What age is appropriate to you to start a kid shooting?

[car-15]

below is my son at 4 with help and at 5 on his own. he is now 8 we shoot all the time, I could lay 100 loaded weapons on the floor and he will walk by, and not even look twice at them. try that with a kid who never was allowed to touch, or been taught about gun safety, and we will be reading about a tragedy in the newspaper.

[SA Friday]

There are benefits in desensitizing kids to the allure of playing with guns. I saw similar results with kids and alcohol when I lived in Europe. Alcohol isn't treated like some mysterious taboo over there, and many countries don't have a minimum drinking age. The results are teens don't get this desire to sneak a drink or go out partying with alcohol to extremes. For them, it's just alcohol...

I agree with the others, age isn't the best measurement tool to use to determine when a kid is ready to shoot. All three of my kids started at different ages based on their mental and physical capabilities. The litmus test I used was when they were responsible enough to actually follow through with tasks around the house. If they can't get a bowl out of the cubbard without closing the door afterward, they were not ready. Shooting requires follow-through after the bang to be safe.

[Drilldo]

Thank you all for your insight. I will take to heart everything you have said.

[StagLefty]

My son's introduction to guns was also about 5 yrs old. My being an NRA Instructor and his exposure to guns on ranges I was running made him probably more safe than a lot of adults I know. It is a judgement call as to whether the youth is ready and mature enough but getting rid of the curiousity factor has always been on the top of my safety concerns with youth. JMHO

[Troublco]

I wholeheartedly agree with those who say that you can't base it on age, but on the kid individually. I have always been very careful that when they ask to look at one I show them how to handle it safely, and let them see it. But each kid is different, and I think you have to gauge it differently for each one.

[Irving]

Geez car-15, get some eye protection on that kid.

[Ed_S]

My son has been shooting with me since he was 7 1/2. I too wanted to remove the 'gun mystery'. He's very safe when he's with me.

[GreenScoutII]

I was started out shooting when I was about 6. From that day on, I was at the range almost every weekend with my dad. Those days are some of my fondest childhood memories.

I started my oldest daughter shooting a pellet gun at 7 and a .22 at eight. Often in the summer we have tons of huge grasshoppers out behind the house. She will amuse herself for hours shooting them with the pellet gun. She has demonstrated safe gun handling skills and so I trust her to shoot the airgun by herself, but I still actively supervise shooting sessions with the .22.

[gnihcraes]

start with an airsoft gun and work your way into the bb/pellet guns and regular guns. See if you can work with the mother at the same time just a little at a time... hopefully it will turn out to be positive all the way.

as others have indicated of their children, started with mine about 5 or so and have progressed into regular 22's and such without much trouble. They do as the should most of the time when handling the weapons... just watch and correct as needed. I usually don't have any bad feelings when letting my kids handle the bb and pellet guns when I'm not right there with them... and have slowly been working with a friend of my sons to do the right thing too and he's learning. One down and 100's to go.

We've got to work on their terminology too though, the sons friend called them "aimers" not sights... so we had a quick little talk about all the parts of the gun.

[KFinn]

below is my son at 5 on his own.

HAhahaha.... I love it. just cracks me up for some reason. Awesome!