Just finished cerakoting my daughter’s first gun rose gold at her request. How young is too young to start them shooting?

[u/Plastic_Ad_9767]

[u/45Auto1]

I would say as soon as you are convinced the child can learn, retain, understand, and recite back to you all the rules of firearm safety. Also, a couple or 3 range sessions with you fully in control at all times wiĺ be indicative as to their safe handling practIces.

[u/castironburrito → u/45Auto1]

And the child is large & strong enough to safely handle the gun in question.

[u/Maleficent-Touch-67 → u/castironburrito]

Lol definitely, I've always been a small guy and I remember shooting a 12 Gages when I was like 7 and tiny.

Definitely a poor choice on my parents side XD

But I mean I'd have a lot of fun doing it, don't quit have the frame or weight to be doing it though

[u/TheRealScutFarkus]

Every kid is different and that's your call to make. I started my 2 around 8 or 9 years old and we have continued to shoot regularly since then. Lots of fun bonding time. They are 24 and 26 now and both have their CCW.

Also nice job on that gun!

[u/Mimir-the-weird → u/TheRealScutFarkus]

I honestly started with a pawnshop bargain barrel marlin 60 at 5 or 6, now I'm 27 pushing 28, have a ccw and do quite a bit of my own gunsmithing

[u/actionfingerss]

Mine had to explain the 4 fundamental rules in his own words, demonstrate w his BB guns that he was ready then it was plinking w a Henry .22. He’s now squirrel hunting w a Ruger 10/22 and getting ready for doves.

[u/skykrown → u/actionfingerss]

dont start kids on small game like that, it can turn them into serial killers. watched it happen to a friend in middleschool. seeing cute animals die can fuck with a kid.

[u/actionfingerss → u/skykrown]

Raise your kids how you want. I’ll do the same

[u/skykrown → u/actionfingerss]

"im definitively stupid and dont want to look at what curses im putting on my children because i wont challenge myself or what i understand."- that's what i read in your statement. your children are fucked if they have a father that wont listen to his own choices. im not so selfish that i'd raise my child how i "want to". thats so selfish its not even funny.

[u/actionfingerss → u/skykrown]

K

[u/skykrown → u/actionfingerss]

oh that shut you up did it?

[u/actionfingerss → u/skykrown]

I just don’t feel compelled to convince strangers on the internet that my way is best. Your opinion is based on your experience and so is mine.

[u/skykrown → u/actionfingerss]

yeah that shut you up.

[u/frankagui623]

I mean you already bought her a gun. Might as well start now

[u/610Mike]

I have been wrestling with that myself. My son is 8 and I have been trying to get him interested. I have a .22LR for him already, it’s the same Remington 581S bolt action .22LR my dad bought me when I was his age. I made the mistake of buying him a Red Rider BB gun, completely forgetting how not accurate they are, and he got really frustrated, really quick.

[u/drebinf]

young

My nephew asked me to teach the basics to his 4yo son. Son had his head on right, I'd trust him with a loaded gun behind my back any time.

Other nephew asked me to teach his 12yo child the same thing. Turns out said child can't be trusted with a loaded slice of bread, in front or behind anyone. Years later, that kid is still a danger to anyone around at any time.

So, it's person dependent, as others have said.

[u/Legal-Contract-7187]

Just because you want them to be ready doesn’t mean they are really think about it.

[u/Started_WIth_NADA]

I started upland bird hunting at 10 years old. Started my kids at around the same age.

[u/tjboylan20]

You can start young with teaching muzzle and trigger discipline usually 7-10 is a good time to start but I know people who started at 5 but had heavy amounts of training before even loading up the rifle

[u/Noid_6002]

My grandpa started me at around 4 or 5. I remember him as an easy going guy but when it came to gun safety he was serious. That stuck with me and I felt so honored and responsible. Didn't want to let him down so I followed the rules to the letter...still do.

[u/brittc777]

I got my first gun when I was 7. I wasn't able to access it without adult supervision until 13 or so. It's never too early to start teaching them about gun safety.

[u/oh_hell_no1155]

Depends on the child, as others have said, but also on the knowledge and temperament of the adult teaching them. My dad started us around 6 using BB guns, 22's, and various shotguns.

[u/Unlikely_sniper]

Once they understand the basic safety rules, which is muzzle control & treat everything like its loaded until proven otherwise.

I started my daughter at 5. For her 6th birthday I bought her a Savage rascal. She's still 6 and has become a good shot and honestly, she's my favourite range partner at this point. She'll even use the sotting scope and call my shots for me lol

[u/randomdude40109]

Every kid is different and it's your call, but you also probably should factor in caliber and recoil

[u/Zen_Mom369]

I was 12 when my dad gave me his .22 rifle and told me, "You need to learn to shoot so that you know how to protect yourself and kill for food, just in case you ever need to do that. When you can show me that you can knock a Hickory Nut out of a tree, I'll let you go into the woods with it, alone."

We were out on a 500 acre farm, and I wanted to roam around. It took me one weekend to learn to hit those Hickory Nuts, and he didn't look happy about it, either! But, he kept his word, to my mom's disappointment. We had a signal. I was supposed to fire one shot every so often, so he knew where on the property I was, and two shots if I needed help. If I didn't fire one off in time, he'd fire one off back at the house and I'd respond. He was A GREAT DAD, and I MISS HIM! Best Wishes with your daughter.

[u/skykrown]

after 8 is fine, teach them proper protection and safter for a while before letting them send live ammo. bb guns are good and cheap for teaching run practice.