Tips on teaching the youngsters to shoot.

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Prof Young

New member
So, I'm in process of teaching archery to five year old grandson. First lesson was to get a smaller "youth" bow so it fit his draw better.

It occurs to me that I'll be doing the same with firearms for a handful of grandkids over the course of the next 5-10 years. Obviously safety rules are keep and to be drilled in to them until they are like second nature. And common sense comes into play. Not going to start them with an semi auto etc.

What have you discovered in the process of teaching your youngsters?

Live well, be safe.
Prof Young
 
Short stocks, low recoil, and minimal report are a good thing. I have a Marlin Papoose in .22 LR that my dad cut the stock down on when I was around 6 years old. Close ranges also help for the first few times. Like 5 to 10 yards. A fun target like zombies or at least a the silhouette targets are good too. I like the kids to be able to sit and have a good rest the first few times. Also remember kids are short and you want to keep their targets lower than usual so they are not shooting upwards. I grill them on the four fire arms safety rules as well before we go.
 
Bought Chipmunk single shot .22 for my grandson to learn to shoot when he was about 10. Took him to the local range after spending time at home talking about gun safety and proper behavior at the range. Then took him to an outside range and stood behind him as he started to shoot off a bench rest. A small single shot, like the Chipmunk, is perfect for the initial instruction of young shooters.
 
You're very brave.
Why not start them out with airsoft or pellet guns?
They are not your fathers' airguns anymore.
Very accurate and realistic without the dangers, especially airsoft.
The skills carry over to firearms completely.
Just a thought.
 
jersurf101,
I agree.

To which I will share reactive targets, such as balloons, are great! Clays are another.
I also suggest having at least one break open single shot .22 rim-fire rifle as well.

This comes from a gun buddy of mine and I were with his eldest daughter at a Beginning Shooter/Hunter Safety class and his daughter's eye dominance had changed, from right to left. Daddy had bought her a H&R/NEF .22 RF/.410 combo a few years earlier. While she like the bolt guns she was using, she simply could not hit anything. Checking eye dominance, and being surprised her dominance had changed, she was able to shoot her gun, left handed, very very well.
 
I agree with all of the above and one more thing... keep the targets close to start... like 15yds. Once you have all the safety covered, nothing is going to frustrate him more than not making a few in the bullseye pretty quick.

If you've got more than one kid coming up, maybe establish a heierachy of guns. You start out on a Red Rider, then once you can recite the golden rules and prove you can be trusted with it, you step up to a Cricket. Then a bolt-action rimfire with a magazine and a scope. (Savage MKii). Then a pump-action rimfire with iron sites (Henry)... and finally, a Ruger 10/22 with a scope. Each gun goes out another 10yds.

Keep the targets close and keep'em hitting the middle... range and accuracy will come with practice.

That's 4 guns plus a couple scopes and a few extra mags for about $800... and all the teaching they'll need for a lifetime.

When they're ready, step up to .223 bolt-action with a 3-9scope and make'em a deal. "When you can put 5 rounds on a playing card at 100yds, we'll go buy you your own gun". And no cheating by giving the kid your match hand-loads either... let'em shoot some Wolf steel to keep it interesting.
 
I started by allowing them to clean my guns with me when I get back from the range (hey, if they ask, I'm happy to allow).
We cover basics like part name, what part does what, how to unload a gun, never pull the trigger, muzzle awareness, etc.

I think that I"m going to start my older child off on pellet guns. They're old and heavy, but she's pretty strong. My .22 is actually lighter, but it's louder and I'm a bit on the fence.
 
Don't

Let a kid shoot your Savage .17 HMR ( or any .17 HMR for that matter).

Oh the kid is ecstatic hitting that two liter plastic bottle filled with water and having it explode aiming at the bottle cap, and hitting it.

The problem is the parents/grandparents.
I mean if the parents/grandparents have not already lost a .22 rifle of theirs to the kid(s), they will be buying one.

.17HMR gets you in more trouble as not only does the kid want one, so will the parents/grandparents.

Honest, adults can be more excited about hitting a bottle cap, on a bottle of water, than kids.

I basically stay in trouble...;)
 
Not going to start them with an semi auto etc.
Click to expand...

It's hard for me to imagine that there is a gun/style that has been used to teach more shooters than the Ruger 10/22 and similar, unless you count BB guns.

What I've discovered in the process of teaching is that them having fun matters a lot more than me creating little snipers.

I've also discovered that shooting time is not rule teaching time. They need to learn the rules PRIOR to shooting, or at least prior to handling a gun without your hands also on it.

I started teaching my kids the rules about firearms as soon as they could comprehend speech. Early on, it's no more than never, ever touch a gun without an adult present and don't let your friends either. If you see a gun, RUN! Find an adult. If your friends won' follow you, RUN anyway. Find and adult. Only later, when they can understand better, does it get more complicated. It still starts with "Find an adult!" if you accidentally run across a gun. If they want to go shooting, though, they have to be able to tell me the 4 Rules and what those rules MEAN. Reciting the rules is meaningless without comprehension.

My son shot a gun for the first time when he was about 18 months old. It was my 10/22. He was much more interested in the shiny things flinging out the side than the apparent nothing that was happening at the target. It didn't matter, it was FUN! He's been addicted ever since and wants to shoot every chance he gets. When he was about 6, he hit a 14" target at 296 yards with my .204Ruger.:D
 
Starting Early

My niece and nephew were three when I started with them. I used my 1936 Red Ryder right out on the front lawn and some tin and aluminum cans. Out on the ditch bank I used the same H&R revolver with each of them. My niece progressed at a slower rate so you need to be prepared for overlaps. For their tenth birthdays they each recieved a .22.

I gave my niece a H&R nine shot revolver and my nephew recieved a Winchester Model 90 since he had been given a Hawes .22 by his step father when he was three. His step father had assumed that because the Hawes shaved lead for him that it would not work. It still works well it just needed a bit of milling on the forcing cone and the barrel shaved so the site lined up right.

My father and I started my great nephew with the Red Ryder when he was two. My great nephew is now six and has his own single shot .22 that was his step grandfathers and that same Hawes. I also have a BP .44 for him and he shoots a NEF .32 H&R magnum by himself with accuracy. He also has his own compound bow that he shoots with his father.

The main thing that you have to remember is that each child is different and you have to proceed or not when and if they are ready.

My great nephew is ready and has already shot accurately a SKS and a .308 by himself using a rest. You just have to work into it gradually as each kid grows. The worst thing that you can do is to push them into it and then they get scared.
 
Thanks. Good info and great ideas

Thanks for all the good info and great ideas.
Am going to have to look into air soft guns.
Live well, be safe.
Prof Young
 
I do not give the kids air soft rifles for a simple reason. I do not want to blur the lines between toys and guns. Air rifles, maybe, but if they are almost a .22 then why not just use a .22. Part of the experience is shooting a fire arm. Not almost getting there.
 
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IME, start with a small bolt action 22. I don't like the ones you have to cock.

A scope helps at first, but only after they can put their head on the stock in the same place much of the time. A properly fit scope will reenforce this skill.

Start from a bench rest.

Create progression and confidence. Cans and stuff like that are fun.

Once your little shooter is doing ok, get a friend involved. Friends build a network of shooters. Otherwise they might feel awkward about being a shooter.

Avoid introduction to oddball shooters. Kids can pick an odd ball out. The harmless, but cooky old guy who shows up in a truck with 20 loaded guns in it talking about the government, healthcare, Obama, etc do NOT help kids feel at home on the range.

As skill progresses, semi-autos are fun, but only after the manual of arms is clearly understood.

Pistols too are fun, but add lots of risk. IMO, 12-15 is about pistol start age. My kids started at ~6.

Also, girls drift away at ~14 or so, let them. They will more likely come back when teen pressures are off.
 
Starting already

My wife, myself, my daughter, and my son-in-law are all target shooters. My family has blessed me with 2 granddaughters (2 and 3) and a grandson (14). My grandson has his own .22lr pistol, .22lr Marlin rifle, and .410 gauge shotgun. When the family started thinking about shooting for the girls, we were concerned about how to bring them up around firearms. I have found that young children learn from repetition but are not able to sit for extended periods of time. As we cleaned weapons, the girls loved to watch and we always tell them about safety. To start them with their own firearms, we started with the ever infamous water guns. We explained carefully that these were toys that could be used to shoot targets in the back yard. Of course, they eventually turn them on each other, but we explain again that they are toys and "real" guns are not toys. We always emphasize the safety aspects. The girls are now old enough for air soft guns which they can only shoot at targets. They understand that they cannot point airsoft firearms at each other. My grandson moved from a daisy BB gun to an air rifle prior to getting his own "real" guns. (Thankfully, he always treats any firearms like a "real" gun). Since he now shoots with his parents and grandparents, he has volunteered to allow his sisters to use his BB gun and air rifle when they get old enough. (Makes a grandpa feel proud). In anticipation of the future, my wife and I purchased a pair of pink cricket .22 lr's for the girls for future Birthday presents.

As someone mentioned, children's attention and enthusiasm may ebb and flow over the years. We intend to let the children come and go with their enthusiasm as their moods change but the safety aspects will always be there. Hopefully, their love of firearms will never totally disappear.

As a side note, I have introduced several people that I know to the joy of shooting. Many of these people have children and grandchildren that they would like to introduce to firearms. I am proud to say that many of them have asked me to help with the introduction. Since I collect firearms, I am able to provide instruction tailored to the age and maturity of the children. I hope that I am doing my part to bring the next generation of shooters on line.

I place the word real in quotation marks for emphasis only. I am teaching all the children that all firearms are real but some firearms such as water guns can be used for fun purposes such as squirting each other.

BTW, what do others do in concerns to paintball guns?
 
I got my first .22 rifle, a Sears single-shot, at ten years old. I well remember that Christmas morning, now 51 years ago, almost to the exclusion of all other Christmas mornings.

That ten-year old in me says :

Make sure I know the difference between toy guns and this real one.

Make sure I know what I see on the television is not reality.

Do link safe handling practices to frequency of use.

Keep the ammo locked up and hidden away from me. Dad always made sure we shot it all up, buying more .22 shells the day we went out again. You could get .22 shells just by walking in the hardware store, not so certain today.

Let me clean and oil 'my' gun whenever I want, as long as you, the adult, is there to supervise me.

Don't let me play with the real gun as if it were a toy.

Let me keep it in my room. Let me show it to my friends when they come over, but only if you're there. Make sure I give them the safe handling advice, not you. It's my responsibility to my friends, even if there is no ammo around.

Take me to the range, but realize I'm going to get almighty bored with making holes in a paper target. I'd rather go to a dirt bank with you and shoot pop cans and water jugs, pine cones, and kinetic stuff like that.
 
Peep sight makes sense

Shooters:
So I've purchased a Cricket rifle while it was on sale for only $99.00. The sight that comes on the gun is a peep sight, which makes a lot of sense when you think about trying to teach the idea of "sight picture" to a youngun. With the peep sight they are going to have to have the right elevation or they won't even see the front sight. Makes sense.
Live well, be safe
Prof Young
 
I always start with safety rules and then safe firearms handling.

The purpose is to develop a communication between the student and the instructor. As an instructor, I want to ensure that my students understand me and to adapt my teaching methods so as to help them understand as much as possible.

Once that confidence is established, then I begin handling with empty firearms. I want them to be familiar with firearms before they even go on the range. That avoids clumsy handling with live ammunition. This includes shooting stances and drills.

The next step is marksmanship with dummy rounds. Coin on the topstrap, dropping the hammer while aiming at a target.
 
Teach, share and keep it fun !!!

I always start with safety rules and then safe firearms handling.
Click to expand...
Great point as we all can accept that the four basic rules, should be the foundation of teaching firearms. We devote about 1/2 hour in our first session. Then we challenge them to catch us not practicing what we preach. .... ;)

1) Keep the actions simple and understandable.
2) Make every experience fun and successful.
3) Measure the receptivity and don't burn them out.
4) Give them simple goals that are obtainable.

Be Safe !!!
 
kids

Taught bamaboy of course, and now the kid is outshooting me about half the time.

Some comments:
-Safety first as somebody already mentioned. The 4 basic rules and "open the action" should be ingrained and understood.
-Gradeschoolers attention span is short. Keep sessions short as well.
-bamaboy got a BB gun, supervised, then a Cricket .22 more supervised. The Cricket's weight and dimensions are important. Most ANY adult sized firearm is to big for a gradeschooler. First shots with a handgun were with a Bearcat.
-teach sights and trigger off a BENCH, FIRST. Safer, the rifle stays on the bench. And way simpler for the youngster, who only has to learn the sights/trigger, and not struggle to support rifle.
-I believe youngsters should learn iron/open sights first, then scope. When the time comes for handguns, it will be an easier transition. Scopes OK later.

Age? Depends, but youngster has to completely understand that the firearm is a death dealing device that will not tolerate mistakes. Seems like I had the boy on a Cricket .22 about age 9, VERY closely supervised.
 
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