How young is to young?

[Sylvain]

Other than the lack of safety glasses I see nothing wrong in the pictures. He was interested in shooting the guns and was safely allowed to do so. It is not like he was holding it by himself doing a mag dump.

Lack of trigger discipline on pic #1 (assuming that other pics were taken while shooting the gun and not just posing for the picture).

 

[TheRude1]

Looks like good parenting to me

Dad

 

[TheRude1]

Lack of trigger discipline on pic #1 (assuming that other pics were taken while shooting the gun and not just posing for the picture).

May have to go from a gold to a silver star for that one !

 

[chezuki]

Many more thread titles like this one and the recent "5 year old girl stats" and I'm gonna leave INGO and format my computer. Hey, why is Chris Hansen in my driveway???

 

[Bigshep]

I wasn't much older when my dad started teaching me to shoot. 4 or 5, I think.

 

[CountryBoy19]

I personally started at 6, my younger brother started at the same time, he was 3...

I know a friend that we go pheasant hunting with every year. His son started at 3 or 4 as I remember and by 5 he was able to sit and shoot targets by himself with his 22 rifle while his dad practiced/shot with his guns at the range. By age 8 or 9 he was carrying his own shotgun hunting pheasants and doing pretty good at it as well.

IMHO, 3 is the age where you should start consider teaching your child to shoot based upon his/her maturity level. It's a judgement call. I would recommend that if you want to continue then you really need to get him on a 22, nothing that will scare him.

 

[sun]

Parents will always decide for themselves. I started mine off with cap guns, which then progressed to BB guns before firearms in .22 LR and muzzle loader.
IMO there's nothing wrong with either letting them shoot or making them wait until the child understands the concepts of shooting, aiming and the result of pulling the trigger.
Every child and parent are different.
No one wants to criticize a parent for exercising their choice about deciding when their kid is ready.
But I don't agree that younger is always better, or that live fire is always better than first starting them off with toy guns, cap guns or bb guns.
A toy gun is good for teaching a kid how to aim.
A cap gun is good for teaching a kid how to actually pull a trigger all by themself with a live firing effect and how to take safety precautions with eye and ear protection.
A bb gun actually teaches how to hold and aim a gun while pulling the trigger for developing hand and eye coordination.
That's when some kids are more apt to be ready to advance to the next stage of shooting live firearms learning prone, bench or off-hand shooting skills etc...

 

[Miketodd]

Lack of trigger discipline on pic #1 (assuming that other pics were taken while shooting the gun and not just posing for the picture).

Yeah, we were in the middle of shooting when we were told to "look over here!". But I guess a silver star is better than no star!

 

[Sylvain]

Yeah, we were in the middle of shooting when we were told to "look over here!". But I guess a silver star is better than no star!

At least the gun where pointed down range.

Some people actually turn over and point the gun at you when you ask them to look at a camera.

 

[stephen87]

You did well. He wanted to see what it was like, you let him try it while controlling all of the variables. I won't say "remember the safety glasses next time," again since everyone else has already said it.

 

[Mitchell0481]

I did the same thing with my daughter on her third birthday. She loved it, we were shooting a bolt action single shot marlin youth 22. After a while of shooting, she could work the bolt herself and load her own rounds, I was like you right behind her hold the rifle with her. I think it is a good thing.

 

[mac45]

Other than the all ready mentioned glasses, I think you did good.
Sure looks like both of you had fun!