Never too young to start teaching safety.
Start'em young & start'em right!
Starting them shooting is a bit more involved.
When they know the four Golden Rules and can tell you How/Why they are important.
When they have the appropriate level of maturity & discipline to exercise those rules and Range Safety/Etiquette.
I started safety training my second boy from the time he could crawl.
At four it was actively training to begin handling & shooting, the Golden Rules and a BB gun.
At five he made his first range trip as a shooter.
At six he received his first firearm, and is proving himself to be safer, more responsible and a better marksman than many adults.
At some point they NEED to see the damage/consequences that a gun can cause.
We hunt so seeing a live animal die, seeing the entry/exit wounds and the subsequent lectures about other people/animals and property filled that out.
If you must take a toy or stuffed animal out and blow it away, make it memorable.
Firearms need to be as everyday as bicycles, vacuum cleaners and meals.
No mystery, no taboos, no curiosity... Let them know that if they want to handle a firearm all they have to do is ask.
And then follow through with that , drop what your doing and teach them well, let them handle till they get bored with it.
Before every firearms contact, go over the Golden Rules, have them recite them.
Our 3yr'ol daughter is now showing serious interest, here we go again.
My wife and I both EDC, we both enjoy range time, looks like two out of three of our kids do too.
Problem! I have to buy guns/ammo for everybody.
My youngest boy (4yrs'ol) is begging to go to the range with me.
I told him 6 yrs'ol, but I may do it for his 5th bday, if he learns/memorizes the Golden Rules and shows me more maturity/awareness.
I'll start him on my Marlin Model 60 .22lr.
Golden Rules (alot for a 4yr'ol to remember & practice)
1. All guns are considered loaded, especially empty guns.
2. No fingers on triggers until ready to shoot
3. Never point a gun at anyone/anything you don't want to shoot.
4. Know what is behind your target.
Originally Posted by ChileRelleno - 06/2011
Just last weekend I finally took my 5 yr'ol son to the range with me for the first time, as a shooter.
He has the Golden Rules memorized, and can tell you the 'how & why' each one is important.
We sat down on the firing line and went over everything, the Golden Rules, Handling/Loading, Range Rules & Etiquette, sight picture and the six steps to firing a shot.
If he had shown any level of immaturity, of being unaware of self/surroundings or broken any rule in the slightest, he would've sat out the day five yards behind the line in a chair... But he didn't... Thats my boy!
He got to devirginize his Grandpa's newest 10/22, which is nicely decked out as a M1 carbine. I think Grandpa will likely give it to him for his sixth birthday.
I set him up at 10 yards with a 8" Shoot-n-C target and he peppered the hell out of it.
It is framed/dated and hanging in his room, he is immensely proud of that target.
.................................................. .
As for kids going to the range...
Every kid is different, maturity and being able to understand the reasoning behind the rules and being able to explain them is a must.
If I currently possessed a handgun that fit my son and enabled him to safely/comfortably handle it, I would have him shooting handguns. Of course my wife or I would always be in direct supervision.
Wish you could meet my son, he turns six tomorrow, and he is mature/responsible enough to go with me to the range and shoot.
He expressed the desire to shoot with no coaching, just simply watching his Mommy & Daddy.
Wasn't allowed to handle even a BB gun until he could recite and show comprehension of the Golden Rules.
Then he proved himself safe under supervision with the BB gun and started accompanying us to the range.
Had to then learned range etiquette 101, one mistake and he sits behind the line for the rest of the day.
He just made his second trip to the range as a shooter, always under direct supervision.
He has made me so proud of him, he is safe and he can shoot.
I'm buying him his first rifle for Christmas, a Cricket .22lr.