What age to start out younguns??

[duckinalaska]

Hey guys,
I just got my five year old boy a ruger 10/22 for shooting the other day. My wife is going nuts because she thinks that he is too young. I just can't wait for him to get started and my grandpa is already building deer stands for the two of them. What my wife don't know is that I'm already starting on 308 "downloads" for him. What do you guys think?
Brandon

 

[gunhog]

IMO it is never too early to begin instruction and supervised shooting. I have two boys and both began with open site 22's at about the same age as your lad. They are now 9 and 10 years old and are getting along well with their P22's, 10/22's and youth 870 scatterguns. It has been an absolute joy to watch them progress with their safety and shooting skills.

Good shooting!

 

[Dave King]

I started shooting about age 5 as did my son. We have a ritual in that the first gun is a BB gun (quality model). ALL shooting is first under instruction and indoors into a box of rags (BB recovery system). Once the shooter can shoot one BB hole and then shoot that same BB hole with the next shot (consistently) the gun can be taken outside. Again there is supervised instruction and then free run. There are also the rules that go with any dangerous equipment and gun safety rules. The kicker in this system is that the shooter is known accurate and the gun known precise. ANYTHING shot was pretty much the intended target... Holes out of place are cause for loss of the gun.... There are no accidental holes.

 

[duckinalaska]

Guys,
I agree with both of you. I have been preaching safety with him for a long time now. That is the most important thing that I can stress to him. Here is a picture of him resting his new 10/22 on my ol' Chevy K5 hunting rig.

 

[Buffalobob]

I agree with Dave. Ritualized shooting mechanics in the garage or other area that does not cause panic with the neighbors with a high quality BB gun and ritualized safety instructions and percautions. Unless you live out where the kids can shoot a 22 every day with supervision then the BB gun with a BB trap in the garage is good. Safety goggles - not glasses- mandatory. No shooting the neighbors cats.

The trap I built was a sand box with a 45 degree angle back to deflect the BB down into the sand. I then hung an old towel over the front and the target was in front of that. A BB had to get through the target, the towel and then was bounced into the sand. Almost no BBs ever made it through the towel, into the trap

 

[sniper2]

It would depend upon the maturity of the individual as to what age to start them shooting I have seen 8yr olds that are safe enough to hunt by themselves and on the other hand I have a neighbor that is an adult that scares me to death!In any event you don't start too soon teaching gun safety now at what age you can turn them aloose can differ greatly... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

 

[pythonwill]

I agree with how it depends on the individual. My kids (11 & 15) have done very well with their guns, but my nephew that is 12 yrs old scares the crap outta me. I think its got alot to do with how they are raised. We have never had "toy" guns in our house, not even a squirt gun, and the kids have been around them from day one and seem to have a great respect for them. my nephew likes to grab his gun and play like he's shooting somthing "Bang" "Bang" Well last time he did that I took it away from him and he didnt get to shoot with us that day.
Personally I started with the old BB guns at about 5 yrs old. then at 6 or 7 I got an old Stevens model 58A 410 that I still have today. I had to stay with Dad when shooting it of coarse but it was quite fun blasting gophers in the tater feilds when I was young.

 

[RBrowning]

It is totally dependant on the child's maturaty, AT ANY GIVE TINE. I started my grandson at three, but now at four he seldom gets to shoot because lately he has developed a bad habit of not listening to me. So the gun went back in the locker and he doesn't get to shoot it.

When we were shooting, it was into a box of crumpled news papers inside. My wife wondered why not outside and I told her that it was for his protection. If the neighbors see a kid with a BB gun, who do you think will get blamed for every broken window around?

 

[41mag]

My daughter was in the woods with us from the time she was able to get around. Since my mom, dad, and I all hunted, she would end up heading out with one of us. She learned early on what the guns would do like was mentioned, she was shown by example. We always practice safe handling and such so it just became part of her routine to ask her what needed to be done as we headed in. She would answer about checking the safety, removing the bullet, and then clearing the magazine.

At 5 she was shooting a Rem. ump 22 and hitting seltzer tablets at about 10 yds or so. When she moved up, it was to a Remington pump .243 which she was very good with out at 100yds. Then they changed up the deer limits and removed does from the list. So we went a few years before she got something with horns in close enough to shoot at. Then when the time came, she didn't want to shoot the .243, but my 25-06 instead. Well long story short, 1 shot @ 185 yds, and first buck.

Since then she has taken deer hogs and yotes out past 400yds from several shooting positions including offhand. She is really pretty scary if your on her list. Of course, she seems to think that my 25 is her 25, but thats just part of it. She hardly weighs a hundered pounds wet and hasn't backed down from anything yet.

My grandson is the same way, brought up out in the field with us hunting, checking tracks, setting up food plots and such. Here is a pic of him last year "sighting in his rifle",

I am setting up a Sako 243 for him to go after hogs with this fall. They will be good practice for him and hopefully further his enjoyment in the outdoors. I can hardly wait till I have a picture like this with him being the hunter,

Keep to the rules and be strict about it and you will find a lifelong partner. When the rules are broken then time in the field or shooting is taken away. THey learn very quick that the rules are easier to follow than sitting at home wishing they were with you. Good luck you will be building a lifetime of memories for the both of you.

 

[Wharpoley]

I learned to shoot at age 5, and when i say "learned" i mean the whole package of safety and shooting and proper gun ethics and such. I first hunted at age 12, and continue to hunt and shoot every year. I just drew my first Colorado mule deer tag also!

For my son, i want to begin his "training" at age 5.

 

[Shawn Carlock]

This is a picture of my daughter and I on a long range spring bear hunt at age 5. She has been going with me since age 4 and has been shooting a .22 since the age of 3. First and formost was safety, my wife still being in law enforcement and me smithing, guns around the house are the norm. No matter who you are, you won't make it 2 feet in the front door without her confronting you to show her your firearm is unloaded and your say so is not good enough she will not budget until she sees and checks the chamber with one of her small fingers fingers. I don't believe that gun safety can start to early. I think showing what guns are capable of leaves a lasting impression (the explosion of a melon is fun and gives something to compare to that they understand). I enjoy every minute I get to spend with them away from everyone else. There are so many lessons they can learn out in the woods about life principals it would be a shame not to start them as early as they show interest.

 

[Wild_Bill]

I have been shooting before i was 5 and have grown up with a steady respect for firearm and i have been shooting competatively scince 10 years old. I went to the range last Sunday with my Wife and 2 1/2 year old son and let him lay next to me for the first time and i let him fire the rifle as i was holding it and aiming it he shot the 22 first then some full sealed coke cans at 100 yards with my 6mmBR and 55gr BlitzKings at over 3400fps he does not like the 22 any more only the BR. He likes life fast he has already been on a triuph 995 superbike with his grandfather a vintage BSA 600cc trail bikes 300cc Quad bikes as i said he likes life fast like his dad boy is this going to cost me and i new what i used to get up to so here comes the pay back. But to answer your Question 5 years is the youngest i would let him use a rifle alone under supervision meaning holding on to it on his own. and only when he shows a knowlige of a consequense to the actions like if you shoot sompthing it is dead no jokes or fun you cant make those sort of mistakes.

Cheers Bill
Australia