One of my kids was interested before I trusted her. The rest were mostly uninterested until well after they were old enough. I would say between 8 and 10, depending on the kid and their level of self-control.
I started my stepson out at age 8 on Walther and Ruger 22's. Last month he fired his first centerfire handgun a Ruger SP-101 loaded with 38's at age 10. He has declined to shoot anything but 22's out of fear I guess. Now that he shot my 357 he has lost most of his apprehension.
My parents have a ranch with a LONG basement. My father has always shot .22 or .177 BB in the basement. He used to shoot a 4x4 PT post, but has recently graduated to a steel trap.
He took me down stairs and told my mother (an anti) that we were going to make a bird house (to explain the loud bang). He lined the .177 rifle on the back of a chair, showed me how to aim, then told me to wait. He flipped on a saw, then banged some nails, then whisped "fire".
Bulls-eye, first shot.
"Bulls-eye!!!!" Screamed my proud father...
"Son of a bitch!!!!!!!" Screamed my mother...that was the last time I shot for a few years...
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