How young is too young?

To teach my grandaughter how to shoot?
I know what most are going to say, depends on the kid.

The FGD is on the backside of 5 years old. Watching her and talking with her I’m thinking that I should be waiting another year.

The down side to this everyone (from teachers to me) are teaching her to be afraid of them. “If you see a gun, don’t touch it and tell an adult”. While that is all safe and good, it instills fear in their now molding attitudes.

I’m not too concerned about her physical ability to shoot a 22 long gun accurately. Just concerned that she might not understand about life and death.

Maybe I should just sit down with her this year and a rifle and talk about the parts of a rifle, muzzle safety ect. Might of just answered my own question?

Im starting to think the same age they can be trusted not to blab about it.

I started my boy at 7 with a simple BB gun. With that, we watched two separate gun safety videos on You-Tube and I even made a little test for him to take. Muzzle safety was the biggest thing I worked on with him. Also, eye protection and knowing whats beyond the target (outside cats liked to hang in the straw bales which were backing the target). His BB gun stays locked up just like the rest of the guns. He’s gotten pretty good. This last summer we worked on proper shooting positions and breathing as he wasn’t very steady. He can now hit a 3″ bulls-eye at about 20yds. Every kid is different but now that he’s 9, I’d like to get him shooting the 22 rifle. To each their own, but safety is key for me! Respect for the gun as well. My saying to him at the young age was “It’s not a toy, its a tool”.

I was around guns and hunting since birth. Dad took me on squirrel and upland game hunting from the time I quit using diapers. I think that aspect is a great place to start exposing youth to guns and what they can do. He gauged my understanding (and interest) by my reactions through these experiences.

After A LOT of safety discussions, I was introduced to shooting with .22 bolt action by my father @ 8 years old. Guns were always in the house, never locked up with abundant ammo present. If we were caught touching them without permission and supervision our “rights” to go hunting or shooting were revoked. I never tested this. My brother did once when I was 10 and he was 12. As soon as he picked up the gun, I threatened to turn him in and he returned it to the rack.

I think 5 is a little too young to grasp the safety aspects and responsibility you take when pulling the trigger.

With girls…the earlier the better. Even just having them watch you shoot a pop can with a BB.

Short, short, short…keep it fun and keep it short.

I messed up on my 10 year old daughter pounding all the rules of safety into her head that she doesn’t find it fun at all.

If I could do it again, I would just let her watch and keep it fun. They don’t need Hunter’s Ed at 5 years old.

We started at 4 but my son was very mature for his age. I had him start with a look alike wood stock cork gun. I told him even though it was fake he had to treat it like the real thing. Once he could carry that gun for an hour without pointing it at anyone or anything he could shoot a pellet gun with me.

We just continued to build on that by extending the amount of time with the practice gun in his hands. This has really made him aware of what’s around him and how to properly handle a gun. There were many days I took it away and said we could start again tomorrow. At 5 yrs old he’s getting pretty good and is handling the gun safely nearly out of habit.

I would not start a young child with a 22. My son was all about hunting but a 22 would have scared the heck out of him.

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Is this a tag-along scenario or actually participating?

Tagging along at an early age can be a good thing. I assume we’re just talking target shooting. I might approach the participating side of the equation with some further questions. For instance: Would I introduce them to handling a boiling pan of water or tending a camp fire? If I was reluctant about those activities I probably wouldn’t have them shoot either.

Looking back I was probably somewhere in the 8-10 yr old range before being introduced to something beyond a BB gun. I don’t think it needs to be rushed. Personally, I would give consideration to physically carrying and handling the firearm beyond assisted shooting.

My boys started carrying a air gun at age 4 when they went hunting with me, started target shooting a 410 at 5 and had a 20 gauge to hunt ducks with at 5 years old, always with me.

Doah! Why didn’t I think of the trusty old pump up air rifle.
One pump and it will take an eye out but it’s not going to kill anyone…like ME.

Since I can’t shoot anywhere, maybe a trip to Bill’s to just observe is in order.

My girls started with the old daisy single pump BB gun. My older one (9) has graduated to the .22 rifle, my younger one (7) isn’t ready yet. I’ve also taken them to the trap club to observe.

We’ve also watched a lot of you tube videos, and we regularly review safety rules. Those lessons started as soon as they could comprehend it.

Go ahead give her a 22 bolt. Let her keep it under her bed. Let her show it to her friends… In a few years. Give her the bolt.

LOL! It’s a lever..you’ve always wanted to see me in jail haven’t you?

Brian Klawitter wrote:

Maybe I should just sit down with her this year and a rifle and talk about the parts of a rifle, muzzle safety ect. Might of just answered my own question?

Place a can of SPAM down range of her, she may pick up shooting faster than you think.

Buddy’s daughter and her new 7mm-08.

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I started both my boys by teaching them about gun safety around 5 . I took them to short shooting sessians at the range session with me shooting and explaining safety etc. They were amazed by the blast from a shotgun or deer rifle. Just the noise with them in the truck made them believe what I was telling them. around 7 or 8 they got to shoot off a bench rest with a 22 single shot. Just short sessions.
Then they questioned the little hole in the paper of how can it be that lethal. I then shot at shook up pop cans blowing them apart . Then I shot a pumpkin with a 7mm Rem Magnum. Then they fully understood the reasons behind muzzle control and know what beyond there target and how ever trigger pull is forever. Meaning you can never call an errant shot back and have to be responsible for you actions. They are both men now and have little boys who will get taught the same way. I have been fortunate to be with each boy on their first deer, pheasant, Duck and grouse. They both have also shot in trap leagues with me. We still go to the range together whenever possible. BK enjoy your time with her.

Mwal

Thanks all!

This is a great topic. I have a 7 year old. We did a little practice with an ancient Daisy at the cabin last summer (you can literally see the BB ). I think we’ll continue with that this summer. There is no way he’ll be able to handle my air rifle–he’s just too small. I like the idea of early safety discussions, though.

I’d also like to bring him along for some dog work this year, too, be it pigeons/chukar/etc. I think it will help bring together some of the things I do, and he will love to see Ripley in action.

I think my dad started me with a BB gun in the backyard shooting cans and stuff when I was 6 or 7. Once I was 9 or 10 he had me start coming along on pheasant hunts and I would carry that BB gun. It was a lot of fun for a young kid and a great way to learn firearm safety in a real world situation. I would shoot signs that we walked by and he even told me to shoot at the pheasants. It obviously wouldn’t do anything to them, but when I finished firearm safety and got my first gun for christmas (Mossberg 500 20 gauge). By the time my first real hunt came along, it was second nature to safely and quickly swing on pheasants.

Daisy makes a shortened BB gun that works well for youth.
I began my son at 5 with that learning the motions of muzzle control, using the safety and aiming. It takes time…
At 6 he got a Savage rascal .22 and it took him a while to get that routine down. Now at 7 he shoots the 22 well and just last weekend used some 22 pistols with mixed results due to increased noise and the Semi auto action jump.

Do anything you can to stop the Antis from poisoning their brains!