Pistol for 4 year old?

[ny32182]

A four, I don't see the point of anything beyond "don't touch". They simply don't have the mental capacity or physical dexterity to understand anything beyond that at four years old.

And once they are a few years older, I don't think a P22 is a good first choice, either. Small grip, yes... but I fired one of those, and they have exceptionally stout blast and recoil for a .22. I was rather surprised. I would definitely take the path of BB rifle, then .22 rifle, at around 6-8 years old depending on the exact kid in question.

 

[rogertc1]

What a 4yr old can do...remember they are not dogs.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/91775/what_can_a_fouryearold_do.html?cat=25

 

[Justin]

Frankly, I think four years old is too young. I recall speaking with one of the coaches responsible for the Olympic Junior Development Program a few years ago, and, iirc, he said that five was about the minimum age for introducing shooting.

Even then, it was done under extremely controlled circumstances shooting air pistols at ten meters using the rules developed for Progressive Position Pistol, which mandates that young children shoot from a bench, using a rest, and both hands.

At that age, the child should be taught the basic safety rules, never to touch a gun without a trusted adult present, and basic marksmanship concepts. I don't really see the utility in teaching a four year old all of the operational issues of a firearm because it's unlikely that they possess the dexterity or physical strength necessary to do things like load magazines or rack a slide.

Probably the best thing you could do would be to contact the local 4H or Boy Scout affiliates and get in touch with whoever administers their marksmanship programs and either enroll the child there, or at least get their advice.

 

[hso]

They don't need the additional complexity if what you're trying to teach is basic safety. One step at a time.

 

[longbeard48]

Four is way too young for a handgun, in my opinion. Our club would not let youths shoot silhouette with a handgun. 16 was the minimum age, and one day a 16 year old swept the line a couple of times before the match director finally ran up and disarmed him. Several shooters threatened to never come back. It is just too easy to point a handgun in an unsafe direction.

In hunter ed we used to say if you would trust your kid to go to the store with a $20 bill to buy a loaf of bread, then he/she is possibly trustworthy enough to handle a long gun. I don't know any four year olds, including my grand daughter, that I could say that about.

 

[Zoogster]

I don't think four year old individuals, especially other people's children will on average grasp reality firmly enough yet.
What is the difference between the TV show they watched where the person they wish to playfully emulate shoots someone, and real life at the range? The video game where they shoot at people?
I have had children that age do some stupid things before. Like one hit me in the leg with a baseball bat totally unprovoked thinking it was funny.


Five or six would be minimum ages to begin safety in my opinion, and then not actually given complete independent control of a firearm.
You normally begin teaching with a long gun for a few reasons.
The biggest one is the ability to correct muzzle control. If they begin to drift off target with a long gun you can grab it and redirect it, or take it away. It also takes more intentional movement to change the aim of a long gun.
A pistol can be pointing 90 degrees in a different direction before you even see it coming even as you stand behind them within arms reach.
I can recall even new shooting adults gesturing when they spoke with a pistol in thier hands and sweeping 180 degrees.


I would begin with something that will not pose a lethal threat and see how they handle safety instructions before putting a firearm in thier hands. Like a low power airgun.
If you must use a firearm, a .22 long gun with you in range to take it away if necessary is much more appropriate for a new shooter.


Consider that such a child is not even legally responsible for thier actions. Someone that age who shot someone dead would not even spend some time in juvenile detention. They don't even get the legal version of a time out or a slap on the wrist.
Consider this:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Defense_of_infancy#Ages_of_criminal_responsibility_by_country

Until the age of 6 at a minimum in North Carolina, 7 in most of the nation, and between 7-12 in various states, and 10 at the federal level, a person is not responsible for thier actions. That means a 4-6 year old could decide to murder several people at the range and suffer no punishment in virtually every state. Maybe thinking it would be fun to just shoot people like on X video game?
A firm grasp of reality and consequences, or even a grasp on life and death does not exist in most children by that age.
I would be entirely for the adult responsible suffering the full punishment as if they had fire the shots themselves if they provide someone under the age of criminal responsibility with a lethal weapon that is misused.

The mentality of an individual at such young age is highly questionable, especially of a child you have not raised yourself.

 

[CoRoMo]

Compared to a responsible adult, a 4-year old could be considered 'mentally unstable'.

 

[21bubba]

I've tried to think of a way to state my opinion but the only word that keeps coming to mind is NO.

 

[eldiabloe1]

The question was about which pistols to choose from. How is that not more clear? This is the very reason many people simply lurk and do not post.

 

[KBintheSLC]

As others have stated, 4 yo is a bit young to start on a full-fledged firearm. I started mine at 5 using a .22 rifle. He won't be touching a pistol till he's 7 or 8. I think that for a pistol, a single-shot pellet gun or airsoft gun is best for a 4 year old. Don't worry about the fact that it is different than a "real gun", it will still teach them the fundamentals of target acquisition. Dick's Sporting Goods has a little Crossman pump gun that seems pretty nice... rated to 600fps too so they can even hunt with it later on. Beyond that, I would say start them off on a .22 rifle first, them get a .22 pistol after a couple of years.

 

[Darthbauer]

green gas airsoft gun

 

[RP88]

at first, I was gonna say that you were getting ripped off in that trade. Kids are so messy and have horrible resale value once they're yours compared to a pistol

I would start out with a pellet or BB gun as others have said. I remember seeing a responsible dad who went over very explicitly how he had to pay attention to and keep the gun pointed downrange at all time. The moment he handed the gun to the kid, the kid looked back, pointing the gun towards the ceiling with his trigger finger on the trigger, and made me decide that I had been shooting enough for the day. If you do decide to train him on a real firearm, I'd suggest doing it somewhere far away from others. It isn't so much to say that you may be an inattentive father/guardian/supervisor as it is to say that there is a huge difference in comprehensive capacity between a learning teen/adult, and a four-year old, and all it takes is for you to blink or take a step back and let them do it on their own when they weren't ready.

 

[Dannix]

Wow, I step away from the computer for half a day, and come back with you guys talking about independent control of a firearm ... by a 4 y/o.

I suppose I shouldn't mention we started them swimming a couple of years ago. Yeah, I won't mention it.

Supervision is obviously the key, and actually in this case it's more than just supervision, more like you're doing the activity and they're just along for the ride. A bit atypical too -- out grew Thomas the Tank Engine a good year ago or so just to give you an idea, which I imagine is a bit uncommon at such an age.

Sam1911, that's great photo. Nice pic danbrew as well.

 

[KAK]

I would say airsoft gun at that age or even those blue replica guns, then bb repeater, then 22 rifles and pistols. I have no objection to teaching them young just teach them on non leathal guns first. Some airsoft manufacturers make exact replicas of real guns.

When they have the airsoft down move em up to the bb repeater and so on.

Have him practice with the replica gun, walking around with it and not muzzleing anything with it, tell him the rules and tell him if he follows them he will get to go shoot daddys real one.

 

[christcorp]

Personally, I feel that at 4 years old, the "Gun Safety" they need to learn is: "Don't touch the gun". A 4 year old doesn't need to know about magazines, cylinders, loading, etc... They only need to learn: "Don't touch the gun". If you want to take them shooting, then you should be the one loading the weapon, preparing the stance, and directly watching over the 4 year old. If a 4 year old is in someone's house and sees a gun; or even a gun in an alley some place; they shouldn't be trying to "Clear" the weapon and ensure it's safe. They should be taught to: "Don't touch the gun". At 4 years old, the instructor/parent is in charge of 95% of the gun and it's safety. The 4 year old simply needs to hold it, aim it, and pull the trigger. The only thing else they need to learn is "Don't touch the gun". 4 years old is a great time to let a child get interested in guns. They can become accustomed to guns and not afraid of them. They can be taught that a gun can be enjoyable and a useful tool. And they shouldn't be brainwashed by the Anti-gun crowd. But a 4 year old is not capable of long term complicated thought. Their brains don't multi-task and think in the abstract like an older person's can. Then don't need to be dealing with magazines, clearing a gun, making it safe, etc... They should learn that the ONLY time they are to touch a gun, is if YOU are with them. Other than that, they are taught to: "Don't touch the gun". Now, at what age can a child learn more complicated tasks with a gun? Each child is different. But usually in the 8-10 year old range is where they start forming understanding abstractly. Meaning, where they can take 2 separate facts, combine them, and come up with a 3rd fact without being taught that 3rd fact. I.e. FACT #1: Places NORTH of of 48 degrees north latitude is COLD. FACT #2: Alaska is situated at 51 degrees North Latitude. On their own, the child can LEARN a 3rd fact that someone didn't teach them: NEW FACT: Alaska is Cold.

I'm not going to lecture and try and tell people how to raise their kids. But at 4 years old, I didn't teach my kids "Power Tool Safety". I didn't teach them "Automobile Safety". To be honest, I doubt that I allowed them to cross any busy highways by themselves. All 3 scenarios are things that they will come up with a 4 year old a lot more often than a gun. At 4 years old, I control their behavior.

 

[1KPerDay]

Well said. Add me to the list of "too young".

If I had to choose I'd say a bearcat or other SAA type. Save the semi auto types until age 8-10 and under VERY close supervision at all times.

 

[22-rimfire]

In the pic. below, my daughter is "all grown up" (she'd just turned 7) but notice that I'm still on her like a blanket. Ready to handle the first hint of a false move. The risk of injury or death is just too great to approach this any other way.

I suppose I shouldn't mention we started them swimming a couple of years ago. Yeah, I won't mention it.

Supervision is obviously the key, and actually in this case it's more than just supervision, more like you're doing the activity and they're just along for the ride. A bit atypical too -- out grew Thomas the Tank Engine a good year ago or so just to give you an idea, which I imagine is a bit uncommon at such an age.

Parents can do what they want to. But the last two quotes by supporters of 4-year old's shooting real guns demonstrate that they are not prepared to even shoot a gun much less understand that a real gun is not a toy and could kill someone.

 

[spartywrx]

Sam1911In the pic. below, my daughter is "all grown up" (she'd just turned 7) but notice that I'm still on her like a blanket. Ready to handle the first hint of a false move. The risk of injury or death is just too great to approach this any other way.

That gun is the size of your daughter's head!!

You are one cool dad. That is an awesome picture.

 

[HiTech78]

I bought my son a Braztech/Taurus .22/.410 combo when he was 4 years old...no way would I ever let him handle it without me, nor would he ever have access to it when I'm not around.
I realized quickly he knew what it meant when I said "This is your gun..." but he ad a hard time understanding what it was capable of.

With that said, he is now 6 and he respects the fact that he cannot handle it without me. He has a good understanding of his gun and can handle it alone but with supervision. I never let him carry it loaded but I would trust him to do so......BUT it took me 2 years to teach him that. Pistols would take much longer in my opinion.

The P22 would be a bad choice....looks too much like a toy. Go with a wheelgun, stainless and heavy would be best.

 

[jnyork]

Too young by far. Please!!

 

[flrfh213]

i am trying to think back to when my son was 4.... could they walk without help at that age? feed them self? at 8 i took him to the range and now at .... well 10 next month, wow where did time go... he has a .22 rifle, shoots my walther p-22 and 38 spl out of my 357 but at 4 years old????

still kinda young i would assume, but be safe in what ever way you go please...

 

[Mt Shooter]

I have read all the posts, I have a five year old grandson. I would NOT take him out to shoot a pistol let alone a rifle. I have a 10 year old granddaughter I want to take out to shoot a 22 rifle..... my son thinks she is too young for that.

Lets look at it at a different angle, what about hearing protection. What is out there that will fit a four year old so at the age of fifty she doesn't have to say HUH all the time?

 

[InkEd]

You can use an airsoft gun for them. Real guns are too much for four year olds. .22 in a couple of years.

 

[John Wayne]

Waaaay to young. Give them a Nerf or rubberband gun.

I'm guessing the guy who reccommended a J frame S&W has never actually shot one.

 

[MistWolf]

All y'all naysayers are off your rocker! Dang! Y'all made me speak Texican on ya! And I ain't even from Texas.

Seriously, with a 4 year old being under the direct control of a responsible adult, there's no reason they can't shoot a pistol. It didn't hurt my kids any. I didn't have any trouble with my kids getting into the guns.

Yes, there is the "Don't Touch! Not Toys!" that needs to be enforced. However, when you let your child shoot with you under close supervision, it's a positive bonding time. No worse punishment could my father come up with than "You're grounded from shooting!"

I used a Ruger Bearcat for my sons. Simple to use and you have to manually cock it for each shot

Let me emphasize CLOSE SUPERVISION just in case the naysayers missed it