Good age to start the Grandchildren?

A Kid that doesn't listen to authority and tries to establish the ground rules isn't ready for firearms. Obedience to authority is the key to receiving trust and responsibility from adults when it comes to firearms.
 
I started shooting a .22 a six (country kid). I am raising my grandson, now 8, who has been using a red ryder for the past two years. This spring he gets a .22, probably a Marlin xt 22 yr or CZ 452 Scout. Both youth sized. For the past two years he has hit me up once or twice a week wanting to see one of "papaws" guns. He asks, he sees and handles. He knows how to check to insure that they're unloaded on his own and keeps the muzzle in a safe direction. Yeah, it's time for him to start burning powder.
 
I started at four. I started my kids around five. I have started grandkids around five. I agree with talking to the parents. It starts "You remember when you were five and we started shooting? Well, snickelfritz is five and I'd like to start him/her with the 'safety rules' and then get them plinking the way you did. Whaddaya think?"

One of the great 'good in my heart' things that happened was in seeing my oldest son with #2 grandson and hearing my words from his mouth as he was teaching his son to shoot. Just doesn't get any better than that...
 
I started with a bb gun when i was 6. It was about 750fps and could shoot pellets of bb's. i never injured myself or anyone else accidentally, so i guess my dad taught me right.
 
I don't have kids so I can just tell you how I learned about guns as a kid. I was 8 years old, was handed a Crossman BB Rifle, 1000 or so BB's and some paper targets. I was told to go out in the back yard and shoot away.

I was unsupervised and unskilled in the use of any firearm. I learned sight alignment, trigger control and some safety by myself. I also did some stupid stuff with my BB gun when my parents were not home.

I shot out a few windows, shot a few cars... a police car once. Ironically, the officer was pulling into my driveway for my earlier shooting out of a window. I got in some big trouble.

Moral of this story, teach your kids/grandkids about guns early. First time I fired a "real" gun was when I was 21 years old. I was scared to death and was shaking very nervously. Don't let that be your child/grandchild.
 
That sounds like the equivilant I ran into years ago. 8 year old girl wanted a pony, but had never ridden. Dad buys the girl a Shetland for Christmas, says "here is your pony" and goes inside to watch football.... Yes, a Shetland is just as dangerous, maybe moreso, then a BB gun to an 8 year old.

My dad and I discussed my first rifle for a long time before I actually got one for my 12th birthday. I wanted a repeater, dad would only buy me a "boy's" SS. The tune ended with the SS and: "if you show proper safety and responsibility with the SS...then we can discuss the repeater"

No, I did absolutely NOTHING wrong with that SS .22...I wanted that repeater bad...:) But then a had a lot of "targets" the "gophers" in the pasture needed thinning every year.
 
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