Taking the kid to range for first time! :D

R

RubenX

New member
I've been using a BB gun for almost 3 years now to teach the kids all about gun safety. Basics like pointing the muzzle at safe direction at all times has been taken care of... The older one, 11yo, looks ready to "move up". Problem is, after the BBs, my next caliber is a 30-06.

I wanted to wait a little till I could get a 22lr or a .223 for junior here. But even if I do that, I'm sure he will still want to try the 30-06 so what the heck, I'll take him tomorrow.

He's 72 pounds and it's gonna be shooting of a bench. Any pointers will be appreciated.
 
i think youre risking having him develop bad habits, like flinching or anticipating.

you can get a youth .22 for around $100, go for it.
 
Where are you located? Do you know anyone who has a .22 you could borrow or know if there's a range where you could rent one? Some safety courses include live fire, and local gun clubs may have youth leagues or junior shooter programs you could take advantage of.
 
RubenX I agree with the other go with a 22 there is plenty of time to move him/them up. Just the cost of ammo for 22s vs 30-06 will be a benefit to you. However cost factor is minor compared to trying to undo a flinch.
My sons (ages 27 and 19) still go to the range with just 22s and shoot. We have a blast, like the song goes (She thinks were just fishing).
 
http://www.budsgunshop.com/catalog/...ng+Rifle+Single+Shot+wBlue+Barrel+&+Black+Syn

110 shipped, a FFL fee is like $25

Im sure you can find these in any gunstore.

Only holds one round- much safer for a tyke. if he says look what i did! and swings around and sweeps you, theres no risk. Not that you should be more accepting of those kinds of mistakes, but at least it wont put you in the hospital or worse.

built in gun lock- easy and lazy-mode to keep safe. when your done shooting just push the button. nothing to lose and nothing to forget about, for even 15 minutes. "Crap i gotta take a leak, ill cable lock the gun when im done, I cant wait a second..."

I own one of these, its great, especially for the price. for $80-$150 you have the perfect tool for moving up to a cartridge firearm.
 
Now that you guys mention it, flinching is gonna be a problem. Lucky for me there's a gun show tomorrow really close to home. Maybe I can find something more suitable there.
 
I got my first 22 from a pawn shop. $80 Marlin 60 with a 4x32 scope. Check one or two shops out and see what they have available.
 
He weighs 72 pounds and the shooting will be done from a bench. 30-06.....

Bad idea. None of the above are a good combination. If you want him to enjoy shooting as you do, borrow a .22lr, or at least a mild recoiling centerfire caliber. Patience from teacher and pupil are of utmost importance at this stage of the game. My first firearm was a 20 guage H&R single shot, on my tenth birthday. Long story short, the first shot set me on my butt and my shoulder was an odd shade of purple for a couple of days, but the mental aspect of harsh recoil lasted for a long time after. I still have that gun (I am 43 years old now), and I have taken hundreds of squirrels with that shotgun since, but that first painful shot seems like yesterday.
 
I also recommend a .22LR. Take a look at the bolt actions from Savage. One thing about a bolt action .22LR is you don't have to worry so much about potential feeding problems and finding the brand of ammo that feeds best.
 
NO , NO , NO

Looks like the concensous is no , and I'll agree . Beating a kid up with too much gun is the quickest way I know of to turn them off from shooting !!!
 
There is a huge difference between a .22 and .223. Start him with a .22.

Whatever brand, look for a magazine fed bolt action .22. Nothing wrong with tube feed, but it is easier to teach gun safety (no magazine, nothing in the chamber) with a magazine fed rifle.
 
Hi Guys... Update,

The kid, a friend and I spent the whole day gun shopping, hitting the local gun show, pawn shops, gun stores, etc. When we finished shopping it was too late to go to the range. But my friend ended up with a mean looking AR-15 and my kid came home with a Savage Mark II and 500 rounds of 22lr.

I guess kiddo has been paying attention when I talk gun lingo with my friends on when I watch Magpul DVDs. Salesmen tried to impress him with all kinds of very expensive models and kiddo dismissed them with comments like "this is too butt heavy" or "this scope has too little eye relief"... I'm so proud. :D

Attached below is junior with his Savage. :D
 

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I think that something with a bit less felt recoil would be a better choice, but I don't subscribe to the .22 "only" theory.

My (then)13 year old started with an AK and Yugo M57 for a handgun...
His older (17) year old brother with a Rem. 700 .223 and a CZ-75B 9mm....

Both of them shoot extremely well, including sub-moa at 600 yards less than two years later.

I got a lot of the "start with a .22 rimfire" advice myself at the beginning, but went a slightly different route and have no regrets.

You'll know right off the bat if the recoil bothers him.

If anticipating recoil causes him to flinch, I agree with the others to back off to a lesser caliber. 30-.06 is at the top of the list before the magnums- and flinching is a tough habit to break once formed.

I think a caliber with less recoil may be a better choice, but I think you can still maintain a "cool" factor with him and go with a smaller caliber centerfire.
The .223 is a great choice- almost no recoil, inexpensive to shoot, and it's a military caliber.

Making memories at the range with my sons is the highlight of the month for me. The "older" one still makes sure to get home once a month from college so we can still have our trip to the range. Priceless...:D
 
I think letting the kid pick the firearm out is the best way to go (parent still picks the caliber). Letting the kid decide on the final choice will likly give them more pride in the firearm as it is theirs and will fit them properly and they like the feel of it. I believe starting out with a 22 or 410 to learn the basics is the best choice ,then move up from there. I do not get the theory that starting with a 22 will keep people from flinching. I know alot of people that still flinch, that have started with 22's. It's somthing that has to be worked on no matter the caliber and experience of the shooter. I do believe though that alot of first time shooters starting out with an unexpected heavy hitter (because it's supposedly funny) will drive first time shooters to never want to shoot again. When my wife first got her 20 gage I also bought a shooting pad ($30)for her shoulder that works wonderfully. She is only 110lbs and has no problem shooting it because of the pad. That may be somthing to consider when moving the kids up to a larger caliber.
 
Yes. .22lrs are cheap and excellent fun. Also great for plinking and general shooting which is what the munchkin will likely want to do anyway. Don't scrimp here. With Genghis Connie her primary shooters are .22lr, but she slowly became more comfortable over time. Of her own volution at 13 she is now shooting the Beretta 92 as well. :D:D:D:D
 
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