Making a Marksman - What is the Right Age?

[Dr. Detroit]

As others have said, you can teach safety from the very beginning.

I started marksmanship training when my sons were 10 and 11. The younger guy has really enjoyed working his way up the NRA/Winchester Marksmanship Qualification Program. This is great go-at-your-own-pace, family oriented program.

Cheers,
Dr. Detroit

 

[splithoof]

Both my kids started young, learning safety with BB guns, watching Dad at the range, always safety, safety, safety. Now they both attend and participate in events at our range, and at ages 11 & 13 have gone on successful trips. Now my daughter wants to go to Gunsite as a goal before she turns 15.

 

[skt239]

Thanks for the replies and congrats.

Seems like the ages range but the emphasis safety and interest of the child is constant. It's certainly nothing I want to force on them and I hope they would have a natural interest. I know if my father was a shooter we would have spent a lot more quality time together growing up

Also, while I'm rooting for a son, the thought of my wife teaching my daughter how to shoot makes feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

 

[8654Maine]

Learn from my mistakes:

(1) hearing protection. I took my oldest out when he was about 7-8 to a steel silhouette shoot. I gave him my hearing muffs. He claimed that things were too loud. My mistake was that my years of shooting without hearing protection really wore my ears out. What I thought was effective hearing protection wasn't. Children's hearing is much better, hence they need better protection. I took my oldest out and he used good hearing muffs now.

(2) be careful about transference. You may be projecting your own desires onto your child. Let them want to shoot. Safely. My oldest was almost 12 before he really wanted to try. My youngest was 6 before he asked me to go shooting. I let them ask me, not the other way.

(3) I love my sons. Daughters would have been cool.

 

[YankeeFlyr]

Well, then...

Jaw-dropping.

No wonder the "antis" think we're extremist freaks.

 

[Sam1911]

No wonder the "antis" think we're extremist freaks.

Funny how some of "us" do too!

Different strokes and all that. Whatever one's experiences and understandings, there's somebody who's an "extremist" in comparison.

 

[MtnCreek]

Anyone who puts a firearm in the hands of a toddler should have child welfare services take a serious look at them.

Youtube has numerous videos.....

Because the State knows how to raise our children better than we do….

There's some really good info in this thread. Chile's post was a good one. Bottom line on 'when' is: It's your children and your decision. Neither me nor Yankee can tell you that.

Good Luck and Congrats!

 

[Nwflycaster]

You are the one who will know when they're ready. But I would say as soon as they are showing a lot of interest in going to the range with you its time to start with the safe gun handeling procedure talks if you haven't already. Then when you feel they're ready, start him/her off with an air rifle that they can use under your supervision and advance to other calibers or shooting styles as you see fit for them.

I was able to use my dads spring loaded bb gun when I was about 6 and he gave me a pneumatic air gun by 8 years old. I started shooting with a junior program for possition shooting by the time I was 10 and I can still remember how much fun that was working my way up through the NRA classifications and shooting the junior matches with my friends from the club.

I was out of the shooting sports for 25 years before getting back into it recently but still have some of the friendships developed from my junior club days. Plus my best hunting partner still to this day is my dad, whom I can't spend enough time with. Time spent shooting together with him is time very well spent and I cannot recommend it high enough.

Teach them right and teach them early, and you will have a lifetime of great times and memories.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Personal responsibility from the get go. Strive for that with your child. However, some children/people should never touch a firearm. It is only for you to judge, instill and hope.

 

[mje]

I started at 10, with a Winchester model 06 .22 pump gun. Still have it, 48 years later.

I read a great essay some years ago from a guy who was regularly accompanied on hunting trips by his young son, who would carry his toy gun. He told his son that if he wanted to learn to shoot real guns, he had to start by practicing and demonstrating proper gun safety with his toy guns. That meant from that day forward he could never point his toy gun at another human being, among other things. If he did that for a year, the next year he'd be able to carry a real gun.

His son took the whole matter very seriously, even to the point of instructing other kids in gun safety, and he following year he joined the adults on the hunt. I thought that was a great idea. Kids should demonstrate real gun safety awareness before they're even allowed to touch a gun. They should take it seriously, and learn that bearing arms may be a right, but for kids it's a privilege that must be earned.

 

[somoss]

Congratulations on the great news. Be patient.
you are asking the right questions, you will make the decision when the time is right.

My dad got me a Ruger 10/22 when i was 14. He took it away a little bit later. i wasn't ready, too immature and not focused.
I got old enough to buy my own and even matured, eventually.
I now have a 4 year old, like guns, has her own cricket. She is not ready to shoot, doesn’t really get it yet. We have gone to the range during the week, early morning so it wasn’t crowded.

Each kid is different; most of my family is anti-gun or indifferent at best, so I spend a lot of time making gun/shooting a normal non-taboo with her.

When she is ready, she will be ready; and i will be thrilled.

 

[pat701]

Play time at 10, work at it at 13 yrs.