When do you introduce kids to guns?

[alaska1996]

I started around 4, but I didn't pick up a real gun till 5. I can tell you, being a kid myself, that this needs to be on a child by child basis. I caught on real quick and respected firearms. My brother on the other hand treats them like toys, much of which is video game induced. Even being among my peers at the high school level, I wouldn't even let them look at my collection. This is just one of those things you have to feel its right.
It never hurts to teach basic safety though.

Feel free to ask me any questions. I come to this with a different perspective, I can see through the eyes of a kid, and not to long ago had the same questions yours might have.

 

[Sugar Land]

So did you pick up your first real gun maybe 2 or 3 years ago?

 

[alaska1996]

No, eleven years ago. I'm 16.

 

[secedetx]

I have two kids, now 9 and 12. Between girl scouts and cub scouts, both of my kids have been introduced to firearms in a safe environment. I have gone through BSA range master certification (different than NRA) and have instructed kids from 8 years old and up. My son an I are currently building an AR15 from scratch. It has been a great learning experience for him. This will be his first deer rifle.

That being said, the more firearms safety that you can do with your kids, the better. Both of my kids have been to deer camp since 7 years old...it worked for us. NRA training programs are awesome.

 

[vmax]

I took my boy shooting with a 10/22 at the age of 6
his momma cried a little

back then, I could only count on about 20 minutes before he lost interest.
the key is don't make it a bad experience for them when they are young.
When their attention span runs out, call calf rope and try again later.

it pays off big time. By the time he was 10, he totally freaked out when I gave him his first new rifle.
Now he is 15 and I would throw him an AR and ask him to cover my 6 anytime. He knows how to handle a firearm.
I witnessed him taking control of an unsafe situation with a gun with another adult and a ten year old. He respectfully explained that sweeping other people was unsafe. I was very proud of him that day.

get your kids out there..but do it right

 

[shooterfpga]

I started around 4, but I didn't pick up a real gun till 5. I can tell you, being a kid myself, that this needs to be on a child by child basis. I caught on real quick and respected firearms. My brother on the other hand treats them like toys, much of which is video game induced. Even being among my peers at the high school level, I wouldn't even let them look at my collection. This is just one of those things you have to feel its right.
It never hurts to teach basic safety though.

Feel free to ask me any questions. I come to this with a different perspective, I can see through the eyes of a kid, and not to long ago had the same questions yours might have.

I was the same age 4-5 when i shot an m16. Not too long after that i was shooting an sks and about 8 was when i was shooting a 12ga. I did not get babied nor did my father help me support the weapon.

Sent from my SGH-T999 using Tapatalk 2

 

[CanTex]

Introduced to them. Interesting question. My girls, From when they were 10 or so we shot bb guns in the back yard. Rifles and pistols were not in their hands till they were in their 20s. However, that was all location driven. Now, with the grandkids, 2 and 4. They have both handled guns with grandpa assisting, the oldest has reloaded about 10 rounds of 9mm when she came to visit one day. We are just in the process of moving out of town so they will get much more experience either with guns while they are cleaned or worked upon for then next few years. Depending upon their interest level as well as their behavior, it will determine when they get to shoot a .22 rifle. I am expecting this to be somewhere between 6 and 8 however, they may surprise me. I am in no rush to get guns into their hands, however if they are going to be anywhere near a gun I dam well want them to know what it can do and how they are to act/respond around one.

 

[Willy]

I'm not a hunter. My kids learned with a 9mm pistol when they were about 8. My Ruger P85 is a tank and there is almost no recoil. When I did buy them their first gun, it was a .22 rifle. Rifles are so much easier to not sweep everybody. My little one started shooting my Kahr CW-9 when he was 9. I was worried about recoil and the next shot, so I made him shoot with an empty magazine until I could trust him. At 11, he handles it pretty well.

They know not to touch my guns around the house. I don't leave them laying around. They are usually on me or my shotgun hangs above a closet door. The little one is 11, so as long as his little friends aren't in the house, I don't worry much.

 

[RACER X]

Is it bad that my 4yo has already shot a suppressed 22, lol

My daughter is 8, bought her the new bolt action 22

I've just got into 22s this yr, have bought 3 so far this yr, lol

sent from my cell phone, far far away but still monitored by the NSA

 

[txbikerman]

I introduced my son to guns at about 6. Me and my brother in law taught him the safety rules,

 

[AngeliaH]

Serah started as soon as I did. She was 11.

 

[Jakashh]

Had my kid shoot my 300 win mag when he turned 2 to get him accustomed to shooting.

 

[matefrio]

Had my kid shoot my 300 win mag when he turned 2 to get him accustomed to shooting.

The recoil not only blew him back into the womb it was soo bad you're still a virgin.

 

[Jakashh]

The recoil not only blew him back into the womb it was soo bad you're still a virgin.

best response ever. I wasn't expecting that lol

 

[matefrio]

best response ever. I wasn't expecting that lol

Thanks #74 of 76.

 

[jordanmills]

When they're old enough to ask what they are. If you make them some big secret that only adults get to know about, they're going to want to get their hands on them and figure them out. IMO they should get to handle them early and often, under adult supervision. Got a question about something on the rifle? Let's break it out, review the safety and handling rules, and get it answered.

 

[jordanmills]

The recoil not only blew him back into the womb it was soo bad you're still a virgin.

Never mind, didn't realize I was posting in a BURN thread.

 

[Jakashh]

Thanks #74 of 76.

woooosh! Flew right over my head, no homo

 

[Mikeinhistory]

My father bought me a Winchester lever actoin .22 for my 13th birthday. I will never forget that. I had been rabbit hunting with him for a few years before that, but I can actually clearly remember the first time my father introduced me to a gun. It was a Ruger revolver, I was 9 and the LA riots were going on. I could see the smoke from the convenience store on our corner. My father put me in the bedroom with my brother and told me to shoot anyone who tried to get in that wasn't my parents.

 

[Blayglock]

At age one they get a water pistol. Start teaching them proper handling then.

At age 4 they get a .22. and some range time with dad.

I got turned loose at age 7 with a .410 to squirrel hunt on our farm.