When to start em...

[Ryninger]

I was at Bradis last weekend and fell in love with a Cricket for my daughter. As soon as I can tuck away another $200 (Just bought a new Kimber and depleted toy fun) I'm going to buy one for her. She just turned 8 months, so I know I have a few years yet til she can shoot. When did you all introduce your kids to shooting... I know every kid is different, but just trying to get a general consensus...

 

[jd4320t]

My daughter is eight and she is going shooting tomorrow for the first time. She's pretty excited about it.

 

[IndyMonkey]

My boys sat in my lap and shot my AR when they were 3 and 4.

Bb guns when they turn 5. Shotguns when they turn 8.

They only have access to the bb guns when I'm around. Will probably let them keep the bb guns in there rooms when they are 6 or so.

 

[hunt4fun]

With both of my kids (boy and girl) they were 8. I'm not really stuck on that age, it just worked out that way.

However, I would make one suggestion that has paid large dividends for me. Get someone else, extremely knowledgeable in firearm safety, to teach them. I had the good fortune of a friend at work who has probably trained over 100 newbies. He knows what to look for, the mistakes that are made, and most of all he is not me. By the time she is 8, dads don't know squat. It didn't hurt anything that this guy was an imposing figure size wise. But he has a very quiet voice and if he needs to "get in your face" for safety's sake, he has a very good away of doing it.

Hunt4Fun

 

[shooter521]

Plan to take my son to the range for the first time this summer to fire his first rounds. He will be 4-1/2, and I will be in contact with him at all times of course. We're already starting the safety stuff.

 

[rlspach]

My wife's jaw hit the ground when I brought home one for my six year old. That alone was worth the price. That year he shot that gun and also my 9mm handgun (with me helping). He gained an instant respect for guns, and knows he needs to recite the rules every time before touching one.

We had a bunch of my young nieces over when I brought it home. They all wanted to shoot it but all were scared to be first. Once the first one went, they all did. Then I couldn't get them to stop clambering to shoot it.

I think I picked mine up for about $170.

 

[smokingman]

My daughter was 6 when she received her cricket.She is 13 now,and participated in the 4-H shooting program(skeet,22 pistol,22 rifle and bow).Her new love is the bow and she got one of those for Christmas

 

[Six Shooter Steve]

My son started shooting my Ruger Charger off its bipod when he was 3. He is now almost 5 and has one of the stainless carbonfiber crickets with a halosight and loves it, And a browning takedown 22. Needless to say ole dad doesnt get much shooting in when we go to the range haha

 

[curraheeguns]

My son is turning one on Monday and he is getting an original minty 1933 Remington No. 4 Rolling Block in .22S/L/LR from me.

I plan to get a good photo of he and I holding it on his 1st birthday and then it will be put in the safe until I deem him old enough to start learing gun safety.

I figured it would be cool for him to hopefully have this rifle when he is old and have a pic of him and pops holding it when he was 1 year old.

 

[dice dealer]

My Father started me when i was 3 or 4 .
No kids myself but I started my nephews when they were around the same age ..Now my oldest nephew has a son ..
The day he was born I started rebuilding an old single shot .22 Bolt gun for him ..With a few custom additions of course ..
Now he will be 4 in june and he and I will hit the woods behind the house for some fun

 

[Mr. Habib]

My youngest daughter started shooting with her Cricket just before her 5th birthday. She was well versed in safety from looking at and handling guns prior to that. Every kid is different but it seems that around 5-6 years old is typical. You'll know when she's interested, Mine started showing a real interest when she was 4.

 

[Joe Williams]

My son got his Cricket a couple months before his fifth birthday.

 

[00BlasterResto]

I know that gglass' daughter is 8 I believe and she shoots her cricket rifle and I think a P22. Takes her to the local range and all.
The sooner the better I think. (comeing from someone without though, but I was one not long ago.)

 

[jerp239]

I got my son his Cricket when he was 4. He is now 5 and loves his cricket, and even shoots my AR with some assistance. Now he wants his own "big black gun" I'm so proud