuals who developed and designed it are financially ruined.

Irresponsible crap like that only contributes to the problem.

I'll be honest, I know there is a certain element of training and marksmanship that comes with silhouette targets, but personally I don't even shoot them.

However good parenting and instilling a respect for life in general can overcome any paper target. It actually might help stimulate further conversation about the gravity of using a gun for self defense against humans.

I use basic round targets. It instills a certain discipline of knowing what to shoot and what not to shoot. I will be moving the kids up to animal targets in 2021 and hopefully I will get to take each of them to get a squirrel or two, possibly a deer if I can find them on the lease.

TomJ said:

Until I saw this post it never occurred to me that this is a concern. If you're not an absentee parent and are raising your kids in a healthly, loving home and teaching them the correct values, unless your child was born with some type of problem having them shoot at human silhouette targets is not harmful to them. I live in a Chicago suburb that's full of anti's who are the type who would object to this, and the way too many of them are raising their kids is far more harmful than any issues a well adjusted kid shooting at a human silhouette will supposedly cause.

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Maybe it would be best, if the powers that be Chicago and a few other big cities, spent some taxpayer dollars and taught the gang bangers to shoot on people targets, they would at least have a better chance at hitting who they were shooting at, and the innocent bystander rate would go down.

Win win for everyone.

one thing i think is more important is to stop having your kid from playing with toy guns once he starts shooting. i read about this and i agree. i talked to my son about this before i bought him his cricket rifle. this is also why i don't like real guns that look like toys. i know some will disagree(owners of pink hello kitty ARs....)

not really human targets but i think is pertinent.

Our kids had toy guns and real guns growing up and always knew the difference. Never once had a problem either.

I think whats lost on a lot of people is, we, the parents, are the programmers. If your kid is screwed up, you know where to look for the source of the problem.

A buddy of mine at work used to sum it up perfectly. "You plant potatoes, you get potatoes".

That seems to have played out too.

Starter52 said:

How do you feel about having kids shoot at silhouette targets? Animal silhouettes are ok with me, but I will never let any kid fire at a human silhouette target. This has been my belief for 35+ years of teaching kids to shoot.

Opinions?

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I do not agree with you.
But when I do have ANYONE shoot at a target that looks like a person,I instruct them to see a THREAT and not a "target".
Target shooting is fun and a learning moment.
THREAT SHOOTING is very different and is training for a real THREAT !.