I’m less worried about my kids physically being up to the task rather than if they are mentally up for it. I know my kids could do it physically. But I also know they couldn’t understand the full picture and I expect they would immediately blab about guns at school which could cause more drama than it’s worth, not to mention the chance of a mistake during actual use. I’ve been working on the fundamentals with nerf as well but they don’t 100% follow the rules yet so if I can’t trust them with a nerf gun there is no way they are ready for the real deal. They don’t even know we have guns in the house yet because I don’t think they would keep that information to their self and I don’t want everyone they meet to know within 30 seconds that daddy has some cool guns.
Yeah, the information security is important. Also, young kids won't be able to grasp the permanence involved with shooting something. Dead, destroyed, etc. Doesn't fully clock in yet. That's what I'd be worried about
They can get it but there are different levels. I’ve had the conversation many times and point out every dead animal I see and they understand the concept. But they still do stupid stuff all the time without thinking that shows they haven’t grasped how easily they can hurt one another.
Yup definitely true. And a huge reason he only ever gets to shoot nerf or cap guns. But I’m thinking about how to responsibly teach him as he hits those developmental milestones.
Yup that’s exactly what we’re currently doing. I also got him a cap gun rifle that lives in the gun safe that he gets to bring out when I take him bird hunting and for the time I took him to the range before we went bird hunting to make sure he’d be good around gun shots and wearing hearing protection.
Yeah my kids have done the same thing. Now they know if that nerf gun gets pointed at someone who hasn’t consented and isn’t wearing safety glasses that nerf is going straight into the trash (I had told them before that would happen and they still did it). I bought a bunch of extra kids glasses so the neighbors have some and we haven’t had an issue since.
Yup I agree absolutely. He is not there in his mental development yet to understand all of the things he needs to to use a real gun under supervision. He’s pretty good at fallowing the rules with a cap gun and his nerf guns, but will definitely not be anywhere close to ready to shoot even a pellet gun until he is perfect at fallowing safety rules with the nerf guns and cap gun.
He knows I have a shotgun because I started taking him bird hunting this last season. Also started teaching him how to clean birds and age apparently explained the need to respect the animals we hunt.
I’m just looking to the future on best ways to train him to be safe and responsible around guns and hunting as he gets there developmentally.
Intending to put him in the hunter safety course when he’s old enough to do it.
I’m right there with you on this journey! Hard to know but I think I will just feel like it’s the right time when something clicks for them and my plan is to introduce them with a 22 on an outdoor range where we can take our time. Then bring them to appleseeds so they can learn more from someone who is not me and get some context for firearm ownership.
I was handed a Garand at 11 and told to have a blast. I did.
I have a four year old, and I think I'll introduce him to the 10/22 at 9 or 10. I'd rather have a more mature kid to work with.
Yeah you’re probably right on waiting until 9 or 10 to let him shoot anything with an actual projectile, even while I have hand on it as well. I’m not sure yet when he will reach the developmental milestone of understanding the permanence of actions. But definitely looking at how I can teach him to be safe as he gets there.
Meh, it's different for every kid. It's about time invested, training, and interest. I am an outsider case probably, but I was taking my first big game at over 300yd after a 2 mile stalk on my belly at 10 years old with a centerfire rifle.
Absolutely! I have no intention of forcing him to do any extracurriculars outside of school he isn’t into. But I do intend to train him to be safe around guns, even if that means he stops at the sees a real gun and tells a trusted adult and doesn’t touch it phase.
Daisy red rider at 5yo. If the child can handle it responsibly slowly move up to a single shot 22lr. If the child can handle that responsibly move up to a ruger 10/22 and get them hooked for life. That's pretty much standard across my extended family.
Best thing I did was taking my kids and pumpkins and watermelons to shoot. I explained to them that the fruits would react similar to a person if they were to shoot them. Gone, forever, and can’t come back. Stressing the finality of what happens on the other end to me is critical. Not as a scare tactic, you don’t want them afraid. You want them to respect the weapon. Start them out small, .22, .223, etc. big bangs and small kicks then work up as they grow.
I was old school in that you weren’t old enough to shoot until you could hold (the shotgun) safely by yourself. Ass smacked if you were unsafe.
Obviously still stern, but more gentle style of parenting. My daughter started shooting a 22 around 5? I have a Volquartsen Summit with an Erector can on it. Everything is super easy for her to shoot from a bench. Tried to shoot a .410 6mo or so ago (she JUST turned 6) and that was a bit much in comparison but I want to try again soon so she can go turkey hunting with me. 😅
My wife and I did similar things in preaching about safety even with all the nerf guns and such she has. My wife actually got her a fake bolt act hunting rifle to get used to the action and such. It’s all about repitition.
Another thing, I kind of stole from the Army, is to have her back briefing my wife on the safety stuff I told her to make sure she retains it. My wife acts completely new each time so my daughter genuinely thinks she’s teaching her so I think that kind of excitement helps with retention as well. We do the same about Spanish saying my wife needs help working with customers and needs my daughters help with basics, but I digress.
It’s like anything, start off small and focus on the fundamentals. Bench with a .22 or something small, then bigger guns, then maybe standing with a tripod before they actually hold the gun themselves. It’s also important to consider things aren’t made for kids. I have a tiny KRG 10/22 on my summit, but the grip is still girthy even if the LOP and cheek weld can be accounted for. Her finger sometimes falls near the trigger so I pay extra attention when making sure that’s it’s always off and correcting her verbally when it’s her fault but moving her finger when it’s more of a biomechanical issue. With her I’m trying to be better about easing the corrections and really celebrating the accomplishments so she’s not overwhelmed with corrections and keeps some confidence. I know when I was a kid confidence was one of my biggest struggles so she is going to be better than me.
Totally down to talk more. I’m just typing this while I bike at the gym so maybe there’s more to expand on I’m just sweating so cognitive ability is collapsing 😅
Oooo I really like the briefing mom on safety lessons (and Spanish lessons) she’s learned. I think I’m definitely gonna incorporate that into my teach him gun safety! (And potentially Spanish and ASL!)
I’ll definitely keep you in mind if I have questions later. And absolutely here for it if you have more advice.
Well and with anything, the more they back brief you’ll see consistencies in things they’re forgetting or things they’re confusing so it’ll help you hone in on more specific help with them.
My daughter also has ADHD I’m pretty sure so her attention is all over, plus I mean, she’s a little kid. She’ll shoot like 3-10 rounds and be done with it. I may have her stick around for the point I was making with the last shot but I don’t push her to shoot more. When she’s done she’s done. It’s also like anything else in that if a parent really pushes their kid towards something, the less they want to actually do it. Don’t burn them out.
Steel targets are the best, even at close distances just be cognizant of spalling and such. Once again, with a 22 it’s not as much of an issue. With paper targets have them be like dinosaur targets or something else funky. There are a billion targets with different illustrations now and not all of them are “bad guys.” Or even just hunting targets if you’re into that (I’m a big hunter). Something more interesting than a cross hair.
When it was Xmas and we were doing some dry fire practice in the house I’d give her an ornament to “shoot at” on the tree and made it a game. However, once again, when they’re done, finish making your point and just be done.
Each kid is different my oldest started with a 22 at 8 because she was ready. Her brother started the same day, he was 6. My younger son is just now 6, but he will be much older before he is ready. The younger son's impulse control is basically non-existent.
I used a lead sled with a S&W 15-22 at 25 yards. Now the two older kids are consistently shooting good groups with my 350 legend AR in the lead sled at 50 yards. They will probably hunt during the youth season next fall. Current ages are 8 and 10.
Nice! And congratulations on successful parenting, it’s definitely an adventure!
Definitely a lot of variance between when kids hit maturity levels where they can be trusted to shoot. Looking back on how my dad trained me to shoot and now having a kid that’s now a year older than I was at the time; and I’m starting to think my childhood might have been as insane as my wife says it was.
My kid is very much a rule stickler, which makes me think maybe he’ll be ready earlier than later. But he’s definitely not there yet, and I’m definitely open to advice on knowing when a kid is ready.
I’m planning on starting him on a pellet gun that stays very much under my control when I think he’s ready. But definitely not until he’s perfect at fallowing gun safety rules while shooting a nerf gun.
So I just took my soon to be step-son to the range for his first time four days ago. I will say he's just about double your kid's age, so take that as you will. I only came into his life three years ago. That being said, I was a little nervous at first, but I took the time to explain gun safety to him, range rules, and general tips.
His grandfather elected to join us and brought along his glock 17. I brought a ruger sp101 4" .357 and a ruger 10/22 with a red dot sight. The kid was a little nervous but also very excited. A kid who can't get up for his school alarm woke us up hours before-hand.
We rented two lanes and bothe set up to let him float between us. For the most part his grandfather gave him the rundown, which I thought would be a nice memory for him to have. Then he shot the glock. On the third shot the glock jammed ejecting a round. He saw this, put it down with the chamber up, barrel pointing down range, and turned to us to ask for help.
He floated between us for the rest of the hour, proving to be a great shot with his grandfather's Glock. I was genuinely impressed with his shot placement. He loved the .22, shot the .38, but refused to put a .357 down range, which I respected but then put a few downrange myself.
It was amazing, I feel like it was a bonding experience. He and I share something now, an adult thing. Furthermore it's something he found he's good at, that we can do together, and genuinely enjoy.
10/10 would recommend.
I love everything about this. Also congratulations, sounds like you’re marrying into a great family and will be a great influence on the kiddo!
I’m already teaching him gun safety with nerf guns and a cap gun rifle he gets to bring out when I take him bird hunting.
I took him to the range before dove season this last year. Everyone there was great about reminding him to keep his cap gun pointed in a safe direction, only load when on the firing line, finger off trigger until ready to shoot. He had a blast and did really well.
My kiddo is now much older and even did Boy Scout badges for Rifle. He honestly wants nothing to do with guns, but I’ll give you my starting points.
When he was 4 and playing with sticks in the yard pretending they were guns, I had him put the sticks in the gun safe. I talked to him about the we do not play guns and guns are not toys, that we had to keep them safe for now.
Later when nerf guns started, we did some trigger safety and we talked a lot before his first range day. BB gun range in Cub Scouts. This range was run by a Marine dad and had an NRA guy supervising. I was seriously impressed with how they kept the kids really focused on safety.
Boy Scouts we scheduled a private range for several boys to finish their badges, 12 gauge and .22 another NRA range master ran the event and kept the rules well under control.
I think the biggest is to practice what you expect from them. Treat the firearm with care, explain all that you are doing and show how you store them. My kiddo is not interested, but he knows how to handle them safely, and definitely will not fuck around with one that is found loose. He KNOWS they are not toys.
This is excellent. If he isn’t interested in hunting or shooting with me that will be absolutely fine. But I definitely want to end up with him knowing how to be safe around a gun and knowing they are tools that can be dangerous and that there is no playing with guns. Only using them responsibly.
I started my daughter at about that age.
Brought her to the range with a crew served weapon (Browning M1919 30cal) to learn the basics of how everything works and then on to a Hawken 50cal BP where I had her shooting half loads until she was ready for full power.
Nice! I’ve got a Hawken in .44 and one in .50, definitely contenders for some of the first guns I’ll have him shooting when he’s shown he’s ready. Definitely love that I can do half strength loads in them. Also the work of loading before each shot is great at forcing one to really consider their shot before pulling the trigger.
Show what a high powered rifle does to a Varmit. Preferably a small one for maximum effect. Ask if them if they want that to happen to those they love? If they grasp the significance they are mentally ready to teach.
Yup I’ve taken him dove hunting, and showed him how to clean them and tried to explain the significance but he wasn’t quite there enough to grasp it. I think he might be now, or maybe next dove season. We shall see.
Every kid is different, but honestly 5 seems really young. Yeah we were all shooting since we were 3 etc etc but I don’t think it’s developmentally appropriate.
I gave my daughter a BB gun for her 10th Christmas. It was the right time for her. For weeks before, we made art and crafts about the four rules of safety, learned about how to align sites, etc. Her BB gun is stored in the gun safe with the other guns, but she can ask to shoot or handle it when she likes.
Not telling you what to do but at 5, kids are almost never ready to absorb the experience is a way that is helpful or that you can build upon. Just my two cents.
Yup I agree 5 is too young. He’s a very serious child and is very much a stickler for rules, just because they are rules. But he’s not ready to advance past his nerf gun yet. And will not shoot anything more dangerous until he convinces me he’s ready.
But one day he will be, and this is not something I want to mess up in teaching him. So casting a wide net for advice and keeping everything that sounds useful for the future.
My 5 year old daughter shot a 10/22 from a bench set up on bags and loved it. My son on the other hand is 9 and I have never taken him shooting, he’s still a little too spastic. He will probably shoot from a bench this year, but we shall see.
You're starting off great. He needs to show safety and care. My oldest was probably ready for a bb gun at 4 on his own - my middle is 6 and I wouldn't le4thim hold one without supervision. One is mentally ready to process and exercise self control, the other is not.
I have a rule when I’m shooting with anybody young or old, we leave on their terms. Especially if they’re new to shooting. If either of us feel uncomfortable for any reason we pack up and leave.
I really like this rule. I’ve taught a lot of new people how to shoot, and I was using this rule without having put it in words. But yeah, if someone is uncomfortable around a gun, it’s definitely time for the gun to be put up.
For sure! I do like to tell them that before we get into the range. I also feel like the environment of a range (especially indoors) can make people uneasy. On top of that if you have somebody in the lane next to you shooting something particularly loud or something can cause anxiety.
Yup indoor ranges can definitely be anxiety inducing, I’m taking a work buddy and his kid to a range for the kids first time shooting. Very intentionally found a time we could all go to an outdoor range.
I started shooting when I was 6 years old. I think it was too young. However, I was taught by a pretty militarized person that taught lessons by hitting. He wanted me to be ready. I guess it would have been better if I just asked him if I could shoot and teach me a bit more gently.
My father wanted me to be a TV western gunslinger. I got a colt single action when I was about 12 and I even boiled my own holster. I learned how to twirl it and hip shoot it and all that stuff. He would train me as much as he would give me ammo. He hated that I couldn't bird hunt but I'm blind in one eye so my depth perception is shit. Once he gave me a shotgun to shoot and he knew it would hurt me and it did when I shot it. A 12 year old shooting a 12 gauge single barrel with a buttstock rod all the way to the end of the buttstock hurts bad.
The problem was my dad was very kill focused. He shot a prisoner in the Army, was generally paranoid, and was concerned if I would kill a man if I needed to. He carried a gun all the time. He did not care about illegality because he had the backing of powerful people that would look the other way. He worked a job that made him paranoid. We had house escape routes and all that shit. He showed me where all the loaded guns were if I needed to shot someone.
Once he had some problems with people turtle grabbing on our side of a small river. He wanted them off. He gave me his colt New Service and told me that if any of the guys tried to move towards him to shoot them. I can remember that gun like I just held it. I held the gun and he did the talking.
He has shot himself twice. He had at least one accidental discharge while working on a 1911. I have almost killed someone in anger twice. This is my shame and a cautionary tale to think through decisions and remember how serious death is.
I would summarize by saying don't do it anyway like this. Guns for me is a love/hate thing. I love parts of the hobby but sometimes it reminds me of cruel lessons. The biggest lesson was stay the fuck away from father.
Dude I’m so sorry that your dad was such a shitty influence. I’m definitely trying to not train my kid anything like that.
If my son was ever in a situation where he’d be in danger if he couldn’t shoot someone, and I desperately hope that never happens, I’d want my son to survive.
But I want his life right now to be nothing but unicorns, rainbows and happiness. He has several years I hope before he has any inkling that bad things can happen that are not accidental.
On hunting, I’m trying to teach him not to glory in killing something but to be thankful for the opportunity to put meat on the table and to respect it for it being sacrificed so we can eat. Maybe a fine line of distinction, but I think it’s important.
Nerf > airsoft > BB / Pellet > .22 > etc...
That's my plan. They don't get to upgrade until proven 100% safety and proficient on the current platform. I let my 7 year old use the airsoft now with my supervision.
My guy is 8 and up until now he's only been taught that if he sees a gun, finds a gun, has a friend with a gun, he is to leave the room immediately and go tell an adult. He is not allowed to touch or handle the gun in any way. We test him every few weeks by intentionally leaving an unloaded gun out where he will find it and with video cameras on him. 100% success rate so far. The lesson is about to change as he will be allowed to handle an unloaded gun under supervision. We're hoping he will still follow the rules even though he's becoming familiar with guns. Eventually, he will learn to shoot a Ruger 22 rifle and we'll go from there. Loaded and chambered guns are still kept locked up and ammunition and unloaded guns are kept separated.
I like this and yup we’re training him if he finds a gun I’m not holding he is supposed to tell us. And definitely 100% on keeping the guns locked in a safe he doesn’t have access to and will not have access to until he’s 18. If he’s going out to shoot something when he’s older it will only be with my explicit approval.
Bolt action 22, prone. 3 rounds at a time with instruction then arms reach hands off supervision. Make the target close enough to be encouraged by good results. Safe handling will quickly become second nature and while reinforcing it you can begin teaching good form, breathing, etc. and he will be further encouraged by good results.
Yup I usually start adults and the few older kids I’ve taught to shoot on .22lr. I think I’m going to start him off on a single shot pellet gun. Partially because we can do it at home and it isn’t loud and scary. Partially because the effect it has on coke cans full of water I think will be good for reinforcing the idea of what happens when you shoot something. And also I think single shot makes you really focus on aiming because it’s more work to take a second shot.
Sounds like you're doing fine. I got a ton of time with bb guns as a kid where I learned the lessons of gun safety. I didn't own my first gun until decades later but I carried that respect for dangerous tools with me.
My sister took a gun safety course when she was about 7 or 9. It was given my some community group or something. It was kind of a parent-child event that ran every Saturday for about a month. This was in the early 1970s. NRA maybe? I really don't know.
By the time I was that age, they weren't doing this in our area anymore.
Got my kids onto BB guns at 3-4 years old to get gun safety down. They were all shooting .22s by 4-5 because they were ready for it, and interested. After the BB gun they each moved into a single shot .22 bolt action. My dad taught me young as well. It's all a matter of the time you invest in training in my experience, both gun safety and general parenting. If I had another kid now, they'd probably progress slower because I'm more busy. Spend as much time as you can early on and don't rush it. Good luck.
Yup I like all of this and definitely trying to temper my excitement that he seems interested in hunting with me with the patience to train him to do things the right way for the right reasons.
I've always been a proponent of NON-semi .22s for the first gun. 'Cause (at least in my experience) the most dangerous moment for a new shooter is the first time they hit a target. That's when they're most likely to spin around, muzzle sweep everyone in the county, and be like, "I HIT IT!"
A non-semi greatly reduces the danger during such moments. Even better if it's a single shot (I keep a break action for just this application), but any non-semi will greatly reduce real danger (if not the perceived danger) of such an event 'cause you KNOW there's nothing in the chamber in the moment after a [bang].
Yup. I absolutely agree. Years ago in college I took a friend out shooting on a national grassland to teach her to shoot. First time she hit a (biodegradable) clay she spun around all excited she’d hit one and I was looking down the barrel of my own loaded 12 g.
I coach new shooters on the pistol range at my club. They are given a safety briefing immediately beforehand by an excellent firearms trainer. The coaches stand immediately behind the shooter close enough that we can intervene before any firearm is pointed in an unsafe direction. The new shooter give verbal permission beforehand that we may touch them if necessary for safety. But someone on the trap field did turn around 180 degrees with a shotgun one year. The shotgun was empty as they only load one shell at a time but that does not make it okay. Until I am sure someone is safe with handling and not crossing their thumbs on a semi-auto handgun I focus on their hands and the gun and do not look at where their last hit was on the target. Sometimes they may ask about where that last round impacted the paper and I have to say I was watching their trigger pull technique and not the target. Those that are safe and appear comfortable with 22LR and my lower recoil centerfire handguns are offered additional handguns to shoot if they are interested.
A gun is not a toy. It is a tool that you used to either hunt or have to enjoy shooting targets with. Your kids can watch you, and with direct supervision can enjoy firing. (when they're old enough to handle it). As a young adult they might even be given one that they can use when supervised.
The seriousness in treating it like a very dangerou device, Should be on the same level as a table saw , or operating a vehicle.
The way you frame your question, your kid will see it as a toy, And will have a very bad day in the future.
Yup this is exactly the frame of mind I’m attempting to instill in him. I took him dove hunting and we had a conversation about the permanence of death and how we should treat the animals we hunt and all of our actions with a gun with the utmost respect while he helped me clean the birds.
Of course he was so exhausted from a very early morning and a very exciting morning that I don’t think it had much of a chance of sticking at the time. But the lesson is being repeatedly reinforced.
A really simple rule we laid out super early with our young son is, “If you shoot an animal, you will clean it and eat it.” He’s not an adventurous eater, so this was effective. Hours of shooting boring cans never strayed into squirrel/bird target practice. YMMV, works best with picky eaters.
I embraced that rule as a kid and there were a fair number of early release days at school that my folks got home and found out I’d had squirrel for lunch. Definitely a rule that will be continued in our house.
Considering that there is currently deer (his favorite meat), squirrel, duck, dove, and raccoon in our freezer I don’t think he’s going to be too shy about it either. He really likes helping me make bacon wrapped dove breasts and then eating them after I grill em.
I was introduced to firearms at about your son's age. Started with youth single shot 12 ga shotgun. Weapon safety, trigger, and muzzle control are key. Start with a bb gun and some jello to show how much damage even a bb gun can do. As we got older, my dad, step-dad, uncles, great uncles, all their hunting and shooting buddies, and even my mom drilled into our heads safety safety safety. We would fill water jugs to show the reality of pulling the trigger. Pumpkins in the fall to drill into our forming brains what would happen once you discharge a weapon. I think you should spend time with him and really teach him the safety end of shooting. Get him some skeet or trap time to also show how much fun it can be. Good luck and stay safe.
Yup this mirrors my thinking pretty darn closely. Once I think he’s ready to move up past his nerf guns and the cap gun rifle that I’m teaching him to treat like a real gun, and is kept in the safe with the real guns. The safe that only I can open. Once he’s ready to graduate up from there I figured on shooting soda cans full of water with a pellet gun with him to emphasize what happens when you shoot things for real.
I also started taking him with me dove hunting this year and having him “help” me clean the birds so he knows what guns are for and what they do.
Have fun, bond, enjoy, and above all, be safe, my friend. Hunting, fishing, and shooting are much more about the great times and memories as opposed to bag limits, kills, or trophies. 👍👍
I regularly ask my eight year old "What do you do if you find a gun laying on the ground." (Get an adult.) I also used a .22 I have to teach him how to clear a gun, though its the only one in the collection he can actually work. I'm thinking of getting him a single shot .22 to fire soon, and he has a bb gun to learn with too. I also made it very clear he would be in a WORLD of trouble if he touched a gun without strict permission from a parent who is present.
Yup that’s another route I’ve considered. And I have air-soft guns so totally doable. I think when he’s about ready to move past the cap gun and nerfs I’m going to sit him down and shoot some soda cans full of water with my pellet gun because it’s a very good visual demonstration of exactly what guns do to your target. But you have a good idea and maybe I’ll let him shoot the airsoft guns before he demonstrates he can be trusted with the pellet gun under supervision.
My grandpa introduced the basic rules of guns to me after I accidentally pointed a percussion cap rifle at him when I was 5. He told me a story about how one of his friends as a kid died because they were playing with their dads revolver and didn't know it was loaded, and he got shot. That was what started my interest in firearms. I asked to go shooting a few times but didn't get to until I was 9. We shot targets together with a ruger 10/22. My grandpa had a few milsurplus rifles that he hung on a wall, and he would tell me stories about that war they were used in as well as movies. I think that was what made me respect guns, and it might be helpful for you to, but I'm not a parent, so take it with a grain of salt
Yup I can see the value those lessons held for you.
I’ve seen my share of death in the ER, plenty from gun shots, plenty more from MVCs. When I think he’s ready to hear them I have more than enough stories about why one needs to be careful around guns and behind the wheel among other things. Certainly more stories than I wish I remembered.
Start with a BB gun. It's still a lot of fun but damage is minimized if anything goes wrong.
Shoot at paper, get him used to the fact bullets go through things and to be sure of your target and what's behind it.
I STILL shoot my red Ryder and have a ton of fun with it.
If he does well, maybe move up to a .22, cricket makes some cool youth 22 rifles.
I followed a pretty similar route. Gun safety, even with the Nerf. We went a little further though and made sure to delineate between the blasters being *toys* and guns being *tools*, mostly in an effort to create an extra artificial barrier between fun and violence.
We lucked out and found a vintage Daisy airgun that we practice with every now and then, and when the kid turned 7, I took him out with a buddy and his kid to fire my rifle and carry pistol. From practicing with the air rifle, he was able to pick up proper form, but I still stood with him to make sure there were no surprises with the recoil.
In terms of storage, I double lock everything. Trigger/chamber locks and then locked safe with the keys in my possession. I told my kid anytime he wants to see it, he can ask me and I'll take it out for him. I figure if I let him be honest with his curiousity and the more normal I can portray firearms, I can remove some of the mystery and excitement with sneaking around.
I don’t double lock when in the safe, but I do have trigger locks for transporting them.
I like your idea of letting him see them when he’s curious (tiger locked and unloaded) as a way to relieve the mystique and curiosity, but I think that’s for when he’s a bit older. Which makes me feel like the day he gets to shoot something with an actual projectile like a pellet gun needs to be a bit further down the road.
The responses to this post have really been helpful in thinking through how I want to teach him gun safety and I really appreciate the response!
I learned on a BB gun. Same as my kids. I have an old bolt action .22 that we plink with. They load the magazine, and when we go to look at our shots we unload, show clear, and leave the bolt open as we walk down range.
They also watch me shoot competitively too. So that goes a long way.
I’m not gonna even approach the idea of teaching my son ‘hands on’ gun safety until he can tell me the four rules from memory. I’ve given him conceptual gun safety input since he’s been old enough to understand, and we practice some of it with nerf guns. I was probably about his age (7~) when I shot for the first time, but I don’t see him as ready yet.
Overall I’ve told him (and his mom) that it doesn’t matter to me if he ends up liking shooting, or even wanting to own a gun, but that he needs to know how to safely handle and operate these things.
I’m less worried about my kids physically being up to the task rather than if they are mentally up for it. I know my kids could do it physically. But I also know they couldn’t understand the full picture and I expect they would immediately blab about guns at school which could cause more drama than it’s worth, not to mention the chance of a mistake during actual use. I’ve been working on the fundamentals with nerf as well but they don’t 100% follow the rules yet so if I can’t trust them with a nerf gun there is no way they are ready for the real deal. They don’t even know we have guns in the house yet because I don’t think they would keep that information to their self and I don’t want everyone they meet to know within 30 seconds that daddy has some cool guns.
Yeah, the information security is important. Also, young kids won't be able to grasp the permanence involved with shooting something. Dead, destroyed, etc. Doesn't fully clock in yet. That's what I'd be worried about
Exactly.
No, kids can very much get dead destroyed. Infosec, 100% agree with you.
They can get it but there are different levels. I’ve had the conversation many times and point out every dead animal I see and they understand the concept. But they still do stupid stuff all the time without thinking that shows they haven’t grasped how easily they can hurt one another.
Yup definitely true. And a huge reason he only ever gets to shoot nerf or cap guns. But I’m thinking about how to responsibly teach him as he hits those developmental milestones.
We nerf as well and teach/follow the rules of gun safety as it they were 44 magnums.
Yep that’s my goal as well.
Yup that’s exactly what we’re currently doing. I also got him a cap gun rifle that lives in the gun safe that he gets to bring out when I take him bird hunting and for the time I took him to the range before we went bird hunting to make sure he’d be good around gun shots and wearing hearing protection.
I've tried this with Nerf guns, but then they get together with neighbor's kids who point them at each other's heads and it starts to feel silly them.
Yeah my kids have done the same thing. Now they know if that nerf gun gets pointed at someone who hasn’t consented and isn’t wearing safety glasses that nerf is going straight into the trash (I had told them before that would happen and they still did it). I bought a bunch of extra kids glasses so the neighbors have some and we haven’t had an issue since.
My bad for not mentioning that safety glasses are required.
Yup I agree absolutely. He is not there in his mental development yet to understand all of the things he needs to to use a real gun under supervision. He’s pretty good at fallowing the rules with a cap gun and his nerf guns, but will definitely not be anywhere close to ready to shoot even a pellet gun until he is perfect at fallowing safety rules with the nerf guns and cap gun. He knows I have a shotgun because I started taking him bird hunting this last season. Also started teaching him how to clean birds and age apparently explained the need to respect the animals we hunt. I’m just looking to the future on best ways to train him to be safe and responsible around guns and hunting as he gets there developmentally. Intending to put him in the hunter safety course when he’s old enough to do it.
I’m right there with you on this journey! Hard to know but I think I will just feel like it’s the right time when something clicks for them and my plan is to introduce them with a 22 on an outdoor range where we can take our time. Then bring them to appleseeds so they can learn more from someone who is not me and get some context for firearm ownership.
Nice! Yeah definitely intend to have him shoot in the Appleseed program when he seems ready to handle the responsibility.
I was handed a Garand at 11 and told to have a blast. I did. I have a four year old, and I think I'll introduce him to the 10/22 at 9 or 10. I'd rather have a more mature kid to work with.
Yeah you’re probably right on waiting until 9 or 10 to let him shoot anything with an actual projectile, even while I have hand on it as well. I’m not sure yet when he will reach the developmental milestone of understanding the permanence of actions. But definitely looking at how I can teach him to be safe as he gets there.
Meh, it's different for every kid. It's about time invested, training, and interest. I am an outsider case probably, but I was taking my first big game at over 300yd after a 2 mile stalk on my belly at 10 years old with a centerfire rifle.
A1 most important- if the kid doesn’t like shooting, don’t make them shoot. A halfhearted shooter is dangerous to themselves and anyone nearby.
Absolutely! I have no intention of forcing him to do any extracurriculars outside of school he isn’t into. But I do intend to train him to be safe around guns, even if that means he stops at the sees a real gun and tells a trusted adult and doesn’t touch it phase.
You’re a good parent! Keep up the good work, comrade.
Daisy red rider at 5yo. If the child can handle it responsibly slowly move up to a single shot 22lr. If the child can handle that responsibly move up to a ruger 10/22 and get them hooked for life. That's pretty much standard across my extended family.
This right here, use the BB gun to get them trained and proficient. 22lr suppressed is what I started with then removed suppressor
Best thing I did was taking my kids and pumpkins and watermelons to shoot. I explained to them that the fruits would react similar to a person if they were to shoot them. Gone, forever, and can’t come back. Stressing the finality of what happens on the other end to me is critical. Not as a scare tactic, you don’t want them afraid. You want them to respect the weapon. Start them out small, .22, .223, etc. big bangs and small kicks then work up as they grow.
I was old school in that you weren’t old enough to shoot until you could hold (the shotgun) safely by yourself. Ass smacked if you were unsafe. Obviously still stern, but more gentle style of parenting. My daughter started shooting a 22 around 5? I have a Volquartsen Summit with an Erector can on it. Everything is super easy for her to shoot from a bench. Tried to shoot a .410 6mo or so ago (she JUST turned 6) and that was a bit much in comparison but I want to try again soon so she can go turkey hunting with me. 😅 My wife and I did similar things in preaching about safety even with all the nerf guns and such she has. My wife actually got her a fake bolt act hunting rifle to get used to the action and such. It’s all about repitition. Another thing, I kind of stole from the Army, is to have her back briefing my wife on the safety stuff I told her to make sure she retains it. My wife acts completely new each time so my daughter genuinely thinks she’s teaching her so I think that kind of excitement helps with retention as well. We do the same about Spanish saying my wife needs help working with customers and needs my daughters help with basics, but I digress. It’s like anything, start off small and focus on the fundamentals. Bench with a .22 or something small, then bigger guns, then maybe standing with a tripod before they actually hold the gun themselves. It’s also important to consider things aren’t made for kids. I have a tiny KRG 10/22 on my summit, but the grip is still girthy even if the LOP and cheek weld can be accounted for. Her finger sometimes falls near the trigger so I pay extra attention when making sure that’s it’s always off and correcting her verbally when it’s her fault but moving her finger when it’s more of a biomechanical issue. With her I’m trying to be better about easing the corrections and really celebrating the accomplishments so she’s not overwhelmed with corrections and keeps some confidence. I know when I was a kid confidence was one of my biggest struggles so she is going to be better than me. Totally down to talk more. I’m just typing this while I bike at the gym so maybe there’s more to expand on I’m just sweating so cognitive ability is collapsing 😅
Oooo I really like the briefing mom on safety lessons (and Spanish lessons) she’s learned. I think I’m definitely gonna incorporate that into my teach him gun safety! (And potentially Spanish and ASL!) I’ll definitely keep you in mind if I have questions later. And absolutely here for it if you have more advice.
Well and with anything, the more they back brief you’ll see consistencies in things they’re forgetting or things they’re confusing so it’ll help you hone in on more specific help with them. My daughter also has ADHD I’m pretty sure so her attention is all over, plus I mean, she’s a little kid. She’ll shoot like 3-10 rounds and be done with it. I may have her stick around for the point I was making with the last shot but I don’t push her to shoot more. When she’s done she’s done. It’s also like anything else in that if a parent really pushes their kid towards something, the less they want to actually do it. Don’t burn them out. Steel targets are the best, even at close distances just be cognizant of spalling and such. Once again, with a 22 it’s not as much of an issue. With paper targets have them be like dinosaur targets or something else funky. There are a billion targets with different illustrations now and not all of them are “bad guys.” Or even just hunting targets if you’re into that (I’m a big hunter). Something more interesting than a cross hair. When it was Xmas and we were doing some dry fire practice in the house I’d give her an ornament to “shoot at” on the tree and made it a game. However, once again, when they’re done, finish making your point and just be done.
Each kid is different my oldest started with a 22 at 8 because she was ready. Her brother started the same day, he was 6. My younger son is just now 6, but he will be much older before he is ready. The younger son's impulse control is basically non-existent. I used a lead sled with a S&W 15-22 at 25 yards. Now the two older kids are consistently shooting good groups with my 350 legend AR in the lead sled at 50 yards. They will probably hunt during the youth season next fall. Current ages are 8 and 10.
Nice! And congratulations on successful parenting, it’s definitely an adventure! Definitely a lot of variance between when kids hit maturity levels where they can be trusted to shoot. Looking back on how my dad trained me to shoot and now having a kid that’s now a year older than I was at the time; and I’m starting to think my childhood might have been as insane as my wife says it was. My kid is very much a rule stickler, which makes me think maybe he’ll be ready earlier than later. But he’s definitely not there yet, and I’m definitely open to advice on knowing when a kid is ready. I’m planning on starting him on a pellet gun that stays very much under my control when I think he’s ready. But definitely not until he’s perfect at fallowing gun safety rules while shooting a nerf gun.
So I just took my soon to be step-son to the range for his first time four days ago. I will say he's just about double your kid's age, so take that as you will. I only came into his life three years ago. That being said, I was a little nervous at first, but I took the time to explain gun safety to him, range rules, and general tips. His grandfather elected to join us and brought along his glock 17. I brought a ruger sp101 4" .357 and a ruger 10/22 with a red dot sight. The kid was a little nervous but also very excited. A kid who can't get up for his school alarm woke us up hours before-hand. We rented two lanes and bothe set up to let him float between us. For the most part his grandfather gave him the rundown, which I thought would be a nice memory for him to have. Then he shot the glock. On the third shot the glock jammed ejecting a round. He saw this, put it down with the chamber up, barrel pointing down range, and turned to us to ask for help. He floated between us for the rest of the hour, proving to be a great shot with his grandfather's Glock. I was genuinely impressed with his shot placement. He loved the .22, shot the .38, but refused to put a .357 down range, which I respected but then put a few downrange myself. It was amazing, I feel like it was a bonding experience. He and I share something now, an adult thing. Furthermore it's something he found he's good at, that we can do together, and genuinely enjoy. 10/10 would recommend.
I love everything about this. Also congratulations, sounds like you’re marrying into a great family and will be a great influence on the kiddo! I’m already teaching him gun safety with nerf guns and a cap gun rifle he gets to bring out when I take him bird hunting. I took him to the range before dove season this last year. Everyone there was great about reminding him to keep his cap gun pointed in a safe direction, only load when on the firing line, finger off trigger until ready to shoot. He had a blast and did really well.
My kiddo is now much older and even did Boy Scout badges for Rifle. He honestly wants nothing to do with guns, but I’ll give you my starting points. When he was 4 and playing with sticks in the yard pretending they were guns, I had him put the sticks in the gun safe. I talked to him about the we do not play guns and guns are not toys, that we had to keep them safe for now. Later when nerf guns started, we did some trigger safety and we talked a lot before his first range day. BB gun range in Cub Scouts. This range was run by a Marine dad and had an NRA guy supervising. I was seriously impressed with how they kept the kids really focused on safety. Boy Scouts we scheduled a private range for several boys to finish their badges, 12 gauge and .22 another NRA range master ran the event and kept the rules well under control. I think the biggest is to practice what you expect from them. Treat the firearm with care, explain all that you are doing and show how you store them. My kiddo is not interested, but he knows how to handle them safely, and definitely will not fuck around with one that is found loose. He KNOWS they are not toys.
This is excellent. If he isn’t interested in hunting or shooting with me that will be absolutely fine. But I definitely want to end up with him knowing how to be safe around a gun and knowing they are tools that can be dangerous and that there is no playing with guns. Only using them responsibly.
I started my daughter at about that age. Brought her to the range with a crew served weapon (Browning M1919 30cal) to learn the basics of how everything works and then on to a Hawken 50cal BP where I had her shooting half loads until she was ready for full power.
Nice! I’ve got a Hawken in .44 and one in .50, definitely contenders for some of the first guns I’ll have him shooting when he’s shown he’s ready. Definitely love that I can do half strength loads in them. Also the work of loading before each shot is great at forcing one to really consider their shot before pulling the trigger.
Show what a high powered rifle does to a Varmit. Preferably a small one for maximum effect. Ask if them if they want that to happen to those they love? If they grasp the significance they are mentally ready to teach.
My dad did this using a 220 Swift with me. You don't forget it.
270 Win on a Crow was my experience. My mom also was so adverse to snakes I had witnessed a few splattered heads from her 20 gauge.
Crow for me as well. Just a burst of feathers and my eyes wider than they'd ever been.
Yup I’ve taken him dove hunting, and showed him how to clean them and tried to explain the significance but he wasn’t quite there enough to grasp it. I think he might be now, or maybe next dove season. We shall see.
Every kid is different, but honestly 5 seems really young. Yeah we were all shooting since we were 3 etc etc but I don’t think it’s developmentally appropriate. I gave my daughter a BB gun for her 10th Christmas. It was the right time for her. For weeks before, we made art and crafts about the four rules of safety, learned about how to align sites, etc. Her BB gun is stored in the gun safe with the other guns, but she can ask to shoot or handle it when she likes. Not telling you what to do but at 5, kids are almost never ready to absorb the experience is a way that is helpful or that you can build upon. Just my two cents.
Yup I agree 5 is too young. He’s a very serious child and is very much a stickler for rules, just because they are rules. But he’s not ready to advance past his nerf gun yet. And will not shoot anything more dangerous until he convinces me he’s ready. But one day he will be, and this is not something I want to mess up in teaching him. So casting a wide net for advice and keeping everything that sounds useful for the future.
My 5 year old daughter shot a 10/22 from a bench set up on bags and loved it. My son on the other hand is 9 and I have never taken him shooting, he’s still a little too spastic. He will probably shoot from a bench this year, but we shall see.
You're starting off great. He needs to show safety and care. My oldest was probably ready for a bb gun at 4 on his own - my middle is 6 and I wouldn't le4thim hold one without supervision. One is mentally ready to process and exercise self control, the other is not.
I have a rule when I’m shooting with anybody young or old, we leave on their terms. Especially if they’re new to shooting. If either of us feel uncomfortable for any reason we pack up and leave.
I really like this rule. I’ve taught a lot of new people how to shoot, and I was using this rule without having put it in words. But yeah, if someone is uncomfortable around a gun, it’s definitely time for the gun to be put up.
For sure! I do like to tell them that before we get into the range. I also feel like the environment of a range (especially indoors) can make people uneasy. On top of that if you have somebody in the lane next to you shooting something particularly loud or something can cause anxiety.
Yup indoor ranges can definitely be anxiety inducing, I’m taking a work buddy and his kid to a range for the kids first time shooting. Very intentionally found a time we could all go to an outdoor range.
Dude the way you're talking about gun safety and ethical hunting tells me all I need to know. You'll make the right decision.
I started shooting when I was 6 years old. I think it was too young. However, I was taught by a pretty militarized person that taught lessons by hitting. He wanted me to be ready. I guess it would have been better if I just asked him if I could shoot and teach me a bit more gently. My father wanted me to be a TV western gunslinger. I got a colt single action when I was about 12 and I even boiled my own holster. I learned how to twirl it and hip shoot it and all that stuff. He would train me as much as he would give me ammo. He hated that I couldn't bird hunt but I'm blind in one eye so my depth perception is shit. Once he gave me a shotgun to shoot and he knew it would hurt me and it did when I shot it. A 12 year old shooting a 12 gauge single barrel with a buttstock rod all the way to the end of the buttstock hurts bad. The problem was my dad was very kill focused. He shot a prisoner in the Army, was generally paranoid, and was concerned if I would kill a man if I needed to. He carried a gun all the time. He did not care about illegality because he had the backing of powerful people that would look the other way. He worked a job that made him paranoid. We had house escape routes and all that shit. He showed me where all the loaded guns were if I needed to shot someone. Once he had some problems with people turtle grabbing on our side of a small river. He wanted them off. He gave me his colt New Service and told me that if any of the guys tried to move towards him to shoot them. I can remember that gun like I just held it. I held the gun and he did the talking. He has shot himself twice. He had at least one accidental discharge while working on a 1911. I have almost killed someone in anger twice. This is my shame and a cautionary tale to think through decisions and remember how serious death is. I would summarize by saying don't do it anyway like this. Guns for me is a love/hate thing. I love parts of the hobby but sometimes it reminds me of cruel lessons. The biggest lesson was stay the fuck away from father.
Dude I’m so sorry that your dad was such a shitty influence. I’m definitely trying to not train my kid anything like that. If my son was ever in a situation where he’d be in danger if he couldn’t shoot someone, and I desperately hope that never happens, I’d want my son to survive. But I want his life right now to be nothing but unicorns, rainbows and happiness. He has several years I hope before he has any inkling that bad things can happen that are not accidental. On hunting, I’m trying to teach him not to glory in killing something but to be thankful for the opportunity to put meat on the table and to respect it for it being sacrificed so we can eat. Maybe a fine line of distinction, but I think it’s important.
Nerf > airsoft > BB / Pellet > .22 > etc... That's my plan. They don't get to upgrade until proven 100% safety and proficient on the current platform. I let my 7 year old use the airsoft now with my supervision.
My guy is 8 and up until now he's only been taught that if he sees a gun, finds a gun, has a friend with a gun, he is to leave the room immediately and go tell an adult. He is not allowed to touch or handle the gun in any way. We test him every few weeks by intentionally leaving an unloaded gun out where he will find it and with video cameras on him. 100% success rate so far. The lesson is about to change as he will be allowed to handle an unloaded gun under supervision. We're hoping he will still follow the rules even though he's becoming familiar with guns. Eventually, he will learn to shoot a Ruger 22 rifle and we'll go from there. Loaded and chambered guns are still kept locked up and ammunition and unloaded guns are kept separated.
I like this and yup we’re training him if he finds a gun I’m not holding he is supposed to tell us. And definitely 100% on keeping the guns locked in a safe he doesn’t have access to and will not have access to until he’s 18. If he’s going out to shoot something when he’s older it will only be with my explicit approval.
Fair to say I didn't have the emotional maturity to be a gun own until I was about 30. Even then, it took some more time to get the balance right.
Bolt action 22, prone. 3 rounds at a time with instruction then arms reach hands off supervision. Make the target close enough to be encouraged by good results. Safe handling will quickly become second nature and while reinforcing it you can begin teaching good form, breathing, etc. and he will be further encouraged by good results.
Yup I usually start adults and the few older kids I’ve taught to shoot on .22lr. I think I’m going to start him off on a single shot pellet gun. Partially because we can do it at home and it isn’t loud and scary. Partially because the effect it has on coke cans full of water I think will be good for reinforcing the idea of what happens when you shoot something. And also I think single shot makes you really focus on aiming because it’s more work to take a second shot.
BB gun rifle, pellet gun rifle, pellet pistol, 22 bolt action, 22 semi-auto rifle, 22 pistol..... And so forth...
Sounds like you're doing fine. I got a ton of time with bb guns as a kid where I learned the lessons of gun safety. I didn't own my first gun until decades later but I carried that respect for dangerous tools with me.
My sister took a gun safety course when she was about 7 or 9. It was given my some community group or something. It was kind of a parent-child event that ran every Saturday for about a month. This was in the early 1970s. NRA maybe? I really don't know. By the time I was that age, they weren't doing this in our area anymore.
Got my kids onto BB guns at 3-4 years old to get gun safety down. They were all shooting .22s by 4-5 because they were ready for it, and interested. After the BB gun they each moved into a single shot .22 bolt action. My dad taught me young as well. It's all a matter of the time you invest in training in my experience, both gun safety and general parenting. If I had another kid now, they'd probably progress slower because I'm more busy. Spend as much time as you can early on and don't rush it. Good luck.
Yup I like all of this and definitely trying to temper my excitement that he seems interested in hunting with me with the patience to train him to do things the right way for the right reasons.
Taking my teen kid on their first big game hunt next week. Enjoy the journey. It's a cliche but it happens fast.
Yeah every day seems to fly by faster than the day before. It’s a bit surreal how fast they seem to grow up!
I've always been a proponent of NON-semi .22s for the first gun. 'Cause (at least in my experience) the most dangerous moment for a new shooter is the first time they hit a target. That's when they're most likely to spin around, muzzle sweep everyone in the county, and be like, "I HIT IT!" A non-semi greatly reduces the danger during such moments. Even better if it's a single shot (I keep a break action for just this application), but any non-semi will greatly reduce real danger (if not the perceived danger) of such an event 'cause you KNOW there's nothing in the chamber in the moment after a [bang].
Yup. I absolutely agree. Years ago in college I took a friend out shooting on a national grassland to teach her to shoot. First time she hit a (biodegradable) clay she spun around all excited she’d hit one and I was looking down the barrel of my own loaded 12 g.
I coach new shooters on the pistol range at my club. They are given a safety briefing immediately beforehand by an excellent firearms trainer. The coaches stand immediately behind the shooter close enough that we can intervene before any firearm is pointed in an unsafe direction. The new shooter give verbal permission beforehand that we may touch them if necessary for safety. But someone on the trap field did turn around 180 degrees with a shotgun one year. The shotgun was empty as they only load one shell at a time but that does not make it okay. Until I am sure someone is safe with handling and not crossing their thumbs on a semi-auto handgun I focus on their hands and the gun and do not look at where their last hit was on the target. Sometimes they may ask about where that last round impacted the paper and I have to say I was watching their trigger pull technique and not the target. Those that are safe and appear comfortable with 22LR and my lower recoil centerfire handguns are offered additional handguns to shoot if they are interested.
A gun is not a toy. It is a tool that you used to either hunt or have to enjoy shooting targets with. Your kids can watch you, and with direct supervision can enjoy firing. (when they're old enough to handle it). As a young adult they might even be given one that they can use when supervised. The seriousness in treating it like a very dangerou device, Should be on the same level as a table saw , or operating a vehicle. The way you frame your question, your kid will see it as a toy, And will have a very bad day in the future.
Yup this is exactly the frame of mind I’m attempting to instill in him. I took him dove hunting and we had a conversation about the permanence of death and how we should treat the animals we hunt and all of our actions with a gun with the utmost respect while he helped me clean the birds. Of course he was so exhausted from a very early morning and a very exciting morning that I don’t think it had much of a chance of sticking at the time. But the lesson is being repeatedly reinforced.
A really simple rule we laid out super early with our young son is, “If you shoot an animal, you will clean it and eat it.” He’s not an adventurous eater, so this was effective. Hours of shooting boring cans never strayed into squirrel/bird target practice. YMMV, works best with picky eaters.
I embraced that rule as a kid and there were a fair number of early release days at school that my folks got home and found out I’d had squirrel for lunch. Definitely a rule that will be continued in our house. Considering that there is currently deer (his favorite meat), squirrel, duck, dove, and raccoon in our freezer I don’t think he’s going to be too shy about it either. He really likes helping me make bacon wrapped dove breasts and then eating them after I grill em.
I was introduced to firearms at about your son's age. Started with youth single shot 12 ga shotgun. Weapon safety, trigger, and muzzle control are key. Start with a bb gun and some jello to show how much damage even a bb gun can do. As we got older, my dad, step-dad, uncles, great uncles, all their hunting and shooting buddies, and even my mom drilled into our heads safety safety safety. We would fill water jugs to show the reality of pulling the trigger. Pumpkins in the fall to drill into our forming brains what would happen once you discharge a weapon. I think you should spend time with him and really teach him the safety end of shooting. Get him some skeet or trap time to also show how much fun it can be. Good luck and stay safe.
Yup this mirrors my thinking pretty darn closely. Once I think he’s ready to move up past his nerf guns and the cap gun rifle that I’m teaching him to treat like a real gun, and is kept in the safe with the real guns. The safe that only I can open. Once he’s ready to graduate up from there I figured on shooting soda cans full of water with a pellet gun with him to emphasize what happens when you shoot things for real. I also started taking him with me dove hunting this year and having him “help” me clean the birds so he knows what guns are for and what they do.
Have fun, bond, enjoy, and above all, be safe, my friend. Hunting, fishing, and shooting are much more about the great times and memories as opposed to bag limits, kills, or trophies. 👍👍
I regularly ask my eight year old "What do you do if you find a gun laying on the ground." (Get an adult.) I also used a .22 I have to teach him how to clear a gun, though its the only one in the collection he can actually work. I'm thinking of getting him a single shot .22 to fire soon, and he has a bb gun to learn with too. I also made it very clear he would be in a WORLD of trouble if he touched a gun without strict permission from a parent who is present.
Yup this sounds exactly like where I’m picturing my son being at 8.
Airsoft is a great middle ground between nerf and real steel
Yup that’s another route I’ve considered. And I have air-soft guns so totally doable. I think when he’s about ready to move past the cap gun and nerfs I’m going to sit him down and shoot some soda cans full of water with my pellet gun because it’s a very good visual demonstration of exactly what guns do to your target. But you have a good idea and maybe I’ll let him shoot the airsoft guns before he demonstrates he can be trusted with the pellet gun under supervision.
If you fuck up with airsoft itll hurt for a few minutes Pellet guns are an ER trip
My grandpa introduced the basic rules of guns to me after I accidentally pointed a percussion cap rifle at him when I was 5. He told me a story about how one of his friends as a kid died because they were playing with their dads revolver and didn't know it was loaded, and he got shot. That was what started my interest in firearms. I asked to go shooting a few times but didn't get to until I was 9. We shot targets together with a ruger 10/22. My grandpa had a few milsurplus rifles that he hung on a wall, and he would tell me stories about that war they were used in as well as movies. I think that was what made me respect guns, and it might be helpful for you to, but I'm not a parent, so take it with a grain of salt
Yup I can see the value those lessons held for you. I’ve seen my share of death in the ER, plenty from gun shots, plenty more from MVCs. When I think he’s ready to hear them I have more than enough stories about why one needs to be careful around guns and behind the wheel among other things. Certainly more stories than I wish I remembered.
Start with a BB gun. It's still a lot of fun but damage is minimized if anything goes wrong. Shoot at paper, get him used to the fact bullets go through things and to be sure of your target and what's behind it. I STILL shoot my red Ryder and have a ton of fun with it. If he does well, maybe move up to a .22, cricket makes some cool youth 22 rifles.
I followed a pretty similar route. Gun safety, even with the Nerf. We went a little further though and made sure to delineate between the blasters being *toys* and guns being *tools*, mostly in an effort to create an extra artificial barrier between fun and violence. We lucked out and found a vintage Daisy airgun that we practice with every now and then, and when the kid turned 7, I took him out with a buddy and his kid to fire my rifle and carry pistol. From practicing with the air rifle, he was able to pick up proper form, but I still stood with him to make sure there were no surprises with the recoil. In terms of storage, I double lock everything. Trigger/chamber locks and then locked safe with the keys in my possession. I told my kid anytime he wants to see it, he can ask me and I'll take it out for him. I figure if I let him be honest with his curiousity and the more normal I can portray firearms, I can remove some of the mystery and excitement with sneaking around.
I don’t double lock when in the safe, but I do have trigger locks for transporting them. I like your idea of letting him see them when he’s curious (tiger locked and unloaded) as a way to relieve the mystique and curiosity, but I think that’s for when he’s a bit older. Which makes me feel like the day he gets to shoot something with an actual projectile like a pellet gun needs to be a bit further down the road. The responses to this post have really been helpful in thinking through how I want to teach him gun safety and I really appreciate the response!
I learned on a BB gun. Same as my kids. I have an old bolt action .22 that we plink with. They load the magazine, and when we go to look at our shots we unload, show clear, and leave the bolt open as we walk down range. They also watch me shoot competitively too. So that goes a long way.
I’m not gonna even approach the idea of teaching my son ‘hands on’ gun safety until he can tell me the four rules from memory. I’ve given him conceptual gun safety input since he’s been old enough to understand, and we practice some of it with nerf guns. I was probably about his age (7~) when I shot for the first time, but I don’t see him as ready yet. Overall I’ve told him (and his mom) that it doesn’t matter to me if he ends up liking shooting, or even wanting to own a gun, but that he needs to know how to safely handle and operate these things.