It's never too early...

72Malibu · Dec 5, 2007

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... to teach children eye and hearing safety.

My boy is 2. He found my hearing protection in my gear bag beside the dresser (anything dangerous of course was elsewhere locked away from his access like firearms, ammo, etc). I added the glasses myself. He thought it was the coolest thing and I had to get some pictures.

This probably ought to be in the general forum, but I never venture outside of the VA forum.

Ghettokracker71 · Dec 6, 2007

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Hahahaha too cute man :celebrate :lol:

awsome pics!!!

vmathis12019 · Dec 6, 2007

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That's adorable man. Can't wait till my nephew gets old enough for me to start shooting with him (he's only 8 months old right now... a little too young his mom says).

72Malibu · Dec 6, 2007

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Well, my boy is too young at 2. I don't know what the rational age is. All I know is that my dad started educating me about firearms and taking me target shooting when I was about 10 or 11 or so.

I bought my boy a little orange toy gun (interesting how the cashier gave me dirty looks when I bought it). He doesn't seem to have much interest in it right now... well, he didn't until he saw me shoot one of those sticky-darts out of it... then he wanted to play with it. I didn't think it wise for me to let him play with something that involves projectiles when we still have a problem trying to break him of the habit of throwing toys. He threw one of his socks into the Christmas tree the other day and I didn't notice it until this morning.

Tess · Dec 6, 2007

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72Malibu wrote:

Well, my boy is too young at 2. I don't know what the rational age is. All I know is that my dad started educating me about firearms and taking me target shooting when I was about 10 or 11 or so.

I bought my boy a little orange toy gun (interesting how the cashier gave me dirty looks when I bought it). He doesn't seem to have much interest in it right now... well, he didn't until he saw me shoot one of those sticky-darts out of it... then he wanted to play with it. I didn't think it wise for me to let him play with something that involves projectiles when we still have a problem trying to break him of the habit of throwing toys. He threw one of his socks into the Christmas tree the other day and I didn't notice it until this morning.

I started handling guns when I was 6 or 7 - being one of the big folks who could sit around the table and talk guns. Of course, I didn't have a clue what they were talking about - to this day I don't know all I might about the various brands and types.

Most of us (my father's kids) had shot something, either a 22 pistol or a rifle, by the time we were 8 or 9.

Ghettokracker71 · Dec 6, 2007

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I remember my dad shooting his 12gauge when I was very, VERY young. I knew where they kept it,but I always knew way better than to mess with it. Maybe they talked to me about it,but I don't really recall anysaid talks.

About 10/11 years old, my dad asked me what I wanted to get into if I wanted a hobby. I said "guns" . So

...

AbNo · Dec 11, 2007

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I actually got started pretty late.

My grandpa gave my mom a .38 revolver back when she moved to Little Rock for work, and my step dad picked up a.... S&W 9mm I think, a few years later.

I didn't really get started shooting until AFTER I got out of the Air Force, but the interest was always there.

vmathis12019 · Dec 11, 2007

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I was in the deer woods by the time I was 4 or 5. Living in rural Alabama, it was no big deal. I hada .22 when I was 6 I think. Got my first pistol when I was 15 (it was mine, but it was always locked away in a safe that I couldn't access). Got a shotgun at 9, 30.06 at 12 or 13.

stryth · Dec 11, 2007

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72Malibu wrote:

Well, my boy is too young at 2. I don't know what the rational age is. All I know is that my dad started educating me about firearms and taking me target shooting when I was about 10 or 11 or so.

Interesting - I have no problem with 2 year olds shooting. I don't think I'd take one to a large range, but I think back-yard plinking is a fine thing to do and start learning safety. There are pictures from the day I was shooting at my grandparents house at 2 1/2 (with my father right there, of course). By the time I was 5 or 6 we were going fairly regularly to the base range.

72Malibu · Dec 11, 2007

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Well, the range I go to is mostly private, and rarely are there many people there unless there's an event. I can't really "plink" with him with anything other than a BB gun as I don't want to tick off my neighbors.

I'm just a little unnerved about the idea of letting him shoot a .22 or anything when I still can't get him to stop throwing his toys. Haha!

stryth · Dec 11, 2007

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72Malibu wrote:

Well, the range I go to is mostly private, and rarely are there many people there unless there's an event. I can't really "plink" with him with anything other than a BB gun as I don't want to tick off my neighbors.

I'm just a little unnerved about the idea of letting him shoot a .22 or anything when I still can't get him to stop throwing his toys. Haha!

Sounds like a good range then. I started on a 10/22 (I don't recall that specifically, but I remember shooting rifles and there are pictures from that day and same spot where I'm holding a 10/22).

Then again my pasttime of choice at that age and younger involved ripping up magazines and newspapers rather than throwing things, so perhaps case-by-case discretion is a good idea

Shortie · Dec 11, 2007

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I have 2 girls, 5 and 3. I already have the wife's blessing. I'm considering a 22/.410 combo for the 5 year old. She has been bugging me to go to the range with me but I don't have anything small she can shoot. I'mlooking forward to taking her to the range for the first time but she'll have to wait until we get her a gun.

roscoe13 · Dec 11, 2007

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Shortie wrote:

I have 2 girls, 5 and 3. I already have the wife's blessing. I'm considering a 22/.410 combo for the 5 year old. She has been bugging me to go to the range with me but I don't have anything small she can shoot. I'mlooking forward to taking her to the range for the first time but she'll have to wait until we get her a gun.

You might want to consider a 20ga/22LR combo. Light 20ga rounds don't kick any more than most .410 loads, and the .410 doesn't pattern worth a damn. Nothing will put her off shooting faster than not being able to hit anything...

sitedzn · Dec 12, 2007

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Shortie wrote:

I have 2 girls, 5 and 3. I already have the wife's blessing. I'm considering a 22/.410 combo for the 5 year old. She has been bugging me to go to the range with me but I don't have anything small she can shoot. I'mlooking forward to taking her to the range for the first time but she'll have to wait until we get her a gun.

I've taken my 5 yr old son out to Chickahominy to shoot my 22. I opted for single shot only for the first 10 or so, but then loaded up 15 in the tube and let him have at it (he was sitting in my lap the whole time). Nothing in the world like the grin I saw on his face after he emptied the gun in 10 seconds.

You should try and come out to the Richmond dinner on Tuesday (see Richmond OC dinner thread). If I'm able to make it (starting to look doubtful) we could get to know each other a bit and possibly set up a time when I can bring out the 22 for your 5 yr old to try (I have a 410 and access to a 20ga also).

Marco · Dec 12, 2007

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I started at a early age6,but I would consider a child old enough when they can follow directions.

I just started teaching my 7yr oldand will probably start my4yr oldafter his next B-Day.

Their first shooting experience will start with a single shot 22 bolt action rifle.
My4yr old shows an interest in guns, wanting to know what each one is and always ask can he go with when I head off to the range.
The 7yr old shows little interest so it will be more about the basics and safety.

My 14yr old nephew just started showing interest in guns/shooting and got hooked afterI bought him a realistic lookingair gun(Walther made copy of a Sig 226).
His Dad owns a Sig P229 and a P225.

He is now the proud co-owner of a Walther TP22 and goes shooting with his Dad regularly.

Slowhand · Dec 12, 2007

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My Dad started taking my brothers and I out shooting (.22s)in the desert back when I was about 5 or 6 years old. And that was in the People's Republik of (Southern) Kalifornia (late 60s early 70s).

muzz3256 · Dec 13, 2007

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I wish my parents would have started teaching me early, they are very anti and when we moved here from Chicago, we moved to the middle of nowhere. Used to have hunters trespassing all the time, so my dad bought a .22 rifle, but I was not so much as allowed to look at it, otherwise I would get in trouble. When one of my school friends got a 12ga for christmas, he let me shoot it, I had a blast. When my parents found out, they were furious and told me I could not go over to his house anymore. I think their anti ways are really what got me into guns in the first place, now after living in virginia for almost 20 years, they have kinda given up their anti ways, which is good. I say start early, I know when my parents would leave, I would looks for that rifle, so I could mess around with it, just out of curiosity. Looking back, that was very foolish on my and their part, something very bad could have happened. I say start educating early, take away the mystery and curiosity of guns, and teach that they are not toys.

Slowhand · Dec 13, 2007

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muzz3256 wrote:

I wish my parents would have started teaching me early, they are very anti and when we moved here from Chicago, we moved to the middle of nowhere. Used to have hunters trespassing all the time, so my dad bought a .22 rifle, but I was not so much as allowed to look at it, otherwise I would get in trouble. When one of my school friends got a 12ga for christmas, he let me shoot it, I had a blast. When my parents found out, they were furious and told me I could not go over to his house anymore. I think their anti ways are really what got me into guns in the first place, now after living in virginia for almost 20 years, they have kinda given up their anti ways, which is good. I say start early, I know when my parents would leave, I would looks for that rifle, so I could mess around with it, just out of curiosity. Looking back, that was very foolish on my and their part, something very bad could have happened. I say start educating early, take away the mystery and curiosity of guns, and teach that they are not toys.

Ditto! When you train kids young, it makes a better impression. Kids get into trouble when they are curious and no one cares to explain the proper use and safety of firearms. I know that if I ever mis-handled a firearm, my Dad would clock me upside the head. That would make the lesson sink in. I was never abused, but I learned the right way to handle firearms. And to this day I have a healthy respect for and reverence for firearms.

It's never too early...

72Malibu

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Ghettokracker71

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vmathis12019

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72Malibu

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Tess

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Ghettokracker71

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AbNo

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vmathis12019

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stryth

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72Malibu

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stryth

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Shortie

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roscoe13

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sitedzn

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Marco

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Slowhand

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muzz3256

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Slowhand

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