Start them young

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Their from Denver here on fall break, when I first mentioned shooting one of my guns they got scared but an hour later I had run thru 2 boxes of CB caps and if it hadn't started raining I probably would have been on my way to buy more. Hopefully by next year I will move them up to full power 22's and by the time they are 10 maybe the 44 magnum:evil::evil::evil::evil:
 
A couple of weeks ago, my 13 year old daughter asked me if I would teach her about how guns work as well as instruct her on how to shoot them. I was pleasantly taken by surprise with her request and finally had a chance this past Sunday to take her to a nearby indoor range. Prior to this, I went over the 4 Rules Of Gun Safety and explained to her how semi-automatic pistols work, how revolvers work, what the components of ammunition are, and so on. I brought along a Walther P22 and a Taurus PT-92 for her to start with. She liked the Walther, primarily because she has small hands and all the controls (slide release, mag release, and safety), were easily within her reach. She did well enough with it that after some 140 rounds of Federal and CCI .22's, she was ready for the 9mm. Taurus. The controls were a little harder for her to reach (with the exception of the thumb safety), but she still managed to get everything to work just fine. The Taurus did it's part, functioning perfectly while she ran through 2 boxes of Remington 115 gr. FMJ ammo. I did my part, loading the spare mags for her while she got the hang of the bigger, more powerful pistol. Best performance on target was a 10 round relay which had 7 in the black, 1 in the 8 ring, and 2 just on the border between the 7 and the 8 ring. Range distance was about 25 feet. Pretty good for her first time out. Next we'll be shopping for her own pistol, probably a .22 to start out with, as she really enjoyed not only her shooting experience, but the time we spent together.
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I started both the boys out young....and correctly so they wouldn't have to overcome bad habits later on. My youngest started shooting my .357 at the age of 8. He's now 15 and has been shooting the .460 for a coupla years.

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Yes! Start them young. A day at the range is ALWAYS more productive then a day in front of the X-Box.

And then when they go through hunter education under someone like me, they won't have to cram learning all the sight types, proper sight pictures, action types, stances, how to clean a gun, how to tell what ammo goes in a particular gun, plus all the game law stuff into 15 hours of class time in a three week period.

And when range day comes, they'll know how to shoot AND they'll be shooting a properly maintained and sighted gun that they are familiar with, instead of a loaner I have that they've never seen before.

Want to know how to CRUSH a young hunter/shooter? EASY:
Put them through hunter ed unprepared, and watch them fail the range test in front of thier parents and classmates. That'll do it EVERY time.:cuss:
 
Hey, bannock, that looks exactly like the Firing Line indoor range in Aurora, CO!

You're lucky to get to spend any time with a 13yr old! That's usually when the 'I hate yous' and 'why won't you just leave me alones' start! :rolleyes: Ah youth!

Good on you all for raising them right.

Byte
 
I started young as well, around age 2, with .177 BB/pellet guns. Shot 12ga. and .30-30 at age 8 and got my first 12ga. at age 13 as a gift form my dad for passing hunters ED.
 
Way to go, your on your way to becoming the "fun uncle". This reminds me I gotta go buy my 8yo daughter a BB gun. She's been bugging me for months. Got to see the report card first though.:D
 
The first gun experience I can recall is being handed my dad's 12 and being told to put the bead on the squirrel. I think I was 5 or so at the time, and I got my first air rifle (Daisy) when I was about 6, and a single shot 20 when I was 7. Killed my first deer at 10, and never stopped. Thanks Dad.
 
I didn't start quite as early as many ppl but I started at 13 so I suppose that's pretty early and I started with a longun, one thing my folks did that really made me appreciate the privilege of owning and shooting firearms as well as the opportunity to go hunting was the fact that they made me go through hunter education and they haven't bought me a single firearm I've had to pay for all of mine with money I worked for and I'm actually glad they did this because like I said it's really made me appreciate me 2nd amendment rights, but I think it's great that those of you that are starting them out as young as they are, in my opinion the younger the better,
 
Got to see the report card first though.
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Now thats mean. use ice cream and barbies for "grade bait". guns shouldnt have strings attached :D

they haven't bought me a single firearm I've had to pay for all of mine with money I worked
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only guns that have been bought for me were my 12 gauge i use for dove/quail hunting, and the .30-06 i use for deer hunting. two guns (both .22 rifles) have been birthday gifts from grandpa. that leaves 14 other guns i earned the money for.
 
That is wonderful to hear. Great pictures! Cute children.

Thanks to you and to the others here for promoting the 'shooting sports'!

Catherine
 
Good job, people!

In addition to other considerations, shooting teaches self-discipline and responsibility. And it allows a healthy outlet for competition for those who don't have the physical gifts to compete in other sports.
 
Very nice :)

I think my grandad threw a Single Action Army into the crib with me since I can't really remember when I started shooting but I think 5 or 6 is the perfect age.
 
I started my daughter out around 6 or 7. She is now 10 and shot her first dove this year. Taking her on youth only hunt this October where she will hopefully get her first deer and/or pig.
 
My stepson got started early too in NC at turkey shoots and all that fun stuff before his father died and then he had the misfortune of living in NJ with me and my wife. Now he's 24 and whenever he comes to Florida to visit the first thing we do is hit the range. This is him reloading the alaskan with some buffalo bore 45colt +p. He's a big bore junkie just like myself. DSCN0852.jpg
 
Received my first daisy around 4, my first .22 at 6. I've always felt that whether you are a gun person or not, that exposing kids to firearms at an early age teaches respect, dispels curiosity, and so many accidental shootings among kiddos could be avoided if just one of them undertood the rules of firearm safety.
 
my 11 yo niece loves shooting .38's out of my s&w 586, and i have to wrest my sa 1911 from my 15 yo nephew at the end of our shooting sessions. strangly enough, dads glock 17 goes unloved and unshot.
 
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