Went to my indoor pistol club range yesterday and saw something great. A club member was there with four young boys, probably about 11 years old. They were being introduced to shooting and taught basic gun safety. Since I was ready to shoot 40S&W, the club member asked if I could use one of the other ranges since he didn't want to risk a negative reaction by these boys who were going to be shooting 22LR. Of course I complied, since it meant just going to the next room in the club. Seeing youngsters being brought into the shooting world in a safe and positive manner really made my day.
Best thing I've seen at the range in a long time
- Thread starter vito
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Lt. Skrumpledonk Ret
New member
negative reaction by the boys?
Its always great when youngsters are not only into firearms, but when they're taught correctly.
I was in a similar situation at my last range session at my local indoor range. My brother and I brought some pistols, and my mosin nagant. (this indoor range allows rifles). I tend not to shoot the mosin much when i'm there seeing as it's quite loud indoors, but I was getting ready to pop off a few rounds with it when a father and his two young girls (maybe 10?) came into the lane next to us with a 22 rifle. As to not scare the living daylights out of them I decided it would be best to pack up the mosin for the rest of our time there.
I was in a similar situation at my last range session at my local indoor range. My brother and I brought some pistols, and my mosin nagant. (this indoor range allows rifles). I tend not to shoot the mosin much when i'm there seeing as it's quite loud indoors, but I was getting ready to pop off a few rounds with it when a father and his two young girls (maybe 10?) came into the lane next to us with a 22 rifle. As to not scare the living daylights out of them I decided it would be best to pack up the mosin for the rest of our time there.
Agregory1994
New member
That loud ass crack from a .40 could scare beginners or make them lose focus
Vito, another cool thing is that you probably made their first shooting experience more enjoyable by not having them exposed to loud reports. First impressions are usually lasting ones and can shape individuals from thereon.
The other cool thing that happened there was your willingness to move to another position farther away. Kudos to you. There are a ton of alpha hotels out there that are put off by even a polite request to move. They think such stupid things as, "The kids ought to see and hear real guns shoot" and "you're making wimps out of them by shooting little .22s." Trust me, some do think those things.
Lou
The other cool thing that happened there was your willingness to move to another position farther away. Kudos to you. There are a ton of alpha hotels out there that are put off by even a polite request to move. They think such stupid things as, "The kids ought to see and hear real guns shoot" and "you're making wimps out of them by shooting little .22s." Trust me, some do think those things.
Lou
oldgunsmith
New member
When a customer's 11 yr. old daughter shot .22s at Girl Scout Camp and scored #3 in the nation in her age group he decided it was time to buy her a gun of her own. We went to the range and let her shoot several of ours, then he asked her which one she liked best. She snatched his 6" Mod. 29 off the tailgate and said "I want one of these, daddy!"
Lt. Skrumpledonk Ret said:
I think Agregroy was partly right in his answer to you question.
I think the other part concerning the noise is not about the nosie frightening, but the noise of other shooters firing in an indoor environment drowning out safety commands and instructions being given to these young shooters.
LockedBreech
New member
Heh, I learned to shoot primarily on a .40 S&W when I was still in the single digits and I'd venture to say I'm a pretty solid shot today. Of course I was raised in a fairly country, "cowboy up" kind of way in a rural town of less than 100 people, so that was kind of how I learned everything.
That's details though. The big point is that new shooters were getting into the sport, which is fantastic.
That's details though. The big point is that new shooters were getting into the sport, which is fantastic.
My kids hate the muzzle blast/pressure. It turned off my youngest for a while. I try to stay away from the ar-15 sub-carbines and the deer rifles with the muzzle brake at the 25 yard range. Plugs and muffs are not enough to keep them focused. They just want to leave.
I just saw the coolest father son experience at the last range trip. A guy was giving the most detailed, safest, and patient instruction I ever witnessed. He seemed unusually knowledgeable. I should have asked where he recieved his training. I am seeing a lot more young ones at the range these days.
I just saw the coolest father son experience at the last range trip. A guy was giving the most detailed, safest, and patient instruction I ever witnessed. He seemed unusually knowledgeable. I should have asked where he recieved his training. I am seeing a lot more young ones at the range these days.
4runnerman
New member
I will try keep this short. 2 weeks ago Dad and Son. Son shooting 22. After a while I started watching son. He was having great time. Talked to dad, Asked if I could offer son to shoot my 223, Dad say's yes. Son pulls trigger frst time, Eyes the size of baseballs. I tell son,,shoot till you are done, He shoots 43 more rounds. Later as they are leaving Dad Thanks me. They get to car,son comes running up to me and shakes my hand,thanks mme and ask's my name. ----Forward 1 week- I work in sales at parts counter,Guy comes in to get parts,we start talking and end up chatting about shooting and hunting being deer season is close. Tell him I shoot at range every weekend. He then starts telling me about his brothers son ,who was out at casselton with his Dad and had the chance to shoot someones 223. Turns out it was the boy I let shoot my 223, Seems the son has not forgot about it and is now pestering his dad non stop to get a 223 like the man out at casselton had. I just smiled and Thought-- Another shooter for life. What a small world we live in. Just makes me remember my Red Ryder BB gun I got for Christmas. The fun of your first rifle and the thrill of shooting. Ya all remember your first pull of the trigger,, You knew right there and then that this is not a fad, It is in your blood.You were hooked right there
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Every time I see or hear the phrase "Kids these days.." I just cringe and laugh.
Please, curmudgeons have been lamenting kids forever...and its usually not the kids that are the problem..
Yes, loud noises are part of the sport. And hard checks are a part of hockey too, but we don't expose our pee-wee kids to full contact.
Was the first car you drove a Ferrari??
Can't run, until you learn how to walk.
Good on all those who are patient and knowledgable with our youth. Kids are curious and pretty much open to trying anything new. It's only negative experiences or poor instruction that usually shut them down to things.
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Evan Thomas
Inactive
On a practical note, one might consider that adult-size ear muffs don't fit young kids and may leave them without adequate protection, potentially damaging their hearing as well as making for an unpleasant experience. On an outdoor range, they should use correctly sized earplugs or muffs. On an indoor range, they should be using both.
Its good to hear these stories. I have a customer with kids in their teens, two girls and a boy. His youngest girl can out-shoot just about anyone on the trap range, and has been for several years.
I'm trying to get my 14yo daughter interested in shooting, which isn't going well so far. She isn't scared of guns but hates loud noise, even with ear plugs and muffs. A couple of years ago she shot my first rifle, a Glenfield .22 and hit a pop can 9 out of 10 from about 60', reloading by hand between each shot because the mag was broken.
Today, though, I finally got her to sit down and handle one of my AR15s. She picks up on the mechanics quickly, next is the challenge of getting her to a range...
I'm trying to get my 14yo daughter interested in shooting, which isn't going well so far. She isn't scared of guns but hates loud noise, even with ear plugs and muffs. A couple of years ago she shot my first rifle, a Glenfield .22 and hit a pop can 9 out of 10 from about 60', reloading by hand between each shot because the mag was broken.
Today, though, I finally got her to sit down and handle one of my AR15s. She picks up on the mechanics quickly, next is the challenge of getting her to a range...
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we had a small informal competition with targets set out in the forest on our hunting lease
my mate brings his wife, small 100 or so pounds girl, she borrows my rifle and not her hsubands because she is a left handed shooter, a 308 so nothing really massive calibre wise but the old geezers start almost talking down to her in semi-good humor (not my kind of humor)
everybody could guess what happens next right?
she outshot everybody, pretty damn near a full score, and when she is leaving she says this was easy, when I used to shot we had already skied a couple of miles and scopes weren't allowed, turns out she was a former elite biathlon
my mate brings his wife, small 100 or so pounds girl, she borrows my rifle and not her hsubands because she is a left handed shooter, a 308 so nothing really massive calibre wise but the old geezers start almost talking down to her in semi-good humor (not my kind of humor)
everybody could guess what happens next right?
she outshot everybody, pretty damn near a full score, and when she is leaving she says this was easy, when I used to shot we had already skied a couple of miles and scopes weren't allowed, turns out she was a former elite biathlon
We had a guy teaching 3 or 4 teens yesterday, they all looked like it wasn't their first rodeo. The thing I like the best though, is when there's an old timer there, just hanging around to be there. I was talking to a guy, had to be eighty-something, about how the country is changing. (He brought it up) He motioned over at my wife shooting, and said, 'its good that they're learning'. That'll be me, I suppose. I didn't mention that she's a better shot than I am.
I went to the rifle range yesterday and there were tons of kids there. They all looked to be enjoying themselves and I didn't see a single kid with his face buried into an ipad or phone which is rare these days. Yet the liberal media would have you believe only crazy gun nuts shoot and it's great that kids zone out on their iphones and computers.