What’s a good age to introduce kids to fire arms?

[TheGDog]

I second the Quiet-22's as a first choice. The big thing is just for whatever age they are, they have to be able to mind you well and have the maturity to follow your instruction well, while being the needed amount of serious about it for safety sake. Also having the ability to listen to your coaching input such as being able to inform them how they're flinching and punching the trigger, and them actually listening and implementing your coaching corrections. I'd just suggest you wait until they're not whiney anymore before you do it. Otherwise the two of you could have conflict and it'll give them a negative impression of the experience and they won't want to do it again for a significant amount of time afterward if you guys clash.

Also second what somebody said above about keeping the intervals short. The older they are the longer you can spend in a session.

Oh and I'd recommend get a pair of electronic ear muffs eventually. Makes things so much easier for communication with them during the session, that is, when you're no longer using the Quiet-22's.

Oh! I almost forgot! The best part? Go buy some cheap cans of beer! When they hit them and the beer goes streaming (And you exclaim "Look! It's Peeing! HaHA!!") out of the cans and you make a big deal out of it they get real jazzed about it! Makes it super fun! Also... deer get VERY curious about the area where the beer fell onto the ground! Even a week later!

 

[mcr-85]

Get him out! Check out the Savage Rascal 22. My kids all love it (started shooting at 4). Use CB rounds, no ears needed.

I agree. That is the gun I gave my boy. He is laying down across a log shooting it in one of the pics above. Great first gun. I like that it has a feed ramp vs the cricket that does not.

 

[Inrutt]

Conception

 

[menhaden_man]

I agree. That is the gun I gave my boy. He is laying down across a log shooting it in one of the pics above. Great first gun. I like that it has a feed ramp vs the cricket that does not.

Oh yeah, plus the Accutrigger can make em feel like all these badass snipers on Rokslide - if only you could dial with that peep!

 

[mcr-85]

Oh yeah, plus the Accutrigger can make em feel like all these badass snipers on Rokslide - if only you could dial with that peep!

Its a great little trapline gun too. Both my boys have shot a handful of coyotes with that little gun out trapping with me.

 

[Tom_]

Both daughters started shooting between 3 and 4. We'd blow up and scatter balloons across the back yard. Girls would fire 22 shorts seated at the picnic. Some of the balloons had baby powder in the to add some visual.

Both are now in their mid 20's, still hunt with Dad. We still play the balloon game but they use handguns. They have embarrassed more than one boyfriend.

 

[Clockwork]

I bought my son his first 22 rifle when he was 5 (8 now) and taught him how to shoot and load it. I have been teaching him about firearms since well before I have him his first rifle as I want to take away the “mystery” of the gun and it becomes just another thing in the house.

 

[TheGDog]

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I want to take away the “mystery” of the gun and it becomes just another thing in the house.

^^^THIS!! EXACTLY!!

 

[menhaden_man]

Love these threads about teaching the next generation of hunters!

 

[Seth]

My two started with the iconic Red Rider BB gun popping balloons at around 3-4 in the basement and back yard. Keep it fun. Keep it short. Keep it basic, for now. It is about developing interest and basic safety habits at this stage so don’t get too hung up on form or bullseye targets. If they have fun, they will continue walking the road with you.

Mine progressed to .22, .223, and to .243 over the following years. They accompanied me on hunts (always chosen with good weather, short hikes, and Lots of snacks). With hunter safety (taken at their request), they put in for NM’s draw last season and they pulled a few tags. At 11, my daughter shot her first buck. She helped with the whole process, Including skinning, butchering, grinding and wrapping. She’s watched that since she was a toddler, but really took a deeper interest with her deer. You can guess what she pulls out of the freezer when mom asks for a pack of burger.

This year my son has a bull tag and my daughter has a deer tag in Colorado. They are excited, helping with scouting, and pestering me to go shooting. All of this said to say it’s not too early, but play the long game.

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I'm a firm believer in beginning regular elk calls during the third trimester.

 

[gfh363]

The best advise really is to say "When you think they're ready" - I was never introduced to firearms by my father. I shot a 22 pistol at age 11, then 22 rifles at Boy Scout Camp every summer (it was by far the most popular activity every year.)

I introduced my youngest at 12, but she doesn't really have presence of mind to shoot without close supervision, but she is getting better. On the other hand, my 18 year old daughter can typically outshoot me, but she's off to college next year to start towards becoming a Vet, I hope she continues to enjoy shooting. time will tell.

The only person that can answer that question is the parents of the child.

 

[cuerro viejo]

Mine skipped BB gun and went straight to a 22, then 22-250 then 6.5 CM. First deer was taken at 7

 

[Rich M]

BB gun now daddy.

Also, start sharing the hunting lifestyle if you havent already. Some guys shoot deer w their 2 yr olds strapped in a back-carrier.

We always had guns, i suspect i was shooting as early as i could hold one up. Was hunting small game w dad using my mom’s 20 ga sxs when i was waist-high 5 or so and deer hunting solo at 8.

As long as your kid will obey, any age is a good age. Start small and build up. Dont let them become afraid of guns.

Get the best hearing protection. Some will require ear plugs and muffs.

Make it fun and you’ll always have a shooting and hunting partner. Dad’s in his 80s, we go shooting and hunting pretty often. Have a duck permit for this weekend…

 

[Ikmclean]

I'm a stay at home dad, our neighbor was a music teacher and asked me one day if I was introducing them to music, I replied yes and there duck calling has been improving.

They are 3 and 5 now, started my oldest on a bow, he hasn't shown the maturity or interest in guns yet and I don't want to push it on him,

 

[hunterjmj]

Started my oldest at 4 with a cricket. My youngest at 5. I take them out separately so they get 1 on 1. It's a ton of fun for them and me. Safety is always the #1 topic but we have fun. I started stapling balloons which makes it more interesting when they are so young. I bought them a .243 Weatherby youth model this last year but it'll be a few years before they shoot it.
I don't know when I started shooting but it's always been a part of my life and I want that for my kids too. They both have BB guns and recurve bows and a small range by the shop they shoot at.
Buy lots of ammo, you'll need it.

 

[MallardSX2]

Only a parent can make that decision. I had my daughter shooting when she was 6 (100% her and me alone with my 100% hands on supervision). At 11, I still keep a VERY watchful eye on her when she touches a gun.

If you have been shot or almost been shot a time or two by idiots, I don't think that sense of caution ever ends to be honest at any age.

 

[TheGDog]

A mental note? When it comes to teaching your kids how to shoot pistols (which should come significantly AFTER first doing rifles) you need to be super uber vigilant if the pistol is a semi-auto of some kind. You really should first show them handguns at first with a revolver.

You gotta be on em like Flys on Stink in terms of what that trigger finger is doing and where it's at when they have a semi-auto pistol in there hand!!!

Let's just say there was a "learning opportunity" that happened, where my kid had just taken a shot, I knew there was at least one more in the mag, he allowed the pistol to drop down to his side, but I was keenly aware it was still "hot" and as I was trying to re-acquire his attention to bark at him how I wanted to see his finger... the dumbass went and pulled that nice SA trigger on the lil mini 1911 I had him using and shot the ground inches to the side of his own foot! Talk about an FML heart-attack moment!

I let loose on him profusely and we talked at length about what happened, why it happened, and just how life-changing that would have been.

So anywho... mental note.. semi-auto pistols, very last thing you ever show them how to fire. Because lapses in judgement can happen extremely quickly.

 

[TAArrowood]

Don't have sons, but have taken my two grandsons out (with parental consent) as soon as they said they wanted to go.. I let them shoot as soon as they said they wanted to try it.. I was very selective in what the shot (22lr).. I found the key was to walk them through a process that they could easily learn and talk you through.. 1) Look around for any reason to not shoot 2( get into shooting position 3) make sure safety in on 4) Load round 5) Aim 6) Pull trigger 7) Place safety on 8) Start back at 1.. I wouldn't let them shoot until they could recite the many times forwards and backwards easily without missing anything.. I then let the actually walk through the process with dummy ammo (Fired 22 cases).. Once I saw that they could do all the steps of the process I would let them shoot live ammo with me watching every step of the process.. I they missed one I would immediately stop them and they had to start over.... It took a lot of trip to the range before I would hand them a box of 50 rounds and allow them to have at it, but when I did I could see that the little guys were following the process exactly and would stop each other just to make the shooter start over.... They relish the fact that shooting is their reward for following the process and getting it exactly right every time without exception. It is really rewarding to hear one of the ask "Clear on the firing line" before they shoot a clip of 22s.. All the best..