How old when you started?

molonlabe821 · May 16, 2013

My daughter turned 9 about a week ago. Today, we sat together and we cleaned my sidearm. She'd never handled a real firearm before, and I thought today was just a good a day as any to sit her down and show her some (more) gun safety, and let her handle it herself. I taught her how to "make it safe." I taught her all about the parts, what they did, how the mechanics of a semi auto handgun worked. From what I can tell, she really enjoyed it. An added plus was that it turned a rather mundane housekeeping task into what some may consider family fun

She's not strong enough yet to be able to rack the slide on her own, but she sure did try!

I know that compared to a lot of y'all she probably got a late start - but what are your first memories of firearms? How old were you when you handled a real one?

I figured this post might be a nice distraction from some of the more political discussions.

PFC HALE · May 16, 2013

i started shooting at 5

XD40sc · May 16, 2013

molonlabe821 said:
My daughter turned 9 about a week ago. Today, we sat together and we cleaned my sidearm. She'd never handled a real firearm before, and I thought today was just a good a day as any to sit her down and show her some (more) gun safety, and let her handle it herself. I taught her how to "make it safe." I taught her all about the parts, what they did, how the mechanics of a semi auto handgun worked. From what I can tell, she really enjoyed it. An added plus was that it turned a rather mundane housekeeping task into what some may consider family fun She's not strong enough yet to be able to rack the slide on her own, but she sure did try!

I know that compared to a lot of y'all she probably got a late start - but what are your first memories of firearms? How old were you when you handled a real one?

I figured this post might be a nice distraction from some of the more political discussions.

So, when are you taking her shooting?

Took my grandsons (10 and 12), and they started with a 22LR Ruger, and in the same trip, shot our 9mm and .40S&W. If they had their way, they would run me to the poor house buying ammo. Next trip they wanted to shoot a .45, which I rented for them to shoot. We had done a number of safety drills and used snap caps at home, plus field stripping and cleaning prior to their visit to the range.

Gil223 · May 17, 2013

Six years old, .22RF, single shot, bolt action w/cocking piece. Pax...

ron73440 · May 17, 2013

Can't wait to take them shooting again

I started my kids at 5 with a .22lr Ruger.

They weren't big enough to hold it properly so in the prone I would put my hand under the buttstock and they would look through the scope and tell me to go up or down and left and right and they would pull the trigger.

Now they are 11 and 16 and both can shoot my .45, although when the 11 year old shoots, there is only one bullet in the chamber and an empty mag.

He can't hit the bullseye, but he hits paper from 15 yds and they both think it's an awesome way to spend time together.

The 16 year old shoots my 30-30 and 30-06 as well and is turning into a better shot than me (damn my old eyes).

OC for ME · May 17, 2013

.22LR, semi-auto, tube feed, Belgium made squirrel gun. Empty casings eject straight down. My younger boy is eight now, had him going through a tube (10 rounds) as fast as he could pull the trigger when he was seven. My #1 son is shooting my Big Boy pistol and my Remington 1100. He has his own .243 deer rifle.

hafnhaf · May 17, 2013

Got my first gun at 18 (10/22). I lived in NYC prior to that. I started my kids a lot sooner than that.

ADobbs1989 · May 17, 2013

First guns I shot was a .22LR Bolt-Action, a 9mm handgun, and a 12 gauge shotgun all around the same time when I was 6. 12 gauge kicked my ass. My kids ages 4, 2, and 2 have all shot my Ruger 10/22 with my help.

phleye · May 17, 2013

BB gun's at 12. Daisy Model 188
Real Firearms at 14-15. Ruger MK1

EMNofSeattle · May 17, 2013

Gil223 said:
Six years old, .22RF, single shot, bolt action w/cocking piece. Pax...

Ah the good ol Marlin 100 I presume?

I was 8. My dad was cleaning a rifle he had (a beat up Enfield .303) and I asked if I could touch it.

He showed my how to work the bolt and how it worked. Although at 8 I didn't have the strength to close the Enfield cock on close bolt.

I started on air guns at 7. The first time I shot a firearm I was 13 and it was a marlin 980 stainless .22 bolt action my grandfather gave me for Christmas a month before

thebigsd · May 18, 2013

I was ten. My grandfather started me off with a BB gun and taught me to shoot. Things progressed pretty rapidly from there. I plan to start teaching my son to shoot next year when he turns five. He already understands that guns are dangerous and that he is not allowed to touch them without permission. So far so good.

Lyndsy Simon · May 18, 2013

My daughter is 4, and she's got 3 rifles of her own. By far her favorite is a pink .22 Cricket I got her for Christmas this year, which she loves to shoot with .22 CB shorts - it's just about "Hollywood quiet", so she doesn't have to wear earpro.

She's shot probably 1000 rounds of .22 in her old age, and a few rounds through my wife's Mini-14 and my AK underfolder. She really like the way the AK looks and asks to see it all the time, but isn't a big fan of its bark.

On that topic, she's allowed to see and handle any firearm she likes, provided she asks mom or dad first. We clear them and either hand them to her or sit them on the floor so she can get a good look. She's pretty good now in terms of muzzle discipline, and we take every opportunity to let her practice. In our home, guns are not forbidden objects but tools that are dangerous if not treated with respect. They're no different than the knives in the kitchen drawers.

Firearms Iinstuctor · May 18, 2013

Age 5 first shots with a Remington 22rf rolling block pistol. Got my first hunting kill about the same time with my bb gun a starling raiding the blue bird house.

Started my kids out early got their first BB at age 5 22s at 12 by the time they were very good shooters by the time they were 15 and have just gotten better.

Jamesm760 · May 19, 2013

I was 21. I am the first person in my family that is not "anti". I was trying to hide my first firearm from my family for a week. It was weird having to holster it, CC it to my car, then OC once in my vehicle. One day I just told my mother I bought a firearm, and tucked my shirt behind the holster to unconceal it. She almost fainted... but atleast my glock came out of the closet

Now she has fully accepted it, I can walk around her with my firearm, we can go to the store and she is ok with it. Although I am %100 sure I will never get her to fire even one round. She even went as far as allowing me to take my 16year old brother to the range. I am now teaching him firearm safety and getting him into how they function and all the different types... Good times.

Wolfgang1952 · May 19, 2013

My Dad gave his first 22 rifle when I made 5, the same age he was when Father gave it to hem, and thet was in 1919. I still have my Hamilton and Son #27 22 rifle. Dad would not let a BB or Air Rifle in the house. He said he has seen to many eyes put out by BB guns. He tought me from a very young age what a REAL gun will do. My Dad started taking me hunting with hem when I was only 6 Months old. He would take everything with hem he would need to take care of me. Dippers, Fomula and everything else. He took and old ARMY back pack and cut leg holes in it, and he put me in it, and off wed go.

MSG Laigaie · May 20, 2013

My Mother trained me at age seven with a .22 winchester. I taught my children starting at age seven also. I had access to military ranges when they were young and we would take ALL the weapons and lay them on the table. I took my Mom when she came to visit. We have a picture of her firing a MAC10 with a suppressor and labeled it "Grambo".

Grapeshot · May 20, 2013

5 - 6 yo with a Daisy Rider BB gun, then made a quantum leap at 8 yo to JRNRA small bore competition - wasn't air rifles back then.

Who remembers the old JRNRA Pro Marksman + PM 1st Class, Sharp Shooter + 10 bars, Expert, & Distinguished awards? I still have mine

bbMurphy · May 20, 2013

5 yrs old too.

Grapeshot said:
5 - 6 yo with a Daisy Rider BB gun, then made a quantum leap at 8 yo to JRNRA small bore competition - wasn't air rifles back then.

Who remembers the old JRNRA Pro Marksman + PM 1st Class, Sharp Shooter + 10 bars, Expert, & Distinguished awards? I still have mine

Boy, that's a blast from the past. I was also in the JRNRA small bore competitions. Started shooting at 5 for the Belvoir Rifles (Acorns) group using the range guns at the George Libby indoor range on Ft. Belvoir. Got my first match 22 when I was 7. An Anschutz Match 64. Still have it! Attained the highest award in both rifle and pistol - Distinguished Expert and still have the graduated medals that go with it.

My father was a career army officer and he saw to it that me and my brothers were fully involved with firearms and firearm safety. Thanks GS for the memories!

Grapeshot · May 20, 2013

bbMurphy said:
Boy, that's a blast from the past. I was also in the JRNRA small bore competitions. Started shooting at 5 for the Belvoir Rifles (Acorns) group using the range guns at the George Libby indoor range on Ft. Belvoir. Got my first match 22 when I was 7. An Anschutz Match 64. Still have it! Attained the highest award in both rifle and pistol - Distinguished Expert and still have the graduated medals that go with it.

My father was a career army officer and he saw to it that me and my brothers were fully involved with firearms and firearm safety. Thanks GS for the memories!

Glad a blew some of the cobwebs aside

Your memories possibly go back to the '60s or '70s.

My references are of the mid '40s thru the mid '50s - still have my old shooting jacket with the patches on the back too.

bbMurphy · May 20, 2013

Grapeshot said:
Glad a blew some of the cobwebs aside Your memories possibly go back to the '60s or '70s.

My references are of the mid '40s thru the mid '50s - still have my old shooting jacket with the patches on the back too.

Yep. Started shooting in '63. I still have my (last) old shooting jacket with all the patches too. Went through a few of them as I grew and just transfered the patches. Doesn't fit anymore.... wonder why?

How old when you started?

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