what age to let a child start shooting

[gomer pyle]

My 2yr old is showing alot of interest i shooting even going so far as to pick out his own "boomer" at wally world. I know 2 is too young to let him shoot but at what age are most starting? I am teaching him good safety tips even with his toys.

[TrickyNicky]

A 2 year old could probably safely shoot under the right set of strict circumstances, just do is all a favor and don't take videos or photos and post them on the webz.

I personally thing 6 is probably a good age to let the little ones get some trigger time.

[UncleJak]

I started mine at 5-6. We started with bb guns and move up as expertise is gained.

sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

[Sam1]

I don't have kids, but just guessing, I would say when they can legitimately respond to someone addressing a safety concern.  Think two years old is a bit young to comprehend those types of incidents

[Wingshooter]

I started mine at 5-6. We started with bb guns and move up as expertise is gained.sent barefoot from the hills of Tennessee

Same here. For my kids 5-6 I began training them on the BB gun. About 8 they were good shots at the range with a .22

[LI0NSFAN]

Got my first bbgun at 3 and first 22 at 5. I am going to use the same timeline as long as I think my kids can handle it. My daughter turns 3 this week and is still jumpy when I shoot my bb gun so I think I will hold off with her. My son is turning 2 and it does not bother him at all so I will probably get him one at 3. I know both have the strength to shoot just need to make sure they are mature enough to handle a bbgun.

Edited September 3, 2013 by LI0NSFAN

[Alleycat72]

I started mine at 4. 

[Guest Wesley33]

I believe a 2 year old is a little young, buy every kid's "maturity" level is different and they progress differently. I have three boys ages 4, 4, and 5. I have let them shoot BB guns with a lot of safety talks and keeping the gun pointed "down range," etc...They are doing well. Occasionally they have flagged me or come close to it, but that was usually when they got way too excited about actually hitting a target.

 

I have let my 5 year shoot a .22 rifle a couple of times and he pretty much treats it like his BB gun. So shooting the .22 doesn't happen too often. I will keep introducing it, but he is just as happy to shoot the BB gun as anything and for my sanity and stress level, that's fine with me.

[TNMTBik3r]

I would say every kid is going to be different, but I plan on starting my daughter around 5. I think I was 7 before I got to shoot, but I was shown how to be responsible and watched my dad clean them before.

[gomer pyle]

i don't intend to start him at 2. i'm excited that he is interested. i was just curious at what age everyone starts their kids.

[vontar]

Dad started me shooting a little when I was 5.  Took me hunting with him for the first time when I was 8. (he was hunting, I was just there)

[TrickyNicky]

Keep in mind I'm not advocating having kids shooting as toddlers, merely stating that under a certain set of circumstances it may not be any more dangerous than shooting sports already inherently are.

I do think 6 is probably a good age if for no other reason than lessons hammered home at that age tend to stick through adolescence.

[Tempest455]

My oldest started at 6 w/ .177 pellet gun. Spent A LOT of time in the backyard w/ pellet guns.

 

Then .22, .223 and by 10 he was shooting a M1 Garand.

[MacGyver]

I have a deal with most of the kids I know that I'll take them shooting when they can recite to me the four primary rules of firearm safety and tell me what they mean. I'm always happy to make good on my end of the bargin, and a lot of parents I know are happy to know they're learning in a safe environment.

[Mike.357]

depends on the kid.  My oldest grandson I started at five. The younger one who is now 6 is not ready.

[Guest Razz]

My two year old is nowhere near ready. He pushes every single boundary to the limit. He's a sweet kid but he wants to know what's over every edge.

My wife and I have 6 in our minds but we both know that his maturity will dictate the appropriate age. I didn't shoot a .22 until I was 8 and then not again for 28 years. Unfortunately I don't have my own memories to draw from.

[Clod Stomper]

I started when I was two. Of course my Dad was holding the C&B revolver when I pulled the trigger.

I'll probably start my now 7-month old when he shows an interest, whether that be two or ten years old. Of course everything will be under my control until I know he is responsible enough to handle it his self.

[wileecoyote]

As an instructor I have taught a wide range of kids and adults for more than 25 years with students ranging from 6-82 years of age. Appropriate age depends on the individual, their parents, and other important circumstances but most kids seem to do best with toys from 0-10, air guns from 6-18, and real guns from 10+... all with appropriate instruction, adult supervision, and safety measures of course.

[TMF]

I started when I was 4 on a pump .22. My son is the age that I was when I started, but I don't believe his maturity level is there where he can delineate between firearms as an adult tool that he can use under supervision only. He experience so far with firearms is that he can identify them and know not to touch them, and to go find an adult if he sees one that is left unsecured. I don't want to send mixed messages that he isn't mature enough to interpret properly. Maybe some have kids that young who can, but not me.

Looking back, none of that was put into context for me at that age. I just knew that I'd get into a lot of trouble if I handled a firearm without supervision, but I didn't have it explained to me why. I think kids need to be old enough to understand "why" before they handle firearms.

[Murgatroy]

I started taking my daughter to the range when she was four to gauge interest.

 

By five she would sit and shoot her .22LR (hand me down, it was mine at that age.)

 

By six she could put holes in the target at 100yds. She has shot my 10/22, AR and SA Revolvers in .22LR.

 

She is seven now.

[Jesse]

My 7 year old daughter wont even touch my gun.

She said guns are bad and she never wants to shoot one. I cant change her mind. Ive tried.

[10-Ring]

I have a deal with most of the kids I know that I'll take them shooting when they can recite to me the four primary rules of firearm safety and tell me what they mean. I'm always happy to make good on my end of the bargin, and a lot of parents I know are happy to know they're learning in a safe environment.

 

I think this may be a good idea.  My daughter is 4 and there are 2 things I'm waiting for her to mature enough to do, shoot with me and ride on my motorcycle.  My motorcycle friends tell me that 6 or 7 tends to be a good age as they need to be able to reach the pegs and listen and follow instructions immediately.  I think that the part about following instructions is parallel here.  I really like the idea of when the child can recite the 4 rules and tell me what they mean they are ready for the range. My question is is there anything wrong with letting a child shoot in a 100% controlled environment as in she's sitting in my lap and I have full control over what she's doing before she is mature enough to handle a task such as that?

[peejman]

We got a Red Ryder for my oldest on his 5th birthday.  His excitement about it comes and goes. The stock is still much too big for him so it's pretty awkward as well.  I've considered cutting it down but his lack of interest hasn't motivated me to do it yet.  It'll be a while before we upgrade to anything more powerful. 

[Guest Keal G Seo]

Well I don't have any kids of my own but I can tell you my progression. Let me start by saying that I wasn't allowed to hunt solo until I was about 8. At 4 I got a Red Ryder BB gun, At 6 I got a Ruger 10/22. At 8 I got a 20 gauge  break action shotgun (not sure who made it and it is long gone). At 12 my dad bumped me up to a Mossy 12 gauge pump. Then at 15 I got my first high power rifle, Model 700 7mm from my step father.
This summer I had my nephew here, he is 6 and I started him with my old BB gun. It was a bit large for him, as it was for me at 4. We got some basic safety taught. No pointing it at people or himself, walking with the barrel facing the ground and putting the safety back on after every shot. I don't think his dad* (step father been around since birth) has done much in the way of guns with him though. He had said he got to shoot his dad's gun (AR-15) and wanted the sights to be like those (red dot). At first this hard for me to believe but having to teach him iron sights instead of red dot hitting every time kinda made me a believer.

So my overall suggestion? Between 4-6 with a BB gun is a good time to start instilling in-use safety...take that with a grain of salt though since I don't my own kids.