When to introduce guns to the kids

[RandomCubed]

I have three little girls and I was wondering what age seems to be appropriate to start teaching them gun respect/gun handling. I'm not looking at taking my 5 year old to the range, but when I was 7 or so my Dad and Grandpa exposed my brothers and I to guns and we seemed to come out OK.
Just putting it out there, looking for some opinions.

 

[RandomCubed]

A few minutes after I posted this, this ;
https://www.indianagunowners.com/fo...d_your_kids_have_access_to_their_weapons.html

jumped to the top of the forum cue, its somewhat relevant

 

[darend505]

I was in scouting for a number of years. I started shooting bb guns at the age of 7. They teach safety and we were always supervised!

 

[threedhuntr]

I was in scouting for a number of years. I started shooting bb guns at the age of 7. They teach safety and we were always supervised!

I think scouting is a good route. I started my son out with an H&R 22 when he was 9. He learned to respect guns and know they were not toys, not hide them from him so he goes looking out of curiosity, not knowing them.

 

[DeadeyeChrista'sdad]

Bub the grandson has a cricket, A karma gift from another forum. He's 7 and got it last year at Christmas. Loves ringing steel with it. I got a kid sized model 60 years and years ago for his auntie, and when she preferred her full sized one, kept it for him and those to follow. He was a little taken aback to think there'd been a gun in the safe for him 10 years before he was born... Makes me laugh to think of the look on his face.

 

[phishb0y]

My little guy got his gun and NRA life membership for his first birthday. Cant wait for him to be old enough to go with dad to the range. For now stuck pulling the gun out wiping it down and planning the trip. He will be two in April so have some time to nail down the details. He loves going to the gun shop and we get to do it regularly, with it being in the same building as our Barber Shop. Good luck and have fun

Phishb0y

 

[Jacobm]

As silly as it may sound, we started our kids out at about 2 years old. Sure it was with toy guns but we didn't allow the pointing of a toy gun at anyone and took every opportunity to discuss firearm handling. Both of the kids tagged along on range trips (back yard range) and dove/squirrel hunts by the age of 4. I'm sure they were shooting by age 5 with BB guns. They knew how to check the action on any of our guns at a very young age, supervised of course. They were shooting 22's (supervised) and hunting with an unloaded BB gun about the time they started first grade. They were hunting on their own by age 12. Never had a gun issue with them, never had them curious about guns, never had them show off a gun in an improper manner, never messed with guns inappropriately and those kids could shoot. They treated guns like the tools to do a job. Now we have grandkids coming up the same way.

 

[IndyGunSafety]

If they are old enough to ask they are old enough to learn. Start with the golden rules of gun safety and the Eddie Eagle Gun Safe rules. Handling can be done without going to the range. As far as a range trip and first shots, it's up to you. Whenever you think they are mature enough to understand and apply the safety rules, AND (with your correction) learn shooting fundamentals. Whatever you do, don't scare them during live fire.

 

[J_Wales]

Dad started me with air guns by age 4, under his supervision of course. What a great way to learn firearm safety. By the time I was 7 I had my own and was allowed to use it unsupervised.

Bigger guns still required his supervision until I was around 12 or so and the. Was allowed to take a 22 or 12 gauge out on my own. Many of my best memories are from running around in the woods at my grandparents plinking the day away with a 22. I still use it for squirrel and plinking today.

(sigh). Great memories.

THANKS DAD!

Good luck with teaching your kids. Enjoy the time.

 

[bat54r]

I also have 3 daughters, I bought my oldest her first .22 when she was 7, she is 10 now and does great. My middle girl didn't have much interest so I don't push it. My youngest daughter just turned 7 and she is ready to go shooting this summer, she'll be getting her own cricket this spring. My daughters have had gun safety drilled into them since they were old enough to understand, they've been allowed to handle (under my close supervision) any gun in my safe when ever they have wanted to and they love helping dad clean them after a day at the range. They are by far my favorite shooting buddies and I hope they never grow out of a day at the range with dad.

 

[Hoosier45]

My five year son has grown up around them. He has seen me clean and handle them. He knows how to be safe with them. I got my first .22 rifle at 6 years old, first shotgun at 10 years old, first handgun at 12 years old. That is probably the same schedule he will have, depending on how interested, and responsible, he acts at each stage.

 

[RandomCubed]

Thanks to everyone for the input.
Maybe I should have put this caveat in the first post...
My wife was never raised with guns, in fact she had never held any sort of firearm until last year. As such she is somewhat apprehensive about guns. I've done my bit trying to get her to come with me to the range (unsuccessful as of yet, partly because of logistics, its tough to get someone to watch three kids). So maybe the title of the post should have been "When to introduce the kids and wife to guns"

 

[J_Wales]

Thanks to everyone for the input.
Maybe I should have put this caveat in the first post...
My wife was never raised with guns, in fact she had never held any sort of firearm until last year. As such she is somewhat apprehensive about guns. I've done my bit trying to get her to come with me to the range (unsuccessful as of yet, partly because of logistics, its tough to get someone to watch three kids). So maybe the title of the post should have been "When to introduce the kids and wife to guns"

See if you can find a friend whose wife is either an experienced shooter or new to it and go with them. Girls sometimes seem more comfortable with another girl around. It can make for a great date night too if you follow it up with dinner.

 

[J_Wales]

I also have 3 daughters, I bought my oldest her first .22 when she was 7, she is 10 now and does great. My middle girl didn't have much interest so I don't push it. My youngest daughter just turned 7 and she is ready to go shooting this summer, she'll be getting her own cricket this spring. My daughters have had gun safety drilled into them since they were old enough to understand, they've been allowed to handle (under my close supervision) any gun in my safe when ever they have wanted to and they love helping dad clean them after a day at the range. They are by far my favorite shooting buddies and I hope they never grow out of a day at the range with dad.

A blessed man indeed.

 

[cbseniour]

The kids who get in trouble with guns are generally the ones who find guns to be a novelty. Curiosity killed the cat you know. If I child grows up around guns and the safe handling and use of guns the likelyhood of him or her getting into any trouble with guns is deminished greatly.
Lead by example they are watching.

 

[toddcraft33]

My little girl just turned 4 last week. With her help I have cleaned my rifle every saturday for about a month. She knows the 4 safety rules and most of the gun parts. The little sponge remembers everything. She knows not to touch the guns unless I am sitting with her. I plan on getting her a pink BB gun for easter, because she cried when I didn't get her one on our last trip to Bass Pro. It is never too early to learn gun safety, but it can be too late.

 

[TopDog]

I have always believed in starting them out young. I took my daughter to the range for the first time when she was 7. Supervised training at a early age takes all the mystery out guns, they learn to respect them and understand they are not toys. There was always long guns in the house and at least one handgun while she was growing up and although she never got into shooting she also never messed with the guns on her own.

I would like to see a study of how many times there have been tragic shootings involving kids and guns that shows which had some kind of training and which had none. I'm inclined to think that most of the shootings involved kids that had no training.

 

[venenoindy]

My son was 4 when he took interest and as soon I saw that we started with the basic safety rules, I took him to the range and he like it but did not force him to do anything and tryed to make it as fun as possible for him. My surprise came when he ask to shoot my M&P 15-22 and he love it.

 

[boonedock]

We started ours when they were old enough to know better..My 9 year old has been shooting since he was 5 and my daughter who is 6 now about 2 years ago....They both got a gun when they were born...As I did...And they get one for Christmas and there birthdays each year....You will know when the time is right

 

[96harley]

I had my girls on air softs at about 6 and 8. Then the BB guns and .22's. I know have the grandkids on BB guns. Started my grandson at 4. He loves the Drozd auto BB gun. It has a stock that fits him to a "T".