I am debating how to start my son shooting. He is about to turn five in a few months. I have a big yard but live in a city that prohibits "air rifles." I can easily set it up where I shoot from inside to outside and no one would hear an air rifle. I was also debating a spring airsoft rifle that would fall outside the law in my opinion. Are these airsoft rifles accurate? I would weld up a little plate rack to shoot at that would also act as a pellet stop. Any suggestions? Once he gets comfortable with this then we can go after the 22.
Starting my son shooting
- Thread starter Jeeper
- Start date
- Status
scrat
Member
Do it legal. Only. teach him the basics everyday including sighting safety everything. Stay away from the airsoft. If its against the law then dont teach you son that its ok to break the law. If you need to start off with toys. Buy a dart gun. The type that uses suction cups. put up a target on the bedroom door. then teach him safety as well as everything else you would do. Once he gets better gradually move to a bigger gun. Take him to the range show and teach him things at the range. Your first visit might not be so good if he has never been to a range. Some kids can deal with the loud sound others will be scared of it. but its best to teach him correctly from the begining
My take no toys at all. Go to a range with a 22. IMO BB guns and the sort have caused a lot of problems with kids. 5 is when I started off and my dad chose a 50 cal black powder rifle to start me out on. I remember some of it but in hind sight it was a bit much.
I asked for a bb gun when I was a kid after I started shooting. I was told bb guns are toys. I did not understand then but now I realize that kids relate toys to harmlessness. to me airsoft falls into the toy catagory. Where as real guns make deadly understandable to kids. Just my opinion though.
kingpin008
Member
Unfortunately, your opinion and the law don't matter to one another. Find out what the law actually says, and then go from there.
FWIW, I think the other commenter had it right. Start off with a small pellet gun (or even the suction-cup gun) and teach him to always follow the four rules. Then, when he's gotten them down and can safely handle the pellet or suction cup gun, work up from there.
Stay within the law, regardless if it's what you want it to be or not. You're not just teaching your son about gun safety - you're teaching him what's right and wrong. If you break the rules, you make it ok for him to break the rules.
Deputy Doug
Member
Get the real deal
Check what the local ordanance that "prevents" air rifles says exactly, and stay within those guidelines. Just because it is the law doesn't necessarily mean it's right. But it is still the law. Many laws are misunderstood or misinterpreted, but teaching your son to defy it doesn't make much sense either. Check with a local gun club or any organized activity that promotes shooting, and I'll bet my badge that you'll find any number of programs just for teaching the basics to beginners and children. Also check with the NRA in your area.
Safe shooting.
Doug
Check what the local ordanance that "prevents" air rifles says exactly, and stay within those guidelines. Just because it is the law doesn't necessarily mean it's right. But it is still the law. Many laws are misunderstood or misinterpreted, but teaching your son to defy it doesn't make much sense either. Check with a local gun club or any organized activity that promotes shooting, and I'll bet my badge that you'll find any number of programs just for teaching the basics to beginners and children. Also check with the NRA in your area.
Safe shooting.
Doug
Im283
Member
First off, does he have interest in guns and shooting? If not I would not start him yet. If he has expressed interest then go ahead.
I would buy the boy a real rifle. Get him a child sized single shot .22. Also get a Bi-pod. The real rifle will be too heavy. A Bi-Pod will enable him to safely shoot and most importantly hit what he is aiming at. Get reactive targets. Paper gets boring pretty quickly to a five year old.
Take him to a real range or another place where it is legal to shoot. Make sure he has ear protection that fits.
I prefer the Savage Cub Mini Youth.
it is a real gun and does not have that "cocker" BS like a chipmunk rifle does.
Teach him the four rules. Make him recite them back to you.
Have him practice actioning the rifle
before going to shoot.
Be patient and give him one bullet at a time when you are ready to shoot.
Before you know it he will be hitting his targets and you two will be having the time of your lives.
I would buy the boy a real rifle. Get him a child sized single shot .22. Also get a Bi-pod. The real rifle will be too heavy. A Bi-Pod will enable him to safely shoot and most importantly hit what he is aiming at. Get reactive targets. Paper gets boring pretty quickly to a five year old.
Take him to a real range or another place where it is legal to shoot. Make sure he has ear protection that fits.
I prefer the Savage Cub Mini Youth.
it is a real gun and does not have that "cocker" BS like a chipmunk rifle does.
Teach him the four rules. Make him recite them back to you.
Have him practice actioning the rifle
before going to shoot.
Be patient and give him one bullet at a time when you are ready to shoot.
Before you know it he will be hitting his targets and you two will be having the time of your lives.
RancidSumo
Member
I agree to go straight to the .22 but I wouldn't get a single shot. I would start with a bolt or pump. I know you asked about air rifles but I don't know much about them so I can't say for sure but I know that most airsoft rifles and BB/Pelet guns can be plenty accurate for pop cans and such.
buck460XVR
Member
- Joined
- Feb 6, 2007
- Messages
- 10,099
a big +1.
My boys started a 6 with bb-guns and 22's at 7. Both were closely supervised and targets were big and easy to hit. Early success is a great motivator. As they got older the targets got smaller and farther away. One of my youngest's best training aids were his airsoft guns. His first was a entry level spring pistol and his second was a upper level longgun that was very accurate out beyond 35 yards and would puncture soda cans. Believe me, the upper level ones are not toys. The airsoft was cheap to shoot, very safe to shoot and didn't disturb the neighbors. He learned to aim and how to properly squeeze the trigger(to this day he is a better double action shooter than I) by doing it over and over daily. At one point all the boys in the neighborhood had them and they would have shooting contests in the backyard. When it would rain they would go down in the basement and use a bullet trap made for airsoft and punch paper. Even tho they were just airsoft guns I still made sure they treated them just like real firearms and made them follow the same basic firearm safety rules......
He hasn't used the airsoft guns for years, but I still get a smile on my face everytime I come across one of those orange or green airsoft pellets in the yard. I didn't know at first that they made biodegradable ones......
I would skip the airsoft. The only thing I've found them to be good for is shooting at wasps or bumblebees. The "optical" sight on the one I tried was a joke. Not a good choice for a beginner.
I would get a .22 and go to a real range or somewhere outdoors where shooting is legal. Preferably somewhere free or at least inexpensive because at that age the first few sessions may be short. My oldest would shoot all day but my second would only want to fire about 20 rounds and then go look for bullets in the backstop. I started each of my kids out at age 4 at the latest with a .22.
If you go with an air powered weapon make sure it is a decent one so the youngster will be able to show off his skill as it improves.
Another thought on air rifles: does the law in your area prohibit you from shooting them inside? When I was a kid my dad built me an air rifle backstop in the basement from plywood, carpet, and cardboard. I used it for years. It is an inexpensive option if it's legal.
- Status
