When should young boy be allow to shoot a pistol!

sprinklerguy28 said:

The most important people you need to ask are his parents. It's a decision they need to make and feel comfortable with. Putting a number on it is almost impossible. Every child is different, and only the parents can make that final decision of if/when they are ready to shoot.

Click to expand...

I chose to allow my son to shoot pistols once he could show safe operation.

Click to expand...

Onnie said:

so that's my question. My question is about my grandson. Now I am sure all those who don't have kids will want to chime in and while i appreciate your enthusiasm I am really looking for input from fathers/mothers/grandparent who have wrestled with the same question with their own kids.

I have been teaching him gun safety and have only let him hold my pistol unloaded.

My father started me using a gun when I was 12, but never a handgun to shoot always a rifle, and his training was just handing it to me and told me not to point it at any one. He never even showed me how to load it or any safety issues.

I am looking for when others may have allowed their kids/grand-kids to shoot a pistol. I do plan on getting a 22 pistol for him to practice with but that wont be until next summer

thanks in advance

Click to expand...

bobn911 said:

After showing my granddaughter the basics of gun saftey, I took her to the small indoor range close to me to let her shoot. I had her stand on a chair, pick up the pistol, then I put my hands around hers to help hold it steady. She had complete control of the trigger. At the last second, she chickened out and did'nt want to shoot it. I told her that's okay and that we can try again later. Later came about 15 minutes later and she was able to hit the target about 25FT away. Made me a proud papa. She was 8 at the time. The pistol she shot is a High Standard Supermatic .22cal.
On a side note, I bought for her, a one of 150, Special Factory Order, bubble gum pink bone handled Case brand Trapper pocket knife. She got that at age 6. I keep it in my inventory, but she knows where it is and when she wants to see it, I get it out for her. Later, Bob

Click to expand...

budlight said:

I started taking my son at age 9 to the range. He did fine with a Glock 9 and 40. As others have said maturity plays a big part in the decision.

Also, I started working with my son way before that on gun safety. Before we ever went to the range he was already trained to keep his finger off the trigger and never point a weapon at something unless he was ready to destroy it. I had started working on gun safety with him on his toy guns, and way before he ever went to the range he mastered keeping his finger off the trigger and the barrel pointed in a safe direction.

Some people don't agree with me making him practice gun safety with his toy guns, but I felt it was the best way to teach him at a young age. My thought process was that if he had a bad habit with his toy guns, it would continue down the road and be harder to break as he grows up.

Click to expand...

Bailenforcer said:

We can grapple about age for the next 4000 posts in this thread. But age is of no value here as there are many 55 year olds I wouldn't let touch an unloaded gun let alone shoot.
In order this is your most important consideration, and I learned this back in the late 70's and the next couple of decades teaching people to shoot.

1. Maturity despite age. Can they grasp concepts of safety and danger?
2. Ability, strength to handle recoil. If they are 40 and can't handle recoil we have a dangerous situation.
3. Obedience, and the ability to acquiesce to authority. How can anyone teach, or trust someone with a weapon if they are stiff necked and hard headed?

Skills can be taught to anyone and depending on their intellectual prowess will learn. Attitude and stupidity is almost never changed with any amount of teaching.

Click to expand...