Author Topic: Best age to introduce children to guns? (Read 1980 times)

jpuke · « **on:** March 18, 2003, 10:15:26 AM »

I've been a gun owner for a little over two years, my dad hunted as a kid but didn't pass the tradition on but I want to get my son involved in my hobby when he's old enough (right now he's only 1 1/2 yrs old) - What's a good age to introduce a child to shooting? My wife says I have to wait until he's 12 but I think that's a little too late. I'm thinking 8 or 9 with an air rifle because he'll be doing it at Cub scout camp. What does everyone think?

Zachary · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2003, 10:49:55 AM »

It all depends on the child, AND YOU. First, a person has to determine if he or she has the patience to teach a child the importance of gun safety and shooting. Only after a person is ready, will he or she be able to determine whether the child is ready.

A child can be ready at pretty much any age. There should be no arbitrary cut-off date of 8, 9, or 10 years. All children exhibit different levels of maturity and responsibility at a given age.

Also, the degree of initial exposure to guns should also be determined. A child may not be able to shoot a centerfire rifle until, say, 10 years old, but could be involved in watching his father shoot (safely) while the child is still in his or her diapers. Similarly, a child can be, say 5 years old, and, with his father or mother by his immediate side, shoot one of those toy guns that shoot out those popping corks.

Conversely, I believe that there is such a thing as waiting too long to teach children about guns. My father didn't take me hunting until I was about 9 years old, but I remember having a fascination with guns well before then. As a result, I would go into his closet, get the gun case, open it up, and hold the gun (my father always had the shotgun unloaded). Yes, you can say that my father should have kept it in a safe or a vault with trigger locks etc. Well, we were very poor then and things like trigger locks didn't exist. Still, the best safety was for him to not only teach me about guns, but more importantly respect them - which he did, but in my later years of about 9 or so.

You can start teaching your children about guns at a VERY early age. You can teach them how to SHOOT guns at any age that they are physically, and mentally, ready.

Again, don't have arbitrary dates because each child is different.

Zachary

Lawdog · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2003, 12:52:04 PM »

jpuke,

The wife and I started to teach our kids, both boys and girls, as soon as they started to show an interest in our firearms. We never left the kids with a sitter, took them with us to the range shooting, hunting, fishing, camping and just wondering around the woods. We taught them all the outdoor lore we could as soon as they were old enough to understand what we were saying. Taught them the "Golden Rule" of firearms - ALWAYS TREAT EVERY FIREARM AS IF IT WERE LOADED AND TO NEVER POINT A FIREARM AT ANYTHING YOU DIDN'T INTEND TO KILL - from the time they could understand what we were saying. We started the kids at home shooting BB guns, Daisy Red Ryder's, as soon as they could hold and aim one. They saw the game their mother and I brought home and sometimes were there when we killed it. They grew up knowing what a gun will do. I know we ruined many a game of cops and robbers or cowboys and indians because we wouldn't let them point even a toy cap gun at another person. My daughter, along with the help of the wife and I, are teaching the grandkids the same way. Lawdog

single hunter · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2003, 01:45:14 PM »

My daughter has had a Daisy air rifle for over a year now, she's almost 4 and half years old. I had to cut the stock off 2 inches to fit her ($20.00 rifle). Although she hasn't shot it a bunch, we have learned a lot about proper gun handling and knowing where that barrel is pointing all the time.

She hit her first target yesterday (a pie tin makes a great target, noisy and the BB will safely penetrate easily.

My point is this. She knows that Daddy will get "her" rifle out of the locked gun cabinet when ever SHE wants to shoot. I have never brought it out when I wanted her to shoot with me (her attention isn't there when it's not her idea).

She has brought her BB "rifle" with us when I go out shooting .22's in the woods, and she won't shoot a shot. But she is always learning about gun control and where that barrel is pointed at all times. There is something about telling a 4 year old not to do something, because she'll tell you it back everytime she thinks your doing it. DADDY !! WHERE IS YOUR BARREL POINTED AT? Is the safety on?

It's never too early to teach the sponge minded children. They learn with great speed and never forget. I don't think her having a BB gun would be any different if it was a fake gun that shot rubber bands. She would learn the most important lessons just the same. SAFETY. She could be the worst shot in the world as far as I care. As long as it's her idea to be caring that gun and she does so safely.

How to shoot it will come in time.

Single Hunter

Paul H · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2003, 02:23:43 PM »

All my kids have been exposed to guns from the time they could walk and speek. I'm often in the garage reloading or doing some gunsmithing, and they like to see what dad is up to. I always stop to answer their questions, and let them handle what I'm working on while stressing safe gun handling.

As far as what age to let them start shooting, they can manage to pull a trigger at 3, but to master lining up sights and hitting stuff, they'll me more in the 5-6 range. I started shooting air rifles at 3-4.

I'd much rather my kids be contsantly reminded of gunsafety in an environment I can contro, ie home and rage, then at a friends house. Guns aren't mysterious to the kids, they get to see and handle them often, and shoot whenever we get to the range.

If your wife still insists on him being much older, then take your wife to the range more often. My wife always has fun shooting, even if it isn't something she'd bring up as something she'd like to do on a date or for a family activity.

Advocate · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2003, 02:24:35 PM »

I got my first .22 LR at age 10 and I know a lot of men in my dad's generation (grew up during the depression on farms) who got their 1st .22 when they were 11. I agree with all of the above. Each child is different and it's kind of an individual thing. I"ve tought several young men to shoot and 10 was the average age. I've known a lot of single/divorced women with sons and my experience is that boys who are raised with single moms are really starved for male companionship. They really love to be around men and to do the things that men do...as do all boys. Shooting is a great sport for young men and boys because they are truly held to the standards of men. There is only one set of safety rules that apply to shooters of all ages. I think it is good for boys to do things men do and to be held to the standards of men.

I see so many boys growing up with out fathers today and I think God for my father and the time he spent with me when I see how starved for a male role model and male companionship so many of these boys are.

PaulS · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2003, 09:09:12 PM »

As a father of two, one girl and one boy, I can tell you that if they are exposed to weapons from the time they are babies they will let you know when they are interested. Both my kids showed interest before they were strong enough to pull a trigger or cock the hammer. Each time they wanted to handle a weapon (usually my 357) they had to check to see if it was loaded, and if it was they had to give it to me and I unloaded it, (until they could open the crane themselves) then they would check it again. When they were done looking it over - or dry firing it = I would load it back up and we would all say, together, "LOADED" and put it back into the holster. We never had a mishap, and the kids are still shooting - now with their own weapons and teaching their children to respect the firearms (though my son-in-law has a bit of a problem with having the guns around the house). He's a good man and he will learn with the kids.

PaulS

Selmer · « **Reply #7 on:** March 19, 2003, 03:47:24 AM »

I'll speak from the child's perspective, cause I'm still young enough to remember.

My mom and dad both hunt, and we were introduced to shooting guns at about the age of 5 or 6 in a very controlled environment where dad watched us load the .22 at the bench and made sure it was right, then we were allowed to shoot, no BB guns were allowed in our house. From the time I can remember we always had guns in the house and always had deer hanging in the garage skinned and ready for butchering in the fall. I'm 23 now and have butchered deer with dad since I was 8, dad and we can take a deer from skinned to boned out in just over an hour, we're pretty efficient, and yes, that includes taking the rib meat

. I think the best safety example that we saw was those deer hanging in the garage all bloody with a hole in them from the .30-06 or .243. That sight should sober any child enough to let them know that guns are NOTHING to by toyed with. We didn't touch dad's "big gun" (.30-06), but we were allowed to shoot mom's .243 at the age of 8, I was introduced to wing shooting with a 12 gauge at the age of 9, dad loaded up nice, slow 7/8 oz loads for us and they didn't kick much more than the .243, he loaded the gun each time, sometimes he'd put in an empty to see if he could catch us flinching, if he did, we were done shooting that gun for the day, and we still do that to this day once in a while. Introduce kids when you're ready, I unfortunately believe that in this day and age of video game gore that the dead animal with a hole in it won't phase the kids of today, because you don't really die from that on the video game. My kids won't be allowed access to these video games at that early age, I have 5th grade band members who are and it's pathetic, they can't handle that kind of stuff because it makes them think they're invincible and it takes many shots to kill something with a gun. Anyway, I'll get off my soapbox, I hope this answers your question some.
Selmer

hawkeye1903 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 20, 2003, 06:42:30 PM »

Great advice on age to begin and how to. One thing I would add is when it comes time to introduce a child (or adult) for that matter to shooting is:

use a .22 - no recoil, build up in stages with higher powered rifles gradually
keep the target close and easy to hit - lets the shooter see how they are doing and retains interest

Although these are obvious, I've known more than a few people, mainly women, whose fathers/uncles etc. had them shoot a high-power rifle with a lot of recoil the first time and these people never shoot again. Although done as a joke in most cases, it's not funny to the person on the receiving end.

single hunter · « **Reply #9 on:** March 22, 2003, 05:32:10 PM »

I have to agree with the the previous post. A close target and a low recoil rifle/weapon will make for an enjoyable first and lasting experience. simular to blowing up a milk jug at 300 yards, my child was just as happy hitting the pie tin @ 5 feet.

Single hunter

dragthewaters · « **Reply #10 on:** April 04, 2003, 04:12:28 PM »

I am only 15 now, but i started shooting a daisy lever action bb gun when i wasm pretty young, i was young enough that using that lever was hard, sometimes i couldnt even do it., I started just shooting tin cans and my father is very big on saftey, he and I made sure to sheck what is behind the target, watch that the barrel is pointed in a safe direction, and all the other sadtey rules, then after that daisy i moved to another bb/pellet rifle, a much more high powered one and shot that for several years, then he gave me his 410 that was his dads when he was a boy, single shot break in half, then he brought me pheasant hunting, which turned out to be a very eye opening experience, the guy we were with was a nut, no hunting liscence and when he shot you could hear bb's wizzing by, of course before the day of my 1st hunt i shot clays, then my grandfather handed me down a reminton model 1100 12guage and i hunt almost every weekend of the waterfowl season, then i was introduced to handguns., hanguns are much more serious, and i understand that, the reason i am allowed to shoot handguns is becuase he felt i can handle a handgun safely and have proven that, I shoot a glock 17 often now.

Well am am no parent, but I think that kids should be taught just before they gain interest in guns, if they are interested and you do not teach them, than guess what, they just may try to find out on their own, like play with little billy's dads gun who lives down the street, and could be loaded and the worst could happen

, I no this happens because I am 15 and I have gone to a friends house and some one just brings out a loaded gun!

Jose Grande · « **Reply #11 on:** April 05, 2003, 10:55:32 AM »

My daughter started BB guns at 3 1/2 yrs. She's pretty good now with an 853 Daisey Air Rifle.(8yrs.) She is about to start Hi-Power with a M-1 carbine. She loves to shoot. She is safty minded enough to let outside with BB or Pellet Rifle alone. I have watched out the window (spyed on her) & she does all the right things & none of the wrong ones.

So; you have to judge for yourself; just like the rest of us. There is no rule set in concrete to go by. Sorry.

Warlord · « **Reply #12 on:** April 14, 2003, 04:45:57 PM »

I'm only 16 years old, but have been heavily involved in hunting since I was about 10 or so. As for how old is old enough for your child, you must be the judge. I must urge you to start them out on air rifles--the recoil is nonexistant, accuracy is there, and for kids, shooting cans and stuff is as good as it gets. Do Not have them attempt to shoot squirrels, rabbits, etc with an air gun. Yeah, I know I'm going to get hate mail for that, but I've shot enough small game animals with them to know that whatever they can do, a .22 can do much better.

From there I would jump to a .22 rifle. Work on accuracy, esp trigger control, and above all, safety. From there small game can be introduced.

The main thing I would encourage you to do is to not necessarily go for the minimum power for a certain game animal just because your child is small (examples: 410s, 223s and such for deer). Instead make sure they can handle enough power to get the job done.

Good luck!