# Kids shooting question



## YoungOne (Aug 22, 2006)

My oldest is 4 1/2 and I am looking forward to moving her up from pelet to .22 next summer. I still live in the city so most people who hear her ask questions or me talk to her about aiming, trigger, etc have a cow (as if it any of there business :flame: ) about how she is too young. Either way, she shoots well now and I plan I getting a youth .22 when she turns 5 that can be passed down to her two younger brothers as she gets to big for it  .

My question to everyone is, what age did you (or will you) teach your kids to shoot?


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Youre starting at about the right age. Stress the safety more than anything. A good demo is to shoot a full can of Coke with a 22 to show them what bullets can do. In a couple of years she'll be capable of understanding a lot more and the things you teach her now will already be ingrained.

The Chipmonk is a neat little rifle but Im not impressed with having to pull back the knob to cock it. It can be hard for little kids. The Marlin youth Model operates more like a "real" gun but is a little bulkier. Both of them shoot well and are a lot of fun. NEF (or H&R, same company now) makes a good line of single shots that can be had with youth stocks and barrels can be interchanged after being fitted at the factory so the gun "grows" as they do.


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

I started with a youth-sized .22 at age 6, but that was over 50yrs ago & times were different. I'm sorry, but I don't think that a 2yr old or a 4 &1/2 yr old are ready to shoot guns. They are probably ready to be exposed to some kind of gun safety lessons, but you definiatly need to keep the guns locked up.


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## feralgun (Sep 15, 2006)

I think that the age of the child depends on the child. You as the parent are with your child everyday and know if they seem to be competent enough to use any firearm, pellet gun included. I have seen teenagers that I wouldn't trust with a water gun, and I have seen 6yr olds that I would have no problem seeing them handle a pistol. The age you should start them shooting depends on thier developement as far as how well do they understand what you are teaching them. For a gun, in your case this is a 4yr old, if she is small in size, I'd go with the little Henry single shot. it is designed for a small kid to start on. The reasons I like this gun is that it uses fiber optic inserts of different colors in the front and rear sites, which make it easier to teach a child about what a site picture is, I have found in training kids that this is usually the most difficult thing to get them to understand. It has a swell on the forend for proper placement of the hand. Kids like to get that support hand way out on the tip of the forend it seems. The other reasons I like this gun is that it has safety features that are good to keep a kid paying attention. You must actually pull a bolt or charging handle at the rear of the gun to cock it, as well as it has a traditional Remington style safety to engage and disengage. It is single shot, bolt action, so each time they fire they have to pay attention to loading the ammo, and the safeties, I think that this may sound like alot to do, to fire a round of ammo, it isn't really. But, what it does do, is keep them aware of what is going on with the action and aware of the live rounds being put into the gun. Also, the advice my dad gave me when I was young, "Watch your muzzle!" it was drilled into my head like a mantra, once that bullet is fired you can not take it back, there are no "do overs" with firearms. And lastly, always make it fun, reactive targets like tin cans or the little .22 spinner targets are great for kids, they like to see the motion when they get a hit. Good post, more people should get their kids involved in a healthy way with firearms, the way it used to be and I bet we wouldn't have so many [no profanity, please] little punks out there. Just my .45 cents worth


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## Chuck (Oct 27, 2003)

> ...people in the city...


'nuf said.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

If you have fire arms in the house you start teaching Safe use as soon as possible . locking them up and telling kids dont touch is how kids end up shooting eachother . I have a three yr old and a 6 yrold both girls and both enjoy shooting targets with mom and dad . Do I hand them a gun and send them out alone Heck no . 
My eldest practices better gun safety than most adults . She removes the bolt on the little single shot to carry it to or back from where we shoot . If I forget and start to head for the door with the bolt in she lets me know thats bad .
Ganted I too know 12yr olds I wouldnt allow near a fire arm. Mainly because there folks never practices safe handling or took the time to teach them . Never mind that they spend their days playing bang bang shootem up video games and dont have a clue that you cant hit reset when you kill something. 
Witch is safe a 6yr old thats been taught to load aim fire and never to point a gun at a person (even a toy gun) or a six year oldthat has never been introduced to a weapon but has been told No dont touch. Witch one is more likely to point a found weapon at another child ??? according to tests the one who;se been told to never touch. The child who grew up with weapons is 98% more likely to alertan adult about the gun without touching it . 
My children Know what a fire arm can do , we shoot pumpkins, water bottles , ballons and they see what a bullet does to game animals when they are shot .
Oh and while she doesnt drive the truck around the farm she does drive Her garden tractor. 
The reason kids today cant be trusted with responsiblity is that adults refuse to give them any . I was driving a tractor in the field before I could balance on a bike, Heck I could poke cap and crimp a stick of dynomite when I was four (we blasted a lot ofstumps with the old man) I help set the charge and cracked a lime stone shelf under main street in fluggerville texas at 5am without rattling a window when I was 13 .


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## YoungOne (Aug 22, 2006)

Wind in Her Hair said:


> YoungOne, barefootfarm, 6e, feralgun, what in the WORLD are y'all thinkin'?!?!!? That we were right, just like you think you are right. That's why it's called an opinion.
> 
> And you do realize that a 2-1/2 year old and a 4 year old don't even always have the ability and good discretion and self control to control their *bodily functions* much less the ability, discretion and self control to control a *lethal weapon*?!!?!? I realize that _you _ think that you have them "educated" to never handle a weapon unless they have you there to assist and over see them -however - *get real*. These are _BABIES!!!_ *BABIES!!!!!!*Both my 2 1/2 and 4 yr old fully control themselves and they stopped being babies when they knew the difference between obeying and not obeying, they are now simply my children.
> 
> ...


Thank you EVERYONE for your opinions, it has helped me to both feel better about were I stand and to understand were others do. Thank You


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## feralgun (Sep 15, 2006)

This is for wind in her hair, just to let you know, you have your opinion but I think that the stats prove otherwise. I grew up in a small town in mid america where guns were just another tool, like a farm tractor, to be used when appropriate. My father was a University Professor of Criminal Justice. He loves guns and they were always around the house. I am not saying this was right, but the fact that he educated us at an early age, I think shows that children at whatever age can learn what DEAD is. One of my very first lessons as a child was Dad takeing me out and him shooting a large caliber pistol, probably a .44, at a watermelon. He wasn't trying to prove anything, just showing me what a gun could do to a human. He also in his training told me that if I ever wanted to ask him a question about guns, or if I ever felt the need to handle them or check them out, to just ask him and he would drop whatever he was doing and he would stop and show me a firearm. This shows that he cared enough to train me about firearms and what they could do and to respect them at a very early age. I had two younger siblings and we all grew up with loaded firearms in the house and we knew that they had a specific purpose. He took all the curiosity out of them and they became like any other tool around the farm that we knew how to use and when to use it for its' intended purpose. I have a very close friend of mine that I guided with, he has two very young children and has trained them in much the same way, they are 5 and 8 yrs old and I feel more comfortable around them than some adults I know. It is all in the training and the maturity level of the individual child. Guns are not evil, they do not have the capacity of evil. It is in the way that humans use them that may be evil or wrong. In the area I grew up in it was common for us to take our .22's to school , on the bus, go home with our friends at the end of the day and hunt. The liberal media and politicians have made the gun an evil thing that is dirty and nasty, and that is just not the case. It is all about parents doing the right thing and educating thier children with responsibility and also giving them responsibility and when they abuse the rules that they must pay the price. There are consiquences for our actions and instead of blaming other factors in life, stand up and be responsible for our own actions. I think that if a child can handle a firearm or a tractor or a chainsaw he/she should do so when they are ready and that is the responsibility of the parent to be parent and determine when the time is right. There is no set age when a child is ready for anything, they will be ready when they are ready. 
End of rant!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

"YoungOne, barefootfarm, 6e, feralgun, what in the WORLD are y'all thinkin'?!?!!?"

Just where did anyone say these kids were "playing" with real guns? Everything Ive read says they were BEING TAUGHT under SUPERVISED conditions. No one is advocating turning children loose with firearms. I think youre overreacting. You need to read closer and read what was really said and NOT what you percieved.


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## boonieman (Dec 28, 2005)

I exposed my daughter to hunting and fishing starting around 6 years old. She did get to fish, but I didn't allow her to touch any form of weapon. At about 11 she finally asked if she could shoot my pistol. (A .22 Ruger semi) We set up a target and she shot it all of maybe 3 times. Just wasn't her cup of tea. This was the same way my dad did me. He took me hunting from a young age, but I wasn't allowed to even touch his guns, much less fire them. I finally asked him at some point if I could shoot the gun, I guess about age 10. He made a big deal of it, stressing safety, showing me how to aim and and shoot. It was like a rite of passage, and then he got me a .410 shotgun.
It was a significant waypoint in my life. 

Your post doesn't ask my opinion about what you're doing with your children, besides I don't know you or your kids so I won't pass judgement.


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

I cant remember exactly how old I was when my uncle got me started shooting,but I was very young.I do,however, remember my "Barney Fife"style squirrel hunts with Unc when I was just a wee pup.He let me carry my short-stocked 20 ga single shot(the very same one that he,my mom,and the three other siblings learned with),broken open and over my arm,but he carried the shells.We'd scare up a squirrel,and he'd give me one shell,along with careful instuction.
I believe in getting them started early,and agree that children that grow up in responsible shooting households tend to not have"accidents",but depending on what we are talking about exactly,its my opinion that there is such a thing as"too young".
My daughter is six.She is allowed to shoot her little bb gun under my supervision,as in,within arms reach of papa,and she shoots my .22 rifle,but I have my hands on the rifle at all times.
Regaurdless of how well they are taught,very young children simply lack the cognitive and motor skills to"be safe"without a little help.It's not a question of politics,but one of HUMAN DEVELOPMENT.It's science.
My daughter and I enjoy shooting together very much,but it'll be a while yet before I'll "turn her loose"with any firearm.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

We will have to agree to disagree . 
Our family has practiced the method of the younger the better on teaching proper handling with no mishaps for generations. My parents grew up with a load rifle by the front door , as did I . Yes this was before the anti-gun nuts desided every gun has to be locked up with a trigger lock and bore lock,Because lazy parents and other people refused to teach kids how to use them . Cant do that they might get hurt .( Heck everyone knows if a kid learns to shoot they will end up shooting up their school when some bully makes them mad right!!!! :grump: )
Saying a 3-4 year old can't be taught is some what backwards to reality , young children have a better retention and learnng ablity. Its likesaying dont teach them tumbling,gymnastics, piano, reading or their ABCs because they are too young. Do you teach a child to swim at a young age , what about horse riding.
I would just like to know what has happened in the last 30 years that has effected the youth of this country so that they are now incapable of learning responsiblity. We are protecting our children right into ignorance . put child locks on every cabinet rather than telling them NO!, Hide your guns rather than teaching them they arent toys, Dont let them ride a bike without hockey goaly gear and a helmet (heaven forbid they might scrape their knee) , Dont let them climb a tree they might fall, They cant play in the mud it might have bateria ,Cant wade in the creek and catch crawdads they might get pinched. If they walk in the woods they might get poison ivy,if they play play a turtle or frog it might tinkle on them and they could get syphilis . 
They cant help cut wood if you allowed a child to touch a hatchet they would just have to chop off their fingers. They Might drop a chunk of wood on their toe and die of gang green. Can't let them help in the garden they might put their fimgersin their mouth and get ecoli . Cant run barefoot they might step on a thorn and get tetnis . Guess its better to teach them to be afraid everything. 
I admit Im an over protective parent in many ways , My kids are seldom if ever left with non family members (and even then only certain members) We have a dog to protect them from strangers,snakes and other threats. As for potential threats in the home I prefer to teach them, they are not allowed to "play" with guns , they know full well if they want to shoot mommy and daddy have to be with them. They know they arent allow to touch a gun with out permission. Nor are they allowed to "play" with ammo and after shooting shooting with Mommy or daddy they have to wash their hand real good (lead residue same goes for fishing sinkers ya know) . I teach fireworks safety as well, care to look at the stats of children burned by sparklers they account for 80% of all fire works accidents and are preventable simply by parents Supervising.


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## swamp man (Dec 25, 2005)

PyroDon said:


> We will have to agree to disagree .
> Our family has practiced the method of the younger the better on teaching proper handling with no mishaps for generations. My parents grew up with a load rifle by the front door , as did I . Yes this was before the anti-gun nuts desided every gun has to be locked up with a trigger lock and bore lock,Because lazy parents and other people refused to teach kids how to use them . Cant do that they might get hurt .( Heck everyone knows if a kid learns to shoot they will end up shooting up their school when some bully makes them mad right!!!! :grump: )
> Saying a 3-4 year old can't be taught is some what backwards to reality , young children have a better retention and learnng ablity. Its likesaying dont teach them tumbling,gymnastics, piano, reading or their ABCs because they are too young. Do you teach a child to swim at a young age , what about horse riding.
> I would just like to know what has happened in the last 30 years that has effected the youth of this country so that they are now incapable of learning responsiblity. We are protecting our children right into ignorance . put child locks on every cabinet rather than telling them NO!, Hide your guns rather than teaching them they arent toys, Dont let them ride a bike without hockey goaly gear and a helmet (heaven forbid they might scrape their knee) , Dont let them climb a tree they might fall, They cant play in the mud it might have bateria ,Cant wade in the creek and catch crawdads they might get pinched. If they walk in the woods they might get poison ivy,if they play play a turtle or frog it might tinkle on them and they could get syphilis .
> ...


I aint sure if this is in response to my post,or not.PD,I think we are more or less on the same page.I'm all for getting them started young..very young,but with supervision.I will not turn my daughter loose with a rifle,as she is only six.I wouldn't say that makes me an anti-gunner,at all.
I really do agree that raising our kids in such a sterile,"nerf"world,does them no favors.
I did a full landscape install last summer,the dirtwork,everything from below ground up,on a not-so-level lot.'Cuz of the way the house sits on the lot,the end of the driveway closest to the house ended,and a little grassy slope(that I had already sodded in)continued from there,leading into the backyard.All told,it accounted for maybe a 10' drop in elevation,at not more than a 30% grade.
This knucklehead fancylad homeowner was terrified that his younguns might try to ride their bikes down this tiny,grassy incline,and get hurt.To lessen the grade,I had to take up the sod,rent a tractor again,and bring in many yards of topsoil,and it cost him a grip of cash.It was ridiculous,but now he can rest easy,knowing that his kids can remain safely indoors,playing video games and eating cheetos,and the threat of having fun outdoors has been safely removed.
When I was a pup,Mom got suspicious if I wasn't bleeding in at least two places when I came back indoors for the evening.


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## boonieman (Dec 28, 2005)

I also basically agree with everything PD said. I also think it's the parent's choice of how to raise their kids, including the use of weapons. Of course, scraping a knee on a bike wreck, chopping their own fingers off with a hatchet etc only affects the kid doing. Firearms can impact others, not just the person using it. I'd say my dad stressed more to me accidentally shooting someone else than myself. (hmmm...I gotta think about that one. ha!) Unfortunately, a lot of today's parents expect everyone else raise their kids; teachers, coaches, other family members, etc. And good gosh, don't EVEN think that the child could actually be responsible for their own actions. It's always someone elses fault. To actually have a parent take the time to teach a child some responsibility early on is commendable in my book. The "when to do it" is a personal matter.
Anyway, one of the reasons I love this board is that although there are a wide variety of opinions about a lot of things, there is enough common ground that I feel like I'm rubbing elbows with like minded people as myself.


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## PyroDon (Jul 30, 2006)

swamp man said:


> I aint sure if this is in response to my post,or not.PD,I think we are more or less on the same page.I'm all for getting them started young..very young,but with supervision.I will not turn my daughter loose with a rifle,as she is only six.I wouldn't say that makes me an anti-gunner,at all.
> I really do agree that raising our kids in such a sterile,"nerf"world,does them no favors.
> I did a full landscape install last summer,the dirtwork,everything from below ground up,on a not-so-level lot.'Cuz of the way the house sits on the lot,the end of the driveway closest to the house ended,and a little grassy slope(that I had already sodded in)continued from there,leading into the backyard.All told,it accounted for maybe a 10' drop in elevation,at not more than a 30% grade.
> This knucklehead fancylad homeowner was terrified that his younguns might try to ride their bikes down this tiny,grassy incline,and get hurt.To lessen the grade,I had to take up the sod,rent a tractor again,and bring in many yards of topsoil,and it cost him a grip of cash.It was ridiculous,but now he can rest easy,knowing that his kids can remain safely indoors,playing video games and eating cheetos,and the threat of having fun outdoors has been safely removed.
> When I was a pup,Mom got suspicious if I wasn't bleeding in at least two places when I came back indoors for the evening.


Wasnt meant towards anyone actually , the agree to disagree was for wind in her hair the following rant was just that a rant not aimed at or meant personally to anyone . 
I definately remember the if your not bleeding and there arent broken bones your fine from mom . All of us here survived fine . 
we live in the country theres a creek out back with some pretty high and steep backs (8-12ft cliffs if you will) we have copperheads and and the seldom seen rattler, plenty of brown recluse and a few blackwidows , lots of poison plants , My kids play out side and have to learn about all these threats. The best way to teach them is to introduce them to the threats , Just like shooting Its the parents job to teach them. each child is different if you have two the youngest often get a jump starton learning from their older sibling.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

I don't know what the right age to move to a 22 is. I got mine at 14 but after many many years of very enjoyable air rifle and pistol shooting. My only thought is you might be limiting the satisfaction you can get from air guns by moving them quickly to a cartridge loading firearm. At 14 I really felt important getting my first cartridge gun and all the respocibility that came with it. 14 is a good age to become trusted by adults for many reasons. Just my experience, it might not fit your family at all.


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## YoungOne (Aug 22, 2006)

Wow, this thread got busy today. Again thanks everyone for the posts.


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

> When I was a pup,Mom got suspicious if I wasn't bleeding in at least two places when I came back indoors for the evening.


 I just gotta say, ain't that the truth! My kids come in often enough, puffing and bruised, looking daggers at each other but no complaints... I sleep easy. (they do have video games, they like em and use them often but I'm glad to see they drop the controlers and head out for just about any excuse, including work...... which is a bit odd cause I wouldn't have!)


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

'Certainly, you have a responsibility as a parent to teach safety around guns and that means "hands off" until they are emotionally prepared for and mature enough to be responsible to face the consequences of their actions'

This reminds me of saying " Dont go in the water until you learn how to swim" The "hands off" approach simply peaks their curiosity. It makes them want to sneak behind your back to see the the thing youre warning them against. If you take away the mystery by teaching them about guns and how to handle them safely thats half the battle. They may consider it "play" but the reality is they ARE learning. I feel its much better to teach them ASAP than to risk an accident later because theyve never been told NOT to point a gun at anything you dont want to shoot. Children can understand quite a bit but ONLY if they are taught. And still NO ONE has said they would allow their child access to a real firearm unsupervised.


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## bgak47 (Sep 4, 2003)

I'm sorry if some of you thought that I was NOT in favour of teaching kids about firearms at an early age. I was taught to shoot a .22 at the age of 6. I just have to question the wisdom of trying to teach the safety of firearms to a 2&1/2 yr old or a 4yr old. There is a VAST difference between what a 4yr old can take in & what a 6yr old can. I don't Even believe the BS about the 2&1/2 yr old! A 2&1/2 yr old can't even focus their eyes beyond the end of the rifle! I have grandkids older than that & I wouldn't even Think of exposing them to actually shooting a firearm...yet. They have been exposed to the idea that guns are dangerous & that they should never touch them without permission from an adult,but the Idea that someone is trying to teach a baby of 2&1/2yrs to shoot is just repugnant to me. I don't care what you think about firearms ownership, I find the fact that you would Brag about how your very too much young kids having a questionable prowess with firearms very odd. I doubt if anyone with any kind of knowlege about firearms would actually expose children so young to the firing of guns.


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## Cabin Fever (May 10, 2002)

I spent the weekend cutting firewood and I have to say that I could have used a few toddlers and pre-schoolers to operate the chainsaws. I'm not as young as I used to be.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

You know, Bill Cosby once said that if you would give him a bunch of little kids you could conquer the world. Today our toddler is helping to do the dishes and he views it as way more fun than I do!


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## YoungOne (Aug 22, 2006)

Apreciate the laugh CF.

bgak47, I think your opinion is valid as an opinion. I am curious about the 2 1/2 yr olds eyes comment. How can my 2 1/2 year old see the difference between a cat or dog at 100yrds if they can't focus past the end of a rifle? Not nit picking, just curious. If there's a website please post. I like to learn.


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## HeatherDriskill (Jun 28, 2005)

PyroDon said:


> locking them up and telling kids dont touch is how kids end up shooting eachother . Witch is safe a 6yr old thats been taught to load aim fire and never to point a gun at a person (even a toy gun) or a six year oldthat has never been introduced to a weapon but has been told No dont touch. Witch one is more likely to point a found weapon at another child ??? according to tests the one who;se been told to never touch. The child who grew up with weapons is 98% more likely to alertan adult about the gun without touching it .
> QUOTE]
> 
> I'm with you. My dad has been a professional hunting guide my whole life. As long as I can remember (I think I can remember all the way back to being about 3 or 4) there were guns all over the place. Yes, they were always unloaded, but that didn't matter. My dad took us out to shoot rabbits and stuff from a very early age. None of us would have ever dared to TOUCH a gun without permission. There was no mystery surrounding the gun. We knew what it was and how to use it, but we also knew that it was dangerous for a kid. We also knew that if we did touch it we would've gotten our butts whipped.


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