too young?
 

Hey Folks, not for sure where to post, but thought I'd give it a try here. I'm the father of a 5 year old and wondered when to get her involved in shooting. I'd like to get a bb gun and have her practice and see if she likes it, but honestly I think 5 is too young. When did you start shooting? I'm too old I can't remember.

TIA.

RE: too young?
 

I've got the same problem keith. I've got a friend whose son was shooting a BB gun at five or six. He'd help hold and aim the rifle while the son would pull the trigger.

RE: too young?
 

I also can't remember when I started shooting. It's difficult to put a hard cap on age. It really depends on the kid. I would hold off a little though and maybe start with toy guns that are anatomically correct. I think as long as the child can understand the significance and consequences of misusing a firearm (including bb guns) it is probably ok to start out slow with a really weak bb gun. I would probably wait a little bit though. I know I had my first .22 when i was 10 maybe younger.

RE: too young?
 

I started shooting at about that age. When I have kids I will let my kids start shooting at about that age.

RE: too young?
 

I think I got my first gun (bb) at 10.

I don't think I was too young, but by that age I could somewhat comprehend the idea of responsibility and what the gun in my hands actually meant.

Up to the parent though, I ain't gonna tell you how to raise your kid.

RE: too young?
 

Yeah its up to what you think and how your kid is. I dont know either one of you enough to tell you what to do. I would probably wait a couple years, but good luck in whatever you decide to do.

RE: too young?
 

Agreed.

RE: too young?
 

my dad and uncles got me and my brother and my cousin all started when we could hold the gun, dont know how old that would be, but i know it was fun to us

RE: too young?
 

i got my first .22 when i was nine and haven't stopped shooting since.

RE: too young?
 

I started shooting at 4 or 5, but wasn't allowed to actally OWN my own gun until I was 10. I bought my first 20 gauge then, for $200.00. Still have it, and love it.
Dad started out just making me watch and learn safety from him and my brother, then he let me pull the trigger (he took the recoil) and then he showed me how to load the gun etc.
First thing I ever shot was a possum-with my dads .22.lol
Good luck with your daughter-I think thats great that you want to get her interested in hunting and shooting.

RE: too young?
 

I think I started actually shooting a gun around 8 or 9 and recieved my first gun for christmas when i was 9 (bb). But i had asked for it so I dont know when my dad would have bought me one otherwise. I've always been interested in guns though.

But raise your kid however you see fit.

RE: too young?
 

well i started shooting pellet guns a 5 and acutaly no lie was shooting my 12ga at 10yrs old (i am a big kid being 6"1 and 180 lbs now at 14) (was about 5"9 and 130lns then) so if u stay with her and keep here interested she should be ok just teach her stuff

RE: too young?
 

i didn't start shootin till about the time i was 10 but my neighbor started his daughter out with a bb gun for her 5th birthday it was a Buck by daisy and the stock was a little big but he holds it up for her and she pulls the trigger

RE: too young?
 

I don't think that is too young. I was around 5 when i first shot my BB gun, maybe little bit younger. I have a wierd memory lol

RE: too young?
 

7 when i started hunting with my day, 9 or 10 when i started shooting the .22, 13 when i started shooting crossbows, i am 15 (almost 16) does that help

Chic

RE: too young?
 

Thanks all for your replies. Much appreicated.

RE: too young?
 

i was shooting a modifiited shotgun at 5 and now im 13 and love it

RE: too young?
 

I started shooting my bow at age 4, and by 6 i started to shoot BB guns. I grew up around guns at my house and i was always watching my brother/dad shoot. It was just a natural progression. I got my BB gun on my 6th birthday and i was shooting a single compound bow from 4 on up.


It is a personal decision though, but when you decide the time is right you'll have to spend a lot of time going over all the saftey precautions with your son. Even if they seem obvious, continue to go over them until he knows them by heart and obides by them.

RE: too young?
 

An exact age doesn't seem proper to abide by. Rather, I'd say whenever he can properly fire the bb gun and hold it on his own. I think being able to handle the gun is the most important thing. You don't want him to have a hard time holding the gun, aiming it, and then accidently shooting a window out. Does he have any toys guns? See how he handles those and I would go from there.

RE: too young?
 

Start now, get her a Red Ryder BB gun. I started shooting when I was two
and that was my first gun.

RE: too young?
 

five and a half and I started on .22 still my fav rifle for a mulitasker

RE: too young?
 

at 5 my dad started me shooting a .22. we had a bench, and he would hold it, and i would pull the trigger. by the time i was 8, i was shootin shotguns, at 11, deer calibers. it just depends on how you want to start them out.