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6 year old and a .410 help


Centrepin
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My 6 year old grandson is very keen to shoot. Currently he's learning by watching and pressing the buttons for the traps, we also explain what and why we do things.

He fires about 10 cartridges of lyalvale 2" 9gram 6s on a Sunday on the beginners stand. Always helped by my son, his uncle.

He uses a .410 SBS, with a butt cut down to fit my 12 year old Granddaughter. 

Until he is older or bigger, I don't think it's worth cutting down another for him. He's small for his age.

Because of his size recoil and mount are a problem. It's impossible for him to mount as is. My son stands behind him to help and holds the butt for the recoil. 

As you can see from the picture he posed to show how he has to mount, it's far from ideal which is why I'm worried about him taking a thump in the face. Almost all the recoil is taken by my son standing behind him.

I blotted out his face as my daughter (also a shooter) is worried about social media - kids with guns and son on.

So any help and advice is welcome:

 

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For comfortable shooting gun fit is vital....I think it will be virtually impossible to find/adapt a gun to fit such a small lad!......and if you can/do, the speed with which he will grow, will render any gun too short in a very short time, and at six, it could become a case of.......too much, too soon?

 

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It will be difficult to find a small enough gun but perhaps a single barrel is the answer? Some of these folding ones are quite light and compact. Or perhaps go for a rested PCP air rifle shooting at static clays? That way could enjoy some shooting without developing a flinch from recoil etc and move on to a .410 when a bit bigger 

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2 minutes ago, HW95J said:

It will be difficult to find a small enough gun but perhaps a single barrel is the answer? Some of these folding ones are quite light and compact. Or perhaps go for a rested PCP air rifle shooting at static clays? That way could enjoy some shooting without developing a flinch from recoil etc and move on to a .410 when a bit bigger 

Was just about to post the same idea ,  or maybe a pcp air pistol with static Clay's  at different distances  , will keep him part of the gang , and targets to give him some thing to practice and get better. 

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That picture looks so wrong, as you say he is small and I doubt you are going to find gun that will not knock him about and possibly cause problems in latter years, the only possible answer would be to find a really cheap single barrelled 410 and cut the stock down, because of his size/weight the 2" 9gram 6s are still going to give him a bit of a kick, he maybe keen but don’t push him.

The suggestion from HW95J is perhaps the way to go.
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Thanks for the replies. He just loves to come along and spend time with us, even operating the traps. Due to his size we only let him fire a few and hes happy at that.

An air gun maybe the way to go, it's what I started my son and daughter on. They progressed to rim fire. 22  then 5.56 under my supervision. 

I don't want to put him off because he's asking to come every week. It's just what to do to keep him keen and not disappoint him.

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Some great ideas there, he loves hitting what he shoots at so fizzy pop and balloons sounds good. He never fires unsupported, always being held.

He has a small BB gun he uses in the garden now, and I've bought him a build yourself working model BB gun for xmas. Age 15 upwards, but he's doing technical lego at that standard in about 10 mins.

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It's good to get children involved and help them to understand the ways of the countryside but in my opinion, he's way to young and small in stature to be shooting , even a 410. That picture to me looks unsafe.

If he really wants to shoot a gun, what about a single barrel 9mm like the Chiappa squirrel. Very light and no recoil

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42 minutes ago, stuartyboy said:

It's good to get children involved and help them to understand the ways of the countryside but in my opinion, he's way to young and small in stature to be shooting , even a 410. That picture to me looks unsafe.

If he really wants to shoot a gun, what about a single barrel 9mm like the Chiappa squirrel. Very light and no recoil

My thought too,"dying" clays as settling duck

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hello, if your going to go the air rifle way i suggest a HW 25, but the stock may even be to long for his age,  maybe a single 410, you can get some with a short LOP, with a better fitted stock those cartridges should be less of a problem, or wait until he is around 8 years, get him some ear defenders even if he is only watching, 

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1 hour ago, oldypigeonpopper said:

hello, if your going to go the air rifle way i suggest a HW 25, but the stock may even be to long for his age,  maybe a single 410, you can get some with a short LOP, with a better fitted stock those cartridges should be less of a problem, or wait until he is around 8 years, get him some ear defenders even if he is only watching, 

He wears ear plugs, with proper ear defenders over the top. I'm overly protective with his hearing. I insist on ear defence from car park onward if any one is shooting. My hearing is shot from years of little or no protection. His ears are not going the same way.

The picture was posed for his Great Nan. He fires in a padded beginners cage, hat, glasses and ear defenders and held by my son, who takes the recoil. 

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2 minutes ago, Centrepin said:

He wears ear plugs, with proper ear defenders over the top. I'm overly protective with his hearing. I insist on ear defence from car park onward if any one is shooting. My hearing is shot from years of little or no protection. His ears are not going the same way.

The picture was posed for his Great Nan. He fires in a padded beginners cage, hat, glasses and ear defenders and held by my son, who takes the recoil. 

ok well good luck with everything

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My lad is 6 and of November and has shot since turning just turning 4. Only one or two carts a week and he uses a cut down yildiz folding .410. Also put a rubber comb raiser on for him and a softer pad. He can shoot going away targets and the odd very slow incomer. 

 

We normally just stand some clays up and he pots them at various distances.  He is tall for a 5 year old but even the weight of the 410 can get too much so we do limit him to only a few shots a week.

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Edited by Del T
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Yes I only let him have a few shots too. I think static Clay's are a good idea, it'll get him used to the gun.

My local RFD has some .410 in stock single barrel from about £20 upwards. I can afford to cut the butt back on one for a few shots a week for a couple of years and either pass it on, scrap it or let someone have it for parts.

Thanks for all the advice👍

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