What age should a kid get a gun?
 

I am really having a hard time to decide whether I should buy my seven year old a BB gun. She has been hunting with me since age two. I want to introduce her to shooting as soon as possible. But, I don't want her to get a lack of respect for them because of the introduction at an early age. She knows all about not touching guns and not to play with and point guns at people. I guess my point is, I want her to love guns and understand the responsibility that comes with them. But, I don't want her to get lax around guns because she was to young to grasp it all. Any comments would be wonderful.
Also what age would be good for a .22?

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

Savage builds a really cute little CUB model single shot .22 just for little ones around that age. And what better age is there to really set the rules in stone? I think nows the perfect time. Good luck with your future huntress!

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

All kids are different so you have to make the final assessment.

I grew up around guns and so are my kids. I got my first real gun at the age of 11. A 12 gague M1300. Before that I used my grandfathers guns any time we went hunting and shooting and I was shooting bb guns and pellet guns since I could walk. I bought my son his first gun when he was 7 or 8 (my memory is lacking[8D]). His was a .410/ .22 combo. He too was shooting bb guns and pellet guns since he could walk

It has been my experience that kids that have been and are around guns since a very early age do not have that desire to just go play with them for no reason. My son and daughter both love guns but from the time they could walk they have been shooting and hunting with me so they have a good respect for them and what they can do but do not have the unhealthy type of fascination with them that too many kids today do.

IMO it is a LACK of access and famaliarity of firearms that cause most of the problems with firearms and kids today. Not the other way around.

Personally I would go ahead and buy her that first .22. Just keep it locked up and let her shoot as much as possible.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

I was given my first gun on my twelth birthday. It is a New England Firearms 20 ga. break-action. Since then I have won 2 more shotguns through trap competition prize money. I am unable to own my own rifle until I am 18.

I think that you should do whatever you honestly feel your daughter is ready for. A .22 at age seven could be great as long as she is heavily supervised for a couple of years. I got my first real compound bow at age 7. My dad supervised me constantly with that bow and still does with all my weapons. Supervision is the key.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

I began shooting a BB gun at age 5, with close supervision from my Father and Grandfather. At the age of 8 I was given a 410 pump shotgun. I was allowed to begin hunting deer with my dad at age 5 and I began to sit in a treestand alone with a 243 at the age of 9. I was big for my age and my dad boought me a gun that fit. I was not allowed to enter the stand without my dad being there and I brought the gun up and loaded the magazine once I had the rifle in the tree and I was buckled into my safety harness. I also took my first deer at age 9 with the 243. It was a small 9 point buck. I had to unload my rifle and wait on my dad before I could lower the gun and climb down to look at my deer.

My Father obviously thought I was mature enough to handle a firearm at this young age. It will be up to you to decide how mature and responsible your child is with a firearm. Most of my friends were not allowed to carry a firearm on the own until age 12. This excludes a BB gun.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

I started my oldest at 6 with a .22 in a marlin 15yn. i worked with him over time to get him comfortable with guns. now he's 14 and has his own remington 870 12 , h&r 410 single, and his marlin. he thinks my guns are his to . he seems to have a taste for my more expensive guns. i bought a new rem. 700 in 25-06 a couple of years ago and now i don't even get to hunt with it. :D

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

I had my firs bb gun about that age and i carried a 20 ga rabit hunting with my dad at about 10 years old. I got my first real gun at 12 which was a 20 ga and at 13 I got a Ruger #1 in 7x57 mauser. I was about 15 when I got my first 22 rifle and my first handgun which was a 22LR. You have to judge you kids ability to handle guns safely.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

Like others have said, its up to you to determine if she's ready for a real gun. Supervision and teaching the responsibilites that come with a firearm are the key. I grew up around guns and got my first bb gun at age five. Then for my 7th b-day, I got a Win model 37A .410 and a Remington 510 single shot 22lr. When you think she's ready, go with a single-shot. It teaches them the importance of shot-placement and to be efficient.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

i think that age is not the determining factor.if a youngster is taught the basics of gun safety and what the projectile is capable of doing if not released in the proper place,they can be started early.i started around 6-7 years old with BB guns and was taking squirrels with a single shot shotgun before age 8.i took my sons on their first squirrel hunt at age 8 and they both were responsible.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

We gave our son a single shot 20 gauge for his 11th birthday......I was 12 when I got mine....I think it has to do more with maturity than age though...I have met some 15 year olds I would not let use a gun yet...

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

The age of the child is less impartant than the maturity of the parent. Children with guns need adult supervision. There are plenty of adults I now that I would not want to have guns. Forget about their kids.

Assuming the adult is responsible and aware of all that's involved, then I say when the child is interested, it's time to begin exposure to guns. A toy gun or unloaded air rifle is a good starter to practice fireams safety. Then move 'em on up as their behavior warrants.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

I don't think there is any set age for a kid to get a gun unless its in the low single digits. Mine is starting to like them and he just turned 11. He has shot .22 rifles before starting at age 8 but at this age now he can go hunting as long as I am with him. Next year we will be sitting in a blind somewhere in Alabama waiting on the right deer.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

maturity is the main concern. Try giving her a unloaded BB gun or pop gun to carry while the two of you hunt. Watch her and use that to teach her field safety, awareness of muzzle direction, fingers off the trigger until ready to shoot, make sure she knows what the results are on the business end also so she doesn't take that for granted either(make sure she understands dead is forever, but also a natural part of nature). When she has all the basics down let her go w/ a singleshot 22 but realize that you should stay w/ her and not carry a rifle yourself that way you can completely focus on her safety. After awhile she'll get it down and you can start carrying again but still stay close behind her. You can take the long shots let her have the easy ones. My son and I did this and hes safer w/ agun than most adults I know. Its also good to teach them the parts of the firarms. the basics at first(trigger, chamber, barrel, stock)then get more detailed. Good luck keep her interested.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

i say go for it. She will understand the saftey as long as you do get lax in constant reminder of what are the rules.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

Wow! The advice was a little different then I expected. Thank you.
My main concern is for her being over at a friends house and one of them pulling out Dad's gun. I am a little queasy about whether she will be showing them all about the gun, and not leaving like I have taught her.
I wonder if this happened to any of you while you were a kid? It happened to me. I am very grateful that nobody was hurt with all the hot shots showing off Dad's guns.

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

there is no question that the kids will be kids and try to impress one another given the opportunity.however,once taught,safety will prevail!

RE: What age should a kid get a gun?
 

I would be willing to bet you that those kids were strictly forbidden to ever touch the guns no matter what. My son, like myself, were allowed to handle firearms any time we wanted as long as my an adult was / is in the room. We would always have to make sure that they were unloaded and never point them at someone.

This gives children the ability to famaliarize themselves with the firearms and the way that they work and all of the safety rules that go along with them. It also lets the children get out that desire to play with them all the time cause after a little while it is no big deal to handle dads guns.

It's kind of like having 20 ferarri's sitting in your garage. You wouldn't have that desire to go play with one any chance you could get. Or me wanting a 50BMG or a .338 Lapua really BAD. If I had one the desire to play with one any chance I could get would not be there.