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Message
What age to buy sons a gun
Posted on 10/17/10 at 9:42 pm
Posted on 10/17/10 at 9:42 pm
So the 410 thread gets me thinking
We have 2 sons only 15 months apart.
The eldest will be 4 soon. I however, did not have a father that hunted and didnt get into hunting until my late 20's.
Since we have real guns in the house and we plan to raise the boys to both enjoy shooting we decided to not have any toy guns in an effort to reinforce that a real gun is serious business.
This of course does not stop them from turning any 2ft long object into a "pretend toy gun".
I think we are going to get him a BB gun for his fourth bday. Assuming they continue to be interested in the sport, we will let him shot my .22 from a bench and take him on a hog hunt at 5 to see one get shot and killed. Then planning at 6 to take him deer hunting with me and let him shot a centerfire, and shotgun from a bench. Age 7 will transition to going on hunts as a shooter for squirrel, and hogs. And at some point ducks and doves when he can handle the shotgun well enough. Think I will let him take a deer at age 10.
Both boys will be shown entrance and exit wounds on animals to reinforce the cause effect relationship of firearms. They will of course also need to demonstrate safe and proficent use of fierarms prior to hunting with them. I am also planning on requiring them to eat what they kill.
Does this seem like a normal progression?
We have 2 sons only 15 months apart.
The eldest will be 4 soon. I however, did not have a father that hunted and didnt get into hunting until my late 20's.
Since we have real guns in the house and we plan to raise the boys to both enjoy shooting we decided to not have any toy guns in an effort to reinforce that a real gun is serious business.
This of course does not stop them from turning any 2ft long object into a "pretend toy gun".
I think we are going to get him a BB gun for his fourth bday. Assuming they continue to be interested in the sport, we will let him shot my .22 from a bench and take him on a hog hunt at 5 to see one get shot and killed. Then planning at 6 to take him deer hunting with me and let him shot a centerfire, and shotgun from a bench. Age 7 will transition to going on hunts as a shooter for squirrel, and hogs. And at some point ducks and doves when he can handle the shotgun well enough. Think I will let him take a deer at age 10.
Both boys will be shown entrance and exit wounds on animals to reinforce the cause effect relationship of firearms. They will of course also need to demonstrate safe and proficent use of fierarms prior to hunting with them. I am also planning on requiring them to eat what they kill.
Does this seem like a normal progression?
11
Posted on 10/17/10 at 9:51 pm to Bleeding purple
I agree a BB should be the first step, followed by the 22 and possibly a 410 in the same year.
You know your kids better than anybody, can he handle the BB gun at 4 or maybe he needs to wait until he is 5.
Your second child will be differnt than your first, maybe he will be ready sooner or maybe it will take him a little longer.
Also look at taking them hunting sooner than later, make a few afternoon hunts with your son at possibly 4, but by 5 for sure, thats just my opinion here again its something you will have to judge for each one of your boys.
There is no magic table when it comes to kids, but I think your game plan is good, but just like life, you will get thrown a curve every now and then. Just go with the flow and enjoy the time with your kids in the outdoors
You know your kids better than anybody, can he handle the BB gun at 4 or maybe he needs to wait until he is 5.
Your second child will be differnt than your first, maybe he will be ready sooner or maybe it will take him a little longer.
Also look at taking them hunting sooner than later, make a few afternoon hunts with your son at possibly 4, but by 5 for sure, thats just my opinion here again its something you will have to judge for each one of your boys.
There is no magic table when it comes to kids, but I think your game plan is good, but just like life, you will get thrown a curve every now and then. Just go with the flow and enjoy the time with your kids in the outdoors
Posted on 10/17/10 at 9:51 pm to Bleeding purple
seems reasonable...though maybe a bit too structured to be workable....your two sons may have a wildly different levels of maturity at a given age, so you will have to be willing to flex a bit to make it work...
Posted on 10/17/10 at 10:09 pm to Bleeding purple
Saw something awhile back that stated the best thing to do for a new shooter is to start him with a shotgun. They stated that trying to teach someone to shoot a shotgun is harder after they are introduced to aiming a rifle. If started with a shotgun they learn the pointing and motion of shotgunning much easier than if you start out aiming and have to break that habit to learn to lead and follow through
Something to consider? I was brought up on a bb gun and then a 22 and burn through a crap load of shotgun shells to get a limit in the dove field
Something to consider? I was brought up on a bb gun and then a 22 and burn through a crap load of shotgun shells to get a limit in the dove field
Posted on 10/18/10 at 7:54 am to Bleeding purple
Every kid is different. But sounds like a good plan.
I have three boys; 9 and twins 6. Started all with BB gun but soon went to the .22 Cricket. My 9 year old and one of the twins love to shoot while the other twin doesn't care for it.
You definately need to shoot at cans, ballons or spinning targets for the visual effect. Paper targets only go so far.
The 9 year old was hunting with a .243 Rossi, this year I moved him up to a 30.06 with Remington managed recoil loads. He dropped a pig at 114 yards during the youth hunt last week.
All in all it just depends on the maturity and progession of the individual kid.
I have three boys; 9 and twins 6. Started all with BB gun but soon went to the .22 Cricket. My 9 year old and one of the twins love to shoot while the other twin doesn't care for it.
You definately need to shoot at cans, ballons or spinning targets for the visual effect. Paper targets only go so far.
The 9 year old was hunting with a .243 Rossi, this year I moved him up to a 30.06 with Remington managed recoil loads. He dropped a pig at 114 yards during the youth hunt last week.
All in all it just depends on the maturity and progession of the individual kid.
Posted on 10/18/10 at 11:28 am to Bleeding purple
IMO it all depends on the kid. My oldest brother, who is 4 years older than me, didn't start hunting until about 9 or 10. I started at about the same time he did, when I was 6. My other older brother, 15 months older than me, didn't start until he was in college.
I can't remember a time when I didn't have a BB gun. I was shooting birds and pine cones all the time when I was younger. My dad slowly upgraded me with shotguns and rifles as I was ready. He never pushed the issue with the other two. They started later than me and moved at their own pace.
I can't remember a time when I didn't have a BB gun. I was shooting birds and pine cones all the time when I was younger. My dad slowly upgraded me with shotguns and rifles as I was ready. He never pushed the issue with the other two. They started later than me and moved at their own pace.
Posted on 10/18/10 at 11:59 am to Bleeding purple
BB gun as soon as they are physically able to pump it and hold it up to aim.
Posted on 10/19/10 at 5:32 pm to Bleeding purple
I had a bb gun at 9 and was shooting a 410 at 12.
Got my 13 year old learning to handle my 22 pistol. Since I dont hunt anymore, he is not as exposed to guns as I was as a boy.
Got my 13 year old learning to handle my 22 pistol. Since I dont hunt anymore, he is not as exposed to guns as I was as a boy.
Posted on 10/19/10 at 5:43 pm to Bleeding purple
my dad bought me and my older brother Browning .243 when we were 2/3 and didnt start hunting with them till we were around 10/11. bb guns when i could hold one then 22 and so forth...
Posted on 10/19/10 at 5:58 pm to Bleeding purple
quote:
Both boys will be shown entrance and exit wounds on animals to reinforce the cause effect relationship of firearms.
Funny but my gramps took us out one afternoon and dropped a few egrets flying back to their roost. Picked them up and said,..... Same principle.Posted on 10/20/10 at 8:57 am to Bleeding purple
As soon as they can hold one! Start a Daisy BB gun, Benjamin Pellet Rifle, then a single shot
410. Starting young allows you to beat safety in there head! By the time he hits the 410 and up, he'll be as cautios as an adult. He'll also have a beginers collectio of guns that he can keep forever and possibly start his son of some day. I appreciate my beginers collection and hope to start my kid of some day.
410. Starting young allows you to beat safety in there head! By the time he hits the 410 and up, he'll be as cautios as an adult. He'll also have a beginers collectio of guns that he can keep forever and possibly start his son of some day. I appreciate my beginers collection and hope to start my kid of some day.
Posted on 10/20/10 at 10:58 am to Bleeding purple
maybe. maybe not.
your fast track should be reevaluated depending on each's real emotional maturity and hand/eye coordination.
pretending they are the same as you is a big mistake.
1. in my 3rd grade class, we had an incident of a kid shooting out the eye of another kid. 4 seems a bit young for a bb gun.
I doubt ANY 4 yr old has the common sense. wait until he is 8.
2. nice touch, not letting them have toy guns. But they will miss an important learning. Did you have toy guns? Remember the moment when you were playing (cops and robbers or cowboys and indians, or enemy nation vs USA, something like that, and you are hiding behind the corner of a house and you expect someone to come around the corner? That ADRENAL rush is just as real as if you had a real gun and it would prepare them for the hunt/hunted element of warfare if they join the Army/Marines.
3. I think 5 is too young to be on a hog hunt, in so far as shite can go wrong. Adults get attacked by hogs.
I used to save news articles of guys who got killed by prey.
It happens. Bucks and hogs sometimes win, in close quarters.
Main thing is that you need to read a book on CHILD psychology and tailor your master plan to actual elements of maturity that you REALLY see in them, each in their time. Wait and see what happens really.
IMO.
your fast track should be reevaluated depending on each's real emotional maturity and hand/eye coordination.
pretending they are the same as you is a big mistake.
1. in my 3rd grade class, we had an incident of a kid shooting out the eye of another kid. 4 seems a bit young for a bb gun.
I doubt ANY 4 yr old has the common sense. wait until he is 8.
2. nice touch, not letting them have toy guns. But they will miss an important learning. Did you have toy guns? Remember the moment when you were playing (cops and robbers or cowboys and indians, or enemy nation vs USA, something like that, and you are hiding behind the corner of a house and you expect someone to come around the corner? That ADRENAL rush is just as real as if you had a real gun and it would prepare them for the hunt/hunted element of warfare if they join the Army/Marines.
3. I think 5 is too young to be on a hog hunt, in so far as shite can go wrong. Adults get attacked by hogs.
I used to save news articles of guys who got killed by prey.
It happens. Bucks and hogs sometimes win, in close quarters.
Main thing is that you need to read a book on CHILD psychology and tailor your master plan to actual elements of maturity that you REALLY see in them, each in their time. Wait and see what happens really.
IMO.
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