I know theres always going to be a difference of opinion on this subject, but i just wanted ,to kinda get some ideas, on how best to handle introducing to my 10yo son my love ,which is handguns, i love collecting them,maintaining them,targetshooting,even some light competition,granted he knows as well as the rest in the family that i have this interested,but i've done a good job of keeping it away from him. Here's the question, with all the negativity out there in the world about handguns & the six oclock news not helping with the shootings, how do i introduce him to my love,without him thinking, ''daddy's crazy'' ,i know there's alot of people that also hunt and use rifles and use that as a gate into handguns, unfortanately i've never been a hunter nor own any rifles, thats my loss offcourse,...but i'm open for suggestions.
Introducing my son to handguns.
- Thread starter ge0624me
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You are the one that he looks up to, whether it's evident to you or not. He is getting his model for what being a man entails from all of your actions, and if guns are in the equation, fine.
Your largest responsibility is to start hammering the safety rules now, trust me, they'll stick for a lifetime.
Have fun with it.
Your largest responsibility is to start hammering the safety rules now, trust me, they'll stick for a lifetime.
Have fun with it.
3KillerBs
Member
If you feel that he's reached a suitable maturity level getting a .22 that fits his hand and plinking some cans sounds good to me. You may want to start with indoor airsoft if you think he needs a more gradual exposure to shooting.
Our intent with our 8yo, who is not currently ready to graduate from his Crickett rifle to a handgun is to get a Ruger Bearcat when we think he's ready since its small enough for almost any hand and since the single-action is so straightforward to use.
He's not going to think you're crazy. He's going to know for SURE that he has the coolest dad around.
It might interest you to know that the group that shoots IPSC-Lite matches at our range includes two boys in the 8-12yo range. And its a sure thing that any potential child molester who tries anything on the younger one is going to be explaining himself to a higher authority because that kid is GOOD.
Our intent with our 8yo, who is not currently ready to graduate from his Crickett rifle to a handgun is to get a Ruger Bearcat when we think he's ready since its small enough for almost any hand and since the single-action is so straightforward to use.
He's not going to think you're crazy. He's going to know for SURE that he has the coolest dad around.
It might interest you to know that the group that shoots IPSC-Lite matches at our range includes two boys in the 8-12yo range. And its a sure thing that any potential child molester who tries anything on the younger one is going to be explaining himself to a higher authority because that kid is GOOD.
ErikS
Member
My suggestion is to get an airgun to practise with.
When I was growing up, that was a pretty common way to introduce kids to guns, in an easy "nonthreatening" way. Even a 3 year old kid can handle an airgun, if an adult is there beside him/her to help him hold it up, so all they do is point it and pull the trigger. That was pretty common on family outings and things like that, all the kids got to try it with an adult right beside them.
If you live in the countryside, you can hang balloons in a tree, or put up some tincans, or something else. That way it's easier to get a "hit" then trying to score a 10. And if you have an apartment, you could do it inside, as long as you have a big board behind it, just in case the kid doesnt hold it that steady in the beginning.
Shooting cans and ballons in the backyard can be pretty informal, and feel a lot more "safe" than a real gun that makes a lot of noise. It's also a lot of fun, and is a good introduction to firearms. Airguns was always treated the same as "real guns", and safety was always important, so kids learn it at the same time as they're having fun.
Once they got used to shooting targets with airguns, they pretty much always want to try a "real gun", and then you can take it from there.
When I was growing up, that was a pretty common way to introduce kids to guns, in an easy "nonthreatening" way. Even a 3 year old kid can handle an airgun, if an adult is there beside him/her to help him hold it up, so all they do is point it and pull the trigger. That was pretty common on family outings and things like that, all the kids got to try it with an adult right beside them.
If you live in the countryside, you can hang balloons in a tree, or put up some tincans, or something else. That way it's easier to get a "hit" then trying to score a 10. And if you have an apartment, you could do it inside, as long as you have a big board behind it, just in case the kid doesnt hold it that steady in the beginning.
Shooting cans and ballons in the backyard can be pretty informal, and feel a lot more "safe" than a real gun that makes a lot of noise. It's also a lot of fun, and is a good introduction to firearms. Airguns was always treated the same as "real guns", and safety was always important, so kids learn it at the same time as they're having fun.
Once they got used to shooting targets with airguns, they pretty much always want to try a "real gun", and then you can take it from there.
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