Was at the gun club this morning shooting a couple of rounds of skeet with my old 1100 .410. Shot a 24 and a 23, 'bout usual. There was a little boy about 6 or 7 years old there with his grandpa that was learning to pull targets for his grandpa and his two friends. The boy tried one shot with his grandpa's 28gaO/U but it was a bit much for him to handle, so he was content to just pul targets and was having fun doing it.
When they were done with their round I quietly asked his grandpa if the boy would like to shoot the .410. Grandpa said that the boys been wanting to shoot badly and was OK with a .22. Well we asked the little boy and he was all smiles and big eyes and anxious to try it. Grandpa set up three unbroken targets on end in the field about 15 yards out and we showed the boy how an auto worked and let him take his first shot.
He was very attentive and had all his safety gear on, glasses and muffs. The shot gun butt stuck out about six inches below the boys shoulder, but he still managed to puff the clay dead center.
Everone was all smiles and quite a little group had stopped what they were doing to watch. I asked the boy if he wanted to try again. Well he said "Yes Sir" and "thank you". Very polite and never had his finger on the trigger untill he was ready to shoot. I put another shell into the gun for him and he sighted in and poof another dust ball. I handed him another shell and he loaded it like we showed him and pointed the gun at the last clay and POOF. Three in a row. Lots of smiles from everyone And lots of 'thank you sir's ' from the boy. Made my day
Before I left the club his grandpa told me that was just what the kid needed, as he had let him shoot the 28ga and almost dicouraged him with its recoil.
A day I will remember for quite some time.
When they were done with their round I quietly asked his grandpa if the boy would like to shoot the .410. Grandpa said that the boys been wanting to shoot badly and was OK with a .22. Well we asked the little boy and he was all smiles and big eyes and anxious to try it. Grandpa set up three unbroken targets on end in the field about 15 yards out and we showed the boy how an auto worked and let him take his first shot.
He was very attentive and had all his safety gear on, glasses and muffs. The shot gun butt stuck out about six inches below the boys shoulder, but he still managed to puff the clay dead center.
Everone was all smiles and quite a little group had stopped what they were doing to watch. I asked the boy if he wanted to try again. Well he said "Yes Sir" and "thank you". Very polite and never had his finger on the trigger untill he was ready to shoot. I put another shell into the gun for him and he sighted in and poof another dust ball. I handed him another shell and he loaded it like we showed him and pointed the gun at the last clay and POOF. Three in a row. Lots of smiles from everyone And lots of 'thank you sir's ' from the boy. Made my day Before I left the club his grandpa told me that was just what the kid needed, as he had let him shoot the 28ga and almost dicouraged him with its recoil.
A day I will remember for quite some time.