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Kids and Guns

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landon410:
having had my first child this winter I'm excited about all the things that go with that.
Obviously I like guns, I own more than 1 or 2 and enjoy shooting.

My father wasn't into guns so I wasn't exposed to them as a kid, I really didn't know anything other than when I got shot in the side of the head by my friends pellet gun that shot those little metal darts that it hurt really bad!

I came to enjoy them later in life through friends inlaws etc. bought my first gun a 22 in 2002 to go shoot racoons with friends. still have that remington 597, its a very accurate gun.

I want to expose my son the them early, make the rules clearly known, but allow him to respect and enjoy them with healthly fear but the ability to handle them confidently and safely.

I understand every kid is different, and I'm jumping the gun by a couple years, but about what age did you guys really start to expose your kids, let them go shooting with you, clean guns, and even shoot?

on the fritz:
Every kid is different with regards to maturity level, size, personality.  You will have to determine the "right" time to start them shooting. 

Now that that is out of the way;... I started my boys at the same time (ages 4 & 9).  Coincidentally, they were about the same maturity level........ 

Now, at 14 & 19 I can pretty much just turn them loose while shooting and have confidence that they will not be a bad example.  I/we/they got some compliments from some friends & gun enthusiasts when they were like 8 & 13 about how well behaved they both were on the range, both with their manners and gun manners. 

My only bad experience came from a Taurus PT-22 that I thought would be perfect for them to learn on.  It was not.  It was a huge disappointment.  Get a small rifle.  The trigger on that pistol was way too loooooong, heavy, and too much for little kids. 

Greybeard:
I couldn't have been any older than 5 when my mother put down a blanket in our yard out in the country in rural Maine. She lay beside me and held up the bolt action Springfield .22 rifle as she explained the sights to me. I sighted and squeezed the trigger. We shot at empty 2 gallon oil cans there. That started my love of guns. My Dad gave me that rifle when I was 13 and I still have it.

Mudinyeri:
I started my son with an Airsoft pistol at about age 4.  After he mastered safe handling of the Airsoft pistol, we moved to a BB gun at around age five and a half.  By age six or so he was shooting a high-powered pellet gun.  I think it was his eighth birthday that we go him his own .22.

IMO, Airsoft is a relatively realistic and safe way to train kids to handle guns safely and learn the basics of a solid shooting foundation.

thirtydaZe:
Nice, we had our first in Nov.  I've been wondering the same thing.

Safety, Introduction, Interest.

First things first, got to get my wife to the range.  Why have 1 addiction, where there can be 3?

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