What is a good age to introduce Shooting Sports and Gun Appreciation to your children ?

[Martydondon]

I know I'm probably way ahead of myself here, but with my first child on its way, I was wondering when it would be a good time to begin teaching him about shooting, defense and safety.

My wife isn't opposed to him learning early, as we keep several guns in the house for defense, as well as a still in the works gun room...

I dont think I want him handling a gun at 5, but my range allows 7 y/o to shoot rifles under adult supervision... curious to know when everyone else started teaching their youngsters about firearms..

Have a safe and happy holiday season!!!

 

[Catskillkid]

Any age is a good age to teach kids to respect firearms. I forgot how old i was but I was probably 5 or 6 when under supervision I played with a BB gun. Shooting .22 around then would be appropriate too in my opinion.

You'll know your kids better than anyone else so you'll have to make that judgement call.

 

[spat]

 

[spat]

If I recall, I was shooting a .22 well before I was running the lawn mower.

I had a bb gun long before the .22.

Get the kid a bb gun, if he proves he can handle it responsibly, upgrade him.

 

[Acer-m14]

your call ... but the age is wide on when .. i think it is when they can understand playing with toy guns and shooting real ones .. the difference ..

my friends son .. 4 when we met .. now going on 7 i think .. he will light you up with a nurf gun .. lol .. real gun totally different attitude .. and will shoot anything you have with help to make it fun for him ..

i got one of them glock 19 replica bb guns .. he wanted to hold it .. handed it to him .. first thing he did was try to pull the slide back and check if loaded .. he got mad it was just a bb gun at first lol .. not a blowback bb gun lol .. then we went out to shoot it some .. we had fun ..

 

[dsdmmat]

As soon as they start noticing guns and asking questions

 

[kev74]

I exposed my son to the guns in the house starting at 2 or 3. I wanted to take the mystery out of it. He used to get a kick out of opening and closing the lock on the stack-on cabinet I used for storage. So whenever he asked, I'd pull out the key and let him open and close the door until he was board. If he asked about a gun, I'd pull it out and answer and explain until he was satisfied. He's almost 14 now and I've never found him snooping around gun stuff, nor have I worried about him doing so.

 

[Acer-m14]

BOOKS

JG's little girl is a shooter

 

[Robin]

When they are toddlers.
Robin

 

[Tisto]

I was shooting my father's Colt Single Action Army .45 when I was 5 with help. Got my first BB gun at 7. Had a range in the basement that was nothing more than a couple haybales stacked against the wall. If i was low on ammo i would drag a magnet around and pick it up. I also had a bow and arrow at roughly the same age. I didn't really get into archery intil later when I was big enough to draw a bow powerful enough to launch an arrow 25 yards or so. Used the same haybales for that. At 9 I got a powerful .22 pellet gun. No clue how many blackbirds fell to that thing. I'm surprised they're not extinct now.

Dad's guns were NEVER locked up. Respect for them was drilled into me from birth. I was allowed to look at them with supervision but otherwise they were left alone.

 

[Celt]

I was around 6 years old from what I remember. My old man taught me to shoot with a 22.
All my kids have been shooting since around 5 or 6, and anytime talk of guns come up I impress upon them safety and respect for the firearm.

 

[JohnD13]

I started with a .22 at about 6 years old. Our kids started with bb guns at 5 and .22's at about 6 years old. They learned safety from the start and have not forgotten it.

 

[MilesTeg]

My oldest is getting a BB gun this year for Christmas. He's 5 1/2 and I think he's ready with close supervision. I made sure to get a BB gun that he couldn't operate by himself yet.

 

[Saltwater60]

It all depends on the kid in my opinion. I have two kids and they are vastly different. One has ADHD and is a bit of a wild child for sure. I noticed a huge jump in maturity in both kids starting at about 10-11 years old.
I think they did BB guns about 7 and a .22 here and there about 9 my youngest was a bit older. He doesn’t like real guns at all because he has sensory issues. He largely stays away from them. He loves guns just hates the noise.
Bottom line is everyone is different and you’ll know when they are ready.
My sisters son was 5-6 and I was at my parents property and my dad handed him a BB gun. First thing he did was look down the barrel and point it right at his forehead. alMy dad laughed since he has issues and knew it was unloaded. I shook my head and took it away. Next words out of my dad and sisters mouths were hey you want to shoot the real guns. I said nope they are away and staying that way. They were pissed at me and I don’t care. I’m sure it’s obvious but Don’t be like this. My sisters kid also has a whole host of issues and no guns are locked up at their house. The BB gun looked like the glock they own. I even mentioned it a few times and bought a lock box for them. Still sits in a basket on top of the fridge or a dresser drawer.

 

[SonOfSun]

My short answer: Depends more on the kid's maturity and responsibility than the age.

 

[Apeman]

My oldest is getting a BB gun this year for Christmas. He's 5 1/2 and I think he's ready with close supervision. I made sure to get a BB gun that he couldn't operate by himself yet.

Mine is getting one too but he's 7 1/2. He won't have free reign with it until he can prove he can be trusted.

 

[C3D]

Just remember in New York the law is that children under 12 can not shoot a firearm, including a rifle under a parent's supervision (and at age 12-16 can only do so if the parent has a hunting safety certificate or if there is a certified instructor et al). Make sure you do not post anything to the contrary on the internet.

 

[MilesTeg]

Just remember in New York the law is that children under 12 can not shoot a firearm, including a rifle under a parent's supervision (and at age 12-16 can only do so if the parent has a hunting safety certificate or if there is a certified instructor et al). Make sure you do not post anything to the contrary on the internet.

I didn't know that any chance you know where in the penal code that is?

 

[C3D]

View attachment 99737

Is that your Lahti? Nice.

 

[C3D]

I didn't know that any chance you know where in the penal code that is?

265.20(7)

 

[MilesTeg]

Thank you!

 

[Robin]

None of the states business at what age I teach my kid's and now grand kid's about anything. FUNY
Robin

 

[fresch]

I guess the picture of me in a diaper sitting on my dad's knee ready to fire a Stevens https://americanshootingjournal.com/stevens-favorite-model-1915/amp/ is a bad thing then.

 

[dwa12479]

The single most important thing with kids and firearms in my opinion is to take the mystery out of it and learn the safety side.

My kids have always had an understanding with me that ANYTIME you want to see whats in the safe(s).... come get me. We recite the 4 rules, open the safe(s) and safely handle ANYTHING in there they want until they're satisfied.

My kids are 16, 15, and 13. I have no qualms about leaving loaded firearms anywhere around them, I know they'll be fine.

 

[Acer-m14]

NYS Open Legislation | NYSenate.gov

www.nysenate.gov

from what im reading in section 7 is dealing with ranges .. not your back yard or a friends back yard ..

in a part of it there is a OR // parent or ... with hunting safty ect .. so without check the DEC part to confirm .. but i would think if your a parent and have a hunting license you are qualified

" a not-for-profit corporation duly organized under the laws of this state, or by a New York state 4-H certified shooting sports instructor; or (c) a parent, guardian, or a person over the age of eighteen designated in writing by such parent or guardian who shall have a certificate of qualification in responsible hunting, including safety, ethics, and landowner relations-hunter relations, issued or honored by the department of environmental conservation; "

 

[spat]

Is that your Lahti? Nice.

I wish.

Just a pic of a baby with a gun.

There are some of me at that age with (far less cool) guns, but I don't have them handy.

 

[Martydondon]

Just remember in New York the law is that children under 12 can not shoot a firearm, including a rifle under a parent's supervision (and at age 12-16 can only do so if the parent has a hunting safety certificate or if there is a certified instructor et al). Make sure you do not post anything to the contrary on the internet.

Im a long way off, and the range i joined allows i believe 7 or 8 yo to shoot under supervision.
But thanks for the heads up

 

[Martydondon]

Thanks everyone for the great advice and tips... I really appreciate it. Hopefully he will have the same love of shooting and the outdoors as me. And this is something we can do together for many years to come...

 

[GOPerfect]

Depends on the child. My son, I think he was shooting at five.

Got his first gun, Henry lever 22, at seven. First handgun at nine and his first AR at 11.

 

[Pale Rider]

I think I was about 33 when I introduced my children to shooting sports.